50-Year-Reunion

Debbie Fife Quesada 2809 Boxwood Avenue, Florence, South Carolina 29501 75bookgirl@gmail.com

In the autumn of 1975, I enrolled at Concord College as a first - year student majoring in Business. During the first few weeks of freshman year, I met a guy from Welch, WV. His name is Ray Quesada, he was an art major. He graduated from Welch High School in 1975 and was the captain of their football team, the Welch Maroon Wave. Ray and I enjoyed talking and listening to music as well as swimming, playing racket ball, dancing, and playing cards. Ray joined the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity; Brock Smith was his fraternity brother. By the end of our first semester Ray proposed. We were married on August 21, 1976, at Trinity United Methodist Church, just in time for the start of our sophomore year. Our first home was the Marriage Units on campus. The Marriage Units were a one room efficiency apartment with a bathroom. We lived in the Marriage Units for 3 years. During that time, we made lasting friendships because we bonded over being poor married students. During the middle of sophomore year, I decided pursuing a major in business was not for me, I was not interested in accounting, sales, or working in an office. I switched my major from Business to Education. In January 1979 we found out we were expecting. Prior to the birth of our son, Jayson in Sep tember, 1979, we moved to Princeton. I had continued to take classes throughout my pregnancy and planned to continue after Jayson ’ s birth. Both Ray and I took a break from going to college after Jayson ’ s birth. Ray took a full - time job, and I felt staying at home with Jayson was my priority. In the fall of 1981, we bought our first house on Rockbridge Street. Our neighbors were the Gilleys, the Hyders, and Brock Smith. I took classes on a part - time basis at Bluefield State and began working for M.C.E.O.C HeadStart as the Special Services Coordinator. My primary responsibility was to mainstream children with disabilities into the regular classroom. I wrote IEPs, which met the child ’ s needs.

First Grade, Whitethorn Elementary

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