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Tom Gabriel of Royal Harbor is one of those people you might see at some of the local flea markets. He enjoys searching for good buys and picking up collectibles. Tom has a variety of small collections, one of which is a collection of license plates from every state in the union, which are prominently displayed on his garage wall. In addition, he also refinishes furniture, enjoys bike riding and traveling (even though he claims that he has been around the world more than three times during his working years).
Tom lives near the Royal Harbor Lighthouse with his dog, Jake, a West Highland White Terrier (Westie). He serves the community as a member of the Grounds Committee, and enjoys the many social activities that take place in the Recreation Center.
He was born in Philadelphia, PA and served in the U.S. Army and is a Vietnam Combat Veteran. He lived in Des Moines, Iowa for about 30 years before coming to Florida. Tom was employed by the Iowa State Police, attaining the rank of Lieutenant during his 28 years of service. For 10 years, he was a member of the Governor Security Detail, providing executive protection for the Governor of Iowa. Before retiring, he spent 8 years working for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), overseeing commercial transportation issues.
One of the reasons Tom moved to Florida is both his mother and sister live in Palm Beach County. He searched the Internet for information about life in Central Florida, and also contacted realtors to help him find the perfect home. Tom was drawn to Royal Harbor, where he felt the Benton model home suited his lifestyle. After living in the community for almost 2 years, Tom has benefited by the many advantages of living in Royal Harbor. He will tell you that the community is very quiet, secure, very accessible to needed outside services, and the dollar value of his home is excellent. He is especially glad to live near the Florida Waterman Hospital, which has a “top notch medical staff” in case their services are needed. He is very happy with his decision to become a part of the Royal Harbor community.
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