MAIL CALL
Mar. 15
from Jan Russell in Houston
It is (almost) Spring, and we’ve now been through one year of the COVID-19 Apocalypse! I’ve enjoyed people posting their vaccine certificates. I got my second vaccine last week and it feels like I won the lottery! I will still use masks for a while, but it’s going to be so exciting to get into the open and meet with groups. I know that not everyone is there yet, but I pray that everyone will be vaccines and we can return to a better normal. (There might be a few ‘normals’ that we need to leave behind.) May God bless all of you with health and peace.
Jlrussell49@att.net

Mar. 15
from Ernie Bullion
Thanks for the informative newsletter & keeping us all updated on our classmates. Thank you, Mike & Linda, for everything y’all do for the class of 68. Tbull50@sbcglobal.net

SAVE THE DATE
You’ve been asking, so here it is!
TJ ’68 “mini reunion” LUNCHEON
July 17, 2021
12 noon
Tony’s El Viejo
4300 Hwy 365
Port Arthur, TX 77642

RSVP by July 8
Marilyn Jackson
(409)474-9209
marilynsjw@yahoo.com
or
Ernie Bullion
(409)718-6909
Tbull50@sbcglobal.net

Partial list of CLASSMATES planning to attend:
Carla Castro
Cecelia Trevino
Sandra Garsea
Glenda Patin
Linda Gothia
Diane Foreman
Enoch “Skippy” Cole
Lana Weber
Debbie Felder
Mary Wells
Chrissy Dupuis
Debi Tate
Phyllis Fett
Linda DeCuir
Jonnye Dee Doering
Bobby Williamson
Pat Trahan
Jeannette Constantine
Jane Lippincott
Jan Russell
Sharon Lewis
Barry Boudreaux
Janice Hebert
Ernie Bullion
Fred McCarty
Marilyn Jackson
Paula Daigle
Jack Atkins
Darlene Turner
(of course, spouses are also invited)

We got in “TROUBLE” from the manager of a restaurant at our last luncheon because we had planned for 40 and 25 actually showed up. He was furious because he had called in “extra wait staff and cook!” I guess that is one reason why RSVP is so important. We will provide the dessert.

WEBSITE $ DONATION
A big thanks to Shelley Dettman for the donation to our website account.

HELP REQUESTED FOR CLASSMATE
I posted a story in the last newsletter that told of a classmate, Dianna Caillier Lewis, whose home was quite damaged by water from a busted pipe during the February ice storm. I asked for help and received help! Several classmates responded with donations of money, toiletries, stamps, bedding, pantry & kitchen items, and offers of furniture. A fraternal organization Murphy and I are involved in, Woodman Life (formerly known as Woodman of the World), donated money and two brand new recliners. While making some repairs to the floor and ceiling, termites were also found. Dianna has severe arthritis and uses a walker. Her husband has epilepsy. Dianna has to use public transportation to get to the doctors or to shop.

Classmates that helped:
Shelley Dettman
Jack Atkins
Ernie Bullion
Jane Lippincott
Cherlyn Hebert
Linda DeCuir

Dianna Caillier Lewis
912 E. 6th St.
Port Arthur, TX 77640-5949
(409)983-1355

My heart is full seeing classmates helping classmates.

NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
I turned 71 on Cinco de ME, Me, me. I always enjoy my birthday week and usually get a chocolate cake, because it is my favorite. My mom would make me chocolate cake with chocolate icing. It is sad each year to not have her here to help celebrate. I wear her necklace, watch and ring on that day because they are so special to me. Mike Lawson and I were incubator mates at St. Mary Hospital. Our moms were in the same room. I guess he was my first friend and then classmate and then lifelong soulmate keeping our TJ mates together. What a small world!!!!

We are excited here for our granddaughter’s senior prom tonight. It sure brings back memories. I don’t know how we had our prom on a FRIDAY night while still having to attend class. Just the hair appointments must have taken hours. Our King, Tillman Richey, and Queen, Cla Simon, represented our class perfectly.

High school soccer is over and my granddaughters played four playoff games. My sophomore, Drew, made 1st team all-district and Defensive MVP for her team. The senior, Bailey, made honorable mention and received an Athletic Academic Excellence Award. She now has a dorm mate chosen from Lewisville HS and is looking forward to being an AGGIE just like her mom and dad! I miss her already and she hasn’t even graduated from high school yet.

I have been grand dog sitting every afternoon for about 2 -3 hours. She is a golden retriever who just turned 9 months. Boy, I have forgotten what it is like to have a puppy! Especially a large one. I have always had miniature or toy poodles. She also has a 12-year-old Golden Retriever sister who says, “Leave me alone!” She would much prefer to NAP. Me, too.

Murphy has had no luck getting a pig at his “beer lease”. He has gotten some crows and a couple of squirrels. Ugh. Murphy has recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. So, we have started back to Planet Fitness having quit during Covid.

Now, that the pandemic is on the downslide, we might start thinking of a road trip in the fall. I don’t think we are ready to take a cruise yet. But, classmate, Cherlyn Hebert, is an excellent travel agent if you need one.

