THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL 

For someone who grew up without much, Dr. Bobby Babb (’67) has accumulated much throughout his life. He’s accumulated a lifetime of good deeds, a loving family, and one of Alabama’s most beautiful rose gardens in his own back yard. Babb grew up in Palmetto, a small unincorporated town in West Alabama’s Pickens County. Palmetto is so small its Wikipedia page cites no population statistic. Babb admits he grew up “poor” on a two-mule farm. If not for the income from the family cotton crop, Babb wouldn’t have been able to afford college. He attended Livingston College (now the University of West Alabama). It was there he met the love of his life, and future wife, Peggy. They married after Bobby graduated from Livingston, and began sorting out what his life’s professional calling would be.

Bobby was a mathematics whiz. Math came easier to him, so he thought teaching high school math might be his calling. His college roommate had other ideas and entertained dentistry as his profession. While Bobby was doing his student teaching as part of his educational requirements at Livingston, he came in contact with Dr. Lill Manley, who encouraged a group visit to the School of Dentistry. After meeting with Manley, Babb knew he had to shore up his credentials in chemistry before he could be admitted to dental school. So, he and Peggy moved on to Florence State College (Now the University of North Alabama) so he could take the additional chemistry courses and satisfy the requirements to be admitted to dental school. Upon passing those courses, he enrolled at UAB, knowing his professional path had changed to dentistry and that his entire life would soon change. “It was tiring, especially during those freshman and sophomore years. I took a lot of courses, dental school and working in the UAB hospital laboratory, for eight hour shifts on Saturdays and Sundays. I also had a nightly rotation fourth night, looking through a microscope and doing blood analysis. Looking back, loans would have been appropriate” said Babb.

Like most dental classes, the Class of 1967 was a tight knit group. They studied, socialized, and worked together. As they started seeing and treating patients in their third and fourth years, the training they received in the dental clinic was second to no other dental school. Their requirements to graduate were rigorous and numerous. “I really enjoyed the clinical work. I felt like I could communicate with any of the faculty. Dr. Charles Smith of Birmingham was one of my favorites. Of course, I loved Dr. (Scotty) McCallum. He was the greatest,” said Babb.

He thought then dental school was a great challenge, but acknowledged his superb training prepared him well for the future. That future included sizing up his skills against graduates from other dental schools when he began his service in the military. After graduating from UAB, Dr. Babb entered the U.S. Navy where he spent one year at the Great Lakes Training Center in Illinois. His second year of training was in Orlando in a much more welcoming climate. “It was cold, cold, cold in Great Lakes. You could see Lake Michigan from the Training Center, so you can just imagine how cold it was. I remember once we had a minus 66 wind chill temperature. Orlando was obviously much nicer”, he said. While in Orlando, he enjoyed the spoils of warmer weather by playing plenty of golf. After fulfilling his military obligation, Bobby and Peggy made their way back close to home where he began practicing in Tuscaloosa, AL. As he grew his practice, he became more involved with the community, with the Alumni Association through dental class reunions, and with organized dentistry through the Alabama Academy of General Dentistry. Bobby could often be spotted at various dental functions wearing the famous “green jacket” that is given to presidents of the Alabama AGD. He served on the Alabama AGD board for several years and was president in 1993. He had a major impact on shaping Alabama dentistry throughout his career, particularly when he served on the Alabama AGD board. Having Dr. David Anderson join the practice for the last fifteen years was especially enjoyable.

While in private practice, Dr. Babb also began mentoring UAB dental students, something he still enjoys doing during his retirement years. He began facilitating sessions with other dentists to provide case-based learning for dental students. “I try to find something (in the cases presented) that others don’t see,” said Babb. “I continued to work with students after my retirement in 2009. They seem to enjoy learning in these small groups, and I must be doing something right because they keep asking me back year after year.”

For many people, life would be complete with a thriving dental practice, a loving family, volunteering at church and with other organizations, but Babb had room to learn more and to give more. Bobby and Peggy bought their current Tuscaloosa home in 1988. And that’s when he accidentally discovered his next passion in life. Because there was no fence between the Babb property and their neighbors, Bobby decided to build a natural barrier by growing roses between the properties. What started out as a few plants in that first year, became a few more the next year, and a few more the next. Now, nearly thirty five years later, Bobby Babb has one of the most magnificent rose gardens anywhere. Adorned with 125 to 130 colorful varieties, his rose garden is a must see attraction for any green thumbed enthusiast.

As Babb’s garden grew in beauty and size, he began taking his roses to his dental office. His patients and staff complimented him on the roses. As each year passed, he added more varieties to the garden. He also added to his knowledge of growing and nurturing roses. “I joined the Birmingham Rose Society and began taking educational courses on how to grow (and care for) roses,” said Babb. Just like his passion to learn more about dentistry through continuing education courses at the Alabama Dental Alumni Weekend and the Alabama AGD continuing education courses, Babb also sought to become an expert on roses. “Rose people are like dentists. They like to share information, whether it’s about chemicals, growing methods, or whatever,” said Babb. He attended gardening classes in Gainesville, FL and throughout the south, all the while learning more about his own garden. Finally, he became credentialed as a “Consulting Rosarian”. After hours of studying and passing all the exams, Bobby could officially help other people grow roses “without charging a fee”.

Bobby Babb has spent thousands of hours in planning and growing one of Alabama’s most beautiful rose gardens. Beginning with plantings every February, he now spends numerous hours each week growing, cultivating, and sharing his beautiful roses. He regularly allows visitors and groups to visit and tour his gardens, often giving a thirty minute or one hour lecture on how he has perfected his craft. On the way out, each visitor is given roses to take home. For several years now, he has cut and donated the roses each spring to the Second Hand Rose Ministry affiliated with the First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa. The group places them in retirement homes, hospitals, and individual homes where someone is considered a “shut-in”, all to brighten up their days and lives. “It really is rewarding. Providing for the Church is big in my mind. I like helping people in hospice or helping those who can’t leave their homes. The feedback you get is so rewarding. I enjoy hearing what joy it brings people,” said Babb.

Bobby Babb worked tirelessly to perfect his craft in dentistry, and now he is doing the same with roses. His roses have won “the King of the Show” Award at the Birmingham Rose Society. He is also currently serving as president of the Birmingham Rose Society, a two-year term. After having grown roses so many years, he now laments that working so many hours a week has gone from being therapeutic to “just plain work”, but it still is a labor he loves. Even Peggy has gotten in on the act and has a small section for her gardening. Together the Babb’s have built a wonderful life. They have three grown children, two sons and a daughter. They also have four grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and now a great, great grandchild.

Bobby Babb remains active with his rose garden ministry and mentoring dental students. He says he owes a lot of his success to his dental school education, his continuing education, and the many friends he has been blessed with along the way.