MAIL CALL
from Loretta LaLonde Myers in League City, TX
It has been a long time since I have sent an update, but here it goes! Glynn and I took a three week cruise in February, it was two back-to-back cruises, on Carnival Triumph from Galveston to San Juan and back to Galveston. We visited some amazing Caribbean Islands and had a great time, but we were ready to get home. Next Sunday, April 12th. we are taking a seven night Princess cruise out of the Port of Houston. Glynn’s birthday is April 15th. and he wanted to spend it on a cruise, so here we go again! This is our first Princess cruise. I want to thank you for keeping all of the TJ ‘68 Grads connected. I love reading about how everyone is doing!
avon1984@verizon.net
from Jeanette Constantine Morgan in Groves
We are so proud of our son Chris. He was just eliminated from the Best Restaurant competition on Bravo TV.. I talked with him and he said he is ok with this, that not everyone can win. The $100,000 would have been nice but he has gotten a lot of recognition from this. He said people galore are coming in and he is always ask to take pictures with customers. I think that is awesome for such a small restaurant . Thanks everyone who supported him by watching and if you get to NYC go by and say hello and try out their BAR B Que. Denny and I are planning on going in the spring or early summer. Congrats to Chris and his team you all made Texas proud.
denandjune@yahoo.com
from David Salter in Oklahoma, OK
I will soon be retiring from Mustang Fuel Corporation after 32+ wonderful years. Lana and I will be relocating to our property south of Brownwood, Texas.
desalter1949@yahoo.com
from Ernie Castaneda Bullion in Lumberton, TX
Excellent newsletter and update, Mike & Linda. I did not know the history of the Cotton Bowl. The TJ band of '89 watched Troy Aikman play his senior year for UCLA against Arkansas Razorbacks. My son was in the TJ band and my husband & I had volunteered to be chaperones.
tbull50@sbcglobal.net
from John Wilson in VIETNAM
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My wife and I are in Vietnam for at least two years. My company has a joint venture company here. They needed a Technical Director and asked me if I would do it. One thing led to another and voila, Janie and I are here. I signed a two year contact but it is possible I'll have the opportunity to extend. It is a bit strange at times because of the friends that were in the war but the country doesn't show any signs of that part of history.
That's about all, really. Things are well, in spite of being halfway around the world (it's 4:30 tomorrow, Monday, morning).
Take care.
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jdub2349@yahoo.com
UPDATED INFO NEEDED
I am working on updating the information on our class spreadsheet. The last full update was when the committee was working on our 45th reunion that was held in 2013. If you have moved, retired, dropped your “landline”, remarried and changed names, spouses' deaths, changed e-mail address, AND, AND, AND since 2012, make sure I have those changes. If you can't remember if you sent them, send them AGAIN just in case. Thanks.
(Thanks to Christi Kirkland Havens, Marilyn Jackson and David Salter for sending in changes since the last NEWSLETTER.)
LARRY SPEAKE TRIBUTE
Mike Lawson and Larry's daughter, Summer Fogle, teamed up and made a video tribute to Larry.
(a thank you note to Mike from Summer)
Hello class of ’68, my name is Summer Fogle. My Dad was the one and only, Larry Speake. In the past year, I have had the pleasure of meeting some of my Dad’s old TJ classmates and one in particular, Beth Anne (Sutherlin) Coakley was kind enough to get me in touch with another classmate of my dad’s, Mike Lawson. Mike shared his memories of my dad and we started talking about how we could make a tribute to him. He had the wonderful idea of creating a memorial film about Dad’s life and offered to compile videos and pictures to create something that really told the story of his amazing life. Mike entitled the film, “A Tribute to my Dad” by Summer Fogle, but he is the one who deserves the credit for all the hard work he did to make this film possible. He not only honored my dad’s life and memory in a beautiful way, but he also helped make my dad’s memory come alive and truly captured the life he lived and the legacy he left behind.
