The Class NEWSLETTER

11/09/19

MAIL CALL
Sept. 15
from Pam McLeod in Graford, TX This past summer Mary Bess Rizer Johnson and I worked on our bucket list by taking a Seabourn cruise starting in Dover England to Wales to Scotland to Ireland and then we circumnavigated Iceland. It was another great slumber party between 2 old friends. Iceland was very interesting and we feel so blessed to be able to still go and do around the world. I often reminisce nowadays about many of you (my old TJ friends). I still think of us as we were then. What happy memories. Growing up in PA was a special magical time. Love to you all and stay healthy!
pamiefly@gmail.com

Sept. 16
from Judy Thompson Orr in Fremont, CA We are currently in Zambia (bear Bictoria Falls), half way through a 5 week trip in AFRICA!! We have been planning this trip for more than a year. We are visiting 5 countries, 4 with a tour company (Nambia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe). Our last stop is South Africa where we have done all the planning. Friends from California are joing us for those last 2 weks. We are having the most amazing adventures, seeing lots of wild animals and meeting friendly and helpful people. We took a photo of us swimming at Devil's Pool in the Zambezi River. Just behind us are Victoria Falls where the river plunges ¼ mile into Bakata gorge!! It was a bit nerve wracking to swim out there but we did it! We will be on safari in Botswana for my 70th birthday on September 19! I'm so excited!!
orrs@comcast.net

IMPROMPTU LUNCHEON
Felicia (Hiatt) and David Petit posted on FB about a trip they were going to make into PA on Oct. 19. David was meeting a friend who was coming into PA for his 50th class reunion for the class of '69. Felicia asked if anyone wanted to meet for lunch on that date. Well, 15 classmates and spouses showed up at the Rodair Roadhouse in Port Acres. It was fun to gather again and visit and laugh. Those attending were Sandra Garsea, Linda Gothia, Diane Barker, Sherry Clingan, Jonnye Dee Doering, Bobby Williamson, Carla Castro, Felicia Hiatt, David Petit, Sharon Lewis, Chrissy Dupuis, Linda DeCuir, Murphy McFadden and Ron and Ernie Bullion.
 
VETERAN'S DAY
Monday, November 11 will be a holiday to take the time to honor our veterans. Mike Lawson has a wonderful section on our website that features several of our classmates and other family members who have served or still serve our country. This would be an excellent time to peruse this section. It can be found in the SITE LINKS listed at the top of our home page. We would love to receive more photos and stories or captions about them. lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
miklaws@embarqmail.com

RIVERBOAT EUROPEAN VACATION
Well, since you are reading this newsletter then you might realize that Murphy and I made it back to the USA safe and sound, abeit really tired but happy. What an amazing, interesting, sometimes jawdropping adventure. I think being that it was our first European trip, we were starstruck. We saw such beauty, learned so much history, and met so many amazing people. It was a little daunting at first but that didn't last too long. Probably Bush Airport was the first GRISWALD mishap adventure for us!!!! And we hadn't even gotten on the plane. Oh LAWD, help us.
We went on a riverboat down the Danube, Main Canal and Rhine from Budapest to Amsterdam. We stopped in Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. It was fun to see where The Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg. Not quite the mountains that were pictured in the movie, though.
There were 122 passengers on the ship. This small vessel and intimacy was a wonderful way to travel. We met so many good friends and now share e-mails, pictures and texts. The strangest thing is that most passengers were from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. We were the only ones from TEXAS so we were a BIG HIT! I think we were the ROCK STARS on the boat. You know, the ones with the OIL WELLS, CATTLE, RANCH, etc. They all want to come visit. HaHaHa. It was funny that everyone that had been to Texas while visiting the US had been to San Antonio. I guess the Alamo is the #1 spot with the travel agents that cater to foreigners visiting Texas.
It was fun to listen to the guides on the excursions speaking in the different accents. Mostly, we could understand them. I think the funniest thing is that the ones we understood the LEAST were the two couples from BOSTON that were sailing on our riverboat.
We overpacked (ugh), over ate (yummy....didn't want to hurt the chef's feelings) but not over spent on souvenirs! Boy, these international flights are so strict on their luggage weight limits even on the carry ons. That was a first for us. We threw away a few things before we left to come home so that there would be room for my Christmas ornaments from each country. That won't be a problem on our next trip.....don't bring all the extra clothes.
I would like to thank all of you who came through and contacted me before the trip when I asked for HELP in the September newsletter. You gave me tips on long flights, how to handle the foreign money, what not to worry about, and how to have fun and relax. It worked. It was a memorable adventure to the homeland of Murphy's MOM'S ancestors. You could see the natives that looked like his mom and his grandparents. Worth it, worth it. I just have to go to LOUSIANA to see mine!

