Published: April 30, 2008 12:44 pm            

Out 49 & Beyond: April 23, 2008

Our first born, Debra, and her husband, John Boyette, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary Dec. 24. Actually they were married twice. (To each other.)

You see, when Debra went to work for the Times Union Newspaper in Jacksonville, Fla., she never dreamed that there was a young reporter on staff there who would become her husband.

Eventually they were engaged to be married and the wedding date was set for the following June at her home church in Ramseur.

Shortly after the engagement John was offered a position with United Press International in Topeka, Kan., and moved on out there.

Debra started submitting resumes to newspapers in the area, hoping to have found something by June.

To her surprise she landed a position right away with the Kansas City Star and she had to start immediately.

This was December, six months earlier than she had planned to be ready to move to Kansas.

After much discussion they decided that rather than maintain two separate apartments they would be married out there in a civil ceremony on Dec. 24, 1982, and come home for the church wedding she (and I) had always wanted, as soon as I could get one together.

It happened that King’s Department Store closed that December so I was out of work and had time to get it planned by February.

The Rev. Lawrence Gilmore joined them in their religious ceremony at Oakland Baptist Church in Ramseur on Feb. 19, 1983.

The couple celebrated their anniversary with a cruise to the Grand Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

Unfortunately divorce seems to be so prevalent now so I asked each of them separately to what did they attribute the longevity of their marriage.

“We became very good friends first,” Debra said. “We didn’t start dating right away. We talked a lot and got to know each other before falling in love.”

Neither knew what the other said so I could hardly believe my ears when the first thing my son-in-law said was, “We got to know each other first as friends. That laid the foundation, Debra was very intelligent and she has spiritual strength.”

So let that be a lesson to you young people – get to know them first.

John W. Boyette Jr. is from Richmond, Va.

He is the son of Jessie William Boyette of Virginia Beach, Va., and the late John W. Boyette Sr.

Debra Boyette is from Ramseur. Her parents are Clarence and Pattye Harris. She graduated from Eastern Randolph Senior High School and the UNC-CH School of Journalism.

After 15 years in Kansas the Boyettes have been living in Raleigh since 1997.

John is a media specialist for the city of Raleigh and Debra works for the Raleigh New and Observer where she was recently promoted to features editor.

They have two daughters, Christina and Jessica of the home.



Pattye Harris of Ramseur shares news of interest from N.C. 49, the Empire Charge area and beyond. She can be reached at (336) 824-8198 and invites readers to call her with information they would like to share.

        

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