By Greg Budell
The Mayor of BOOMTOWN A True Love Story
THE WOODLING WAY "A true story from the Greg files"
mastermind, a skill the state of Alabama found to their liking when it hired Carolyn after the nest emptied.
This is a love story. An extraordinary love story, 80 years in the making. Tom and Carolyn Woodling knew each other as kids growing up in St. Louis. Both were raised in alcohol affected homes. Childhood needs that can’t be met in that environment have to be found outside the home. They met their needs with each other. Friendship. Respect. Consistency. Humor! They played well together as kids. Ask anyone in a long happy marriage how they did it and answers A, B and C are usually “we play well together”. They learned that principle early on. Childhood friendship blossomed into teenage romance. Tom and Carolyn married before turning 20. They played SO well together they produced 4 remarkably successful BOOMers, 2 of whom are doctors (Dennis and Darren) and 2 successful businessmen (Michael and Patrick). Before launching the family, Tom was asked (nicely but directly) by Carolyn, to forsake his passion as a stock car racer. It was a great suggestion. Tom subsequently channeled his immense mechanical skills into a 45-year career with Hager Corporation as a tool and die maker, machinist, creator, and inventor. That job is what brought the family to Montgomery.
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February 2022
RiverRegionBoom.com
I became an honorary Woodling 16 years ago. In the river region almost a year, I needed a personal physician. Radio works! So, one afternoon I advertised on my own show. “If you know a doctor who can take a new patient, please call me”.
The Woodling Way, Love is timeless, examples are forever
Carolyn, it turned out, was a listener and as any great mother would do, called to say “My son is the best. I’ll set it up”.
I showed up for my appointment a day later Newlyweds, They never forgot Tom and Carolyn Woodling and Carolyn was there what was missing to make sure everything from their childhood went smoothly. She was right. homes, so they built theirs around love, stability, and profound trust. Dr. Dennis Woodling is excellent. In addition to the original Fab 4 I’m still around as proof! sons, Tom and Carolyn, making a nice living, but far richer in family Carolyn is quite the character. values, made room for Amanda (a A zero BS, intuitive type, I loved lifetime member of the family), a talking to her and have almost foreign exchange student named daily all these years. I was Yoko, and numerous foster children greatly honored when she invited and ultimately, me. Tom and me to join her, Tom and the Carolyn got everything they needed Woodling family for their 50th by sharing whatever they could. wedding anniversary in 2006. Darren Woodling, a successful Raising all those children turns Troy chiropractor and founder of a Mom into an organizational Infusion Wellness in Montgomery, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
