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MAIL
CALL
from
Jan Russell in Houston
March 11
I
arrived home today from a 7 day Royal Caribbean cruise to Cozamel, Grand Cayman,
and Jamaica. What fun! And what a wonderful surprise to run into Linda DeCuir
and my growing up next door neighbor Buddy Ball and his lovely wife and
daughter. I was with a group of 72 really fun people from my church. Great shows
including ice skating (on a moving ship), a Beatles impersonation group, a Neil
Diamond tribute, and a Cirque de Soleil style show. And the shopping!!!! Oh my
goodness! Let’s just say that Jan was a very, very bad girl and invested heavily
in the Caribbean economy! But, I got some very pretty bling!
jlrussell49@att.net
WEBSITE DONATIONS
I
received some very nice surprises in REUNION envelopes in the last 3 weeks.
When opening the mail from Lynn Eldridge, Sara Little and
Linda (Olivier) and Rex Meyers, they not only sent their checks
for the reunion, but also added a donation for the website.
MANY, MANY THANKS.
RETIREMENT
Our
webmaster, Mike Lawson and his wife, Meredith both retired in the
last few days. Mike worked at Phillips in the West Columbia area for 33 years.
Their actual retirement will be June 1st for both but they are using
their vacation days to finish up.
HAPPY, happy for both of them.
NEWS
FROM THE HOMEFRONT
Besides working non-stop on the upcoming reunion, there isn't too much drama
going on here. Murphy did
have a bout of bronchitis for two weeks right when he was finishing up his 9
month course (RCIA) for turning Catholic.
He graduated March 31st (Easter Vigil).
It was very special.
Dad
would be turning 102 this weekend if he had survived the hurricane evacuation.
I think I will go to the Holland Place Assisted Living and bring a cake
and we will celebrate his heavenly birthday with his wonderful caregivers and
friends he made in the 3 ½ years he stayed there.
My
brother in Friendswood is finished remodeling his home that was flooded during
Harvey. They are beginning to put
furniture back in this week.
Bailey's high school soccer team made it to the playoffs. They won district,
bi-district, and lost in the area round to Lorena High School.
It was a fun season.
Drew
is trying out for officer for drill team this week for her upcoming 8th
grade year.
NOW
GO GET A PENCIL/PEN AND WRITE NOTES FOR THE FOLLOWING SECTION:
REUNION NEWS
The
committee worked for several months trying to reach everyone to confirm
addresses and other contact information for our class spreadsheets.
Since I mailed the invitations on on March 21st, 63 envelopes
have been returned. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN INVITATION BY NOW, THEN
PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT
lindaDmcfadden@yahoo.com and send me your contact information.
I am
THRILLED to have had a great response so far.
We already have 94
classmates and guests on the list so far
coming to reminisce and enjoy the friends from so long ago.
Mike Lawson will soon have the ongoing list on the front page of
the website under REUNION NEWS. We
have classmates that have bought tickets for the event and this will be their
FIRST reunion!! So, get your $
in soon.
Reunions are not for everyone. That
is okay. We have had to put “not
interested” by a few names on our spreadsheet.
They didn't care to be contacted via e-mail, newsletters, reunion
invites, etc. So, it is to our best
interest to no longer take the time and effort try to update their information.
If you know of someone that would rather not be contacted anymore, please
inform us. We will take their name
off of our class list.
I
followed up and found information for several of those classmates that
had a problem getting their invite.
Now, here is how you can help. The
following is a list of classmates that we don't have a good contact or NO
CONTACT period. Look over the
list and jot down any that YOU know how to contact and YOU send me any
information you have on them that may help us.
We call these “missing” for lack of better term.
