MAIL CALL
from Lynn Eldridge Gill in Dallas, TX
and the ranch in Tupelo, TX
We couldn't have had better weather for the Thanksgiving week. My two kids and their families spent Wednesday through Sunday at the ranch in Tupelo, (outside of Corsicana). My daughter-in-law brought canvases so they could paint cows and turkeys. Then, they made paper mache turkeys for decorations. I am so thankful for our place in the country for us to be able to enjoy out of the big city. It is great fun for the big kids and the five little ones!!!
(I have watched your wonderful family grow all these years. They have had great role models!)
from Terry Watson in Richardson, TX
Our family had a nice quiet Thanksgiving, until the Cowboys game! My wife and daughter went to a movie, but my Mom had to endure my yelling at the TV. It didn't get any better with the Longhorn game.
The next Sunday, Nancy and I went to visit Allen Baldridge's home in Hideaway, TX. Allen fried a turkey and his wife, Wanda, prepared the rest of the feast. This has become an annual event—great fun.
Keep up the great work on the Newsletter. Also, thank Mike for his talents on the website! I always open the web page immediately upon receipt of the notice of an update. I can't think of any other web page that gets that response.
(Thanks for the kudos! The kind words are appreciated. Hugs to you and your family.)
from Linda Yancey in Nederland, TX
To everyone I graduated with and all of the many many Facebook friends. Thank you for the invitation to correspond, however, I do not do Facebook, I do not text, don’t want to correspond that way. I am a face-to-face person. What I may write or text may not come across as how I intended it to, so please understand. I wish you all well. I will talk to you at our upcoming reunion!
(You are right. Printed words do not always express how we might want them to be expressed.)
from Mike Soileau in Atlanta, TX
I'm a proud dad. My daughter, Beth, 34 years old is getting married. It is her first time and she is very happy. We are so proud and happy for her. She works for FedEx in Beaumont.
From Roy Dale Birkelbach in LaMarque,
TX
Thanks for the mention in the last NEWSLETTER. After Hurricane Ike, like Becky Bivens, we also moved out of Bayou Vista. We are now 32 feet above sea level in LaMarque and love it. We moved my mother-in-law in with us in 2009 as her heart was failing and she passed away on Oct. 22nd of this year. We have our first grandchild, Harper Ivy Birkelbach, who is almost 2 years old and is a pure delight. We are in constant touch with our best friends, Richard (TJ '67) and Linda Odom Thibodeaux. My wife and I are both cancer survivors and are grateful for every day! Thanks to you and Mike for the great updates on the website.
HURRICANE SANDY
(from Susan Hardcastle Beaty in Phoenix,
MD)
We're fine. We didn't even lose power during the storm. Since we are in a “rural” part of
Baltimore County, we regularly lose power due to trees falling on the power lines, so I really expected a power outage of 1-2 days. We had some rain, some wind, but all is well. Thanks for checking on us.
45th REUNION
We had a committee meeting this week and had several members absent due to illness. We added some more names to the “pot” of caterer recommendations. We are closing up shop on spending time at our homes on the computer trying to confirm addresses for our mailing list. I joined Peoplefinders.com to try to find some more addresses. I am finding that some classmates have moved up to 13 times SINCE our last confirmed address for them. No wonder we are having a meltdown trying to find them. We will send a “SAVE THE DATE” postcard in January. We haven't come up with a ticket price since we will need more information about costs that we will incur. More info will be published when we have made those decisions.
(a note from Elizabeth “Liz” Tieskens Ellis)
At this time, Butch and I are planning to attend our reunion. I am looking so forward to it. We had to miss the last one five years ago because we were moving that same weekend. Thanks for all that is done to help our class stay in touch.
RSVP
I would love for you to drop me a note saying whether you are “hoping” to come to the reunion. We call it a HOPEFUL LIST! Mike will add your name to the list on the website.
MOVIE AND DINNER
Some classmates and guests are meeting the the San Jacinto Mall Sunday, December 2 to view the movie, LINCOLN. Then, we will go down the street to eat and visit (LAUGH) with the gang. Janette Light Norton is the go-to gal for this event if you would like to be added to the list. The more the merrier!
Info:
Movie News: Looking forward to seeing you and LINCOLN at the movies
•next Sunday, Dec. 2
•'11:50 a.m.
