POINTSOFVIEW | FAITH and FAMILY
By Susan Hines-Brigger
End of an Era
Susan has worked at St. Anthony Messenger for 26 years and is an executive editor. She and her husband, Mark, are the proud parents of four kids—Maddie, Alex, Riley, and Kacey. Aside from her family, her loves are Disney, traveling, and sports.
Susan welcomes your comments and suggestions! E-MAIL: CatholicFamily@ FranciscanMedia.org MAIL: Faith and Family 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202
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44 • June/July 2021 | StAnthonyMessenger.org
TOP: SAM ARCHIVES; PETE & REPEAT: TOM GREENE
Susan Hines-Brigger
n life there are so few things that are started with Tom’s hand-drawn and handdefinite. So it’s nice when you are blessed painted illustration, which he would drop off with something that is. That’s what it was like at our office every month. working with Tom Greene, the illustrator for And to think that it all started with a tree. Pete and Repeat. Ever since I took over this In the second grade, Tom received recognicolumn 20 years ago, I could always count on tion for a pencil drawing of a tree that he a phone call from Tom to discuss that month’s created. From then on, he began to create art illustration. and seek to make it his life. Tom attended Each month, I would painstakingly creCarnegie Mellon University, where he studied ate the four-line poem that accompanied stage design. He then attended the University the cartoon. of Cincinnati, Writing those where he met four lines—with Shirley. The a very distinct couple married rhyme scheme in 1965. created well Tom thrived before my time— as a commercial often proved artist, using his more challenging domestic life, than writing my wife, children, actual column. cats, and dogs as Eventually, the subjects for many first part of the illustrations. He rhyme disapbecame the art peared. director for the Sometimes department store the theme Tom Mabley & Carew, came up with then served as was associated an illustrator in with what I had many commerwritten. Most cial art studios times, though, throughout he would suggest Cincinnati. something that The last 17 tied into a certain years of his season, event, or corporate career holiday. were spent teachNo matter ing illustration Tom Greene sits at his drawing desk, where he created more than 500 what he chose, and design at Pete and Repeat cartoons for over 40 years. though, we the Art Institute always knew that he would come through. of Cincinnati. Tom’s freelance work over the Over the years, he introduced us to Pete’s paryears has included partnerships with not only ents, his sister, numerous friends, and his dog, this magazine, but also Yankee Magazine, Scruffy. Those characters were based on Tom’s Focus on the Family, Standard Publishing, own family—his wife, Shirley, and their three Campbell’s Soup, and many others. kids—as well as friends. Shirley says the famThat is why, when Tom announced his ily would often discuss the drawings around retirement earlier this year, it hurt so much. the dinner table. Suddenly, we were going to be closing the Based on Tom’s illustration, our art direcchapter on a golden era—an era that has tor would then make the subtle changes that brought joy to so many over the years. All have stumped readers for years. But it all thanks to Tom Greene.
TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; MIDDLE: COURTESY GREENE FAMILY ARCHIVES
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