“I would have missed a blessing had I not been here today,” says Bobbie Blair as she retires from 51 years of teaching at ChildCareGroup, the oldest and largest childcare provider in North Texas.
Blair is a lifetime early education teacher in South Dallas. Some of her students even grew up to become teachers themselves in the same neighborhood where she taught them as young children.
Staff and friends organized a tribute and drive-by parade to celebrate Blair’s lasting legacy at the school where she spent most of her career, ChildCareGroup’s the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Fair Park. Students whom she taught over 30 years ago attended and told us what impact she had on their lives.
“She was not only a teacher — she was a counselor, she was an influencer, she was a role model,” says Shumika Bates, a former student.
Vannessa Maxey, friend and co-worker of more than 34 years, says Blair has always been an inspiration to her and was always “such a sweetheart.”
“She’s always willing to offer advice and just help along the way. Whatever it is you need, she’s just that type of woman,” Maxey says. “She’s precious.”
The parade for Blair was the first of a slate of events ChildCareGroup plans to host in 2021 to denote its 120th year of educating and caring for North Texas children.
Blair says while she will truly miss the students, she is embracing retirement 100%.
“There are seasons in your life and things change, so this is my change,” she says.
This story was co-published by our South Dallas media partner, the Dallas Weekly.
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