By Emily Williams As Larry and Sybil Michalove sit together looking through a scrapbook of memories in anticipation of their 60th wedding anniversary in 2020, there are many moments to celebrate. Some moments are bright, but it is the darker ones that seem to remain most clear. On July 3, 1970, the Michaloves moved into a three-bedroom apartment in Homewood, … [Read more...]
Life After the Bureau: Retired Agent Develops a Fictional Flair After a Life Spent Chasing Truth
By June Mathews Sit down for an hour or so with Homewood author Jack Owens and the conversation could go in just about any direction. A retired FBI agent, Owens has experienced life in a way few people do. The 30-year veteran of the bureau wound up working for the FBI, he said, “because Annapolis turned me down. My whole life, since I was 3 or 4 years old, I was going to be … [Read more...]
Playing With a Full House: Mountain Brook’s Ethel King Reflects on Life with 6 Children, 18 Grandchildren and 27 Great-Grandchildren
Ethel King has been caring for others for most of her life, from her childhood as the second-oldest of six children to her 50-plus years living in Mountain Brook surrounded by family. There isn’t much in this world that is worse than being alone, in Ethel’s eyes. Keeping up with 18 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren, she doesn’t have much time to feel … [Read more...]
Creative Hobby: VH Resident Spends His Retirement Making Stained Glass
By Ingrid Howard In addition to Christmas trees, lights and wreaths, Town Village Vestavia Hills has another decoration for residents to enjoy, and this one can last year-round. On some of the windows in the independent living community hang stained glass creations made by hand in Ron Vander Shaaf’s third-floor apartment. He learned that the price for a two-bedroom apartment … [Read more...]
‘Shining Time’ : John Baumgartner Relished His Professional Baseball Career
By Rubin E. Grant John Baumgartner walked into the home team clubhouse at historic Rickwood Field on a late November morning and immediately looked at a picture hanging above some lockers. The picture showed former Birmingham Barons legend Walt Dropo swinging a bat. Dropo and Baumgartner were teammates with the Detroit Tigers in 1953, but it wasn’t Dropo at the plate that … [Read more...]
