Charles Fuqua:
CLASS OF 1964
Coosa High SchoolClass of 1964
Rome, GA
Berry CollegeClass of 1965
Rome, GA
Charles's Story
After graduation, I attended Berry College for a year. After that, my family moved back to Oklahoma in December 1965. January 1966 I left for a 2 year mission to Mexico where I preached and taught the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. After my return, I attended BYU in Provo Utah. I was drafted by the Army and sent to Viet Nam in December of 1969. I returned in February of 1971 and was married to Eileen Cox of Phoenix Arizona in July of 1971. We were married in the Arizona Temple in Mesa, AZ for all time and eternity (no until death do ye part for us). I attended Oklahoma State University from 1973 to 1977 and graduated with a degree in Agriculture Education. I taught horticulture/FFA for six years and then opened a garden center. I sold out to my partner and returned to education where I received a Masters' Degree in Occupational and Adult Education. I then was hired by Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton, OK where I remained until retirement in 2006. We moved to Utah in 2007 to be near our children and grandchildren. We have five boys and seventeen grandchildren. We are 'nowhere' close to having great grandchildren. :o) In August of 2009, my wife and I left on a service mission for the LDS Church to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. We will return in February 2011.
I would hope that I am remembered affectionately as a person of integrity and honor...but we really did not measure things in those terms at that age. Truth be known, I am probably remembered as a quiet, geeky yankee from Oklahoma. However, I remember having a great time and having great friends and I was truly grateful for that.
The wildest thing I ever did was to skip school, go west to Alabama and swim in the river....wow, was I ever a bad kid!
Those that remember me know that I wasn't a great athlete, although I wanted to be and tried. I was just too skinny and got pushed around and beat up all the time by bigger and more athletic kids.
Heroes? I guess that would have to be John Wayne. I love John Wayne movies where the good guy almost always wins. Another hero would have to be Jesus Christ. For what He did for me and when I consider my imperfect self, I am eternally grateful for His love and patience with me.
The one person, if I had to pick, that I would like to see again is Louise Broom. We were high school sweeth...Expand for more
earts for a time and she has remained a prominent part of my fondest memories.
I am an avid fan of OU Sooners football. I was raised red and will die so. I also like the Georgia Bulldogs, but so avidly.
I love dogs. I have a Golden Retriever that is 6 years old now. He is as loved as a child although he would be on the bottom of that list. Nonetheless, he has a special place in my heart and I miss him.
If I have an obsession, it is to study and know all that I can about ancient scripture, wisdom texts, and writings. The End of Days is also a passion and I read everything credible that I can get my hands on. It is AWESOME to be alive during the last days of the mortal existence of the earth and see God's hand in preparing the earth for the end.
The biggest surprise of my life has been how blessed and lucky I am to have found a wife like Eileen. She isn't perfect, but darn near so. She has to be to put up with the likes of me. :o)
The 'Story Wizard' suggests that I talk about what I would be doing, where, and with whom in order to be truly happy. Well, I am living it. I am married to the love of my life, I am serving my Savior, and I am doing it where He has called me to do it. How blessed I am!
I am now 63, soon to be 64 and am begging for a long and healthy AND active rest of my life. I want to keep giving back for all the blessings that I have received in my life... which are many.
If I got one do over, it would be to appreciate what I have instead of being unhappy about what I don't have. It is so simple, yet so true, as most true things are. Happiness is an attitude of free choice and comes from appreciating what you have. I wasted too much time not having learned that lesson.
In ten years, I will be nearly 74 and I want to be full of life, active, giving service, and enjoying God's great gifts. I would also hope that I am able to still serve as a missionary in this, God's great work.
At a class reunion, I think everyone would be surprised at how a Oklahoma yankee geek like me ever turned out to be so darned good-lookin'! Just kidding. Really, I think people would wonder how I look so young for my age. I do look young for my age and I attribute it to good clean conservative living, a great wife, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Well that's about it for now. I will share more later.
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