MAIL CALL
from Jan Russell in Houston
5/17/21
I had forgotten that our senior prom was on a Friday night. Several of us were absent from school that day due to “illness” so we can get our hair done! I know that my mother got a stern phone call from Miss Tenney! I also remember that it was raining that night, and Lynn Eldridge’s beautiful Chantilly lace had mud all over the bottom! My date was Jerry Nicholson.
Jlrussell49@att.net____________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________


from Cherlyn Hebert in Houston
5/21/21
As I am sure many of us are, I am fully vaccinated and so happy about it. I was one of the hardcore ones who didn't eat out with others or partake in family get-togethers during 2020. A few hours of fun just wasn’t worth risking my health. My next-door neighbor was one of the first to die in Houston in March 2020 after catching COVID at the rodeo BBQ cookoff event. Then in the fall two of my cousins caught it, one losing part of a leg and the other being hospitalized for 5 days. I know I am not alone in having COVID touch my life and my family. So, I am more than happy to see a light at the end of the tunnel and know it's not a train!
I am so optimistic that I have put a deposit down on a river cruise in April 2022 that will start in Budapest, Hungary, and then go through four countries I have not been to: Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia. The only thing that would make me not go would be if, for some reason, masks were still required. It just wouldn't seem like a vacation if I had to wear a mask most of the time. But hopefully things will continue to improve and people will continue to get vaccinated, and we can all go back to normal, if we can remember what that is.
After reading of the physical trials of so many of our classmates, I feel so blessed to still be blowin' and goin'. Although maybe creakin' and squeakin' would be more appropriate.
Houston8514@yahoo.com

from Bill Horton in Austin
6/4/21
Three days hiking in the Pecos Wilderness, we covered 32 miles and a lot of elevation -- up and down between 9,400 ft and 12,000 ft. This was early in the hiking season so there were patches of snow and trail crews have not cleared fallen timber from the trails. The creeks were running high so we had no trouble finding water.
7/18/21
I got to do a Tuolumne River raft trip that was cancelled during the 2020 quarantine and it was awesome. It is 18 miles of National Wild & Scenic River with numerous Class III and IV rapids and one Class V. This section is downstream of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and flows west from Yosemite NP. I drove because I didn't want to fly and I did want to do a road trip to visit friends.
I'm calling this my AC Destruction Tour. My home downstairs AC unit died at age 29 a few days before the trip. AC problems 3 nights on the drive to California, my niece’s house AC fan motor died an hour after I arrived in Broomfield, my car AC condensate line plugged the day after I got home, and my home upstairs AC unit quit 3 days later. The reverse Midas touch may have ended -- I visited a neighbor yesterday and their AC is still running.
billh812@gmail.com
(I get a kick out of reading Bill’s posts on FB accompanied by gorgeous pictures. While many classmates are having knees replaced, he is ascending to tops of peaks! Way to go, Bill!)

Mini Reunion Luncheon (July 17, 2021)
Oh goodness, this one ranks up there at the top! We had a wonderful turnout. Marilyn Jackson, Ernie Bullion and Paula Daigle had it arranged where the guests could mingle and take fun pictures for almost an hour before we actually sat down and enjoyed a meal. Then, we all had more fun gathering about and reminiscing some more. SIXTY classmates and guests enjoyed the fun. We were glad to see more male classmates attend this time; 11 male classmates plus 8 more male guests. Some of the guests were mutual classmates from their own class. The decorations of balloons and a couple of beautiful centerpieces by Linda Gothia added a special touch. The cake was not only beautiful, but really tasty. Thanks to our senior class VP, Bill Richey, for the beautiful blessing he shared. Also, kudos to all who shared pictures of that day so that all our classmates and visitors to our website will be able to appreciate and “feel” the love and fun we had.

To see the mini-reunion slideshow, go to:
SITE LINKS (top of the page on our website)
PHOTO GALLERY
REUNIONS
MINI REUNION JULY 2021

A big THANKS to those who shared pictures taken that day.
Sharon Gary
Jan Russell
Norma Guidry
Lana Weber
Bill Richey
Rhonda Richey
Carla Castro
Ernie Bullion
Sherry Clingan
Bruce Meyer
Skippy Cole

*If you have NOT shared yours on FB or sent them to me by text, e-mail or PM on FB, you can still send them to me and I will get Mike to add them to the slideshow for the next update.

Classmates attending:
Mary Wells, Darlene Turner, Debbie Borres, Sharon Lewis, Jane Lippincott, Jan Russell, Chrissy Dupuis, Linda DeCuir, Debi Tate, Paula Daigle, Jeanette Constantine, Pat Trahan, Jonnye Dee Doering, Bobby Williamson, Skippy Cole, Lana Weber, Juanita Perales, Linda Gothia, Bruce Meyer, Marilyn Jackson, Ernie Bullion, Fred McCarty, Cecelia Trevino,Sandra Garsea, Barry Boudreaux, Janice Hebert, Bart Darby, Laura Meece, Janis Hamilton, Sharon Gary, Betty Steck, Dennis O’Quinn, David Petit, Felicia Hiatt, Georgette Licatino, Bill Richey, Arleen Lang, Jack Atkins, Lana Oliver, Sheridan Jones, Sissy Woods, Becky Harrison, Carla Castro, Jimmy Schexnayder and Norma Gayle Guidry.
(I hope I didn’t leave anyone out.)

