David Shields has been a Waycross-Ware County, GA resident since 1962. Born in Danville, VA, he grew up in Alderson, WV. He graduated from Alderson High School in 1958. He attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, via a football scholarship and played there from 1958 to 1962. He graduated from UT with honors in 1962. He has postgraduate degrees from the University of Georgia (1970) and Valdosta State University (1996). He taught school and coached football at Ware County High School until 1967. He then worked with the State of Georgia as a vocational rehabilitation counselor until he retired in 1995. He has also worked as a self-employed vocational expert & consultant. He presently runs Ware Op-Ed & News, a news and commentary web site. He and wife, Diane, have three children and five grandchildren.