This column serves as a spotlight, highlighting the everyday people who work and live in Callaway County. The Fulton Sun takes a moment with someone who is not usually featured in the news but is just as instrumental in making our community the strong and beautiful place we all know and love.
Theresa Oberlag, 52, has lived in Callaway County her whole life. A graduate of William Woods Unviersity, Oberlag has taught physical education at Williamsburg Elementary in the North Callaway R-I School District for 21 years. She has three children and one grandchild.
Q: What was your first job?
My very first job was at the Dairy Queen here. I only worked there about three months right after high school before I went to William Woods.
Q: Who inspires you most?
All of my basketball coaches and my mom and dad. (Q: When did you play basketball?) When I was in fourth or fifth grade they let me start playing on the sixth, seventh and eighth grade team. I went to Hatton-McCredie Elementary School and there were very few numbers and they needed numbers on the basketball team. I guess I was good enough to wing it.
Q: What have you done in life that was most fulfilling?
I have three kids and seeing them be successful as adults is what's fulfilling for me.
Q: What is something you are proud of?
I'm proud of my years of service out at Williamsburg - that I have made the difference in the lives of many children.
Q: What profession would you like to attempt?
I love traveling. My husband and I are currently trying to hit every national park. So if I could get paid to be some kind of travel guide, that would be awesome.
Q: What profession would you not like to do?
Highway worker. Every time I go by that asphalt stuff they do in the middle of summer, I say I wouldn't do that. I really don't like nasty things, so anything to do with sewage - sewer-plumber-guy - nope, not me. More on my realm, insurance people - no. Insurance gives me a headache just dealing with it personally.
Q: What is something no one knows about you?
Oh, boy, I've lived here my whole life. Everybody knows everything about me. I shook Hillary Clinton's hand when she came and spoke. That's what I'll say! When I went to William Woods and I went and saw Ronald Reagan speak, Mikhael Gorbachev George Bush spoke at Westminster and Hillary Clinton went to speak at William Woods and I went to all of them. For being a P.E. teacher, a pretty laid-back person, I do love history.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Callaway County?
I love that no matter where we are, we're all connected. We're tight. Even though we're one of the biggest county, we're a tight-knit group. Even though I live in the North Callaway district, I care about people in South Callaway. We're pretty common-sense people here.