What a month!
I didn't write a
newsletter two weeks
ago because of lack
of news items.
But, it seems that
this last month has
had me hopping with
family issues.
from
Monty Nolan
in Helena, MT
Allow me to
congratulate you on
reaching 100!
Oh wait, let me
rephrase that.
Congratulations on
publishing your
100th class
newsletter.
That's better!
Seriously, thanks
and bless you and
Mike for all you
do.
from
Cherlyn Hebert
in Houston
We went on a
Carribbean cruise in
January. We
had a great time;
three days in port
and three days of
siling. Very
relaxing. We
visited Roatan (Honduras),
Belize City
(Belize)
and Cozumel (Mexico). We went on a Hawaiian
cruise in March.
We went into
Honolulu
a few days early and
then boarded
Norwegian Cruise
Lines' Pride of
America and toured
Pearl Harbor
and then flew home.
The cruise was a
nice way to see four
islands (Oahu, Maui,
the Big Island of
Hawaii and
Kauai).
I don't usually get
too excited about
flowers, but my gosh
they were so
beautiful
everywhere;
hibiscus, plumeria,
red and pink ginger,
etc.
from
Billy Jordan
in Decatur, AL
I took your advice
and hooked up
through Face Book
with many classmates
and corresponded
with a couple of
very good old
friends I have not
heard from in 20 +
years. Thanks
for the nudge.
from
James Leland Hebert
in Waldorf, MD
My wife, Pat, and I
still work for the
government in the
Washington,
D.C. area. She works for the Defense
Threat Reduction
Agency and I work
for the Navy.
I hit the big 6-0
this year and I
decided to celebrate
by getting a PhD
from
George
Washington
University. I just completed the
mandatory 30 hours
and I am now really
busy working and
doing the research
of my dissertation,
"Improved methods
for finding Buried
Non-metallic Mines:
Ground Penetrating
Radar Algorithms".
My oldest son is 24
and has a degree in
math and computer
engineering and
works for Microsoft
in
Redmond,
WA.
Amanda (23) has a
degree in psychology
and micro-chembio,
and will graduate in
May from Virginia
Common Wealth with a
masters in Genetic
Counseling. My
22 year old son,
Charles, is on a
fellowship at the
University
of
Maryland getting a masters in Mechanical
Engineering.
Kathryn, my 20 year
old is a junior at
Northern
Michigan
University working a degree in
Microbiology.
We are going broke
putting kids
through college, but
we're on the down-
hill slope now.
My step sister,
Tana Hightower ('66)
and her husband Don
are finally back in
their home in
Bridge
City after incurring damages from
Hurricane Ike.
My brother
John Hebert ('66),
is retired in
Alexandria,
LA.
I want to say that I
love the webpage and
enjoy seeing
everyone and how
well everyone has
done. We have
a great class.
***********************************************************************
Class of 1966
Reunion
Information
(contributed by
Fred Schneider '66)
We will reunite on
August 13, 2011 at
7:00 pm at the Port
Acres KC Hall,
6621 West PA Rd.
The fee for
attendance will be
$40.00 per person,
or $75.00 per
couple. A
$5.00 additional fee
will be charged for
tickets purchased at
the door.
Party food and music
for dancing will be
provided.
Beverage plans will
be provided
shortly.
During the day
Saturday, tours of
the Museum of the Gulf Coast can be provided at $2.00 per person.
An informal
gathering of some
sort will be
organized for Friday
evening and
announced as soon as
it is set.
The Holiday Inn has
set aside a block of
rooms for our class
at the rate of
$85.00 per night.
An all-you-can eat
Sunday breakfast
will be served at
Luby's at Hwy 69 &
365 from 8-12am .
The cost will be
$8.00 per person.
Please make your
plans now to attend.
An invitation is
being designed now
and will be scanned
and e-mailed to as
many classmates as
possible. To
those classmates
without e-mail, they
will be sent in
regular mail.
***********************************************************************
"Blue-eyed soul"
singer to headline
gala
The Carl Parker Center at Lamar State College-Port Arthur
will be rocking
April 30, when
legendary soul
singer
Bill
Medley
takes the
stage to entertain
patrons of the
eighth annual "Gulf
Coast Gala."
The event, which
includes dinner and
entertainment,
begins with a 6 p.m.
reception.
Dinner will be
served at 7 p.m.,
followed by the
entertainment.
Four levels of
sponsorships are
available.
Individual tickets
are $125.00 per
person. For
sponsorships,
tickets, or
information, call
Donna Schion at
(409) 984-6101.
The event provides
support for many
programs that
"enhance career
potential, broaden
intellectual
horizons and enrich
the quality of life
for people in the
area."
***********************************************************************
A few classmates and
spouses met together
recently for a late
lunch at a Kingwood
restaurant.
Those classmates
attending were:
Janette Light,
Janice Hebert, Barry
Boudreaux, Linda
DeCuir, Robert
Sandoval, Mike
Harmon, Loretta
LaLonde,
and
Fred McCarty.
The spouses were so
kind to "act" like
they were enjoying
all the reminiscing
and loud laughter.
(Actually they added
to it.)
Be sure to write and
tell me about a
gathering you might
have with some of
our classmates.
We would love to
hear about it.
See Misc
Photos page 5
for the get-together
photo.
