TJ Class of '68     NEWSLETTER                                                                02/15/08    
         

Things are crazy around here!!!  I guess it must be crazy at your home, also, because I heard from so few of you this time.   Come on now.  Write me SOMETHING!  

MAIL CALL

from Patricia Patrick in St. Petersburg, FL
Glad you're doing the garage sale and not me.  I hate doing that.  I just wanted to let you know I won't be able to make it to the reunion.  I will be
in Texas during June for a get-together with my brother and sisters and families so I won't be able to make it back in August.  Wish it was going to be in June.  Maybe the next one I will be able to make it. 
 

from Fred McCarty in Kingwood
There is no way I would miss the Reunion. Count me in for both Fri & Sat. My wife will not attend. But, as she says, I will have more fun without her there.
 

My wife and I saw the performance of Love, Janis on Saturday night at the Alley Theatre, and we both thought it was great. It was a near sell-out and the play provided a very interesting format with only two actresses plus the band and a very simple stage setting. We overheard one couple telling some others that this was the third time they had come to the performance. We learned a good bit about Janis that we had not known before. The play included performance of almost twenty of her songs.  

For a preview of some pending news, David Salter will be in Houston this Thursday and several of our classmates will be going to dinner with David & me. I will write more after we see him. May even get a picture or two to send your way.  

from Jerry Nicholson in Austin
What a great job you and Mike are doing on the website! I look forward to getting it every month and really enjoy reading it. I am in the beginning of my 6th year of living in Austin, Texas and loving it very much, with exception to the traffic! It is HORRIBLE and a 10 mile drive from South Austin to North Austin can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour on a GOOD day, thanks in part to the fact that the metro Austin area is now 1. 5+ million people and I believe that EVERYONE of US has a car, all trying to get to work at 8:00 A.M.! The sad news is that I am one of those who was willing to do it for a very long time. I had to laugh when I read Linda Hopper's update on her new address, I do understand!!!!!  I have finally sold my house and have moved to a condo in the Northwest sector of the city and my commute has gone to less than 10 minutes each way and I can now spend a bit more time at home.  I have been planning on trying to contact classmates in the area...Gretchen Lueders especially since she and I share the church work bond, Lake Travis is pretty close!  I was wondering if there is a TJ classmates club in Austin? We certainly have enough of us closeby....Marble Falls...Waco...San Antonio! Would you please include my phone number if there is anyone here that would like to get together for lunch or dinner sometime? It is 512 363-0340. My brother, Danny Nicholson (class of '70), also lives in Leander, Tx which is now included as part of Austin, although 20 miles from downtown.

from Cynthia Marshall Devlin in Zavalla, TX
Thank you for contacting me. The T.J. Web page is extraordinary!  Thank you. While I always enjoy looking forward, it was pleasant to think back to those high school days and to fondly remember some  classmates of mine.
 
I was humbled at the thought that so many have passed.  Death does put life in perspective.  Patricia Byrd was a quiet beauty whose actions were always kind and gentle.  And, she was smart. I considered her a friend.
 
Truly, it was great to reconnect with Nelwyn Comeaux.  She was so kind to me when my family moved to Port Arthur from Lake Jackson and, at the time, I had not a clue what a Cajun was, nor had I ever eaten any gumbo! Culture shock occurred for me when I started 7th grade at Woodrow Wilson.  
 
Life has been good and it still is for me.  I have spent much of my career in the aviation business.  Fortunately, I have been able to travel to many places on this good earth, although some folks don't fare as well as we do here in this great country.
 
Presently, I am a history professor at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. I love to teach and plan to do so until they tell me to go home!  My husband (a New Yorker, born in Manhattan) and I built a house on land that has been in my family since 1877.  We live in the Angelina National Forest.
 
I have stepchildren and grandchildren.  We are headed to St. Louis during spring break to see a new granddaughter.
 
My parents live in Port Neches.  My dad sold his business some years ago and my mother retired from Thomas Jefferson.  She taught English there beginning in 1970.  She taught many of my classmates' brothers and sisters. Mom and Dad have some health issues, but they travel when they are able.
 
When time permits I hope to email Joel Levy, Rachel Burton, Linda Olivier, and some others.
I hope to attend the reunion in August.

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HAPPENINGS ON THE HOMEFRONT(Bridge City)
Well, the garage sale is OVER (Yeah) and we had a whole 5 days without incident before BRONCHITIS took 3 out of 4 of us with a VENGENGE.  Elderly do not do well with illnesses like this.  Between the 3 of us, (Murphy has been hiding in his room), we made 5 trips to the doctors and even an ER visit to St. Mary's on SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!  The parents still have quite a bit of congestion and coughing even though it has been Feb.1st when it hit.  Well, to add to the woes, my Mother fell in a doctor's office building yesterday, cut her arm, had a large lump on the back of her head, and hurt her back.  She is having to use a walker to get around in the house.  This happened on the same day that my brother-in-law had a stroke and I spent 9 1/2 hours in the ER with my sister before he was admitted into a room.  We don't have results of that yet. He will certainly have to have rehab since he isn't able to put weight on his left side or use his left hand and arm.   So, the 7 day cruise that I had planned to tell you about is NO LONGER an option.  My sister was going to be my parents' care giver while Murphy and I were gone.  We were to leave Feb. 24 and return on Mar. 2 and were travelling with fellow classmates, Lynn Eldridge, Jim Andrus, & Jude Arisco.  Oh well, things happen!  I am certainly happy that my parents live with us so that we can keep a closer watch on them. 

