MAIL CALL
from Beth Hobbs in St. Paul, MN
We had a 'warm' (75 degrees) day today, but expect to be back in the 50's tomorrow. Trees are flowering, though, so it looks pretty good out there. Just wish I could get into my summer skirts and sandals!
from Beverly Hawkins Curby in Lynnwood, WA
I am in the process of moving back to Texas. We are looking to relocate to San Antonio. I am so ready to move back to TEXAS! I retired a year ago. We have been here in Washington state over 22 years.
from Joye Jefferson Roll in Galveston
We are temporarily living in our beach house in Galveston. We hope to move to our new house in Pearland within 6 weeks. We would have loved to come to the "mini-reunion" but we will have a house full of company coming in for our grandson's baptism. I'm anxious to hear how the gathering in PA goes.
from Cathy Jones Kasper in Crystal Beach
We have moved around a lot in the last few years thanks to Hurricane Ike! We are living at our beach house at Crystal Beach again. It took us about 14 months to get it where we could move back, and when we did, we did not have a kitchen for another 4 months. Finding contractors was very difficult as our house was standing, but we had to gut the first floor living area down to the studs and floor joists and that was 20.5 feet above sea level!!! We live here full time, but are frequent visitors to Houston and Colorado to see our grandchildren. We have 2 grandsons and 2 granddaughters ages 4 and under. Thanks for keeping us up to date.
from Jan Russell in Spring, TX
(taken off of Facebook)
We were under "lock down" this afternoon because of an escaped murderer in the neighborhood. I was very impressed with the efficient way it was handled by our administration. The safest place to be was in the school. Everyone, (except the people in the T buildings!), remained calm. (The "T building" teachers had to get their kids inside the main building which was pretty scary for them) The rest of us stayed in our classrooms, doors locked, and continued business as usual. School dismissed on time. Kids had to wait for the buses which were late because of the police blockades. There was already a plan in place, and we followed the plan. "Keep calm and carry on" as the Brits used to say. Kudos to the Kleb principals and the Klein police who remained calm and dealt with the situation in a totally professional manner.
from Lucille Miller Armintor TJ '62
I think the look of your '68 website is fabulous. I love the pull-down menus, the crisp clean fonts, the columns and overall arrangement of the page.
(This is all Mike's doings! He is the expert in this field.)
from Linda Tatum Briggs TJ '62
Your website looks great and is very user friendly. I am not the webmaster of our class site tj62.com but I do admire yours.
(Thanks for your kind words. I will send them onto Mike. I am only the "Heda Hopper" of our site!)
"MINI-REUNION"
I know that many of you are sick and tired of hearing me harp on this event. Well, you just have a couple of days left. At this time we have 51 classmates and 26 spouses/guests signed up!!! Mike and I are so happy that this much enthusiasm has been shown for our gathering. We will provide NAME TAGS to help with our "senior memory"!
Now, for the......
REST OF THE STORY!
The reason this "mini-reunion" got started BEGAN a lonnnngggg time ago. In fact, it started
62 years ago!!!! Years ago, St. Mary's Hospital in Port Arthur had maternity wards that included beds for six mothers. Mommas for classmates Mike Lawson, Robert McClintock, Barry Boudreaux, and me were all in the same room either in labor or recuperating. Mike was born May 4th, me on May 5th, and Robert and Barry on May 6th. Actually, (and Janice Hebert Boudreaux hates this "-), I saw all these guys NAKED before ANY OF THEIR WIVES! Of course, I guess they saw me that way, also. I was a tiny bit smaller than I am now....a preemie of 4 pounds! Mike's mom and my mom became friends visiting for a little while after we were born. Since Mike and I went to different elementary schools, his mom told him to look me up when he got to Woodrow Wilson!!! Well, the rest is history. We have been friends and classmates and now work on the WEBSITE together. Actually, we are like an old married couple without the "benefits"!!!! We always keep up with our birthdays and send each other greetings via snail mail and internet. THIS YEAR we decided to be together for our celebration and wanted Robert and Barry to also come and enjoy it with us. Well, it grew and grew and grew! So, there you have the REASON we are having a "mini-reunion"!