“MISSING CLASSMATES”
Bobbie Achord
William Bruce Bailey
Mary
Jean “Jeannie” Ballard Michon
Jimmy W. Bean
Mary
Blanks Kaiser
Thomas “Tommy” Hayden Bradford
Carroll Paul Cashat
Linda Coates Cousins
Charles “Bruce” Collins
Caroline Colunga Puente
Providencia “Rita” Dangerfield
Cynthia Daris
Linda Marlene Davis Smith
Laura Devillier Macha
Sandra Downey Dearman
Linda K. Draper
Kathleen Dumas Wyatt
Gwendolyn Edwards Franklin
Diana Frances Elizondo
Linda Espinosa Wyatt
Sally Fitch Strunk
Glen
Lloyd Flohr
Cheryl Eileen Freeman
Margaret Gaines Wilder
Amelia Gandy Thompson
Willis Joseph Gary, Jr.
Patricia Diane Graves
Billy Gray
Elaine Hammers Barnes
James “Jimmy” Harrison
Gary
Lynn Hebert
Robert Christopher Hickson
Sylvia Huffy
Stephen Michael Hursh
Tommy Charles Jenkins
Eduardo “Eddie” Roy Jiminez
Patsy Ann Johnson Hawks
Peggy Ann Johnson Baskerville
Susan Ketcherside
Thomas “Tommy” King
Mary
Lou Martinez Shillings
William “Clyde” McManus
Marilyn Mires
Charlotte Moore
James “Jimmy” Mouille
Karen Pardue Davis
Willie Ray Patin
Vicki Peterson
Linda Dianne Petry
John
Preston
Ronald Glen Prince
Marie “Yolanda” Reyes Bourque
Sharon Richard Barnhill
Robert T. Richmond
Patricia “Pat” Romero
Lois
Ann Root Borel
Ralph “Craig” Runyan
Carlos Huberto Semino
Susan Ann Sherrer Daigle
Rebecca Ann Simon White
Robert Singleton
Gary
Smith
Charles Allan Tate
William I. Taylor
Robert Earl Teufel
Gerald A. Theriot
Pamela Thibodeaux Price
Lynette Marie Thigpen Calvert
Kerry Thomas Yeates
Don
Wilson Toups
Mary
L. Waldrep
Linda Weisense
Clarence Williams
Rodrick Williams
We
won't be surprised if someone on this list has since passed away and we weren't
aware. It has happened for each
reunion as we searched. At this
time, we have 124 KNOWN deceased classmates.
We have had 31 to pass away since our 45th reunion in August,
2013!
HOTEL CHANGES
The
Holiday Inn Park Central
2929
Jimmy Johnson Blvd.
PA,
TX 77642
$119
(not
$109 as listed on invitation. We
were given wrong information.)
(409) 724-5000
Hampton Inn and Suites
7660 Memorial Blvd.
(OOPS. address incorrect on
invitation)
PA,
TX 77642
$119.00 King
$124.00 Suite
(409)722-6999
Due
to demand, we have added another hotel:
Holiday Inn EXPRESS
3115
Central Mall Blvd.
PA,
TX 77642
$119.00 for Kg. or Dbl.
(409)853-4114
ALL
THREE HOTELS HAVE BLOCKED ROOMS.
TO GET THE RATE LISTED, YOU MUST TELL THEM “TJ, Class of 1968”.
Availability is limited in the area, so please do not wait until
the last minute.
REUNION TICKET COST
per
person
$35.00 (1 night)
per
person
$50.00 (both nights)
The
committee has voted to allow free tickets for any classmate that you feel needs
some type of financial help due to medical issues, loss of income, storm
problems, etc. You may contact me
privately via e-mail for yourself or if you know of someone that could use this
help.
There is NO DEADLINE for buying the tickets, but you will NOT receive a
t-shirt if payment is not received by June 30.
T-SHIRT INFORMATION and DEADLINE
You
received a t-shirt order form with your invitation.
Please include this form when paying for your reunion ticket.
We
must have your information for the t-shirt orders by
June 30 (one month before the reunion.)
ONLY
the GRADUATE gets a FREE t-shirt.
Your guest(s) have the opportunity to purchase one for an extra $15.00
each.
Please send in your selected LOGO and the SIZE for each t-shirt.
SPECIAL TREAT
Reunion committee member, Bart Darby, has designed a blanket for our
special occasion. It is a plush
fleese blanket measuring 50” x 60”.
The material is maroon
 on
both sides. The front has our
Thomas Jefferson 50th logo on it and also b&w photos of the school
building and the front of the football stadium.