All of you Yellow Jackets should be so proud to have these two wonderful people as your fellow classmates. For with one simple act of kindness, they are both responsible for helping me to share Dad’s story with those that knew him in a way I know he would be so incredibly proud of. I hope you all enjoy this wonderful gift that Mike has given to all of those that knew him and want to remember him for the great man that he was.
jsdfogle@hotmail.com
NOTE from Linda: This video is on PHOTODEX. It will not work on MAC computers. Mike sent the link to me to view first before we posted it on our update. I worked and worked trying to get it to upload. Mike sent me several ways to try. No deal. I am “techno challenged” and thought it might be my lack of knowledge of computer workings. Finally, Mike contacted the PHOTODEX company and they informed him that it doesn't work on the MAC computers! Bah. Mike is being nice and sending me the video on a DVD. Awww. Check out the link on the front page of the website. Enjoy.
NEWS FROM THE HOME FRONT
Dad's birthday is coming up really soon. He will be 99 on April 22, (Earth Day). If you have time, maybe you could send him a card:
“Mr. Dan”
109 7th Ave.
Nederland, TX 77627.
(I'll read them to him and and then hang them up in his room.)
We are heading to Corpus Christi in a couple of weeks for a Woodman of the World convention. It is a fraternal organization. Murphy will be a delegate while I sit by the pool and read! How sad! HA HA
My 12 year old granddaughter is having her spring piano recital next weekend.
They usually play two songs. We are always so proud to be in the audience watching and listening.
My sister, Gerry entered an assisted living private home in Atascocita around the third week of March. After two weeks there she had “chest pains” and fainted and had to be taken by ambulance to a hospital nearby. They eventually found out it wasn't her heart, it was pneumonia. She spent Good Friday through the Monday after Easter there. She has now returned to her new facility. I haven't been to see her yet. I hope that it works out and she adjusts. With her dementia and bi-polar condition, CHANGE doesn't come easily. Please remember her in your prayers. I will post her address for you to send SUPPORT cards when I receive the information. Thanks for your continued support..
Lumberton hometown boy, Clay Buchholtz, pitched the opening day for the Boston Red Sox Monday. He did FABULOUS. Fingers crossed that he will have a healthy season and continue his awesomeness! I am in heaven now that major league baseball has begun again! Can you see me smiling?
Murphy always checks in to see if he is getting a mention in the NEWSLETTER. Okay, I can't think of anything that he has done lately to be showcased. Let me think. Hmmm. He vacuums the carpets. He sweeps the kitchen. He trims the hedges and cuts the grass every third day! He bikes 6 miles every morning. He takes a nap each afternoon and leaves me to have a quiet time. He rides in the passenger seat and tells me how to drive. He makes out the grocery list. He doesn't make me turn off the lamp when he is trying to sleep while I read next to him into the wee hours. He goes out to eat and never complains no matter where we dine. He doesn't argue because he knows he won't win. He goes to mass at the Catholic church each Sunday even though he isn't Catholic. He has opened our home to several of my family members when they needed a place to live. Yep, I think I've got my soul mate. I think I'll keep him.
(Wait a minute! After rereading this list, it seems like I don't do ANYTHING myself! Hmmm. I might have to rethink this paragraph.)
ASTRODOME MEMORIES
Mike has included in our PHOTO department a picture of the Astrodome being built in 1964. The first game was held in April of 1965. That jogged my memory about visits over the years to this historical venue, especially when I was younger. Send me your memories. I'd love to publish them in my next NEWSLETTER. You know how I like my BASEBALL!
COMPUTER WIZ
Beverly Copeland Gaspard is my savior. She comes over from Port Neches when she hears me do my “pity” voice. She is so good at teaching computer skills and has taught the classes for “Seniors” at Lamar State College in PA for many years before retiring. Her students are often our former faculty members when we attended junior high and high school. They adored her. She is so kind and understanding when I just don't get it. She definitely has a slow-learner to work with when she comes here to help me. You know that class spreadsheet that I am would be LOST without....yep, she is the one that made it from scratch. She logged in all that information that I had typed on a real typewriter. This last visit she was showing me, (AGAIN), how to use a flash drive! Don't laugh. The biggest problem is that she knows all about computers but not so much about a MAC! So, it takes her so much longer to figure out what I need. Well, I am so sad now. She is moving to Keller, TX to be near her grandchildren. I am not sad JUST BECAUSE she comes to my aid often but she has been a dear friend since elementary and she won't be around the corner. She went to Travis Elementary and our parents were friends. They were lifelong friends. Beverly and Ronnie (Gaspard '67) were some of the very first to help us after Hurricane Ike demolished our home in 2008. Ronnie has known Murphy since school and graduated with him They gave us many items to replace what was lost including knives, blankets, sheets, toiletries, shoes, filing cabinet, dishes and too many items to list. They came and helped clean out our mess. Beverly listens to me whine on the phone and picks me up mentally when I need it. She makes me laugh and both she and Ronnie are going to be sorely missed. She has assured me that they have us a ROOM in their new home. She also said they will only be a call or e-mail away. (She doesn't do TEXTS). Thanks, you two for always being our special and dear friends.