UPDATE:  A new couple expecting their first child in March moved into our old home in Lakeview.  Mother and I drove by after church at St. Joseph's on Procter St. last week and the husband happened to be washing his car in "our" driveway.  We stopped and spoke with him.  He seemed very nice.  Bless them, bless their new child, and bless their days in their "new" home.

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WEBSITE CONTRIBUTION

Thanks to Billy Jordan for the contribution check to add to the website fund.  

I received this note from our webmaster/classmate Mike Lawson
I'm having a few problems with updating some things on the website, but should be able to overcome them shortly.  My graphic Creator/editor is doing weird things---not sure what is happening.  It's old softwear that I've had for many years, but it usually works okay.  It's becoming less compatible each time I add a new HTML code strip to the pages.  It's just not crazy about change.  We may have to get a more up-to-date graphics package that can handle anything that is done to keep the website up to standards.  I'll do some searching on the internet to buy some new items to help the website run more smoothly when I add items. 

This is partially how the contributions help.  Thanks for all that have helped us with the incidentals of running this site. 
 

Mike Lawson has been sick with the flu and a sinus infection and STILL found the time to update the look of the website.  You are the BEST, MIKE! 

Checks may be made out and sent to:
Linda DeCuir McFadden
112 Woodsong

Bridge City
, TX 77611

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REUNION REQUEST

Kay Campbell Netherland has received a handful of checks purchasing their tickets for the reunion Aug. 1-2.  Remember, if you get your check in BEFORE March 15th, you will be entered into a drawing, (THERE WILL BE TWO WINNERS DRAWN), for being an EARLY BIRD. It is really like an INTERNET SPECIAL!!!  Checks may be made out to TJ Class of '68 OR Kay Campbell Netherland  The committee really appreciates the early response.  This will help pay deposits.  THANKS!!!  The postcard, with all the information needed, is on the front page of the website under the GRAY bar titled REUNION NEWS/SCHEDULE.

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CONDOLENCES

Eugene Quibodeaux
(death of his father & father-in-law)
673 Birchwood
Port Neches, TX 77651
(409)722-8962
sylviattl@att.net
 

Betty Steck Stewart
(death of her father) 
7223 Shady Arbor Lane

Houston
, TX 77040

(713)466-3026
betty@tomstewartinsurance.net
 

Tommy Thompson
(death of his father)
501 N. Rivershire

Conroe
, TX 77304

(936)441-1964
tthompson@romco.com
 

Thank you note:

I would like to express my gratitude for all of the kind words and remembrances about my Mother.  I appreciate the calls, cards, and e-mails I have received from our classmates.  All are such a wonderful source of comfort during these difficult days.
Thank you,
Beverly Copeland Gaspard

A note of sympathy:

My condolences to Carole Oubre and others in the passing of loved ones. It is so hard to give them up!
           Jerry Nicholson
 

BENEFIT FOR the LATE FLOYD MOORE '69
There is to be a Benefit and Celebration of Floyd Moore's life on Sunday, Feb. 17th at Antones.  Omar Dykes, Derek Obrien, Jimmie Vaughn, Lou Anne Barton and many others will be performing.  The doors open at 6:00 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm.  Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $20.00 at the door.  There will also be a silent auction.  Come join us and tell anyone else who might be interested!

Thank you,
Mary Elizabeth Cofer
cell (512)413-3214
 

Condolences may be sent to his widow:
Tiffany Moore

3920 31st St
.
Port Arthur
, TX 77642

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This seems to be a bare-bones NEWSLETTER due to the fact that I have been sick (and too tired) to drum up some news from you.  You might have to cut me some slack and send it on your own without any prompting.  I really would appreciate it.  I know you have grandkid photos hanging around.  What about memories and plain ole' things happening in your neck of the woods.   I haven't been able to find the time to just write and chat with many of you like I used to be able to do.  Maybe it won't be long before things start settling down on my end.  I do want to especially thank Debbie Borres, Ernie Castaneda, Jody Hopkins, & Mike Lawson for their continued support and also for lending their shoulders for me to lean on OFTEN!  Thank all of you for your prayers and good wishes in this trying time for my parents and my family.  I am so blessed to be able to call you friends as well as classmates.   

                                                                            Stay safe and keep in touch

                                                                            LindaDeCuirMcFadden    
                                                                            lindasuemcfadden@sbcglobal.net
                                                                            www.tjhs1968.com

 

         
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