Mickey was born and raised in Kosciusko, MS. He attended Mississippi State and earned a degree in biology. Then he spent 2 years in the US Army stationed in Germany. Upon returning to the states, he decided to attend the Memphis College of Art in Memphis, TN. There he earned a degree in commercial art and met a painter named Rose who became his wife. They made their home in Jackson, MS, and later in Madison, MS. An avid woodworker, his is walking cane interest began when he would spend days in the woods, hunting squirrels in Attala County. He became less interested in the squirrels and more interested in the sticks he found in the woods. As he became older, he began handcrafting canes at home out of all kinds of beautiful fine woods. Mickey says, "I mot likely will never make another one and 'dog-gone-it', I don't remember which was the last one." Charles "Mickey" Nowell will be 94 on November 2nd. He currently resides at the State Veterans Home in Kosciusko, MS.