|
|
Hello Winter friends---
As I write this
UPDATE, I am wearing a flannel robe and socks!!! Soooo ?, you say.
Well, I usually run around the house half-naked and it's not a pretty sight.
I have even worn a sweater to the grocery store
this week! We didn't get the "wintery mix" that was promised
down here in SE Texas, but I bet many of you did. I hope that the
weather was pretty, but not hazardous, and didn't cause too many problems
where you live. Drop me a line to tell me about weather in your part of
the world. Away we go......
MAIL CALL
Danny Landry in Labelle (just past
Port Acres)
WHAT did you say? You misplaced my business
card? If this is the way you're going to run my advertisement budget, I guess I
will have to go back to my LARGE advertisement firm, Dewey,Chetam and Howe. Just
as a refresher, it is Partytime Rentals (409) 796-1766
and we are located in Labelle. We rent the frozen drink machines, supply the
drink mixes, and deliver, pickup and clean the machines.
(I mentioned that I couldn't locate
Danny's business card in the last UPDATE...now you have the info.)
It is nice to receive your updates. I surprised my wife, Phyllis, on
Thanksgiving day with a fully outlined and prepaid trip to NEW YORK CITY. She
always wanted to go and I decided to take her before we got toooo old. We went
on Dec. 12 and came home on Dec. 17. We got to see almost everything we wanted.
Times Square, (our hotel was about 8 blocks away), we saw a Broadway show (Momma
Mia), Rockettes(Christmas Spectacular), Rockfeller Center, shopping (Macys,
Bloomingdales, F A O Schwartz), Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Staten Island
Ferry, World Trade Center, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge, just to name a few.
Nice place to visit/ wouldn't want to live there, too many people, too
expensive, but we did enjoy the trip.
(You should have looked up our classmate, Phillip Romero, MD, in
Manhattan.)
I started off the New Year with a one week stay in our beautiful hospital. I got
a staph infection on my foot, had it lanced and packed, and when I said I was
diabetic, they got serious and kept me for a while. It has cleared up but I was
off work for two weeks. Did someone say we were getting old? I won't say
that the trip to New York had anything to do with the infection, but I won't say
it didn't either. I did drink water at Macy's... HA HA. Thanks and keep the
updates rolling.....
(Take care of yourself so that you will
be ready to work on the REUNION commitee again starting in the fall.)
Terry Watson in Richardson, TX
(The following is referring to one of
our classmates being "daring" and climbing a water tower in our much,
much younger days)
This gives me an idea for the web site. How
about a recurring article that recounts stories from the old days in and around
TJ and PA (1968 & earlier)? The classmates could contribute these;
some of the stories might even be true. I promise to send you
some Watson family news in a few days.
(Mike and I think this is a terrific
idea....classmates, start sending in your STORIES!)
Robert Sandoval in Houston, TX
The web site is awesome. After exhausting it,
I've already checked out the '67 web site. When you go into it, the TJ
Fight Song starts. My wife had a good laugh when I attempted the words to
it, especially the "Go Ye Port Arthur part"
Where can I find the words to our Fight Song? Thanks for the great
entertainment and memories. I'll get a check off to you to help out our
website.
(I sent Robert the words to both the
School Song and the Fight Song so he could practice before our 40th REUNION in
08! I am glad to hear someone is checking out the other WEBSITES OF INTEREST
located on our homepage.)
Rebecca "Becky" Harrison
in Beaumont, TX
I have moved to a new little neighborhood right
behind Westbrook High School Stadium, and it is very close to Sara
Little and Pat Trahan. I am teaching U.S.
History to juniors at Memorial High School (formerly TJ)!!!!!
I believe that my classroom is Ms. Vickers old room! I
decided that I was much too young (Ha! Ha! ) to really retire! I get up at
4:30 a.m. and have 172 seventeen year olds. I have really come full
circle to the career I originally prepared for---in my old home town--in my High
School----life is really funny. Phyllis Fett Abshire is on
staff with the Special Education Department. She helps me with several of
the mainstreamed students and I work with her daily. She is so sweet and I
enjoy her so much. I did not know her well when we were in high school and
I am so sorry that I didn't! She is a great lady and so good with the
students! I am so lucky to have the opportunity to get to really know and
work with her now. I saw Linda Gothia and Mary Wells
on New Year's Eve! We had a great time. Several teachers are
renting a flat in England this summer---and Linda is thinking of coming over at
least for the Scotland and Wales adventure.
