MAIL CALL

from Martha Fontenot Lewis in Manvel, TX

Congratulations to my fourth granddaughter, Randi Knicole Kelly, on her 2016 graduation from DeBakey High School in Houston.  I am grandmother proud.

(I have always said that the “grand” in their name is the perfect moniker.)

mottlewis@hotmail.com

 

from Jane Lippincott Koerth in Port Neches, TX

My childhood friend, Penny Moak Fergusson, came for a visit from out of town today!  We have been friends since Kindergarten at Tyrrell Elementary!  We enjoyed our short visit!

jlkoerth@gt.rr.com

(I love hearing about classmates reconnecting!)

 

from Fred McCarty in Kingwood, TX

I recently had to be in Houston one afternoon for a meeting, and I was able to arrange a dinner on short notice with George Collins and Joel Levy at one of the local Pappadeaux's Seafood Restaurants. We had a lot of great conversation and caught up on what was going on. George has recently retired from University of Houston at Clear Lake, and he told us that his father (who is 100 now) has moved in with them. Joel is still working and plans to continue for a while longer. I am planning to stay retired.

 

I recently got back from a 10-day Mediterranean cruise that started in Rome and finished in Barcelona, Spain. I had two days in Rome before the cruise began and made my first visit to the Vatican. The museums, and the Sistine Chapel were so impressive.Other locations visited in Italy included Florence, the island of Sardinia, San Rafael and Portofino. In Monte Carlo, Monaco the Vintage Grand Prix was underway where they race cars from earlier decades as a prelude to the 2016 Grand Prix later in May. In France I visited Marseilles, Antibes, and I took a side-trip to Cannes where the Film Festival was underway. George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Woody Allen were there at that time, but I did not see any of them. In Spain, the stops included Palamos, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, and finally Barcelona.

(Thank you for taking the time to share your classmate and vacation news.)

fmccrun@aol.com

gccollins@speakeasy.net

docjkl@msn.com

 

from Felicia Hiatt Petit in Texas City

Our granddaughter, Arwen, has won another art contest. This time she will be doing a set of tile mosaics for one of the benches right on the seawall in Galveston. Her art work will depict the times of Jean Lafitte in Galveston. So proud of her and her amazing artistic talent. We can hardly wait to see the final product.

texteach@yahoo.com

 

100+ years (The Centanarian group)

Fred's mention of George Collins' dad being a hundred made me wonder....besides my dad and George Collins' dad, how many of your parents LIVED into their HUNDREDS?  Give me a shout out and I will put it in the next update.  I am interested to also see whose parent lived to be the oldest!  Hmmm. I just read that America has over 75,000 that are over 100 years right now.  Not very many for the billions that live here in the USA.

 

WEBSITE DONATION

Fred McCarthy sent in a generous donation to add to our website fund.  It is so appreciated.  Mike had to purchase some new equipment to house all of the soft wear that he uses to make our website TOP NOTCH. 

 

This is the note I received from Fred:

“You and Mike do such a wonderful job keeping our classmates in touch with each other, and I really appreciate all that you both do for TJHS, Class of 1968. It's hard to believe the 50th Reunion is now only two years away.”

 

WADE PHILLIPS ROAST

Murphy and I were beyond excited to share the evening with two great friends, Ernie (Castaneda) and Ron Bullion.  We saw Hal Ross and also know that Jane Lippincott Koerth was there. This benefit for the Museum of the Gulf Coast was a sell-out and was worth every penny of the ticket price.  The food was scrumptious and the gifts on the table were terrific; autobiography of Bum Phillips and the engraved wine glasses.  Also, bottles of wine were on each table.  The guest speakers were awesome including the hunk JJ Watt, okay, also PA's own, Jimmy Johnson and Wade's son, Wes Phillips.  The roast also included videos from others who couldn't be there in person.  Wade was so humble and actually a pretty funny thing was that he is a doppelganger to Ron!!  Bob West came out of retirement to put on this exceptional fete. It was a wonderful night.

 

FLOODING over Texas

There were many areas that had major flooding in June.  I know of three of our classmates that were affected; Mike Lawson and Rex and Linda (Olivier) Meyers.  I never heard of any others, but I am sure there must have been.  Glad that is over with.  Now keep those hands together that we aren't visited by any hurricanes!

 

JANIS JOPLIN BASH and GET TOGETHER

I received the following e-mail from Rush Lynch (TJ, '67):

 

In 2013, a musical A Night With Janis Joplin was done on Broadway. I saw it in NYC loved it. In addition to her greatest hits, the show delves into her musical roots. There are references to Gates Memorial Library, Ted's Records and other aspects of PA. This show is different than the excellent Love, Janis musical.