•at the San Jacinto Mall
•1578 San Jacinto Mall, Baytown, 77521
Lunch to follow at
•El Toro's
•5810 Garth Rd. , Baytown, 77521
I recommend arriving a bit early at movies; although, since this is Sunday, the manager said is bad time to attend. Lunch will be in our same back room but cannot guarantee the room will be ours because of holiday season. If you haven't already let me know for sure, please contact me so I can have places set for everyone. Also, my cell # is 806.683.0754. Call me if you need me. JANETTE
Classmates attending:
Mike Harmon, Ernie Castaneda, Linda DeCuir, Janette Light, Fred McCarty, Loretta LaLonde and some spouses. (Murphy will be at the “beer lease”!)
Jack Etheredge, Jane Lippincott, and Joye Jefferson have had to opt out. :-(
NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
My best friend, Martha Lipe Bodin ('69), kept our tradition and we spent the day together on BLACK FRIDAY. We DON'T do the shopping! We just spend the day together reminiscing, catching up on family news, and then going to eat at a NON-CROWDED restaurant. Martha lived in Lakeview with me, married Carl Bodin, and then we moved across the street from each other in Bridge City in 1978 unbeknownst to either of us for a couple of months! We became the best of friends, supporting each other in happiness and grief over 30 years before we moved after Hurricane Ike. She surprised me by bringing another neighbor friend with her this year. We laughed and laughed. Good for the soul.
I'm decorating my new artificial Christmas tree when time lets me. I have worked on it a LITTLE for the last five days. Maybe when Dad goes to my sister's home this weekend and no granddaughters are saying, “NANNY”, and Murphy is gone to the deer lease, I can give it my undivided attention. Dad went to HOBBY LOBBY with me today and you would have thought it was people loading up for a hurricane evacuation. Dad's eyes were big as saucers. I told him to watch out.....it might be a Jerry Springer episode! I haven't even opened any of the Christmas boxes Murphy took out of the attic.
Speaking of Dad, I always set out his pants and shirt the night before. He got up and came in the kitchen and I started laughing. I asked him, “Where in the world did you get those CLOWN PANTS?” He had on some black slacks , no belt loops, no zipper, but his belt still wrapped around his waist with the top of the slacks pulled up to his rib cage! Of course, his shirt was neatly tucked in. Well, low and behold, they were MY PANTS!!!! I know, I know....we definitely aren't shaped alike! He has NO BUTT, NO BELLY, but we are the same height!
It has been a busy week. Reunion
committee agenda to prepare for the meeting, Dad's doctor appointments, sister to help with, the decorating has been on a back burner. Dad had two TIAs two weeks apart this month. We went to his NEUROLOGIST today and he is cutting out his blood pressure medicine and scheduling an EEG and an MRI. My sister is having a procedure next week. It is minor, BUT with her having dementia, manic-depression, and Parkinsons, everything becomes MAJOR!!! Murphy is still down in the dumps because he hasn't had any luck with bringing back a deer! At least he is eating good at the lease. One of the hunters is a wonderful cook!
SUPPORT
Tom Phillips is under hospice care while battling cancer. Robert Sandoval, a longtime childhood friend, went to visit him in Orange. So, have several of his dear friends. Wade Miller stopped by while I was in the driveway and said he visited Tom and he is in wonderful spirits. I have also heard from many of his friends. He is very well thought of. Robert said that Wade, Tommy Thompson, Fred McCarty, Billy Fowler, David Weldon, & Larry Speake were lifelong friends that met in kindergarten and first grade at DeQueen Elementary. David wrote and said that thinking back to their days at DeQueen were the best years of our lives. Webb Draughon became a part of this “brotherhood” a couple of years later. Webbie wrote, “ The last time I saw Tom it was at a memorial celebration for his big brother, Chris, at the major fly-fishing outfitter in Houston. Chris had become a legendary salt water fly fishing guide. Chris, Tim, and Tom were a great tight, family. When I saw either of them in the past few years it was like it had been only a day or two since we were 10 years old. When I saw Tim and Tom after so many years, the connection, the friendship, the remembrances were a jolt. Not many words were necessary. Their strong character simply burns through time and after 50 years, they were Tim and Tom and there was an understanding - we knew each other. Unusual. Hard to explain, but they have always had a higher level of sincerity than most and it made you appreciate their authenticity. Those few moments stirred good memories that stayed with me awhile.”
You may contact Tom at:
Tom Phillips
2363 Valda
Orange, TX 77632
(409)553-3588
pphillips777@gmail.com
CONDOLENCES
An obituary for Richard Daniels' mother has been added to our OBITUARIES section on the website. Richard wrote, “It was a sad occasion but a very positive experience due to all the love and support we received from family and friends.”
rd1950@sbcglobal.net
I am always touched when I hear about how our classmates support each other. I am moved by the closeness of Tom and his classmate friends. I hope that you will contact an old friend and write me about it. That is what we do best.
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com