Claude Roberts:  

Life After completing Concord College I taught social studies at Iaeger High for 3 years. At Concord I learned that I could get my degree and have success if I worked hard and long. My reading rate was slow and this required me to spend a tremendous amount of time studying and outlining chapters into notes. I would hate to say how much time I spend memorizing facts, but I discovered that after I memorized the facts I could see relationships, cause and effects, and could draw conclusions. I decided in college that I would make "it" no matter what "it" was. My goal was to become Superintendent of McDowell County Schools but I changed my mind after I saw how much politics and "brown nosing" went with the job. I also chose a better path. I met my wife Jenelle on January 17 1967 and I was never the same again. I tried hard not to get "settled down" but found this was the path I wanted and as Frost wrote and that has made all the difference. I no longer saw it a super important to get my doctorate degree or certification for Superintendent. I relish in the love my grandkids give and cherish the time I spend with them and my son and daughter. I keep busy doing volunteer work, babysitting, gardening, working at the real estate office, and going on vacations to Myrtle Beach, The Smoky Mountains, and trout fishing. God has been good to me. I've been married over 40 years and can say honestly that I love my wife Jenelle many times more than when we got married. She almost daily tells me she loves me, will put her arms around my waist and tells me how fortunate she is to have married me. I've always thought I was the fortunate one. I retired as principal at Iaeger Ele. in 2000 and Jenelle retired on January 21, 2004. I'm enjoying working on the hardwood floors, installing appliances and doing a myriad of other jobs. In my thirties my wife and I joined the Iaeger United Methodist Church and the people of my church have been a blessing and a model of Christian love. I've tried to emulate many of the traits that my church family posesses. Since moving to Inwood we joined the Pikeside Methodist Chruch and have enjoyed making new friends at church and in the community of Foxcrest Manor in which we live. As Secretary/treasurer I get to meet the residents and on the most part they're wonderful people. At age 38 years of age I told my mother I loved her for the first time in my memory. My mother was not the kissy, kissy type who expressed her love for her children by...Expand for more