This is an invitation for fellow classmates to reflect on the situation of their lives that took them away from Wise County after graduation, 1960 in my case.  I have always subscribed to the Coalfield Progress where ever I lived just to stay in touch with what was always "home."  I left initially to finish college at Radford.  I actually came back  after graduation, built a house in Wise, and taught school in the Hurricane Elementary and then Norton Elementary for five years.  

Leaving the second time was once again to go back to college for a Master's Degree at UVA.

My husband and I finally ended up in Norfolk,VA where I taught many years on the Marine Base, Camp Elmore.  That was the only teaching job I could find at the time.  Then life settled in and that is where I stayed for over 20 years.

What I miss is the coolness of the summers, the quiet of the snow in winter and the closeness of the friends I made while at Kelly, CVC, and teaching.  I have never found friends like that anywhere else.

Wise seems a very different place now when I come back for reunions, funerals, and family.  So, you can see, I am always "Looking Homeward," but as Thomas Wolfe warned, "You Can't Go Home Again."  I guess that is because that home exists only in our hearts and minds.  That is where Kelly, Wise, and all those I left behind will always be.

Loretta Lee Miller Stallard

I will respond to Loretta's comments thusly as to why I left/never moved back to Wise.

I, needed to finish my apprenticeship for Embalmer and Funeral Director (in those days it was a 2 part thing) so went to Petersburg.  While there I met Barbara, of all places, in the dark room of the X-Ray dept. of old Petersburg General Hospital.  It was love at first sight for both of us, as it has turned out, over 51 years. 

This didn't set well with my parents at all, in particular my mother.  She was not from Wise, she didn't attend the same church group, we were too young and on and on.  The rest of the family accepted her, no questions asked.  

My grandmother, Ida Gilliam Craft, a few months after our marriage, called us to come to her home as she had something to say to us.  This was unlike Mama.   She advised us to never live closer than Roanoke to my parents.  Telling me that my mother would call every morning to tell me what color socks to put on.  Quote, unquote.

Other than a reunion there is not much to draw me back to Wise.

More of my story can be found by looking at what I have posted on this site and on my Facebook page.