LOVE feature
Story by Ashley Elvington • Photography by Laura McBryde
LISA & BOBBY JONES
the game of love
IN 1988, BOBBY AND LISA JONES met at Hartsville Junior High School. According to Lisa, it was fate. “Bobby was a
first year Social Studies teacher and I was a senior at Coker College beginning my student teaching in Physical Education.” The
teacher working with Lisa introduced the couple on Lisa’s first day, and they began talking during hall duty. “The first time I
saw Bobby, the thing I remember most was his smile. He was always laughing! I knew he was the right one from the first time
I met him.”
According to Bobby, “After talking with Lisa, I discovered that we had a lot in common. We both loved sports. She played
three at Coker, and I played football and wrestled in high school. At the time, I was coaching several sports.” She adds, “I
was planning to go see Clemson and Florida State play that weekend, and he kept hinting that he would like to go.” While he
couldn’t (since she had already invited a friend), Bobby called her when she returned to Coker and invited her over to watch a
movie. “I hung up the phone and was so excited. I looked for my roommate and friends to tell them that he asked me out, but
I couldn’t find any of them... they were all over at Bobby’s apartment, hiding and waiting to jump out and surprise me.” While
he’s not sure when he realized she was the one, Bobby and Lisa had a special connection from the very beginning. “We began
dating after knowing each other a week and have been together since.”
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FEBUARY 2016
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