Post by blackcrowheart on Jul 24, 2007 14:40:34 GMT -5
Holy Road: Tommy Veal Byline/Source: V. Ohle, Acting Editor Monday, 16 July 2007
COOKEVILLE -- Tommy R. Veal (Cherokee/Chickasaw), 65, died Wednesday, July 4, 2007, at Overton County Nursing Home. He was born March 19, 1942, in Arab, Ala. to the late Tom and Jewell Eudy Veal. The family had moved to Arab from Ellijay GA in 1919. The Veal property line extended from North Georgia to Daddy's Creek near Crab Orchard, TN.
He was the president and founder of the Indigenous Intertribal Corporation (2001, Tennessee) and was . The IIC's goals include developing a combination cultural center and museum, and a living history working village featuring representatives and exhibitions from all indigenous cultures. The IIC also works to provide resources for natural disasters state-wide including a food and clothing bank, and 30-day temporary housing. Following Tommy's shared vision for the working village, the goal is to have Native people from as many tribes/nations from the U.S. Canada, Mexico, South America to show how they have lived in the past in an effort to educate the people and to let them know that everything that is read in history books is not all true. Tommy and the group's vision will be carried forward by his family and friends as they work to create an environment where as many of old ways as
possible are taught including how to live off of the land, make housing such as lodges, longhouses, hogans etc., make clothing, and gather and prepare food among other topics. All Indigenous people are welcome. I.I.C. will have a food and clothing bank for the needy who fall from natural disasters and a place for them to stay for 30 days to help them get back on their feet.
Tommy was an advocate for trying to bring people together. "Time is very short and we must get things done now," was a statement he frequently made when talking with people throughout the country. He was well known throughout the US and Canada.
Tommy served with the Advisory Council on Tennessee Indian Affairs (ACTIA) where he had been a board member since 2000. He had also served on the Tennessee Native American Convention (TNNAC) prior to serving on ACTIA, and had been active in the state-wide Native American Indian community in Tennessee since his return in 2000. Tommy was actively involved in the Tennessee Native American Veterans Society as a charter member, and a well-known face at powwows throughout the area. He was 3rd seat nominee for the Knoxville Caucus commission seat from 2001 to 2003, the period before the commission was officially recreated.
His ties to the land and duty to ancestors were evident in his work to protect sacred lands throughout the Southeast including Smoker's Park (Ft Lauderdale FL) and the Candy Lynn site (North FL). Locally, he worked with Pat Cummins of the Alliance on Native American Rights and tom kunesh on sites that included Little Cedar Mountain (near Chattanooga TN).
While Tommy was best known for his work in the Tennessee Indian community, his interests and talents were multi-faceted. Tommy was a three-times champion bull-rider at the Silver Spurs Rodeo (Florida) during the mid-sixties. He also wrote two books on treasure hunting: Lost Treasures of the Georgia Mountains (out of print) and Lost Treasures of the Southeast. Despite having to leave school in the 8th grade without obtaining a highschool diploma, Tommy believed in the importance of self-education and most who spoke with him assumed he was college-educated.
He was a sub contractor with John Stephens Corporation in assistance with the U.S. Postal Service. Tommy was in the Army Special Forces, serving in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
His family includes his wife, Linda Split Cloud Veal of Livingston; a daughter and son-in-law, Gina and Rodney White of Florida; three sons, Michael and Matthew Veal, both of Hilham, and Johnny Ray Veal of Florida; four stepdaughters and two stepsons-in-law, Carol and Steve Cash and Carol and Luke Ward, all of Cookeville, Deborah Smith of Alabama, and Suzanne and John Richardson of Grimsley; a stepson, Jacques Meness of Niagra Falls, N.Y.; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Bobby Joe and Mary Veal of Polk City, Fla., and Bruce and Gail Veal of Texas; two half sisters, Marie Gibson of Florida, and Clifferene Roper of Alabama; 15 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and a lot of Friends.
A gathering of his friends was held at the home of John and Pam Pry-Hedgecoth on Saturday, July 14. Prior to his passing Tommy had been nominated for one of this year's Tennessee Eagle Awards.
