Dr. Gilbert F Romine was born November 30, 1939 in Kermit, Texas, the son of the late Willie Corena Hayes and Gilbert F. Romine Sr. On July 16 1967 he married Lane Claire Woodall, who survives.

He graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston in 1958 and went o n to enlist and serve in the United States Navy aboard the Guided missile cruiser USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 as an electronic technician. After leaving the Navy he attended the Lee College in Baytown, Texas and graduated from the University of Texas Dental School in Houston in 1969.

He worked in private practice in Baytown and Liberty, Texas until 1973 when he accepted a commission in the Navy as a dentist. He served in that capacity on the cruiser USS Oklahoma City and the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy. He was stationed on naval bases in Japan, the Philippines, Guam, Monterey California, Corpus Christi Texas, Norfolk Virginia, Charleston South Carolina and his final duty station was Naval Air Station Dallas until 1996, when his retired as a full Commander USN. In his service to his country he was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, The Meritorious Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Dr. Romine then served as a dentist for the Texas prison system and Veterans Administration. At the time of his death he was working in private practice at the Pilot Point Family Dentistry Clinic in Pilot Point Texas.

Dr Romine was a member of the Church on Rush Creek in Arlington Texas. He was loved and admired by all that knew him. He was devoted to his family, friends and animals. He loved to hunt out bargains at garage sales and was always finding "treasures" for his grandchildren.

Dr. Romine was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Scarlett.

Survivors include his wife Jane Romine of Arlington, sister Sandra Woods of Baytown Texas, daughter and son-in-law Stephanie and Rick Deese of Midlothian Texas, grandchildren, Allison, Jonathan, Reagan and Jacob Deese, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

"Gil" was affectionately known by his old shipmates, who served with him during the late fifties and early sixties, as "Sofine-Romine." He loved attending the annual USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 reunions with his wife Jane and reminiscing of those "old days."

Dr. Romine was laid to rest with full military honors at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on February 15, 2010.

Personal Note: I remember sitting next to Gil at a luncheon on board a riverboat at the Nashville reunion. (How fortunate I was since I had, just hours before, chipped a tooth on some wonderful peanut brittle we found in one of the malls.) I recall that I was impressed by the enormous size of his right forearm; it looked like Popeye's arm. Then he showed me the other one that was a more appropriate size for a human.

He told me he was a Dentist working in the prison system in Texas. It seems that the majority of dental work done in prisons involves extractions. He said he spent most of his time twisting out molars and bicuspids with brute strength. Indeed, and the proof was resting right next to me there on the table. He was an absolute prince and I was glad I had the opportunity to spend some time with him. -Joe Caruso-

John E. Grigsby 89, of Shelbyville died Thursday, January 21, 2010 at his home. Born July 13, 1920 in West Baden, IN, he was the son of Floyd and Eva Grigsby.

While attending West Baden High School, he played on the varsity basketball team for 4 years and the American Legion baseball team. He represented WBHS at the first Hoosier Boys State held in 1937 at Butler University. Upon high school graduation in 1938, he with his family moved to Bloomington where he attended Indiana University graduating in 1942 with a BS degree in accounting.

After marrying Louise Armstrong of Paoli on Feb. 1, 1942, he joined the US Navy where he served 3 years in the Atlantic during WWII as a first class storekeeper on a destroyer escort and in the Pacific on the cruiser USS Oklahoma City.

Obituary courtesy of INDYSTAR.COM