TJ Class of '68     NEWSLETTER                                                           08/01/09    

 

On the road again this weekend.  Traveling on Saturday and busy on Sunday, too. 

 MAIL CALL 

from Linda Blakeley Rindlishbacher in Oroville, CA
I would love to go back to P.A.  I have so many happy memories there. With my Dad being in
the Marine Corps, we never stayed in one place very often. I hated it because I was always the

new kid. I am sure you don't remember me. Things here in
California are fine, but as you

probably know, our state is broke and now giving IOUs. How the heck are we supposed to pay
our bills with an IOU? The economy is so bad everywhere. Luckily when Real Estate was
booming out here we paid off our home.

(Sorry to hear about those IOU's!)
 

from Jeanette Constantine Morgan in Groves
I hope that you are settled in
Lumberton and liking it.  I have been keeping in touch with

Ernie Castaneda
 Bullion and she said she was estatic to be there.  I know my sister-in-law/
classmate
Becky Morgan Jackson loves it out there. 

I am recuperating from foot surgery and was unable to walk for 6 weeks but finally got to last
Friday.  My foot is healing well.  But, about the 3rd week I was trying to balance myself on one
foot with my crutches after showering and my crutch moved onto the wet part of the floor and

I fell and I have a
hairline fracture in my tailbone but that also is healing.  I am walking with a
calf length boot for two weeks and then my foot should be okay other than I cannot go on
inclines, stoop, or bend from the waist for
1 year so that I do not tear the tendon again.  It

tore the first time because of a large spur rubbing on it. 

(Don't try to heal so fast.  Take it slow.)
 

from Marilyn Theriot Greene '66
Here is an idea for some fun: Fred's Lounge in
Mamou LA Saturday morning radio show. Aug

15 at 9:00 am
.
The town has a cajun festival on that day and we've been taking cajun dance lessons so I am
organizing a bunch of us to go over for the radio broadcast and other stuff. (the radio
broadcast happens
every Saturday, but that day should be sort of special) They sell home

cooked boudain & other cajun foods. There is a cajun dance workshop at 1:00.  Let me know
of any interest in doing this. 
marilyn.greene@lsco.edu
 

from Pat Trahan Knox in Beaumont
I thought I had sent an update earlier, but I apparently forgot to hit
"send". DUH. I have really

enjoyed the updates from everyone and am overdue for sending one. 
About 3 months ago, Ray (my husband) had a spell in
Houston where he couldn't remember

anything for about 2 hours. I had talked to him on his cell phone, and he bumped into one of
his dealers' car and truck, and didn't have a clue. They did all the tests, but could find nothing.

He had been on a medication to lower his
blood sugar for about 2 weeks, and they assume it

dropped his blood sugar too low. I'm praying that's all it was!! I make sure he eats only protein
(very little red meat) and vegetables and fruit when he's home. I hope all of you are doing the

same!!! 
On April 27, Ray forced me to go to the emergency room about 9:30 p.m. after being in pain

since 12:30 p.m.  I've had colon trouble for 35 years and had just learned to live with it and
take my medication with each flare up. Missed several events, and weakened with the pain as I
got older.  I had plenty of blood, thank goodness, as I lost over 3-1/2 pints that night. I had a

colonoscopy
a day later (I had had one 3 years before that was fine) and was diagnosed with
acute eschemic colitis, which I was told could be very dangerous. I  had laparascopic surgery
the next day and had 3 feet of colon removed!! I thank God every day for that occurrence, as I
have never felt better!!!! My gastroenterologist promised me I would never have that pain again,
and he got me the best surgeon I could have hoped for. I wrote the surgeon a thank you letter
to let him know he changed my life!!  I am so blessed I can't begin to tell you. I lost 10 pounds
to boot, and all of my vitamin levels have come up. The Dr.'s said I had probably been having
poison mess up my system for some time.  My bosses didn't want me to come back to work so
soon, but I went back 2 weeks after surgery. They didn't understand what I had been living

with and what a miracle God had performed on me. 
I would like to ask you to keep
Barbara Bowers in your prayers. I e-mailed her again a while
back, and she had a
stroke some time ago. She's getting back to using the computer, but I
know she would love to hear from you.  Her web site for her organic business is Enchanted
Valley in
Colorado. Thanks to everyone for keeping us up to date, and to Linda and Mike for all

of their tireless efforts to keep us all in touch!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hope to hear from everyone soon.

