As I write this
NEWSLETTER, I am celebrating my
28th year cancer survival anniversary!
Yippee! I am sure that many of you reading this are also survivors.
Sadly, some of our classmates and their family members weren't. God
bless them all.
from
Eugene Ivy
in Portland, OR
Just wanted to say " GOOD JOB" on the web site.
Ya'll should get an " A " on this . I wanted to give you a little info on
what I'm doing up here in
Oregon. I have my own business that we started
off of an invention that I came up with several year's back while I was
still in
Port Arthur working for the Fire
Dept. The name of my company is - International Fog Inc. We have 2 web
sites,
www.in-fog.com ,
www.infog.us
. We are going to be in
Beaumont on the 4/28/08-5/2/08 at the
Industrial Fire World Expo. Hope to see some of you there.
from
Pete Lippincott
('63) (Jane's
big brother)
I noticed in the
Houston paper that they honored
Janis Joplin and I remembered when she flagged me down for a ride into town
on my first Harley back in the late 50's. We were good friends and she
sent me a lot of tickets to her concerts in
Houston and called me a few times before she went to
L.A.
from
Fred Schneider
('66) (Randy's
big brother)
I was happy to visit Pt. Arthur and witness the induction of the musical
group, "The Clique", into the Gulf Coast Music Hall of Fame. My
friend, Johnny Kanesaw, was a drummer for that band. Some of you may
recall that they played for the class of '66 Senior Ball at the Pleasure
Pier Ballroom. I believe they were known as the Sand Pipers then.
I heard them again at the concert here last weekend and they sounded amazing
for a bunch of old guys. Over all, the night and the music were both
superb. Edgar Winters played a surprise tune for everyone, a tribute
to our soldiers who have lost their lives, and how they must have felt
serving our country. I was impressed.
from
Josephine Bordonaro
Tomplait in Port Neches
I've been enjoying the web site, still learning how to use this
high tech thing. I have 2 kids, Lee Marie, 35 years and Tony Lynn, 24
years. I also have 2 grandchildren; Jimmy Ray, 15 years and Cora
Lee, 11 years They are my daughter's children. I'm looking
forward to the class reunion. Thank you to Mike also for the work he has
done on our web page.
from
Linda Hopper Hunt in
Port Arthur
I now live on
Emory Lane off of Procter.
The seawall is my backyard. It is so pretty. I work in
Orange and LOVE my job BUT hate
the drive.
from
Karen Champagne Milliff
(a Nederland
graduate)
I really enjoyed the update! I went to the section for the class of
'66 and found 3 of my cousins in the graduating class. It's been a long time
since I've seen those pictures!! Sure was nice. Thanks so much for
sharing.
from
Cherlyn Hebert in Houston
I always enjoy reading the website updates. You
and Mike do a great job. My big news is that, after 30 years with
Exxon, I'm retiring March 31. But, I'm taking my vacation first, so my
last day at work will be February 14. Happy Valentine's Day to me!!!
I have several trips in the works, including a tour of the German Christmas
markets on the
Danube in December. Other than
traveling and spending time with my mother in the nursing home here in
Houston, I'm not making any
other plans. I'm sure I'll find something to occupy my time.
UPDATE:
What's that saying, "I was THIS close"? After the stock market
plunge, I have decided to put off my retirement for at least three months.
It's too scary out there now. I'll let you know when it finally
happens.
(Cherlyn, you know EXXON still needs you! I just heard the news about
their billions of profit last year!)
from
Steve Nelson
in Port Neches
As we get older, I really appreciate such things as our TJ '68
web page. Looking forward to upcoming reunion.
(And Mike and I appreciate classmates like you that contact us to make our
website more personal. Thanks.)
from
Paula Fanguy Lerner
in Houston
I love the website and all the great news about our
class.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Are you Over the Hill?
You may be headed that way
if . . .
-
You and your teeth don't
sleep together.
-
At the breakfast table,
you hear snap, crackle, pop and you're not eating cereal.
-
Your back goes out but you
stay home.
-
You wake up looking like
your driver's license photo.
-
It takes two tries to get
up from the couch.
-
When your idea of a night
out is sitting on the patio.
-
When happy hour is a nap.
-
When you're on vacation
and your energy runs out before your money does.
-
When you say something to
your kids that your mother said to you and you always hated it.
-
When all you want for your
birthday is to not be reminded of your age.
-
When you step off the curb
and look down one more time to make sure the street is still there.
-
Your idea of weight
lifting is standing up.
-
It takes longer to rest
than it did to get tired.
-
Your memory is shorter and
your complaining lasts longer.
-
Your address book has
mostly names that start with Dr.
-
You sit in a rocking chair
and can't get it going.
-
The pharmacist has become
your new best friend.
-
Getting "lucky" means you
found your car in the parking lot.
-
The twinkle in your eye is
merely a reflection from the sun on your bifocals.
-
It takes twice as long -
to look half as good.
-
Everything hurts, and what
doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
-
You look for your glasses
for half an hour and they were on your head the whole time.
-
You sink your teeth into a
steak - and they stay there.
-
You give up all your bad
habits and still don't feel good.
-
You have more patience,
but it is actually that you just don't care anymore.
-
You finally get your head
together and your body starts falling apart.
-
You wonder how you could
be over the hill when you don't even remember being on top of it.
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
GARAGE SALE
Well, I cleaned out my
mother-in-law's home that is up for sale in Pear Ridge and my parent's home
that is for sale in Lakeview all at the same time. That meant that I
sniffed up dust and who knows what else that began
67 years ago.
