FROM PLAYGROUND PALS TO PARTNERS FOR LIFE

HAPPY

WEEKEND

Taylor ISD couple sticks together through thick and thin

Valentine’s Day love stories come in all shapes and forms, but few are as heartwarming as that of Marcus and Iris Bunton — two Taylor Independent School District employees who went from childhood sweethearts to lifelong partners.

Their journey began on the sidewalks of Taylor ISD’s old Northside Elementary School. Iris was in first grade and Marcus was just two doors down in another class. At the young age of 6, each one never knew the other existed.

Then, as fifth graders at T. H.

Johnson Elementary School, things began to change. Marcus had left Taylor in third grade, and this was his first year back. One day while playing Pop Warner football, one of the cheerleaders caught his eye.

“I said to my best friend, ‘Hey, who is that?’ My friend said, ‘That’s Iris.’ And that’s how it started,” Marcus said.

“

There is a way to achieve your goals.”

— Iris Bunton, Main Street Elementary School counselor “I did not know who Marcus was,” Iris added “He was a quarterback and I was a cheerleader. He sent a friend over to say, ‘Marcus wants to know who you are.’” The messenger then introduced them, and the two became friends. Just friends.

“In person, we were shy around each other,” Iris said. “We had this go-between person who would tell each of us what the other one wanted to say. We would talk on the phone and write letters to each other, but in person we were shy.”

The two grew less shy around each other in middle school, and that’s where they became boyfriend and girlfriend. They attended their first Valentine’s Day dance together in seventh grade, and neither of them remember dancing with anyone else that night.

“When my parents found out, they started saying, ‘Marcus has a girlfriend,’” Marcus said. “They nicknamed her ‘Baby Iris,’ and my grandmother started teasing me about Baby Iris, too. She’d say, ‘Baby Iris has you taking baths now.’” During this time, Iris lived to the south, and Marcus lived to the east. As their friendship grew, Marcus would often walk Iris south to the bridge/overpass before turning back to go to his house on Burkett Street. There, under the bridge, is where one of their most special memories occurred.

“We had our first kiss under the bridge,” Iris said. “I remember us briefly looking at each other afterwards, and a giddy feeling. After that, a kiss became part of our good-bye to each other under the bridge.”

At Taylor High School, Marcus played football for the Ducks while Iris was in Hi-Steppers.

“It was always fun going to the games,” Iris said. “I remember one out-of-town game when it was raining. The Hi-Steppers were told we could go get on the bus, but I said, ‘No,’ I’m going to stay.’ So, I stayed in the rain and cheered him on.”

Along with all the fun times, there were also challenges.

The Buntons’ first child was born while they were in high school. After graduation, Marcus accepted a scholarship to Texas Tech University, and Iris stayed in Taylor and attended Temple College.

“That was the tough part,” Marcus said. “Having a child and a long-distance relationship. But we made it through the challenges. After college, we got married and lived in an apartment together.”

Today, Marcus is a teacher and coach at Taylor High and his wife is the counselor at Main Street Elementary School They have three children: Kenyon, who is grown, and Faith and Ian, both of whom are in school. They also have a grandson, Kai.

They both agree Taylor is a special place.

“I really enjoy it,” the coach said. “Taylor’s been good to me. I know how much my teachers and coaches meant to me and inspired me, and I want to be able to give back.”

“It’s home,” Iris added. “We have good memories of going to school here, and we’re grateful for all the relationships we’ve made.”

After learning many life lessons along the way, the couple have a few words of advice to share with today’s youth.

“Make a goal and believe you can achieve it,” the counselor said. “Prioritize your education. We had adversity, we made mistakes, but prioritizing education is soimportant. Seeking help and seeking resources. The people and the resources are out there. There is a way to achieve your goals.”

“Believe in yourself,” Marcus added. “You’re going to have difficulties, but you can get through it. Make up your own mind about things. Sometimes kids can be easily influenced and led down the wrong path.”

His wife still has the letters they wrote to each other as young kids, back when they were too shy to talk to each other in person. They smile lovingly at each other when reminiscing about their first meeting at Pop Warner, attending Friday night football games and goodbye kisses under the bridge.

When asked about the secret to a longlasting relationship, their answers are very similar.

“We both feel what has helped our relationship is our willingness to learn and grow as individuals, hence we can be better for ourselves and each other,” Iris said. “That has built our empathy, ability to forgive and overall love.”

“We understand where we’re at, and we understand what we have,” her husband added. “We understand it’s not easy, it’s something that’s rare in this day and time and it’s something that we value, and we still continue to grow and get better at. Hopefully there will be many more blessings and years to come.”