If you have a chance to make life better for others and fail to do so,
you are wasting your time on Earth. No matter what our station in life,
we are here to serve, even if that sometimes means making the greatest
sacrifice of all.
www.theupcn.com
COOKEVILLE -- Tommy R. Veal (Cherokee/Chickasaw), 65, died Wednesday, July 4, 2007, at Overton County Nursing Home. He was born March 19, 1942, in Arab, Ala. to the late Tom and Jewell Eudy Veal. The family had moved to Arab from Ellijay GA in 1919. The Veal property line extended from North Georgia to Daddy's Creek near Crab Orchard, TN.
He was the president and founder of the Indigenous Intertribal Corporation (2001, Tennessee) and was . The IIC's goals include developing a combination cultural center and museum, and a living history working village featuring representatives and exhibitions from all indigenous cultures. The IIC also works to provide resources for natural disasters state-wide including a food and clothing bank, and 30-day temporary housing. Following Tommy's shared vision for the working village, the goal is to have Native people from as many tribes/nations from the U.S. Canada, Mexico, South America to show how they have lived in the past in an effort to educate the people and to let them know that everything that is read in history books is not all true. Tommy and the group's vision will be carried forward by his family and friends as they work to create an environment where as many of old ways as
possible are taught including how to live off of the land, make housing such as lodges, longhouses, hogans etc., make clothing, and gather and prepare food among other topics. All Indigenous people are welcome. I.I.C. will have a food and clothing bank for the needy who fall from natural disasters and a place for them to stay for 30 days to help them get back on their feet.
Tommy was an advocate for trying to bring people together. "Time is very short and we must get things done now," was a statement he frequently made when talking with people throughout the country. He was well known throughout the US and Canada.
Tommy served with the Advisory Council on Tennessee Indian Affairs (ACTIA) where he had been a board member since 2000. He had also served on the Tennessee Native American Convention (TNNAC) prior to serving on ACTIA, and had been active in the state-wide Native American Indian community in Tennessee since his return in 2000. Tommy was actively involved in the Tennessee Native American Veterans Society as a charter member, and a well-known face at powwows throughout the area. He was 3rd seat nominee for the Knoxville Caucus commission seat from 2001 to 2003, the period before the commission was officially recreated.
His ties to the land and duty to ancestors were evident in his work to protect sacred lands throughout the Southeast including Smoker's Park (Ft Lauderdale FL) and the Candy Lynn site (North FL). Locally, he worked with Pat Cummins of the Alliance on Native American Rights and tom kunesh on sites that included Little Cedar Mountain (near Chattanooga TN).
While Tommy was best known for his work in the Tennessee Indian community, his interests and talents were multi-faceted. Tommy was a three-times champion bull-rider at the Silver Spurs Rodeo (Florida) during the mid-sixties. He also wrote two books on treasure hunting: Lost Treasures of the Georgia Mountains (out of print) and Lost Treasures of the Southeast. Despite having to leave school in the 8th grade without obtaining a highschool diploma, Tommy believed in the importance of self-education and most who spoke with him assumed he was college-educated.
He was a sub contractor with John Stephens Corporation in assistance with the U.S. Postal Service. Tommy was in the Army Special Forces, serving in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
His family includes his wife, Linda Split Cloud Veal of Livingston; a daughter and son-in-law, Gina and Rodney White of Florida; three sons, Michael and Matthew Veal, both of Hilham, and Johnny Ray Veal of Florida; four stepdaughters and two stepsons-in-law, Carol and Steve Cash and Carol and Luke Ward, all of Cookeville, Deborah Smith of Alabama, and Suzanne and John Richardson of Grimsley; a stepson, Jacques Meness of Niagra Falls, N.Y.; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Bobby Joe and Mary Veal of Polk City, Fla., and Bruce and Gail Veal of Texas; two half sisters, Marie Gibson of Florida, and Clifferene Roper of Alabama; 15 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and a lot of Friends.
A gathering of his friends was held at the home of John and Pam Pry-Hedgecoth on Saturday, July 14. Prior to his passing Tommy had been nominated for one of this year's Tennessee Eagle Awards.
If you have a chance to make life better for others and fail to do so,
you are wasting your time on Earth. No matter what our station in life,
we are here to serve, even if that sometimes means making the greatest
sacrifice of all.
www.theupcn.com