CENTERBURG — Charles “Sonny” Fair officially graduated from Centerburg High School on Saturday — 56 years late. Fair should have graduated from high school in 1952, but was awarded his diploma during commencement exercises at Centerburg High School this weekend alongside his oldest granddaughter, Hannah Sells.
Originally in the class of 1952, Fair, like his classmates of the time, heard much of the Korean conflict by radio, but very little by television from President Harry S. Truman. Due to that Korean conflict, Fair left school before graduation along with 17 or 18 others from the school. He joined the U.S. Navy and made two tours aboard the USS Los Angeles CA-135, a heavy cruiser. The longest time he spent at sea at one time was 65 days.
Fair said that while serving aboard the USS Los Angeles he saw many cultures and countries by the time he was 18 years of age.
“It was a time in my life I will never forget,” he said. “It seems like it was just yesterday.”
After leaving the Navy in 1956, Fair wound up in the trucking industry, then worked for the city of Columbus until he retired.
About two years ago, Fair found out that as a Korean conflict veteran he was eligible to receive a diploma, and decided to go for it.
“Between our school board and our principal [John Morgan] it was just amazing. I couldn’t believe what they have done for me,” Fair, who thoroughly enjoyed commencement, said.
Fair said it was difficult to put into words how it feels to experience graduation and to finally have a diploma.
“It just feels great,” he said. “It’s a feeling just like a kid with a new toy. It’s just amazing. It’s such an awesome thing; I don’t know how to put it in words.”
As he passed the other members of the class of 2008 on the way to finally get his diploma, Fair saluted them.
Concerning advice for the class of 2008, Fair said, “I would love to give them every opportunity possible that I had, that I should have done before I went into the Navy — like finish your education and further it. They can’t take that away from you.”
Asked his plans now that he has a high school diploma, Fair said, “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
