New Eureka commissioner here to help - Wayne-Wilson News Leader, Fremont, NC

That’s because, in Eureka, no one officially ran for the three commissioner seats on the ballot. All three commissioners were elected by write-in votes.

Though Malcom said he initially felt like he didn’t know what he was getting into, his fellow citizens evidently thought him qualified for the job. Some had probably seen Malcom and his wife Peggy walking around town, or know them from Mount Nelson Baptist Church, where the couple has attended since moving to Eureka three years ago.

Though Malcom and his wife aren’t natives to Eureka, they have lived in the area on and off over three decades, and say they really love the community they have found in Eureka.

“Our church and friends are so good to us,” said Malcolm. “Many times we come home to find vegetables and goodies have been left on our back porch.”

The Arkansas native first came to North Carolina when he was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. He had been a member of the Air Force since 1952, and retired at Seymour Johnson in 1971.

After retiring, Malcom worked with Goldsboro dentist Dr. George Mayo. Malcom specialized in making prosthetic appliances, and worked with a dental laboratory in Smithfield as well during that time.

But Dr. Mayo’s clinic holds a special place in his heart, because that’s where he first met the woman who would become his wife. Peggy, a native of Rocky Mount, was on summer break from teaching when she met Malcom in Dr. Mayo’s office. The two soon married.

But the retired airman and his wife were not destined to settle down in Wayne County – at least not yet.

Malcom got a phone call from the University of Tennessee, where his father worked. The university asked him to accept a teaching position in the dental department, and Malcom accepted.

He and his family moved to Memphis, where they stayed for sixteen years. Malcom worked at the university the entire time, but he and Peggy also operated another teaching project together for a while.

For four years, Peggy and Malcom worked at a private Montessori School in Memphis, sharing their passion for teaching.

When Malcom retired, his son William took over his position at the university, continuing the teaching tradition into the third generation.

The Finlays then moved back to North Carolina to be close to their children, but like many families these days, that meant making a few sacrifices.

“It was hard leaving my only daughter Debbie in Kansas,” Malcom said.

But overall, he and Peggy thoroughly enjoy the life they’ve created in North Carolina. Initially, the couple lived in Wilson, but moved to a comfortable home on Main Street in Eureka three years ago.

Though they say they’ve found friends all over town, the two say that the support they’ve found at their church has really helped them call Eureka home.

“Our church has been a strong support group for us,” they said.

Malcom’s position on the board probably won’t hurt his chances at getting to know people in town either.

When he found out he was on the board, instead of waiting around for someone to tell him the business of the town, Malcom began walking around town with his wife to discover it on his own.

He and Peggy take walks around the neighborhood, talking with their neighbors and noting concerns that they find within the community. At his first meeting as a commissioner, Malcom arrived with a list in hand of citizen concerns that he wanted to address during the meeting.

Peggy says that serving the town is nothing new for the two of them.

“We’ve lived a full life, and we’ve always been involved in community activities,” she said.

Serving as a commissioner in Eureka, Malcom added, is just another way to help.

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Issue of 3 January 2008

Wayne Wilson News Leader
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