PROBLEM SEEING OUR WEBSITE?
Bill Richey contacted me after having trouble finding a certain link he was looking for on the class website. He was looking for the link for CLASS LIST at the top of his smart phone and all the links were covered by advertisements. I never pull up our website on my phone, I always look on the computer. The font is much larger and I can enjoy it more. Well, lo and behold, I pulled it up on my IPHONE and I had the same problem. No links showed at the top of the page. They were covered by ads. I checked with Mike who said he has no problem seeing them on HIS phone. Of course, I don't remember what kind of phone he has. Well, now I need YOU to check out your phone and tell me if you have a problem or not. We need to know so that something can be changed, if needed. We appreciate your help in this matter. We don't know if it is just IPHONES or others, as well. We want you to be able to enjoy the website in its entirety. Let us hear from you.
SUPPORT
Please continue your prayers and support for Janette Light Norton. She is waiting to be placed on a liver and kidney transplant list. She has to have fluid drained weekly. She is a trooper, but tends to tire very easily. Pray that she has her transplants soon so that she will be back to feeling better again.
hjn50beach@yahoo.com
20219 Sweetgum Way
Cypress, TX 77433
Joyce Marceaux Abate sent the following note on March 25:
I have a prayer request. My husband Ronnie was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver about 5 years ago. At the beginning of this month we learned that he now has cancer in his liver. He will be receiving radiation to kill the cancer at Methodist hospital in Houston next Wednesday (Apr. 1). He is on a list for a transplant. Please keep him in your prayers and ask God to heal him and to give him strength in this year to come. May the Lord bless us and keep us healthy. Thank you from my family.
abate.joyce@yahoo.com
6305 Marble Falls Dr.
Lumberton, TX 77657
Diane Richmond Miller is scheduled for surgery at Women's Hospital later this month. Please pray for her to have a successful and speedy recovery.
millerdianee@gmail.com
101 Hendricks
Silsbee, TX 77656
Sally Phillips, sister of Jenny Rhodes Hamilton, has been in Houston having surgery for lung cancer. Jenny is helping her with her recovery.
jenhamilton@live.com
150 Windsor Circle
Lumberton, TX 77657
Mike Soileau is battling with gout in his foot. Hopefully he will be better soon. His “friends” on Face Book have been counseling him of how to get it under control. I'm glad it isn't affecting his fingers. I enjoy his daily video on FB singing and playing his guitar.
soilm47@aol.com
3223 FM 2791
Atlanta, TX 75551
Charlotte Pace Thurston recently had a follow up appointment at MD Anderson on March 24 and received great news. Everything is looking terrific. “No sign of cancer”! They won't need to see her for 4 more months. She said to tell everyone thank you for your continued support. Way to go, friend! Enjoy each beautiful spring day.
cthurston@gt.rr.com
2702 Mazur
Pt. Neches, TX 77651
CONDOLENCES
Wana Peters Hollier, mother of Ronnie and Donnie Hollier, passed away on March 21, 2015. Our sympathies to her only surviving son, Bob Hollier, and the rest of her family members.
It was a pleasure to receive several responses from you for this update. Here is your homework: Please remember to send me notice of you or a family member that might need to be included on our SUPPORT list. I don't always remember to jot a name down that I see on Face Book that needs to be listed. Help me out, please. Don't forget to send in your ASTRODOME memories. I would love to get your response on the video of Larry Speake. Mike spent hours and hours on compiling this for you and Larry's family members. Summer hasn't told them about it yet. She is keeping it a secret! Don't forget to send me updated information for the class spreadsheet. We don't want to lose you! Also, be sure to check out our website on your phone. I will need to know what type phone you have, also. Mike and I notice that it is best for you to write us close to reading the updates. Otherwise, you tend to forget. We are MEDICARE age now, (at least most of us by now)!
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com