Below is a note from Mike about his hospital stay in 1950:
"I was rummaging through my dad's desk shortly after he passed away back in May of 2004. I noticed an envelope containing several hospital bills along with the written checks. As I opened the envelope, I found that these bills were for the cost of my delivery into this world on May 4, 1950 at St. Mary's Hospital. It seems my mother kept just about everything. Here is a list of the bills and the cost associated with them."
Anesthesia by Dr. Donald Duplan, Jr...............$ 10.00
Hospital stay.................................................$ 68.50
Delivery by Dr. R.B. Anderson.........................$115.00
Ambulance ride home on May 8, 1950.............$ 6.00
Mike also wrote, "This is ALL it took to deliver a baby back in the 1950's! Obviously, life was much simpler back then. That's me, simple and cheap!"
PHOTO SECTION EXPLAINED
It recently came to my attention that many times classmates send in photos and they can be found in "Misc. Photos, page so & so." But, they weren't sure where to look for MISC PHOTOS. I got to thinking that maybe others might have had the same question.
If a photo is in MISC PHOTOS, go to the top of the web page and find Class Photos:: on the Red Bar at the top. Place your mouse cursor and a "drop-down" box shows what Class Photos include. You will find Misc. Photos there.
Please don't hesitate to ask Mike or me any questions on how to navigate the website. We want you to enjoy the whole experience.
E-MAIL ADDRESSES AVAILABLE
I often get requests from classmates for someone's e-mail address. I don't mind at all giving you that information. I like hearing from you and getting mail for my MAIL CALL. But, if you would like to find an address in a hurry, you have it at your disposal on the website.
Here is how to look for the addresses:
Go to CLASSMATE LISTING listed on the red bar at the top of the page.
Click on the alphabet letter for the last or maiden name
Place your mouse cursor on the name needed
An e-mail address SHOULD come up without having to click
(The classmates who's names are in the darker font have not provided us with an e-mail address).
You can now click on the name and it will send you to a MESSAGE box to that person.
POLITICS
Mike and I purposely leave politics out of our website and NEWSLETTERS. We have never had a problem concerning classmates sending anything that remotely resembles that issue. I wish it was the same for FACEBOOK, but I can't control that! I do ask that you please don't send me political articles and cartoons on my e-mail account. I get so much from classmates, friends, and relatives that I have to cull through them to find if there is anything that I might find interesting or to use for the updates. I love the funny sayings and quotes that I can incorporate. So, since the NEWS MEDIA is inundated with the political campaign, I could use a rest when it comes to mail. I do appreciate your attention to my request.
NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
It has been a busy two weeks since I wrote the last
NEWSLETTER. I am happy to report that my sister, (bi-polar & dementia), is doing well. She seems to be having a lot of good days! This last Wednesday was one of her BEST in months. Also, my son-in-law and oldest granddaughter, (9 years old), competed in the Kemah Triathlon last weekend and both came in fourth in their age groups! My daughter and the same granddaughter will compete in a Houston MOTHER'S DAY triathlon. It will be my daughter's FIRST. My husband, Murphy, just had his 7-year anniversary from being diagnosed with prostate cancer! Yea. Last, but certainly not least, my dad just turned 96 years young! We had a
DADDY-DAUGHTER date to the Lamar University baseball game. I have my Daddy to thank for introducing me to BASEBALL. We spent many days and nights watching the NY Yankees on television starting in the 50's. Watching my first boyfriend,
Mickey Mantle, is still magical in my mind! I love, love, LOVE the game in any age group. I keep score sheets, have shelves of baseball collectibles in my office, and of course my favorite of all time is my AUTOGRAPHED baseball from
Mickey Mantle! I talked to him on the phone while he was appearing on
QVC. The autographed ball is the FIRST thing I pack on HURRICANE evacuations! I know it seems silly. Thanks Dad for teaching me the LOVE for the game. Since he now lives with us, we still watch games all week. I hope we have many more years to watch the games together.
WEBSITE DONATION
We received a check from an ANONYMOUS donor to use toward the expenses for our website. Muchas Gracias Amiga
SUPPORT
(a note from Linda Yancey concerning her brother's cancer battle)
I have always been extremely proud of both of my brothers, and now even more so of my brother, Wilson. As many of you are aware, Wilson (Jr. to me) was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Well, on Saturday, April 21st, he rode his bike part of the way in the MS 150 from Houston to Austin. He rode it last year as well, but for me this year was even more amazing. I have thought about many things in the last several months, (my feelings went from anger, to why?, and when does this family get a break)! Please understand I do not want anyone else to get cancer. But, we lost our mother suddenly, my dad died from cancer and my dear sweet niece, Ashley who was 21, also died from cancer. So you see, I felt like enough is enough. Yet, over the last few weeks I realized that any of us can go at any time. So, live life to the fullest and make sure you tell your loved ones you love them every single day. There has not been one night that has gone by that I do not fall on my knees and pray that GOD will heal my brother. Never give up!
