Here is a story about Tom Lyle's generosity, given to me by his great niece and Mabel and Chet's granddaughter, Linda Hughes.
When Maybelline was sold, each employee was given $1,000 for each year they worked for the company. Even those who hadn't been there a full year got $1,000. Tom Lyle's secretary Dorothy (aka Ducky) ended up with $35,000 as did another secretary called Jimmie. Jimmie called Mabel, to ask her to relay to TL how grateful she was that she could retire after she got her $30,000 check. At the time my parents had a bookstore and a former employee came in and told them he was bowled over to receive $8,000. ( Dorothy also received one million dollars from her percentage in stock as well.)
Read more about Tom Lyle Williams, a secret American Icon and the great things he accomplished during his lifetime, in The Maybelline Story.
A cute story about Emery Shaver, Tom Lyle's lifetime partner of 50 years, given to me be his niece, Joyce Dennehy, (Mabel and Chet's, daughter.)
When my family drove from Chicago, to California, to visit Uncle Lyle, when we were kids: One day it was rainy and my brother Tom was grumbling a bit about having nothing to do. He said to Emery, "don't you have an indoor swimming pool?" Emery's response was "no but I have an ingrown toenail."