Notes from classmates:
from Laura Meece
What a great time we had! Good to see so many of our classmates!

from Jan Russell
I had such a wonderful time in Port Arthur today having lunch with about 60 classmates and guests from Thomas Jefferson High School, Class of ‘68! We haven’t hugged since the Covid apocalypse! And I loved it that our senior class VP, Bill Richey, had us hold hands as he led us in prayer before we ate. One of the thousands of reasons I love TJ!

WEBSITE DONATIONS
Thank you to Cherlyn Hebert for the check she sent to help our website stay current with soft wear updates. We appreciate you. Mike Lawson is going to have to spend about $700 in the next month to change some programs that aren’t working well with all that we need to maintain. If you would like to help us cushion our account, you may send a donation of ANY amount to:
Linda McFadden
7699 Boardwalk
Lumberton, TX 77657

Write the check out to Linda McFadden
Put TJ ’68 website on your memo line. (SOMEDAY I will get someone to help me set up a Pay Pal account so that you could also send it that way.)

CONTACT INFO CHANGES
Many of you have changed your e-mail address since you retired. Also, I know a lot of you have moved to another home address since the last reunion in the summer of 2018. Send me any phone number changes. Several have dropped their landlines and only have cell numbers now. Please send me these new contacts. I need to know these so that I can change it on the class spread sheet.

NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
My oldest granddaughter is leaving to start college at A&M in about 3 weeks. It reminds me of my first day at Lamar. I was so excited. My parents gave me an 18th birthday present earlier in May; the title to my brother’s red VW that I had been “car sitting” while he was in the Philippines. I just completed my first official job of working at the luncheon counter at Kress downtown that summer. I was enrolled in the Lamar Tech marching band. I was going to be so independent! The start of another chapter in my life. College life was so different. But, I lucked out and MET my soul mate and life-long partner in 1970 at Lamar even though he was a TJ grad from ’67. I just knew his name at TJ. We are celebrating our 48th anniversary this coming week on July 28th. What a ride. We have now become our “parents.” Who would have thought? I want to apologize to my bridesmaids for asking them to wear those HATS! (They did look cute, then.) Two of them were my classmates, Jody Hopkins (matron of honor) and Gayle Endsley (maid of honor).

I “twisted” my left knee when I tucked my leg under while sitting down in a chair. Really? I wasn’t even doing anything strenuous. I tore two meniscus! It is the same knee I had ACL done on in 1984. I have an appointment at Fondren on July 29th to see what he would like to do to help it. No more “tucking” for me.

Maybe when my knee heals then Murphy and I can plan a road trip in the fall. Due to the pandemic, we canceled our Scandinavian cruise scheduled last September that Cherlyn Hebert planned for us. We also canceled our road trip that was going to take us to Oregon.

SUPPORT
Joyce Marceaux is suffering from back issues and husband, Ronnie Abate is recovering from recent hip replacement.
6305 Marble Falls 
Lumberton, TX 77657
Abate.joyce@yahoo.com

Sara Little Herman
Taking chemo to deal with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. She says she is feeling better than she has in the last three years.
PO Box 252
2 Rim Rd.
Alpine, TX 79831
Schilto2003@yahoo.com

Billy Fowler
June 8
I had a lower back, decompression and fusion surgery. I’ve been struggling with this issue for 31 years.
June 28
It has been three weeks since my surgery and I’m practically pain free; just sore and weak. Tomorrow I will be fitted with a “bone growth stimulator” that I will have to wear two hours per day for the next three months.
4171 FM 1844
Gladewater, TX 75607
Fowler.wm@gmail.com

Gloria Faye Burks Fowler
July 13
I had an incisional surgery (breast bone to pelvic bone) that removed a section of my intestines narrowed and affected by Crohn’s, removed old mesh and scar tissue from past hernia surgeries, and repaired 7 hernias.
800 Sheryl Ln.
Longview, TX 75604
Gloriafaye29@gmail.com

Fred Hollier, Jr’s dad, Fred, Sr. is suffering from serious health issues that also included a bout with Covid. Paul Hollier (‘TJ, 69) and his wife, Kim, have moved in to help him during this time. Prayers.
Mr. Fred Hollier, Sr
751 Love St.
Erwin, TN 37650
sonahollier@gmail.com

Carole Oubre Reeves
July 16
I just received notice a couple of weeks ago that I have stomach cancer. I had a CT scan to see if the cancer has spread to other organs. (No call from the doctor yet.)
Chemo for 3 months and then surgery to remove the affected area. I was referred to a doctor in Houston at Memorial Hermann. He referred me to a cancer specialist and cancer surgeon he works with. I will see these two doctors on August 6th. This is certainly not news I wanted but ready to kick cancer down the road and move on with the “Golden Years”.

Please join with my other prayer warriors that it has not spread and the mini chemo schedule will do the trick. I know the Healer and He will see me though.
6535 Jefferson
Groves, TX 77619
Carole.reeves@att.net

CONDOLENCES
Chris Bellanger
(death of his brother, Thad “Hawk” Bellanger)
April 25, 1941 – June 15, 2021
673 Marilyn
Port Neches, TX 77651
Bellcott52@gmail.com

Jenny Rhodes Hamilton
(death of her brother, George Rhodes)
Dec. 7, 1941 – June 26, 2021
150 Windsor Circle
Lumberton, TX 77657
jenhamilton@live.com

Peggy Fontenot Mundschau
(death of her mother, Eva Fontenot Auffurth)
July 22, 2021
151 Mount Laurel Dr.
Montgomery, TX 77316
pafflyer@msn.com

Larry Bodin (BBHS ’66)
(long-time sportswriter for the PA NEWS)
Nov. 17, 1947 – July 21, 2021

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the summer. Let me hear something from you.
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com

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