SUPPORT
Bart Darby – health issues
24606 Heirloom
Katy, TX 77493
Dar5207@yahoo.com

Billy Caldwell
Jan and I retired last year prior to the pandemic after moving to The Woodlands. She worked for ExxonMobil and I worked for Goodyear. Recently, I was diagnosed at MD Anderson with an inoperable brain tumor. I will be going back and forth to MD twice a week and hopefully to the Woodlands MDA when possible. I will be receiving massive amounts of radiation to see if it will help on the carotid and central nerve at the base of the brain. I also have a heart issue due to exposure to Agent Orange.
142 Bloomhill
The Woodlands, TX 77354
bgcaldwell@outlook.com

Diane Barker Foreman – multiple health issues
5541 Garfield
Groves, TX 77619
dianebforeman@gmail.com

Dianna Caillier and husband, Robert Lewis, have multiple health issues.
912 E. 6th St.
Port Arthur, TX 77640-5949
(409)983-1255

Joyce Marceaux’s husband, Ronnie Abate, is having severe back issues.
6305 Marble Falls
Lumberton, TX 77657
Abate.joyce@yahoo.com

Kay Campbell Netherland – dementia
198 Tall Timbers
Burkeville, TX 75932
d.netherland@sbcglobal.net

Ricky Bradley – fluid in right lung, but getting stronger
9221 SW 99th Street
Mustang, OK 73064
Rbradley73064@yahoo.com

C0NDOLENCES
CLASSMATES GONE TOO SOON

Roy Edward Dugas
August 3, 1950 – April 15, 2021
(No services scheduled)
Send condolences to:
BJ Dugas
2513- 61st Street
Port Arthur, TX 77640

James William Hubert
September 21, 1949 – April 17, 2021
(No services scheduled and no obituary provided)

Send condolences to:
J.Paul Hubert
Adams Surveying Co.
1475 Richardson Dr. Suite 255
Richardson, TX 75080

Memorial planned for George Collins
(save the date)
from Fred McCarty:
Donna Collins, George's wife, sent me an email that they are planning to have a Memorial Service for George. George was cremated after he passed away in December, but the family was uncomfortable with trying to have a service initially because of the Covid-19 vaccine not yet being available. They are now planning to hold a Memorial Service on Saturday, July 10. Likely it will be at 2:00 PM at their church in Houston, with a reception to follow at the Church. More information will follow closer to the date.

Patricia Williams
(death of her father, D.R. Williams)
January 6, 2021
3105 Ava Lane
Port Arthur, TX 77640
Tricialou1949@gmail.com

Peggy Foster Hoyt
death of her dad, Tommy Foster)
December 19, 1928 – March 30, 2021
Elmcroft of Timberlin Park
76120 Timberlin Park Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32256
psfhoyt@gmail.com

Alma Menchaca Lopez
(death of her sister, Cynthia Menchaca Ramirez)
January 30, 1956 – March 31, 2021
877 Ridgewood Apt. 100
Port Neches, TX 77651
Almamenchaca1950@gmail.com

Gardner “John” Clark III
(death of his father, “Gardner” John Clark, Jr.)
March 15, 1923 – April 2, 2021
825 Manning Way
San Diego, CA 91932
Gjclark3@aol.com

Anthony Roccaforte
(death of his mother, Mabel Roccaforte)
November 30, 1929 – April 24, 2021
3603 Gary Ave.
Nederland, TX 77627
amrock@swbell.net

Jack Atkins
(death of his mother, Edith Atkins)
July 28, 1929 – April 27, 2021
PO Box 370
Village Mills, TX 77663
Jack.r.atkins@gmail.com

Linda Eldemire Judice
(death of her sister, Phyllis Eldemire Crauford)
December 16, 1948 – April 29, 2021
1843 Llano
Port Neches, TX 77651
mjudice@gt.rr.com

Please check out the OBITUARIES section at the top of your website front page for the above deaths.

A sincere THANK YOU to Murphy McFadden, Darlene Turner, Gary Hammond, Fred McCarty, Jeanette Constantine, Liz Tieskens, Dianna Caillier, Jonnye Dee Doering, Jack Atkins and Janis Hamilton for contacting me about these deaths. Also, thanks to Loretta LaLonde’s husband, Glynn Myers for checking on some of the birthdates for me. (Now, you might realize how important it is for classmates to contact me with information for my newsletters and the website.)

It looks like you have homework. Send me something, anything for my MAIL CALL, call, text, e-mail, or send a note by snail mail to classmates listed in the SUPPORT section, take the time to send condolences to family members, send in photos for the military section, contact Marilyn or Ernie about the upcoming summer luncheon and send in pictures for our photo gallery. Any questions about our class, a classmate, an event, our website, or anything else you need to know, then you have my info below. Hope to hear from or see you sooner than later.

Stay in touch and contact a classmate,

Linda DeCuir McFadden
7699 Boardwalk
Lumberton, TX 77657
(409)749-4879
lindaDmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com

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