MAIL CALL
from Diane Richmond Miller in Silsbee
Well, here is an old classmates reunion for you! Jenny Rhodes and Cheryl Robinson and I were great running buddies, who met at Edison and remained good friends that has lasted into college, after our weddings and into our grown-up lives. The three of us have not been together since college and we recently set up a luncheon date at the Olive Garden in Beaumont
where we spent three hours talking, laughing, and sharing pictures of our families. I brought along an old speaker that I salvaged from the old Don Drive-In and that always generates good stories. It was such a good time and as Jenny said, “It seems so totally natural and safe being with you two old pals.”
It was really a great time and Linda, I know you love stories like this, so I'm sending a photo, also. I wrote this story because the three of us wanted to encourage others to get together with their old friends, too. The time is definitely now. Thanks for your help in reminding us to do just this!
(Thanks for sharing a classmate gathering story!)
from Paula Iles Retrepo ('69) in Dallas
area
I still enjoy your newsletters. Life marches along here in Dallas. My husband might retire from flying for DHL at the end of this year. He's doing a lot of long overseas assignments so I'm hoping to join him in Milan,
Italy this summer. We just got back from San Diego last Tuesday where we celebrated our daughter's 18th birthday, (yes, we got a late start). She is living in Northern CAL
and going to school there. I'm planning to join John
on a long work trip in Miami
next month. I still feel like I'm in a time machine reading about everyone and their grandchildren and retiring. We went bicycling along the San Diego Shelter Island Harbor last Monday for a couple of hours and I felt like I was 22 instead of 62 with my hair pulled up in a pony tail wishing that I looked like it, too! Hah! Praise the Lord for the health to be doing it! Thanks for your and Mike's hard work!
(I am happy that other classes enjoy our website and contribute from time to time. Thanks.)
from Shirley Williams
Somehow I stumbled across your website. I was born at St. Mary's Hospital in 1955. I LOVED seeing all the old pictures of Port Arthur. It was such a beautiful town. I always loved how well laid out it was and how pretty all the boulevards and flowers were. And, of course, all the old homes and buildings. Rose Hill was always a favorite. My aunt and uncle had a home on Lakeshore Drive. We all loved watching the ships pass by, especially when my daddy or uncles might be coming home. They were almost all Merchant Marines. I spent many a night sitting in a car at that big white building at the Texaco docks, falling asleep in my mom's lap, waiting for someone to come off the ship.
Last time I was down I drove through Port Arthur and just wanted to cry. All those gorgeous homes just falling apart. But, Port Arthur had such great memories and great people through most of its history it is hard to be saddened.
I am sending your link to my sister. She graduated TJ in 1968, I think.
Again, I just can not thank you enough for all the great pictures. If I ever come across any of mine, I'll check to see if you want a copy. Take care.
Shirley Williams
(I haven't been able to determine yet if Williams is Shirley's maiden or married name. Of course, I also haven't found out who her sister is. Do any of you know?)
from Carolyn Hebert (Alfred Hebert's wife) in Flint, TX
The Cyber Safety article that Mike
included in the last update is an excellent one. I saved it and printed it. It is something to be continually reminded about. One day by accident instead of the url for my website, I input my email address in the location bar. I was shocked at how much of my information is online even though some was deleted long ago. Photos posted in ancestry.com are there. Photos posted elsewhere online were there. I do not mean photos of just me but photos period that I have posted. My ancestors photos are posted in genealogy websites that are supposed to be protected but obviously they are not even if the tree is a private one. It is understandable why researchers say Google your ancestor, you might find their photo online. Google isn't my only search engine but that's used to get the picture....pun not intended.
Thanks again. Our class site no longer exists. It's too much work especially at my age now....72. Your class website is still the best one out there. Keep up the good work. However, I did add back the Graduate
Museum webpages as a section in my personal website. Nobody has sent any update information since Hurricane Ike.
