ON THE outskirts of Tullahoma, in a beautifully decorated cottage with a welcoming front door, two visionaries dwell. Bob and Sharon Elliot are a married couple with eyes that imagine what could be and hearts that make good things happen.
Sharon insists they are just ordinary people who enjoy being active in their community and meeting people from all walks of life.
“You can find me and Bob at Damron’s Restaurant every Tuesday night,” she said. “I work with the Come to the Table ministry. We all have a job, and mine is to serve the iced tea.”
Other volunteers prepare and serve the meals, provide clean-up detail, and help with clothing or financial needs. Pastors are often available to speak or to pray with people.
“Everyone who walks through the door gets a free meal on Tuesday nights,” Sharon said. “Though it is geared toward people who may be going through a rough time, everyone is welcome.”
Bob used to help with the meals, but medical issues make it difficult for him to be on his feet for long periods of time. He still continues to serve, but in different ways. The children there love Bob.
“I usually carry a bag of Tootsie Rolls with me,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I make sure each child gets a treat — but only after dinner.”
Married for 45 years, the Elliots work as a team but are quick to applaud each other’s individual efforts.
“Bob does repairs for elderly people who are unable to take care of things themselves,” Sharon said. “He also built a dollhouse for the Literacy Council to auction as a fundraiser. He is really good at building things.”
Building things is what he does best. Considered an expert in the field of concrete management, he played a major role in establishing the School of Concrete and Construction at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). His background in tech service in the Ready Mix company provided him with the experience. Still, it was his vision for the future and his desire to help young people that made it possible for him to help establish the first and one of only four such programs nationwide.
“They told him it couldn’t be done,” Sharon said. “He did it.”
Convincing the governing powers was no easy task. Bob was recruited to participate in seminars across the country with hopes of gaining support, but the idea was rejected by five universities before MTSU came on board. He continued to promote the idea until others caught on. The School of Concrete and Construction now offers two Bachelor of Science degrees to prepare its students for a $1 trillion-plus industry.
Mr. Bob nodded and smiled as his wife praised him, then turned his attention back to her.
“She’s a mean woman,” he said with an air of mischief. “She’s got a whole room of quilts upstairs and won’t let me use one of them when I’m cold.”
She shakes her head and mumbled, “Oh, Bob. You know I have quilts for you when you are cold, just not the ones upstairs.”
He smiled.
Upstairs is a sewing room full of beautiful, one-of-a-kind, award-winning quilts, each one the epitome of design and craftsmanship. Unlike typical heirloom quilts, made to be passed down from one generation to the next, many of these quilts are Quilts of Valor, awarded only to service members and living veterans of the U.S. armed forces. The presentation is a civilian award to recognize the recipient’s service and sacrifice. It is much more than a gift or present.
The founder of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, Catherine Roberts, came up with the idea when her own son was deployed to Iraq. She described these quilts as the civilian equivalent of a Purple Heart.
A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Sharon also creates quilts depicting notable historic military scenes. These quilts are often entered into competitions, with Sharon’s work taking top honors.
She first envisions the scene and then draws it freehand before cutting the fabric to match her design. Some of her ideas have included the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s Ride, and even the 6 Triple 8, referring to an all-Black women’s army corps in World War II.
All of her quilts are labors of love, some taking as long as five months to create, but the Quilts of Valor have the most special meaning for her. Her son, Michael, is a Navy veteran, now working as a cybersecurity professional protecting government and civilian systems from cyber threats.
Michael was wounded twice on active duty while supporting the global war on terrorism. He has had to overcome serious physical injuries with lasting effects as well as emotional trauma. For reasons of national security, he is not allowed to discuss his missions, but he told his mother, “Mom, you never forget it. You just learn to cope with it.”
One means of coping came about through a service dog, a Rottweiler named Brew, who was trained to sense impending anxiety. For five years, he served Michael as a loyal companion, helping him cope with his post-traumatic stress disorder. Brew passed away from cancer but is remembered as a hero in his own right.
Because Michael is a hero, he met the qualifications to be honored with a quilt.
“He served 17 ½ years,” Sharon said. “Michael received his own Quilt of Valor, and I presented it to him myself.”
All Quilt of Valor recipients receive the utmost respect and a warm hug during the ceremony as the quilts are wrapped around their bodies. The act is a symbolic gesture of the foundation’s support for the beloved service men and women who have had their backs during times of peace or conflict.
Both Sharon and Bob are blessed with the gift of seeing the needs of others. Serving others brings them joy, and they are always willing to have the backs of people who could use a little help and a hug. GN