 

The Alley Theatre in Houston is doing this musical late this summer. Several of us contacted The Alley and the Alley staff agreed to make the 2:30 pm matinee performance on August 27, 2016 (Saturday), Thomas Jefferson High School Port Arthur Day. They are offering discounted tickets to TJ people by using the discount code JANISPA when purchasing tickets.

We plan to have a party immediately following the event. Once we get an idea of interest and turnout, we will post/send details of the party.

 

We would love as many of the class of 68 to attend as possible. The event is open to anyone from PA. We plan to contact the websites from the classes of 1960-1970.

Since the 1968 website is by far the best IMO, you all are getting first notice.

 

If you could post about the event in your newsletter and website, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Best,

Rush Lynch

 

(Make sure you read the posting of this event on the front page of the website.  Also, use the PROMO code to get your 15% discount.  Murphy and I are planning to go.  It sounds like a great afternoon and then fun time with the get-together that the '67 class is working on to get as many PA friends there as possible.  I am sure they are putting in a lot of work to make this happen.)

 

RIVER ROAD VACATION

Murphy's little sister and other extended family members and friends get together at the River Road campground in New Branfels every year the week of the Fourth of July.  This year was attended by 25.  Some years there are about 40 in 4 RV parking spots!  There is always fun and plenty of good food.  We have had quite a bit of drama in our family this year and Murphy and I needed a restful getaway.  We stayed from June 29-July 6.  Did I say “restful”?  Well, it was a little too restful for ME!  I have already mentioned in a previous NEWSLETTER that I had some injections in my spinal cord.  Well, I was too hopeful that the shots would help for awhile.  Is three weeks too long?  That is all the relief I got.  I am now headed for back surgery.  Yuk.  I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon Monday.  I hope I can find relief.  I spent most of the vacation in the RV lying down, (it was pretty much the only way that I wasn't hurting.)  I am all propped up with pillows in my computer chair as I write this edition right now.  I was given some pain meds and muscle relaxers by my family physician to get me to the surgery but I really don't like taking them. We'll see.

 

DALLAS SHOOTING

PA had a tragic link to the tragic shooting of the police officers in Dallas yesterday.  Mike Smith, a TJ '79 grad, was one of the victims.  Prayers for all, including prayers for peace in the US.

Respect for a fallen Port Arthur, TX and TJHS and Lamar University graduate.

MICHAEL SMITH, 55

Dallas Police Department
By David Tarrant and Eva-Marie Ayala | Staff Writers

His fellow officers gave him an award for being a “Cop’s Cop.”

A family friend described him as “salt of the earth.”

A veteran officer, Sgt. Michael Smith was known as conscientious and professional, an officer who cared so deeply that he would even dip into his own pocket to pay for his training if needed.

He consistently received outstanding performance awards, including a “Cops’ Cop” award from the Dallas Police Association.

That training came in handy a few years ago when he and a partner were working near downtown Dallas, according to a 2009 write-up in the DPA magazine:

“Sgt. Smith and his partner made contact with a pair of gang members which they did not know. While Sgt. Smith was searching one of the members, he noticed that the other gang member lunged at his partner with an unknown object in his hand. Sgt. Smith intervened to protect his partner and was cut with an unknown object on the head. Sgt. Smith was taken to the hospital with a large laceration. It took 31 stitches to close the wound.”

Smith, a Port Arthur native, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lamar University in 1989. He joined the Dallas police department that same year. His wife teaches at Mary Immaculate in Farmers Branch.

“You couldn’t ask for a more salt of the earth kind of guy,” said Vanessa Smith, a family friend.

Married almost 20 years, with two children in their young teens, Smith wasn’t ready to retire.

In addition to his nearly three decades of service with the Dallas police department, Smith was a seven-year Army veteran.

“He loved his job and the guys on the force, and he loved his wife and kids, said Vanessa Smith. “I can’t imagine what his wife and daughters are going through. You just don’t expect it. It’s devastating.”

“He was one of those guys that it was hard not to know. He was just a friendly guy,” said former DPD Chief David Kunkle.

The couple’s Carrollton neighborhood was quiet and solemn out of respect to the family, said one resident who only wanted to be identified as Kayla M.

“He was a very sweet family man, always outside playing softball with his girls,” Kayla said. “We’re a close neighborhood.”