Alfred and I are making plans to go to London
for the World Sprint Triathlon Championship competition. Alfred needs to start looking for sponsors to help pay the way. Even though these athletes qualify for Team USA to represent the US
in these events, they have to pay their own way unless they get some benefactors. The event is scheduled for Sept. of this year. He qualified in Vermont last year in August.
REUNION
Several members of the reunion committee recently met at the Singles Club to get an idea of where we wanted to put up decorations and how we wanted to decorate the hall. We are going to have a table set up that might include SILENT AUCTION items. Now, this is where YOU come in. You may donate items for the table. It could be pretty much anything that you feel classmates would be interested in. We won't have a lot of items just a few. Contact me first to see if we can use your idea. We are also having a display for MEMORABILIA. Any one have something they would like to share? Again, contact me first and we'll talk about it.
Our response on the RSVP page AND the advanced payments are coming in DAILY!!!! What a treat. I asked for early payments and you certainly are responding. I am also pleased to see that you are taking my suggestion of getting your hotel reservations now. You can always CANCEL if you need to. Also, we are flexible enough to REFUND your money if something comes up and you are unable to attend. Please don't let finances be the factor that makes you choose not to come. We can't come up with gasoline money or airfare, BUT we can make sure you have a COMPLIMENTARY ticket to the reunion. Let us know if you or someone else could use this service.
Don't forget to check out the RSVP list on the front page of our website and make sure we have your name. See you in August if not sooner!
STRANDED CARNIVAL CRUISE!!!!
Debbie Borres Desmond got stuck for three hours on an elevator in the Carnival Triumph several months ago. Loretta LaLonde Myers sailed the Triumph the week before without incident, BUT classmates, Linda King McComas and cousin/classmate, Nancy Ippolito Seawell weren't so LUCKY! I contacted them both for their side of the story of the cruise.
from Nancy Ippolito Seawell in Crosby,
TX
While we were floating in the Gulf with little to no communication with the outside world, we had no idea people back home even knew what was going on.
Luckily I was with two of my sisters, JoAnn
and Susan, and my 4 first cousins, one of which was Linda King McComas who also graduated class of 68. If you've been keeping up with the story, almost everything that was reported was true, except for the free booze. They only opened the bar one night from 6:00 - to midnight for free beer and wine, no margaritas, which is my drink of choice. Conditions were as bad as they said, but our group did our best to be positive and make the most of a bad situation. We always bring our cards and poker money everywhere we go, so we got lots of card playing done, when we weren't in line for food or a public bathroom with flushing toilets. We slept in 5 different spots on 4 different nights. We met some wonderful new friends that were very helpful to 7 older ladies who needed help hauling 7 mattresses from place to place. All and all, it was a very exciting adventure that I would not want to repeat. We laughed a lot more than we cried and it has certainly made our family a lot closer.
from Linda King McComas in Willis,
TX
Seven of us, sisters and cousins, make trips annually to different destinations. This time we chose to take a FOUR day cruise out of Galveston. We left on a Thursday and were to return on Monday at 8 am. The cruise was a lot of fun until Sunday, at 5:30 in the morning. We heard alarms go off and the announcement to put on our life jackets and head to the Muster stations. There began the rest of the story! Some had running water others did not. Of course, the higher up your cabin was helped especially later in the voyage with soaked carpets, drainage problems, sewer problems, etc. The STENCH was horrible. The first night we slept in the cabin. Then, we had to move the mattress in the hallway. We used sheets to cover the top making flat tents. As we got closer to the mainland, we began to get colder. We had to move our mattresses on tables. We moved to 2nd and 3rd floors. The food was on the Lido deck.....9th floor. We stood in line sometimes for 2-3 hours. We did have plenty of water and canned drinks. The bands and entertainers tried to keep up the spirits of the passengers. Our family group was lucky. We always carry playing cards and spent hours passing the time in our own little world.