(Becky is certainly an asset to the
teaching field. What a sweet person to help mold our youngsters. We
are proud of you for your career move).
Janice Hebert and Barry Boudreaux in
Kingwood, TX
Announcing the birth of Dylan Joseph DeGrado, second
grandchild (lst male after 3 daughters and 1 granddaughter), born to oldest
daughter, Bridget and husband Kirk... 8.6lbs. 20 in.
(They also sent the cutest
pictures...Congratulations)
Linda Blakley Rindlishbacher in
Oroville, CA
I really enjoy reading all of the
up-dates and hearing how everyone is doing. Although my memory is pretty bad on
names, it's fun to go to the graduating classmate pictures. Things are fine here
in California. My husband and I own a Real Estate Office. Things in the home
sales have slowed down quite a bit , much like everywhere else.
I stay busy watching our two baby grandaughters, Isabella 13 mo, and Kaitlyn 9
mos, sure keeps me hopping. My daughters and their husbands live and work
here in Oroville, so my daughters come over daily on their lunch hours to spend
the time with their babies and we all have lunch together, it works out very
well. I also have a son, Rhett, who is 15 and will be getting his drivers permit
yea!!!!! Here we go again. haha. I was wondering if you or any one else may
remember a friend of mine who went to Woodrow. Her name was Brenda
Craft. Apparently, she did not graduate from TJ. Hope all is well with
you and your family. Thanks again for all of the hard work and dedication
that you put into the website for all of us to GREATLY enjoy.
(Thanks for being a frequent contributor
to the MAIL CALL section of the UPDATES.)
Nancy Decker Primeaux in Kerrville,
TX
Thought you would like to see a picture of our
Christmas tree....I could not pass it up! Have a great New Year and thank
you so much for making our site so interesting and entertaining!
(Unbeknownst to me....Nancy really did
decorate a cactus like I mentioned in the last UPDATE!!)
Gene Baskin in Port Neches
I was looking at the old Lee Elementary photos. I
went to Lee only one year - that was in the sixth grade . Anyway -
here is some more info - if my memory serves correctly.
The 6th grade picture - the "Unknown" guy in the third row above me is
probably Ronnie Silke.
The Jack in the Beanstalk was the sixth grade (the picture is labeled 4th
or 5th grade) - because I remember Skippy Cole was "Jack" and you can
see him in the middle.
PS - I was a pirate and I think I'm the one just to the left of Jack Catalina
who is in white on the right side back row.
Anyway - good to see the old photos - this makes me want to dig around and see
if I can find some old ones.
(Well, get to digging!!)
Fred McCarty in Kingwood, TX
Happy New Year! Here is a brief update on me and my family. We are all doing
great, staying busy, and are very happy. I am still working for ExxonMobil, but
contemplating retirement in another year or so. I have had a great career and it
will be a bit tough to bring that to a close, but we have some traveling we want
to do, some hobbies I want to catch up on, plus enjoying my two adult sons.
Additionally, I have lost several good friends to cancer in 2006 and two other
friends our age are now in that battle, so it really makes you think about
retiring to ensure you have the time to enjoy things more fully. I am still the
international Manager for Logistics & Infrastructure, so I get a good
bit of international travel, but sometimes to less than desirable parts of the
world. I think I have been to about 35 or so different countries over the last
eight years, so it has really been a broadening experience. First trip of the
year will be to Qatar later this month, providing the security situation cools
down a bit following Saddam's execution. Travelling to the Middle East always
makes me a bit uneasy, and it is always great when you get back to the USA.
My group plans, designs and oversees construction of new office buildings,
residential housing communities, recreational facilities, schools,etc needed by
ExxonMobil for personnel working in its new or remote areas. We also contract
for Logistics services including planes, helicopters, marine vessels, shorebases
and warehouses for movement of personnel and equipment needed to support
these projects. Currently we have active projects underway in eleven
countries including several across the African continent and in the Middle
East, Europe and Russia.