SCANDINAVIAN VACATION
Now that we are “skilled world travelers”, the bug has hit. Our world traveling priest told us that would happen! We have scheduled a Viking Homeland ocean cruise September, 2020 this time to visit Murphy's DAD'S ancestors. Jonnye Dee Doering researched his ancestry and they come from way up !!! We are heading to Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Poland, Berlin, Germany, Denmark and Norway. Our travel agent, classmate Cherlyn Hebert, is in charge of all our arrangements. She has been a pleasure to work with. (By the way, we are stopping by LOUISIANA on the way home to visit my peeps!!! HaHa)

MORE NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
We went to Fulshear the day after we returned from our vacation to attend my niece's gender reveal. Danny's daughter, has had several miscarriages and is finally pregnant with a boy due in April. Congratulations to Ashley and Ryan.
Murphy and I went to Rusk to take the Texas State Railroad train trip to Palestine and back. The 50 mile trip was fun except for the 35 minute delay as the workers had to remove a tree that had fallen across the tracks. We sat with two women from the Sommerville area who were a hoot. It certainly passed the time. It was a dreary, drizzling day so we ate our box lunches on the train instead of a picnic outdoors at the depot. Overall, it was a fun experience.
By now, all you hunting widows know that deer season has begun. Murphy hunts at the “beer lease” in Wiergate about an hour and 15 minutes from our home in Lumberton. My brother, Danny Boy, comes from Friendswood and meets him here and they hunt together. This weekend they are going on a doe hunt in Gonzales, TX. It doesn't matter to me where they head as long as I have some alone time with my Lifetime and Hallmark channels.
Martha Lipe Bodin (TJ, '69) and I are planning our annual Black Friday together. Neither one of us are shoppers and we just spend the day together chilling. We visit and catch up on the news and then out we go to eat and piddle the day away. We are going to go to the movie “Harriet” this time. I am also heading out to the Beaumont Community Players that night for a show called “Winter Wonderettes”. I love live theatre. I also have tickets to several Lutcher Theatre events.
The Astros had a good run but not so much a good ending. My Dallas Cowboys are hit and miss. Ugh. Oh well, it is only 103 days until Spring Training games begin!

NOT A VERY NEWSY NEWSLETTER
I have been writing these newsletters for MANY, MANY years. But, they get farther and farther apart now because I don't get “mail” from classmates like I used to. I hate that I have to fill up these with LINDA NEWS. That isn't my reason for writing them. FB has been my source of news for the last few years but now FB tends to have lots and lots of ads and political postings. Help me out here with ANY thing that I can mention whether it is good or bad. I would really appreciate it.

SUPPORT
Tillman Richey is recovering from his prostate cancer surgery performed at MD Anderson the middle of October. He is on the mend and has returned to work at the Groves Veternary Hospital. He informed me that he is feeling much better now. Don't forget that he sells beautiful Christmas trees for the Orangefield FFA booster club. The trees will be located at the Jewel Cormier Park next to St. Helen Catholic Church on 1442 between Hwy 105 and IH10. The sale will begin the Friday after Thanksgiving. They have increased their order, more 10 footeers and more 7 – 8 footers. The support every year has been able to award scholarships to the students who want higher education.
9055 Creek Rd Orange, TX 77630
drtarichey@aol.com

Bart Darby is recovering from his surgery for phrenic nerve palsy.
24606 Heirloom Dr. Katy, TX 77493
dar5207@yahoo.com

Laura Meece Darby is still undergoing back issues.
24606 Heirloom Dr. Katy, TX 77493
lauradarby49@yahoo.com

Juanita Perales is recovering from being hospitalized for 8 days and becoming septic. After high fever and several antibiotics and not getting better, they called an infectious disease doctor that found a large abscess on her liver. After being under doctor's care from July through late August she had to have 2 blood transfusions before leaving the hospital. She had home health care for over a month and is now recovering.
5010 Tennyson Dr. Beaumont, TX 77706
peralesjuanita83@yahoo.com