ROCKPORT, TX
Our small classmate group traveled to Rockport,
TX for our annual get-together. Paul Colletti, Jude Arisco, Jim Andrus, Lynn Eldridge Gill, and I along with our spouses meet somewhere in Texas every year. Jude's sister, Patsy Welch and her husband, Kenny also join us. Rockport is a beautiful coastal town a couple of hours from Corpus Christi. We stayed at the Hoopes' Bed and Breakfast for two nights. Some of the guys went golfing Saturday morning and the women went “shopping” or just looking at the quaint shops. We also lucked out that it was the monthly flea market across the street. We went sight seeing and looked at the whooping cranes. They only nest and gather in two places and Rockport is one of them. We saw “birders” from all over the United States. We ate at some wonderful places and ate just about anything we could gather together on Saturday night at the B&B. We sat around so long visiting in the parlor, laughing, reminiscing, hearing Arisco/Colletti high school and college adventures that the time slipped away. So, we sent some out for pizza and cheese, cut up some venison summer sausage, had crackers, cookies, and anything else we could get our hands on. Of course, since I had a captive audience, I got them ALL to hand over reunion checks!!!! “-) The next morning after a wonderful breakfast, several of the catholics in our group attended mass. The priest at the church had just returned from the ILL-FATED Carnival Cruise just mentioned!!! He had a great sense of humor and was really fun to listen to. He did mention that you had to make “lemonade out of lemons “ during the adventure. He also said that they had SOME PASSENGERS that griped so much that you wanted to throw them overboard! Of course, he said that with a slight smile.
NEWS from the HOMEFRONT
I am heartbroken while I write this NEWSLETTER edition. I had to put my 13 year old toy poodle asleep yesterday (Thursday). She had diabetes and also suffered from seizure disorders. These two 
conditions were diagnosed less than a year and a half ago. Tillman Richey is her vet. Everything had been normal except Thursday when I went out to get her off of the patio when I got out of bed. I could tell something was wrong....actually I thought her sugar might be low. I gave her her shots and medicine but she never got better ALL DAY. She seized all day until I brought her to Tillman and he humanely put her down. I am so thankful that she was never lucid during the day, even once. If she had just looked at me and wagged her tail I don't think I would have had the courage. But, she seemed to be totally out of it, maybe blind, and had no control of walking, sitting, etc. This is the first time since 1974 that I have had NO PETS!! I got Toto, a silver cockapoo, for my first anniversary. Mike, a white cockapoo, came along 14 years later a year before Toto passed away. I got my Millie, a pedigree white toy poodle, when Mike
was 8 and he died at the ripe old age of 16. So, I have had an “only dog” since 2005. We picked her name Millie because she was born in the new MILLENIUM. Thank you, Dr. Richey and your wonderful staff at Groves Vet Clinic for the years and years of kind care you have given to my “other children”. You're all the best.
SUPPORT
(Update on Charlie Lefort (Hal Ross and Boo Griffin
Anglin's son-in-law). He was in an accident that resulted in burns to 54% of his body.)
a note from Lyn Frasier and Perry Lee
I encourage anyone that can support this family to do so. Perry and I lived next door to Charlie and Lindsey in Port Neches. Charlie
worked for Cowboy Harley in Beaumont and was transferred to Austin. Such a fine father and a very sweet family. Since we live in Georgetown and will not be able to attend the benefit, I have already been in touch with his sister, Jamie. I hope our class will support this family during this time of need.
Thank you for all you and Linda
do to keep us informed of the happenings of our classmates and their families.
a note from Hal Ross (3/7/13)
It's a Good Day! I'm sitting in the hospital where I was born 63 years ago today, the sun is shining, the air is warming, I'm surrounded by wonderful people, I'm being bombarded by well-wishers (and thanks to all of you), I just ate a Cadbury Creme Egg, and Charlie's starting to complain. God is Great!
a note from Charlie's sister (3/8/13)
Charlie Lefort report: 9th surgery was this morning and Charlie
did great. He's been a little agitated over the past couple of days which is way cooler than being totally out of it. He has been following commands like blinking eyes, etc. All awesome news! Thanks to all you prayer warriors out there!