The back side is the school song imposed on top of a picture of the
gymnasium/auditorium building. He
was able to get a bulk price that will include shipping. Any TJ graduate from
ANY class might also want to order one. It
is a generic 50th class reunion logo without a class year on it.
It is the same logo as the t-shirt.
 The
order information is below:
$52.00 check or money order (price includes shipping and handling)
Make
sure to include your mailing address
DEADLINE to order is JUNE 30th.
Make
the check out to:
Bart
Darby
24606 Heirloom Ln
Katy, TX 77493
SUPPORT
from
Jan Russell
February 7
I always enjoy reading your newsletters and website and catching up on everyone.
It seems like many of our classmates are having surgeries on various joints. My
doctor told me I have bursitis in my left shoulder. His words were “When you
reach a certain age, these things happen.” A certain age!!! Seriously??? The
next time a doctor tells me that I’m going to hit him with my cane!
jlrussell49@att.net
Billy Caldwell is having surgery for a melanoma at MD Anderson April 16.
He has had several surgeries such as this due to exposure to Agent
Orange. He also has a heart issue
due to the exposure.
403
S. 14th St.
Nederland, TX 77627
bgcaldwell@outlook.com
from
Liz Tieskens Ellis
March 31
Prayer warriors..asking for your prayers for my husband, Butch Ellis (TJ
'69). He has had a stroke..no brain bleed...and is in the hospital - being given
the meds to address this. His symptoms were significantly improving on his own,
even before the meds. Scary, scary..but we know our Lord has him.
April 1
Update: Butch had a good night...language skills seem to be back in tact, still
some weakness on right side-especially arm, but able to move it, squeeze hand,
touch his nose- with some effort.. All vitals are good. They will be doing an
MRI later on. Your loving prayers and concerns are priceless to us and we thank
you with all of our hearts.
April 2
Update!! Progress continues as Butch gains strength and prepares for an acute
rehab program. He is out of ICU and now on the rehab floor..will be going to the
rehab facility in Boulder soon for a period of time until they deem him safe and
more independent..hopefully soon. We so appreciate your concern, prayers,
wonderful contacts..we are so blessed by you!
April 7
Butch arrived at rehab facility late afternoon on Thurs. He is gaining strength
daily and very motivated to work hard with his therapists and on his own..he
just wants to go faster than is probably prudent. I am very proud of him!
April 14
Got
a pass last night for Butch to leave rehab to join Dave and Chels and family at
Chuy's to celebrate their birthdays! What a treat and what good medicine for
him!
358
Elk Trail
Lafayette, CO 80026
liztellis@gmail.com
Diane Barker Foreman's
sister, Patricia Barker Koziuk (TJ '74) is battling salivary duct cancer.
5541
Garfield
Groves, TX 77619
diane.foreman@lamar.edu
Darlene Turner Landry's
husband, Steve, is taking treatment for lung cancer.
They are just getting back into their home since Hurricane Harvey.
Prayers are appreciated.
3195
Williamsburg Ln.
Port
Neches, TX 77651
gran0901@yahoo.com
Cheryl Thibodeaux Pitre
had extensive spine surgery in Houston April 9th.
9672
Beverly
Orange, TX 77630
dypitre@yahoo.com
Robbie Greig
has
had several serious health issues in the last year and a half.
5429
32nd St.
Groves, TX 77619
cookierobaire@yahoo.com
Randy Blanchard
has had a stroke. He was first sent
to St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston.
Now, he is having therapy in Huntsville.
3810
Lexington
Port
Arthur, TX 77642
from
Vicki Plaia Michaels
Jan.
14
I
finally got my renewed drivers license! I am still not able to drive. The last
cat scan shows my neck/ spine is healing well. Also, left knee replacement is
healing well, too. Now, again I am calling all of you prayer warriors to pray
January 22nd for a successful surgery, replacement of the right knee. 5 major
surgeries in 18 months!! It has been a long journey! I am determined to make the
50th reunion! God bless
you all and thank each of you! Sending love.