My wife Sandy and I are doing well health-wise, although she had to have
cataract surgery on both eyes in 2006. My oldest son Matt is a Captain in the US
Army (check out the posting on him in the Military section of the TJHS1968
website). My youngest son Brian graduated from Trinity University in May 2006
and he now also works for ExxonMobil in our Information Technology group in
Houston. We are both working downtown Houston but in different buildings, but we
still meet for lunch about once per week. He is engaged to his long-time
girlfriend (since 7th grade--believe it or not) and we are looking forward to
their wedding in October. Fortunately we know her and her family very well after
all these years.
I enjoy catching up on other classmates through the TJHS1968 website. The
ClassMate Links are really great for e-mails. Please keep up the great work
you are doing on the website.
(Fred was one of the 3 classmates out of 24 that I sent
requests to (via e-mail and US Mail) that actually sent NEWS for the
UPDATE! Thanks for taking time to do this when asked. Other
contributors did so on their own...bless their peapicking hearts.)
I also heard from Susan Antone, Tommy Thompson, Susan Hatfield, Joel Levy, Billy
Jordan, Jack Etheredge, John Wilson, Ricky Bradley, Jenny Rhodes, Nelwyn Comeaux,
Carole Oubre, Ernie Casteneda, and Sara Little.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
NEWSPAPER HEADLINERS
(The following article was in the PA NEWS about Beth Anne Sutherlin
Coakley and her mom, Yvonne Sutherlin.)
RARE FIND
While on a search for ancestors' graves in Providence, RI, Port Arthur
historian, Yvonne Sutherlin and her daughter, Anne Coakley of Dallas, also found
the final resting place of a Union sailor mortally wounded at the Battle of
Sabine Pass in 1863.
Lt. Robert Rhodes, 27 was executive officer of the battleship Clifton. The
Clifton received a direct hit from Confederate canons under the command of Dick
Dowling and the sailors were fired upon. Rhodes was shot and taken by the
Confederate ship, Uncle Ben, to the courthouse in Beaumont, which had been
converted into a hospital. The exact date of his death is not known
and he was buried in the Beaumont Cemetery. Robert's
brother, Frank, came to Beaumont in 1869 to recover his brother's body and
return it to Providence for reburial.
Sutherlin found the grave site at Grace Episcopal Church Cemeter in Providence.
The inscription on the tombstone reads: "Lieut. Robert Rhodes, USN, son of
Richard U and Lousisa Rhodes. Died at Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 10, 1863,
aged 27 years, from wounds received on board the steamboat Clifton in the action
of Sabine Pass, Texas."
***********************************************************************************************
(The following article was recently on the front page of the PA
NEWS).
by Amy Moore
The Port Arthur News
GROVES-----
After acting as the interim executive manager for the Groves Chamber of Commerce
for the past few months, Ronnie Boneau recently accepted the
formal position of executive manager. Boneau stepped into the job in
mid-November, after Patti Wolfe, former executive manager resigned from the
position after seven years of service to the community. Christa Hollier,
outgoing Chamber President, said at the time of Wolfe's resignation, that
board of Directors would take baby steps in the process of finding a
replacement. Those steps lead to Boneau, who said he hopes to build
membership in the chamber while in charge.
"I'm fairly new at this, but I'm hoping that once I get my feet on the
ground, I'll get out in the community and build memberships," Boneau said.
Boneau said he chose to take the formal position after several meetings with the
Board of Directors for the Groves Chamber of Commerce.
"They had so much energy and a lot of good plans and new ideas," he
commented.
Even though Boneau only recently accepted the title, he has already made strides
for tourism in the area having negotiated a contract with the city council for a
hotel/motel tax. Boneau said he enjoys working with people and is excited to be
more of a contributor to Groves. "This is the place to be," he said,
"and the people have been fantastic."
A Port Arthur native, Boneau has lived in Groves off and on since 1979.
He is retired from Texaco where he spent 32 years working in various positions
within the company.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
CONDOLENCES
Lyn Frasier
(loss of her father, W.L. Frasier)
(also father-in-law to her husband, Perry Lee and father-in-law
to classmate, Jane Hoffpauir. Jane is married to Lyn's
brother, Jerry)
2838 Estes Ln.
Port Neches, TX 77651
(409)722-8984
Linda Dillingham
(loss of her father, Carroll Dillingham)
860 Nichols
Beaumont, TX 77706
(409)899-8677
I previously sent out the wrong address for Billy Jordan when his
mother passed away. I reversed some numbers in the address. Here is
the correct one:
Billy Jordan
2422 Halifax Place SW
Decatur, AL 35601
Please show your support by contacting your classmates at this sad time.
