The world lost a touch of its light, humor, and dramatic flair on the afternoon of November 11, 2024, as much-loved Mt. Enterprise native Tommy Jay Grubbs, 54, slipped away from pain and into the arms of his Lord and Savior.
Hand in hand with the love of his life, husband, Andrew Hruska, in their Houston home, Tommy won his final battle with cancer and awoke renewed and made whole, returning to the manly beauty he never recognized he possessed.

Born to Granville 'June' Grubbs and his wife Jimmie on April 17, 1970. Tommy was the youngest of four and the only son.

Raised in the small town of Mt. Enterprise, he was popular with his classmates despite, or because of, his biting wit and stylish nature. He was the secret crush of many within his mostly female friend group and oblivious to his own good looks.

His budding talents were fostered within the family home at the hands of his mother, the local garage sale queen and frugal matriarch. From Homecoming parade floats to cafeteria murals and even the terrifying task of painting the still-present Wildcat on the Mt. Enterprise water tower, behind pencil, paint, and craft supplies, Tommy's gifts took shape.

An artistic prodigy, Tommy spent his happiest years within classrooms and auditoriums, sharing the wealth of his talent and knowledge with youth from across the state and hilariously brow-beating hundreds of talented teenagers into award-winning roles they never expected to fill. From college days and nights spent painting murals of yellow brick roads in now non-existent pizza places to directing multiple first-place medal-winning One Act Play performances with troupes of teenaged talent, everything Tommy touched turned to artistic gold.

Along his decades-long journey in education, Tommy touched the lives of countless students, affecting change and encouraging success on every level. From desperately seeking scholarships for gifted students hoping to expand their horizons, to finding homes for students secretly forced to sleep in hidden nooks and crannies on campus, Tommy was a guiding force in the lives of so many.

Even as he was drawn to play some part in the success, safety, and well-being of his human counterparts, so was he invested in the lives of stray and abandoned animals.

The home Tommy and Andrew shared is still filled with the commotion of the many four-legged loves of his life, Jolene, Izzy, Farrah, Betty, Polly, Hazel, Ruthie, and Letty, a beautiful tortoiseshell kitty that triggered every allergy he suffered, which was many, but whose love encouraged an extra Allegra, just to ensure she had a loving home. Evening walks with their furry retinue were a source of joy for the pair, if not an exercise in chaos.

In his passing, Tommy has left behind a legacy of laughter, song, dance, art, and mostly love.

Tommy Jay Grubbs was preceded in death by his father, June Grubbs, his mother, Jimmie Grubbs, and many uncles, aunts, and beloved cousins.

Left to cherish his every memory are his husband, Andrew Hruska, and sisters Lisa Matlock, Jo Ann Bentley, and Nancy Grubbs, along with his beloved in-laws David and Linda Hruska and sisters Christina Hruska-Holmes, and Julie Meister, and brothers Daniel Hruska and Timothy Hruska. Also grieving his loss are nieces Amber Lollar and her husband Marvis Liebel, Dion Miller, husband Jeff and daughter Natalie, Nicole Fontenot, husband Ted and children Camden and Logan, Tiffani Willis and her children Alura Patterson, Harper Lynn and Bellamy Willis, nephew Eric Matlock, wife Taylor and their son Wade, Ashley Pitts, husband Rusty Pitts, and children Kynlee, Kyleigh and Ty, and Chelsey Aguilera, husband Jesse and daughter Ruby, and secret best friend Debbie Gibson.

Funeral and memorial services for Tommy Jay Grubbs are pending.