Don't forget the FUNDRAISER for Charlie. It is this weekend from 12-4 on Sunday. We sent the flyer with the information earlier in the week. Several people have asked about where to make donations to help Charlie
Lefort and his family. The information is:
Charlie Lefort Burn Victim Fund
Account No. 78172
Routing No. 313182615
Send to:
Gulf Employees Credit Union
P.O. Box 848
Groves, TX 77619
.
(notes from Linda Yancey concerning classmate/cousin Carrie Stout Robert)
March 3:
Carrie had a stroke and is in Baptist Hospital in Beaumont. Carrie is diabetic and she had been in the hospital for a few days with fluid around her heart and a day or so after she came home her daughter found her on the floor. Her blood pressure was extremely high. I spoke to her husband tonight and he said that she is sedated right now. At first she did not have movement on her right side hand/foot but he said that she does have some movement now. He will not know anymore until they take her off of the sedation. Once that happens then they will move her to rehabilitation in the hospital.
March 4:
I just came back from seeing my cousin, Carrie Stout Robert, in intensive care. For me it was very emotional. She is extremely sick and it is hard to see a loved one so sick. They had her medicated and had started bringing her off of the medication, but she has yet to open her eyes. She has started running fever and it could be pneumonia.
Please pray for her entire family, she has two daughters and right now I ask from specific prayers that they pull together during this time. I know how hard this is and I did speak to both of them individually to let them know that they are not alone and that they have been there for her.
March 7:
It does not seem encouraging for Carrie, they took her off of the medicine that was sedating Tuesday and she still has not opened her eyes.
The doctor explained to Shannon and her girls that this maybe all they get, except miracles are possible.
March 7 …. later in the day
The nurse asked her to squeeze her hand and she did, the doctor thinks she may be blind in one eye. Shannon had already told me that she had already almost lost her eye sight. She does recognize us being there.
She will squeeze our hands and moves her head, and yes, you know as well as I do, she has a long road ahead but we have some hope thank God. Keep Praying, we know God and only GOD can bring her through.
CONDOLENCES
Joan Joffrion Williams
(death of her father, Oscar Joffrion)
7497 Circle 4
Orange, TX 77632-7581
ebuz7497@netzero.com
(a note from Diane Richmond Miller after the death of her mother)
I got an email from Stephen Simonton. His mother and mine were best friends all during our childhoods. In fact, one of the very last things I said to my mother was, "Go have a wonderful visit with Marion, Mom". It was a nice feeling for him to email me about mom and talk about the things we did as kids, with our brothers and sisters, when we visited each other's houses while our mothers visited. It is thanks to you that things like that happen, and I just wanted to tell you about it, so you will be told again, that what you are doing for people with that website is special.
(Even if only two classmates reconnect then I have felt that our mission is working! Thanks for writing and telling me about this special time.)
(from Robert Sandoval after his visit to Tom Phillips' memorial gathering)
It was quite a treat seeing some of the old TJ guys I had not seen in years, Tommy LeBlanc, Danny Atkinson (recent loss of his spouse, Susan Hardcastle’s sister), Mel Simmons (Cooter), Steve Loukas (TJ class ’66), Debbie Thompson, Debbie Borres and several others. I still wonder how we survived some real crazy times in the 1960’s.
Tom was my best friend in Port Arthur, starting kindergarten on the same day. He and Terry Watson and I managed to stay in touch with each other after all these years on a somewhat regular basis.
Donations are still being accepted for Sandra Durham Holland's son's funeral expenses. Her son, 32 years old, died unexpectedly.
Sandra Durham Holland
3501 40th St.
Port Arthur, TX 77642
I have left you with plenty to think about, how to help others with their problems, people to contact during their grief. So, what are you waiting on? It might have been you that had these needs mentioned in this NEWSLETTER.
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com