Chuck WilfongHighpoint, NC

Initially, I want to thank Bobby, Debby, Barbara and all the other classmates that have been so resourceful and determined to bring together again, our class of ’68.

I for one, am grateful for their efforts and I know everyone will reap the benefits of all their hard work at the gathering. Every time I have gotten an email from them, I regret more and more that I will not be able to attend.

MAHS was nothing but a wonderful time for me; great friendships created, proud moments of shared accomplishments by classmates and lifelong memories that still come to mind at the most unsuspecting moments. From Andy Griffith Show reruns to telling someone “I’m from Mayberry” these instances cause me to spend a moment in remembering something from our four years together. We WERE special, very special and remain so to this day.! We had a GREAT TIME together !

The last 50 years have been spent like everyone else; chasing and building dreams, working hard for self and family, to finding a place to fit and be productive. From the recent bio updates that Debby has sent out, it only confirms to me again how truly special we were and are. I left MAHS and went to Appalachian with dreams of someday being a major college basketball coach as well as a teacher. There were so many teachers and coaches in my past that inspired me to be like them. Mrs. Quesinberry (elementary school), Aileen McCann (TOUGH but what a good English teacher), John Hamilton (nice guy and fair), Max Hiatt, Morgan Stanley (Alfred Hitchcock?) and Jim (“I’ll coach till I die!”) Holleman. All different in their own special ways but nonetheless dedicated to their profession. We were lucky to have them and so many more.

So, embarking on my coaching/teaching career, I took a job at Woolwine Elementary in Stuart VA for three years.It was there that I met my wife Susan Collins and we proceeded to get married in the fall of 1976. Also took the job as head basketball coach at East Davidson HS in

Thomasville NC that year and spent four years there. In 1980, I took a job as assistant men’s basketball coach and golf coach at Pfeiffer University. Stayed there one year and decided that it was time to make a change In that I had always had an interest in the stock market, I decided to drop by the stock brokerage office in High Point one spring day to see if they had any openings. Within a couple of weeks, I was hired.

So for the past 38 years I have been a financial advisor and have been with Wells Fargo Advisors in High Point since 2000. Still loving what I do day to day, I have no desire to retire. I enjoy helping people reach their financial goals in life. As I tell my clients, my first love always was and is teaching and coaching; it’s just under a different setting now. My “classroom” is an individual or couple and I “coach” them to their goals and retirement years.

Susan and I have two children. Lesley is now 28, a graduate of UNC CH. She lives in Thomasville with her husband Justin. She is a Monsignor now, lives in Thomasville also and works as a sales rep from Old Dominion. No children as of yet! Chad is our son, who graduated from Wake Forest (on a golf scholarship-thank the Lord $$) and played golf professionally for 8 years. He lives in Charlotte with Erica of 10 years with two children; Henry (3) and Lily (5). For the past 5 years Chad has been my partner in our financial advisory practice and works out of our Wells Fargo Advisors branch at South Park.

Life has been good! And speaking of LIFE, I will never forget the great time we had with Ms. Paul putting on the senior play “Life with Father”. I am sure Ms. Paul recognized early on in auditions, that a Clark Gable or Charleston Heston I was not to be! So only out of the goodness of her heart did she give me a part as Dr. Humphreys. As best I can remember, I got to say a total of 3 or 4 words during the two hour show…..probably something like…”have you been sick?” or “where does it hurt?”  Nonetheless, Mom was proud (I guess?)! My best wishes to all my classmates!May the rest of our lives and our families be blessed with God’s grace, peace and goodness.