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Lori & Thomas Bobo
Bethany Cole
In the late 1980s, a young
athlete transferred from Mississippi
College to West Florida University.
While at orientation, he spotted “a
freshman girl wearing a blue dress.”
Within two weeks, Thomas Bobo
and the girl in the blue dress were
a couple.
Thirty-five years later, they’re
still a couple, and after over two
decades of being Clinton residents,
they are staples of the community.
Clinton roots run deep for
Thomas. He was born in Fayette,
Ala., but moved to Clinton his first
week of second grade. Following
graduation from Clinton High
School, he attended MC during
his freshman year, then transferred
to University of West Florida on a
soccer scholarship, where he met
Lori. Eventually, he returned to
complete his final year at MC.
While Thomas grew up in a small
town, Lori had a different
upbringing due to her father being
in the military. She was born in
California, but moved to Pensacola,
Florida, in her early childhood and
called that her home.
Lori and Thomas dated
through college, even making their
relationship work long distance
when Lori’s parents were transferred
to Japan. “Our phone bill
was crazy,” laughs Thomas,
remembering. But ultimately the
costly calls were worth it. The pair
married in 1992, in a chapel on
the Pensacola military base.
After Lori earned a degree in
early childhood education and
Thomas in business administration
(and subsequently a graduate
degree in the same field), the
couple spent the early years of
their marriage in Nashville.
Thomas worked for Nike, and
their family expanded while living
there. Thomas’ career then moved
the family to Birmingham, where
he worked for Motorola. When
Thomas’ father unexpectedly died
in the late ‘90s, it brought the
family back to Clinton. While
attending the funeral, Lori says
she realized the impact of the local
community. “There were so many
people attending,” she says. “I
really realized then what kind of
roots you can make in a small town.”
Their family moved to Clinton
in 1998. The couple’s three children,
Shelbi, Tommy, and Graham,
homeschooled with Lori for a
while before attending Mt. Salus
School, then transferred into the
Clinton school system for junior
high and high school. “Our kids
got the best of both worlds
growing up here,” says Lori. “They
were fully involved in everything
from travel sports to Attaché.”
Thomas coached Clinton High
School girls soccer for years, and
was also involved with Brilla
Soccer, which provided him a
chance to be involved in the sport
he loved and also participate in
his family’s interests. The move
to Clinton also provided Thomas
with an especially sweet and
nostalgic sense of bringing his
brood back to his hometown.
“My kids were able to grow up
where their dad did,” he reflects.
“They bled red, white and black.”
Additionally, it afforded their
family with the chance to be near
Thomas’ mother and sister, and
provide support in the wake of
their loss. “Family has always been
8 • FEBRUARY 2023