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time better represented the essence of the term, “student-athlete,” than Thomas W. Lawhorne.

His next stop would be to study medicine at one of the nation’s biggest big-league academic institutions, Johns Hopkins, where he distinguished himself as a student. He was graduated with honors and returned home to Georgia and hung out his shingle in Columbus, getting the ultimate endorsement from Dr. Andy Roddenbery, a former Bulldog quarterback in Coach Harry Mehre’s Notre Dame box formation, and a highly regarded surgeon.

During his time in Columbus Tommy and Susan were community volunteers and stayed closely connected with their alma mater. Tommy would keep in touch with his teammates and classmates. He was particularly attendant to any needs of those with whom he played.

He would call and check on a former Bulldog player with a medical issue and would inform all their teammates that there was need for a comforting word for the family and a prayer.

Whenever a former teammate passed on, Tommy would take time off and show up at the funeral but he did his best to help his old friends avoid funerals or at least prolong their days. No doctor ever embodied the Hippocratic oath more fluently than Tommy did.

Now in retirement at Sea Island, Tommy has taken advantage of a state law that allows citizens to enroll at state colleges and continue academic opportunity. As they say in his native Worth County, Tommy jumped on that opportunity like a duck on a June bug.

All the while, he has been a Damn Good Dawg.