Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Ta-Ta Tommie! Farewell to UF Ombudsman, Tommie Howard

by Robin Rossie

After a brief dalliance with retirement earlier this year, Tommie Howard, University Ombudsman, is retiring full-time later this month. And so we bid a fond farewell to a UF legend.

With 40 years of dedicated service in positions across campus and an institutional memory unrivaled, his memoir is sure to be a page-turner. While we wait impatiently for our advance copy, here’s a pop quiz to see what you know and don’t know about our Tommie.

1. Before choosing a career at UF, Tommie spent two years in the . . .
A. Army
B. Navy
C. Air Force
D. Marines
E. French Foreign Legion

2. In his free time, Tommie can sometimes be found . . .
A. At karaoke tournaments across The South
B. Knuckle-busting under the hood of a race car
C. Reading his latest work at a poetry jam
D. At work
E. Partying with the French Foreign Legion

3. Ten years ago this October, Tommie was called out of town unexpectedly and . . .
A. Left me at the alter
B. Collected a lottery prize of 2.3 million dollars
C. Delivered Kate Gosselin’s twin girls
D. Subbed for a sick NASCAR driver
E. Joined the French Foreign Legion

4. If this second retirement sticks, Tommie’s dream is to . . .
A. Open a piano bar at the Holiday Inn at University & 13th
B. Put a new edge on trusty Rusty
C. Cruise the avenue in a ’67 Mustang fastback
D. Retire at least one more time
E. Recruit for the French Foreign Legion

Answer Key
1. ( A)
2. (B) and (D) are both acceptable
3. (A)…as the officiant…
4. (A), (B), (C), and (D) are all acceptable answers

For extra credit (where credit is due), be sure to drop Tommie a line letting him know he’ll be missed.

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