From the July 21, 2004 edition of the New Castle Record
Angela Guthrie left Craig County after graduating from high school to further her education. She never dreamed that she would someday return home to a really good job.
Well, she’s back. Guthrie has been chosen as the Farm Bureau agent to fill the vacancy left when Scoot Garmen decided to join forces with the Craig County Sheriff’s office as a deputy.
“I took the hard route,” said the 27-year-old agent who worked her way through college. “I worked during the day and took night classes at Virginia Western for six years to get my Associate’s Degree in business administration.”
In 2003, she went to Radford University full time for one year where she earned her B.S. Degree in information science and technology. Even then, she worked part-time for the same company, B&S Transport, where she had worked full time while at Virginia Western Community College.
Guthrie said she was looking in Roanoke for a systems analyst job when she heard about the vacancy in her hometown.
“My grandmother, Oren Lipes, was over at the Farm Bureau taking out an insurance policy and found out they had a vacancy and the rest is history.” In May, Guthrie spent a week in Richmond getting licensed in life and health insurance and property and casualty.
With strong family ties in Craig County, Angela had really wanted to work close to home. She is the daughter of Larry and Jeanne Guthrie of New Castle and has a sister, Gina, 22, who also lives here. In addition, she bought her grandmother’s farm up on Sinking Creek when she was 20 years old so has pretty much called this area home all of her life.
Her hobby is horseback riding. “I was in the Craig County 4-H Horse and Pony Club when I was young,” she said. “I used to be big into jumping.” Nowadays she mostly attends shows with her mother. “I’d rather trail ride than show.”
Guthrie also likes fishing and camping and anything else that can be done outside. She is also handy at farm chores and says she can put up hay and feed as well as anybody.
“I’m an outdoor tomboy all the way,” she said with a grin as she shook her long blond hair out of her face.
She is excited about her job and the fact that it will help her get back in touch with the community.
“While I was away at school, I lost track of a lot of folks.”
Now she is home and ready to work hard during the day and spend her time off doing the things she loves.
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
From The New Castle Record archives