Lee Benedetto Martin
Sept. 9
Total knee replacement on Wednesday and released on Friday. Sept. 12 Returned to the hospital with a bowel obstruction She is recovering nicely at home in Oregon.
8320 SW Fanno Creek Dr. Tigard, OR 97224
leemnsf@msn.com

Mikey Varing
Sept. 18
I'm in MD Anderson in Houston. I broke my femur bone in my right leg Sept. 14. They found a tumor where it broke. I'm here having my whole body checked out from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. They are also going to take a biopsy of the tumor and treat if needed and they are also going to put a rod in my femur. They found a couple of very small spots on my lungs and they will do what is needed there, also. I want to say how I feel so blessed to have had such an awesome group of Christians for my classmates.
Oct. 3
Tomorrow I'll be released from MD Anderson and I'll return in two weeks. I am scheduled to have radiation and chemotherapy treatments to treat where they removed the fourth stage malignant tumor on my femur and the 4 spots on my lungs.
Oct. 15
I'm really starting to feel better and my pain is subsiding and I can actually walk without a walker. I am heading back to MD Anderson for 3 doctor's appointments and lab work Friday.
749 Queen's Court Port Arthur, TX 77642
varingmichael32@gmail.com

Ricky Bradley
Oct. 23
Stint put in in front of the heart 9221 SW 99th St. Mustang, OK 73064 rbradley73064@yahoo.com Gloria Phillips Bradley Nov. 5 Brain MRI. Pray for good results.
9221 SW 99th St. Mustang, OK 73064
gbradley73064@yahoo.com

Jan Russell (timeline of postings on FB)
Sept. 23
Jan wrote a garbled posting on FB which led her readers to realize she was asking for help.
Sept. 25
Hello to Jan’s friends. This is Sandy Cooper posting on her behalf. Jan is in the hospital after having a mild stroke Monday night. She appreciates all the prayers & concern, but she is not really able to respond to calls, texts, or notes at this time. She will be going to rehab to work on speech, word recall, etc. As far as strokes go, this was a mild one, but any stroke requires rehab work & recovery time. Prayer requests: no further stroke events, healing of the portion of her brain affected, peace & calmness during this stressful time for Jan. Other things: Her dog, Diamond, is being boarded, so she is taken care of. We think there is an automatic post of Bible verses to Jan’s Facebook account, so know that she is not typing or posting those manually. Jan’s cousins are out checking rehab facilities now. The plans & timing are still evolving, and we do not have all the details yet. We all appreciate your prayers and concern for her!
Oct. 11
My heart is so blessed with the many, many people who have visited me and given so many wonderful words to help me. Right now I can’t list all the many friends who have helped me in so many ways. I will talk to them all when my head is a little straighter. Right now I can just say that I’m overwhelmed with love. (Jan got to ring the bell for graduating from rehab!)
Oct. 12
I am back home at my apartment. It is so much to be in my on bed. I am so blessed by the Lord and by all the friends who are praying for me. Even with all this I’m feeling overwhelmed. We’ll by my some has my be hold, but I how it will get better. I did do 2 does of watching clothes, and it may again My me feel better. I’ve put again a little bit of trash, by tons my to go. A little bit at a time. May precious friends say words that help draw again the sadly. My writing writes and good (I think) but putting words together is WAYS, WAYS SLOW. Please continue to pray for me as I go through this long road. (update....Jan is doing awesome. Check her out on FB.)
10225 Wortham Blvd. Apt.5104 Houston, TX 77065
jlrussel49@att.net

CONDOLENCES
Allen Baldridge
(death of his mother, Maxine Baldridge Quick)
Oct. 29, 1931 – Sept. 29, 2019
1618 Pineview Ln.
Hideaway, TX 75771
xbaldridge@hotmail.com

Linda Carlsen Chapman
(death of her mother, Audrey Carlsen)
Jan. 11, 1927 – Oct. 26, 2019
1526 El Cielo Leander, TX 78641
lchapman650@att.net

Lana Oliver Baker
(death of her husband, Al Baker)
Oct. 14, 2019
(death of her sister, Carolyn Moore)
July 23, 1937 – Oct. 21, 2019
8813 S 92nd E Court Tulsa, OK 74133
lanbak@yahoo.com

That's about it. I know I missed a ton of information while on vacation and the few weeks since just trying to get back into the swing of things. I apologize if I forgot something else that needed to be on this edition. Just drop me a line and I will get it out there next time. Enjoy your Thanksgiving holidays and stay safe.

Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com