Story by: Wesley Holsomback

MONTEVALLO Ala.– Just outside the city limits of Montevallo lives Tom Howell, a Navy Veteran of 20 years who served in Vietnam. Tom who comes from a Blue Star family, chose the Navy for a specific reason.

“I joined the navy because, it was easier to make rank in the Navy. Whereas in the army or the marines, I don’t know about the air force but. You take a test in the Navy, to advance on up until you hit E7, I was E6.” 

Tom bounced from state to state after retiring from the service, before finally joining his parents in calling Alabama home.

“When I retired I went back to South Carolina I lived there for a little while, you know, did some odd and end stuff and security work and all that. Then I got tired of that, by that time my folks had moved from Kansas to Alabama. And they basically lived here for 40 years.”

As time continues to pass, Tom has started to see how some things in life find a way to come full circle.

“I always wondered why my grandpa always set on the front porch; all the time I mean all the time. And I kinda realized when I found this place, I said well I got to get me some rocking chairs you know, and I just enjoyed it. It’s real peaceful here, at nighttime it’s just quiet.”

Tom now cherishes the opportunity every day to watch the traffic pass by, enjoying the long days from his front porch.

“So I said well I ain’t leaving, you know there gonna have to carry me out in a tin box on this one. And this is where I ended up at and you know this is the best place I’ve ever lived.”