***********************************************************************
Since the last
newsletter, all hell
has broken loose.
Murphy went to his
cardiologist and was
set up for an
arteriogram.
He was found to have
6 blockages in his
heart. On two
separate day surgery
visits, the dr. put
in three stents and
opened up the other
three with the
balloon procedure.
My sister had
cataract surgery but
had a reaction to
the eye drops, (they
contained steroids),
and she had a
bi-polar melt down
that lasted several
days. Dad was
staying with her for
three of those days
and was involved
with the drama.
After getting my
sister's kids to
come in from
Houston
to help with the
situation on Sunday,
I "rescued" Dad and
brought him back to Lumberton with me. At that point, I felt like
we deserved a trip
to DQ! My
sister seemed to be
improving a LITTLE
each day but
today seems to find
her slipping
backward. Keep
your prayers going
for her. Poor
mental health is
just as bad as
physical problems.
Also, some very
dear neighbors in
our Bridge City home have both received really bad
health reports.
Then, another
friend,
Paul Martin '66,
passed away.
Several other
friends are having
really intense
health problems.
I'll have their
names in our SUPPORT
section.
I hope the next
edition will have
fun stuff mentioned
in my HOMEFRONT
news.
P.S. On a good
note, I spent some
quality time with my
dear friend,
Joe Breaux ('69)
enjoying a surprise
60th b-d crawfish
boil at his home in
Lumberton!
***********************************************************************
Janice Hebert
Boudreaux's
niece, Danielle
Fontenot (27 yrs),
has been diagnosed
with MS. She
has a 9 month old
baby
mbsjanice@aol.com
Glenda Patin's
mom has alzheimers
and has been
hospitalized with
pneumonia.
gpatin@comcast.net
Carolyn Lyons'
brother-in-law, Ron
Tulare (husband of
Kathy Lyons ('66),
was in a terrible
traffic accident.
He has broken ribs,
fractured pelvis and
hip, unstable blood
pressure, collapsed
lung, pneumonia,
internal bleeding, a
trach, on a
ventilator, etc.
kathy_tulare@bcbstx.com
Carolyn's e-mail is:
outoftheatic@hotmail.com
from
Jan Russell
On Feb. 6,
I was admitted to
St. Luke's Hospital
in the Woodlands
with what turned out
to be septic shock-
a really nasty
infection in the
blood system.
It apparently
started with a sinus
infection in
January. I
thought it was a bad
cold that became
strep throat.
By Feb. 6, my lymph
glands were swollen
and I was running a
fever. I spent
8 days in the
hospital, 6 of them
in ICU. After
that, I was taken to
a physical rehab
center because I was
so weak from the
infection and the
time spent in ICU.
I'm home now and
recovering. I
still have to build
up my stamina.
I took a leave of
absence from school
so I could have
adequate time for
recovery, but I'm
going back to work
March 21. Yea!
The Lord has taken
such incredibly good
care of me through
the medical staff,
friends, and people
He brought into my
life just when I
needed support.
I really appreciate
all the supporting
comments and prayers
from my friends.
Thanks for
everything that
ya'll do to keep the
Class of '68
together. I
always enjoy my
updates.
jlrussell@kleinisd.net
Linda Louise Davis
Fitzpatrick's
husband, Charlie,
has a blood clot and
will soon have a hip
revision surgery
when the clot
dissolves.
lfitzpatrick@gvtc.com
Linda DeCuir
McFadden's
sister, Gerry Landry
('59), has unstable
mental health at
this time dealing
with her bi-polar
and memory issues.
Please put her on
your church prayer
list.
Also, thanks to all
the well-wishes for
my husband, Murphy's
heart problems.
Now his heart is
good for another
100,000 miles.
All the belts and
hoses are fixed!!!!
He is planning to
retire from his job
on July 31st.
This was in the
works before the
heart cath.
Classmate,
Jimmy Hughes,
survived a massive
heart attack while
attending a safety
meeting at work.
The paramedics there
revived him.
He had to have 4
bi-passes and was on
a ventilator for
several days.
A benefit will be
held in April, (more
information to
come), to help out
with the expenses.
The company he
previously worked
for (Conex) recently
filed for bankruptcy
and he was left with
no medical coverage.
Be on the lookout
for the information
on the benefit to
help a fellow
classmate. I
will have Mike post
it as soon as I
receive the info.
jrayfish@prodigy.net
***********************************************************************
(a note from
classmate,
Liz Hall)
Some of you may know
my sister
Dorothy/Dot ('71).
Her husband,
Peter Bell ('71),
passed away in his
sleep at the age of
58. We suspect
an aneuism. He
leaves behind 8
beautiful
grandchildren and
scores of grieving
friends and family
members.
Please keep Dot in
your thoughts and
prayers.
e.hall@ttu.edu
You may find these
obits on the front
page of our website
under the OBITUARIES
section.
***********************************************************************
This was a
time-consuming
edition. I had
to go back and forth
looking up FB
entries,
spreadsheets, and
e-mails to get all
the information
needed. Please
take the time to
contact those on the
SUPPORT AND
CONDOLENCE sections.
Also, please put our
dear friends, Ginger
and Charles LaCombe
on your church
prayer lists. It
really means a lot
for a friend to lend
their words of
comfort. Don't
forget to drop me
some lines with news
of anything!
Love to all.
Until next time.