So, I had to make a trip to Dr. Barlow (shot, antibiotics, steroids, etc) just
to keep going. Next, comes
"what do I do with ALL THIS STUFF".
I crammed as much as possible into my home, sister and brother's home, and then
the DREADED garage sale. Banana boxes in the triple garage, patio, rented
storage unit and entire house was piled up over here. I took my parents
and dropped them off at my cousins in Louisiana and began to
set up for the sale (a massive undertaking) that took three days and nights.
Classmates Bill
Richey and wife,
Rhonda (Carleton)'70,
Debbie Borres Desmond, and
Ernie Castaneda Bullion
and husband, Ron
were a GODSEND when they showed up for several days with some of my other
friends to help price items and set up. The garage sale went okay (WEATHER
was cold, wet, and cloudy). $$$$ was earned but we were still left with
LOTS and LOTS of items. I still had enough to have another sale on Sunday
and maybe the following weekend EXCEPT for one thing......I
PROMISED
that as soon as the sale was OVER I would haul off
the left overs!!! That promise was made to my husband who has been a real
PRINCE, (well about 80% of the time), through this whole ordeal. So, GOODWILL
was the winner. The garage sale OVER, blood pressures have gone back to
normal, and I have actually been to bed at a decent hour for the last 4 nights.
Oh happy day!
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
IT'S OFFICIAL
My parents' home in Lakeview
has been sold, money has exchanged hands, voter's registration changed, driver's
license renewed to ORANGE
COUNTY, and they are now officially
moved in with us in Bridge City even though they have been here since
November 15th!!! My parents, brother and sister and I, went to our
homestead, said our goodbyes, took pictures, and left. My dad and mom
cried a lot the day we turned over the keys to the buyer. The buyer has in turn
sold it to a couple who is expecting their first child. We are thrilled
that it will be a family there instead of renters moving in and out. We had
some great times there. I loved
Travis Elementary,
Woodrow Wilson
,
TJ,
St. Joseph's Catholic Church,
and the
neighborhood. Good bye sweet
Lakeview.
Good bye
5016 8th St.
Good bye
Yukon
5-9505. No one can take my memories away!
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
(a note from
Walter Jones '67
concerning his wife,
Linda Messer Jones '66)
Well, the news is not what we hoped for. Chemo must continue, we will do one
today. The CT scan of last Friday shows 3 suspected areas all very low in
the pelvic area. My wife, Linda, will have 3 more rounds of chemos and
then another CT scan.
UPDATE:
Well, my
wife and I are quick learners. We are moving past the fact that three chemos
post surgery were not enough. Actually, I was never comfortable with that
plan. I like 6 better. That's why I was for the clinical trial. Speaking of
which, she cannot participate until the scan is clear. So, that is a
possibility in the future. Today's CA 125 was 7.5, remarkably low and down
from last time . This indicates the chemo is working.
Also, there was no really bad news in the scan and a lot of good. No
spreading, nothing in the bone, nothing in any organs. Woo Hoo! So, to wrap
this up, don't lose heart, we haven't.
( a note from
Jody Hopkins Barbin
about classmate/husband
Gary Barbin's
dad)
Gary's
dad started chemo this past week as his transfusions were not lasting long
enough and he continually had fever that really got him down. We are
hopeful and cautiously optimistic that this will give him some quality of
life but will not be a cure of his leukemia. Please keep him in your
prayers.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
(a note of thanks from
Carole
Oubre Reeves)
Just wanted to let you and the whole class know how much I appreciate
all the words of condolences I received after Mom's passing. The
cards, phone messages, e-mails ... well, let me just say, I am so
blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends. Thanks to you
ALL. You have brought great comfort to me in this difficult time.
Mom is at peace now and truly at home. Praise the Lord.
(a note from
Steve Nelson
about
"Floyd" Moore '69)
I saw that Sandy Ellis had informed you of, Lynn Moore - TJ Class of 69,
having cancer last month. I am very sad to inform you that he passed
away yesterday morning at his son's home In Kingwood. He died 11 weeks
after first learning that he had cancer. He had three stays at MD
Anderson where he was treated to no avail. His great musical talent and
friendship will be missed by many.
(Thanks to Harold Schkade and wife, Susan, who also sent information
about this.)
Hubert Lynn "Floyd"
Moore ('69)
11/22/50-1/27/08
condolence messages may be sent to his wife, Tiffany at
kingbee@gt.rr.com
(a note from
Janice Huebel)
I wanted to let you know that my father,
Alvin Huebel, passed away Sunday evening. It was unexpected,
although he had been at Cypress Glen for a month with a broken leg from
a fall. I was in PA for 2 weeks helping to care for him and just
gotten back to
Alabama last Wednesday.
Please keep my mom and all of us in your prayers.
Beverly Copeland
Gaspard
(death of her mother)
1727 Hebert Woods Dr.
Pt. Neches, TX 77651
(409)727-2265
b_gaspard@yahoo.com
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
It is Mardi Gras
weekend here in SE Texas. I hope that some of you will be able to
enjoy the festivities. Also, Super Bowl weekend without the Dallas
Cowboys participating. We plan to have shrimp and crab gumbo with
potato salad, of course. Yum Yum. Please check out the whole
website. Mike works his magic again. We are sooo lucky to
have him as a classmate, a website guru, and he really comes CHEAP!
(I am really looking forward to seeing who will be the first to respond
with a payment for REUNION tickets!!! Spend part of your tax refund!)