In honor of Valentine’s Day 2024, we featured three alumni couples who found love through A.C.C./Barton College.
Before Eddie (’69) and Sally (’74) Gwaltney ever stood beneath the glow of Truist Stadium cheering on the Barton Bulldogs, they fondly remember the journey that brought them back home.
That journey began back in 1974, when they were introduced by beloved former head tennis coach, Tom Parham (’63). Eddie, having already graduated, was coaching tennis at Fike High School while Sally worked part-time in Wilson Gymnasium’s equipment room. The two hit it off almost immediately and dated for three years before saying “I Do” in Howard Chapel.
It wasn’t until a few years later that the couple had a golden opportunity to return to A.C.C. “It’s almost like divine intervention how things happen in your life sometimes,” Eddie shares. To his surprise, Eddie secured himself a double offer; he was hired as the alumni director and also as head tennis coach. To sweeten the college connection, Sally accepted a position to teach part time on campus.
Eddie and Sally went on to have accomplished careers in coaching and education, respectively, throughout Eastern North Carolina. Eddie retired from Hunt High School, where he served as athletic director and as a coach for a variety of sports including football, tennis, cross-country, and golf for 23 years. Shortly after his retirement, the couple moved to Morehead City where they lived for 14 years. Sally eventually retired from Carteret County Schools after 29 dedicated years of teaching.
Between raising their family and balancing careers, Barton College only existed on the periphery of Eddie and Sally’s lives for a time. However, life had its way of bringing the couple full circle.
To be closer to family, the couple moved back to Wilson and quickly realized they were retracing their steps. The Gwaltneys, who had only caught a glimpse of the College from the sidelines in recent years, found themselves immersed in the dynamic growth that was unfolding. They caught word of football returning to Barton, and soon enough, Eddie was checking in often to watch the progress of Electric Supply Company Field and Truist Stadium, witnessing a new era of the College emerging from the ground up.
For Eddie and Sally, the College looks a lot different than it did during their collegiate time – and they couldn’t be more pleased with their alma mater. “We’re so proud of Barton,” Sally exclaims. “The change has been phenomenal. It feels good to be connected again and see the good things happening.”