Monte Holm
I went seeking history and found humble generosity instead. During my family's five-week 2001 Pacific Northwest vacation trip, we made a side trip to Moses Lake, Washington to see ex-Alaska Railroad steam locomotive #557. Monte Holm, a collector extraordinaire, owns Moses Lake Iron and Metal and Moses Lake Steel. He also owned the House of Poverty Museum which showcased his collections of antique cars, whiskey bottles, sewing machines, and even old Alaska steam engine #557.
Monte greeted us warmly and immediately offered us handfuls of Werther candies. He gave the kids and my wife each a Susan B. Anthony coin telling us not to spend it but to hold on to it for luck. Even though I had just come to see #557, Monte insisted his assistant take us on a tour of his multi-million dollar museum of collections. At the end of the tour, our whole family was able to get into the cab of #557 and play engineer.
Returning to Monte's bedraggled office, I purchased his autobiography, "Once a Hobo..." and had him sign it. He even let me take a photo of him with his car with its license plate, "IOWNARR." He was proud of the fact that he had acquired this locomotive and later the Alaska Railroad asked unsuccessfully to purchase it back.
For the next week, my wife read his autobiography aloud to us in the car. I was amazed to discover this humble, unassuming man had risen from poverty to great fortune, all via hard work, positive atitude and generosity. I felt very honored to have crossed paths with this "life force."
On May 5, 2006 this world lost one of its most extraordinary individuals when Monte Holm passed away at the age of 89. He wasn't a movie star or sports hero. He was just an honest, kind-hearted person who used his life to help so many of those around him. Thanks Monte for the life changing transformation you made in my life.
Photos taken 7/17/01
© 2006 by John Combs