It would mean so much to them.
YOU MAY ORDER THE MEMORIAL DVD OF
OUR 53 KNOWN DECEASED CLASSMATES. The cost is $9.00.
Order:
Mike Lawson
2119 Twin Lakes Blvd.
West Columbia, TX 77486
(979)345-5901
If you have previously ordered one of Mike's Memorial DVDs, drop me a note
telling me what you think about it.
Mike and I are working on a project for the website.
It will be a section that includes the OBITUARIES of our
departed classmates. You can be sure that this task is not easy. I
had a few in my posession and have put out requests to a few of you by e-mail
and US mail. But, I will eventually make a list of the ones that we don't
have and ask for your help in the matter. We think that it is a
worthwhile endeavor. If you have an obituary of a classmate or even a program
from the funeral service, please scan and e-mail it or make a copy and send
it in the mail. At this time, I have
obituaries for:
Mike Quebedeaux
Galen Bailey
Ralph Moore
Betty Sue Ratley
Donnie Wade
Clifford Antone
(Susan Antone has requested a copy of Clifford's in the PA News
if anyone has it.)
I also have sent out requests
for:
Kitty Killebrew
Donnie Hollier
Steve Baker
Eloy Montalvo
Jerry Crochet
David Wolf
Tommy McFadden
Lynn Henderson
Kelly Adams
Terry Cook
Claudia Scalph
Larry Speake
Terry Durham
But, IF I received all of these, I would still need
help finding 34 more. Pick your brains and ask
your friends and relatives to help with this request. Thanks.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
WEBSITE CONTRIBUTIONS
It is always thrilling to go to the mailbox and receive financial help for
running our website. The contributions go in an account at 5 Point
Credit Union (formerly Texaco Credit.) Mike has used a portion of
the funds to register to the paid site GO DADDY and register our domain www.tjhs1968.com .
He will be using some more of the contributions to purchase some softwear to use
for updating our material. He is converting the site over to FRONT PAGE
(whatever that is?) and it won't be long before it is all completed. He is
really working his magic. Mike is doing this website and learning all at
the same time. He has never done this type of work and is really doing a
fantastic job even with a few unfortunate decisions.... (Hey,
who can forget Lake Moraine in the Canadian Rockies!!!)? He
is hoping to get some music and other fun looks for it. Of course, Mike
and I did use A LOT OF THE $$$$ TO GO TO HAWAII for a
Christmas get-away. Well, it was a WORKING HOLIDAY, of course!!
Okay, I am just dreaming. The newest contributors are:
Janette Light Norton
"Thanks so much for taking care of us."
Arlene Lang Hulin
"Great job!"
Previous classmate contributors have been:
Carmen Babin, Jody Hopkins, Gary Barbin, Charles Cramer, Fred McCarty,
Tommy Thompson, Terry Watson, Glenda Patin, Janis Hamilton, Linda Blakley,
Richard Daniels, and Lizbeth Branick.
To answer your question....with the discount, we are looking at around $6-7
a month without our extra requests of future added services.
Contributions may be sent to:
Linda DeCuir McFadden
112 Woodsong
Bridge City, TX 77611
You don't all have to be monetary contributors. Contributing to the
website by sending NEWS, photos, information, helping with requests, etc. is
VERY IMPORTANT. We also love when you ask us to add features to the site.
That is why it is always an ON-GOING project. We love the constant CHANGE
that occurs month to month. Please check out all of it and send in your
ideas and requests. We aim to please.
DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE THE WEBSITE ADDRESS IN YOUR FAVORITES BOX AND CREATE
A SHORTCUT.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Well, another day, another dollar! I am always happy
when I write an UPDATE because I can empty my TJHS box of
reported NEWS. But, then I am always sad when I
write an UPDATE because then my TJHS box is empty! Oh well.....I'll just
have to wait to hear from all of you again on the many requests that was
aforementioned. Remember, don't make me go over there and slap
you to get some NEWS! Until next time....
Stay safe and keep in touch,
Linda
DeCuir McFadden
|
|
|