23731 Eagle Bend Ln.
Parker, CO 80138
vsm9876@yahoo.com
(Vicki was the FIRST person to send in her
$$ for the reunion tickets. If she
can, so can YOU. “-)
from
Joyce Marceaux Abate
(Mar. 22)
I want to thank family and friends for all of the prayers for Ronnie surgery.
The surgery was a success. The doctors took out all of the cancer. Lymph nodes
to be sent to the pathology lab to make sure. Thank you all again for all of
your prayers and support. The Lord does answer our prayers. Amen, Lord
6305
Mable Falls Dr.
Lumberton, TX 77657
abate.joyce@yahoo.com
from
Pat Trahan Knox
March 12
I met yesterday with Dr. Bennett, my hand specialist, at Fondren Orthopedics in
Houston. I have to be at the hospital for my surgery next Monday, March 19, at
8:30 a.m. He will reroute tendons
in my hand and do another procedure on my thumb. My fingers on my right hand
will never be straight, but the tendons on my right palm will be moved to allow
my hand to be much more functional. My pinkie and ring finger on my right hand
are in a claw position presently. All of this is a result of severe damage to my
ulnar nerve at the ER Dec. 9, 2016 when getting my dislocated shoulder back in
place. Breaking my wrist 2-1/2 months after shoulder surgery messed up our
schedule. Dr. Bennett wants me to stay in the hospital overnight to ensure the
pain can be managed (not sure about that) and he will be close if anything were
to go wrong. I will not be able to get any therapy for 4 to 6 weeks. I hope you
will all pray for my husband, Ray, as 2017 really was not our best year. He has
definitely gotten the raw end of the deal!!
March 31
I
had the surgery on my hand on March 19. I go back to Fondren on Tuesday to get
dressing off and I think be fitted for a splint. What I was hoping to be a
non-invasive surgery had a few complications. Our Dr. called Ray and I in to
meet another specialist. They used big medical terms, but we could understand
that some tendons were to be routed. I haven't seen my hand since before
surgery, but I have a pin holding my second and third fingers together. Dr.
Bennett tried showing me with his hand what I possibly will look like. My
fingers will never be straight, but we're really hoping that I will have a
functional hand on some level. They kept me overnight. I found that I was
allergic to the anesthesia (Fentanyl, as in Michael Jackson's enormous amount.)
The pain was uncomfortable, but I'm allergic to the pain pills. I was itching so
bad.......I still have a few scabs in my ears, scabs on my arm, my back and
nose. I didn't even realize I was scratching. These past 17 months have been
difficult. Ray does everything, but is happy to do it. I'm trying to stay
hopeful. I also need to try a new CPAP, as this one keeps leaking. I hope you
all have a wonderful Easter!!
April 5
I
went to Dr. Bennett at Fondren Clinic in Houston on Tuesday and got the dressing
removed. Ugly fingers, but they're wonderful to me. I got a splint that day and
on the way home, shooting pains were so bad. Ray called and we went back today,
adjusted the splint and made an appt. for next Tues. a.m. to probably remove the
pins in my joints of my middle, ring, and pinkie fingers. He may let me start
rehab exercises, but not sure. Since I'm in a semi-schedule, I'll start sleeping
with my CPAP machine again (alien from outer space). These past 17 months have
been full of activities, but I think I was in a painful fog. I do know that I am
so very grateful for all of my friends that prayed for and with me. God bless
you all!
925
Brandywine
Beaumont, TX 77706
patknox@hotmail.com
CONDOLENCES
two
classmates gone too soon
Lizbeth
“Libby” Branick
July
14, 1950 – February 24, 2018
Sharon
Marie Hebert Montgomery
January
10, 1950 – April 12, 2018
You
have a lot of homework: get your
hotel reservations, check over MISSING LIST, send in $ for the reunion, send in
order for t-shirts, contact via e-mail or snail mail the classmates mentioned in
the SUPPORT list and add them to your prayer list, order (if you like) a blanket
to commemorate our special event.
Not too much to do. Smile.
Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
Linda DeCuir McFadden
lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
www.tjhs1968.com
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