For Carl and Ellen Burrell, the concept of “home” has always been fluid. As children of military families and later a military couple themselves, they’ve lived across the U.S. and abroad — from Germany and Belgium to Kansas and Alabama. But after decades of service and two grown children, the Burrells found their landing place on Isle of Hope, where they’ve now lived for the past six years.

They first came to Savannah when their son, William, enrolled at SCAD, and soon after bought a house on Tybee Island. The coastal charm stuck. Carl transitioned into work-from-home consulting as a Senior Intelligence Trainer and Advisor for the U.S. Army Reserves, while Ellen began teaching with Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Today, she teaches seventh grade English Language Arts at the STEM Academy at Bartlett.

The couple met in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1985 in a scene that sounds like something out of a romantic comedy. Ellen recalls turning around at a pay phone to find Carl laughing hysterically next to a friend who’d just been smacked in the face by a car window. The laughter hasn’t stopped since.

Their daughter, Elizabeth, owns a wedding makeup and mobile bartending business in Atlanta. William, now a filmmaker, recently completed his first feature-length documentary, Zack in Many Colors.

At home, the Burrells are kept company by Daisy the beagle — a neighborhood favorite on long walks down Bluff Drive — and a flock of pampered chickens with names like Annetta and Karlee. Annetta, in particular, fancies herself Ellen’s assistant gardener.

Carl now channels his sense of service into the local community. He volunteers as a firefighter on the island, leads the Wymberly Yacht Club as commodore, supports veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress, and donates time to the Garden Club and Historical Society.

On most days, you’ll find the Burrells walking the neighborhood, visiting antique shops, or exploring new restaurants. They’ve found joy in the diversity of homes, the canopy of mature trees, and the genuine friendliness that defines the neighborhood. “It feels like the kind of place where people still wave from their porches,” they said. “Even the mail carrier knows our name.”

For this well-traveled family, Isle of Hope isn’t just another stop on the map — it’s home.