Update from Janis Hamilton Lee concerning her son, Jeff's heart condition
We found out Easter when we went to Dallas that Jeff is having some more heart issues. Several times a day his heart will race and is out of rhythm. They checked his pacemaker and said it was okay. He wore a heart monitor for 24 hours. They will do a stress test next. They changed his medication right before he got his new pacemaker but they haven't said that might be the problem.
(I hope to hear more from Janis about any results of the tests.)
MOTHER'S DAY TRIBUTE
(an oldie but goodie)
(a poem written by Howard Johnson in 1915)
"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for her tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell
"MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me
But, for many of us, our MOTHERS have passed on.
As children,
we can't comprehend
or fully realize
The meaning of our mother's love,
how tender and how wise,
The patience and forgiveness
that are part of every day,
The unexpected "little things
she does in her own way.
Years go by before we can
look back on life and see
Through older eyes and wiser hearts
her love and loyalty,
And yet it's these and other special things
we'll hold so dear,
For memories of her steadfast love
will keep her ever near.
Please remember those classmates that have lost their mothers since last MOTHER'S DAY. This first holiday without their mother's on this earth will most likely be a sad one. Please keep them in your hearts.
Irene Protas Heath
Kay Hoelzle Deuel
Gail Moriaty
Craig Runyan
George Linney
Barbara Evans Hanley
Ann Hefley Boriskie
Jimmy Hubert
Robbie Greig
Rose Flohr
Lloyd Flohr
Becky LeBlanc Robinson
Linda Dowling Weldon
Webb Draughon
Rodney Gouthier
Brenda Rector Cook
Frank Mirabella
CONDOLENCES
(Ernie Castaneda Bullion received the following note from Susan Hardcastle Beatty after the death of her younger sister, Judy Hardcastle).
Thank you for writing . It was really sad to lose my sister so young. She was so very sick at the end and I think she might have been almost ready to let go. Her children are all still in their 20s. That is so young to lose one's mother. Her oldest son is living in Washington, DC now, so I see him pretty often. Her other two live in Bridge City and Nederland, so they are close to my mother. I will try to get down to PA as often as I can.
Phillip Wayne Forsythe
(death of his father, Walter Paul Forsythe, Jr.)
Nov. 13, 1920-Apr. 16, 2012
Wayne Forsythe
12999 FM RD 1004 W
Buna, TX 77612
Death of '67 graduate
Chris DeLeon
Oct. 5, 1948-April 27, 2012
Ellen Fawvor
(death of her brother, Curtis Fawvor)
on May 2, 2012)
4125 Turtle Creek Dr. #6
Port Arthur, TX 77642
Frank Mirabella
(death of his mother, Mary Jane Mirabella)
1003 Willliams Lake Dr.
Richmond, TX 77469
We now have information on Pam Clary who died from breast cancer in 2006. Pam's sister sent a bulletin of the funeral and an obituary for us to publish in our MEMORIAL section. Thanks to Gail Wilson Felker who contacted the family for information for us to share with the classmates.
You may view the obituaries of most of the deceased mentioned above in our OBITUARIES section on the front page of the website. Pam's obituary will be in the MEMORIAL section.
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Well classmates, I hope to see many of you on CINCO de MAYO in PA at the "mini-reunion". Hey, I wonder how my mom knew to name me a hispanic name, LINDA, when I was born on the 5th of May! :-) I was due on July 4th! I wonder what she would have named me if I was born then?
footnote: This is a story my mom would tell me about picking my name. She originally was going to name me Linda Susan. (By the way, LINDA was the most popular name for a girl in 1950. True, google it if you don't believe me). But, when I was born two months early and was so little, she felt the name was too long. Therefore, she shortened it to Linda Sue. Then she said, "If I would have known.....I would have named you Linda Susanna!!!" Not even funny MOM!!!!
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda Decuir McFadden