(Good heavens.  No wonder I haven't heard from you lately. Take care!)
 

from Paula Iles Restrepo '69
I'm finally getting back to reading the website newsletters.  Last few months have been very
busy for me/us with our
only child, 14 year old Victoria, finishing 7th grade and me driving

her out to horse camp in Waxahachie every day.  We spent a week in Orange Beach, Alabama

for vacation first week of July, hot and humid but nice to be near the water.  Since I lived in
San Diego
for 10 years before I married, I sure feel landlocked up here in Dallas a lot of the time. 

Remembering the Lequeuxs: My parents knew them through Mom, as she and Malcolm
were in the same graduating class, and I think they were both on the tumbling team.   Isn't

that a hoot?  He was older than Velma.   We used to do our
Sunday night visits with them on
a regular basis. They were some of the folks we'd trade Saturday or
Sunday evening visits,

always with a piece of pie and ice cream.  They had a cat I'll always remember named
"Me-New"pronounced like Cajun French.  Also, Mom used to always tell the story that Velma's sister, Trilby, was married to an Arceneaux.  He was related to the famous husband of the woman immortalized in the Cajun French poem, Evangeline. The poem was about the woman

who was forced out of
Canada in the 1700's and her and her fiance, Gabriel Arceneaux got

separated.  Mom always said that Trilby's husband was descended from that Gabriel.  I think that is how it goes. 

(Thanks for sharing with our class.)
 

from Carolyn Bigler Hebert (wife of biology teacher, Alfred Hebert)
Alfred needs prayers for his trip to California. Princess and I will not be going with him. I have

wo doctor appointments so he will be making this long trip alone. He leaves on July 27th early
 that morning and
returns to
Tyler on August 6th. The triathlon is on August 2nd.
Our house sold and the move was a bit hectic. Alfred has been here in
Tyler now for one week.
The movers loaded
on Sunday the 12th but we didn't finish our clean up until  midnight and

ate supper at Whataburger around 12:30 Monday morning. Then we drove on into Tyler

arriving here around 8 am only to find somebody parked in our assigned
parking spaces. The
movers were here shortly before or after 9 to unload. They packed my
CPAP machine and my

suitcase with my clothes and my wallet. GeSh...... I am not supposed to even drive at night. I
flashed my lights on and off because Alfred drove off the road and on the shoulder for about a

 half a block. So we pulled into a service station and rested for about an hour and
forty five

minutes
, rested not sleep. Then Alfred monitored his speed...slowed down. Thank God we
made it in one piece. The weather was good and so was the traffic.
We have had rain here, sure wish I could send some your way. It's been in the triple digits
otherwise.
(Check out Alfred's story on Carolyn's website
www.moonlightflower.org/Alfred.html )  

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FACEBOOK (or as Murphy miscalls it...FACEMASK)
I know that it is the up and coming fad and has gotten crazy, but I have noticed a DECLINE in
my correspondence from my classmates. I  read comments from you to others that you make 
on FACEBOOK.  Come on now.  You can spend 5-10 minutes once in awhile writing something
 for your classmates to add to our website.  I know you are spending WAY MORE THAN THAT
 reading on "people's walls"!  Don't make me have to come over there and hurt ya!

**************************************************************************

ON THE HOMEFRONT

We got all moved in here in Lumberton and thought we were settled for awhile.  Well, the 17
year old air conditioner decided to make it's presence known and started leaking through the
master bedroom!  So, we had to buck up and purchase a new one.  Yuck!  No fun spending $$
that way.  We got a new one for our 36th anniversary.  I sure could have thought of a different
gift.

Heading to
Louisiana Saturday to let my parents visit cousins in Abbeville while I attend the

Lequeuxs' memorial service in Erath only 7 miles away. On Sunday, I am going to the Lamar

Universary-PA campus to watch the play "Annie Get Your Gun" with my best friend,
Martha

Lipe Bodin
'69 (Carl's wife).  Then, we are heading to eat some Mooshu Pork at our favorite
restaurant, China Inn in
Groves.  I really miss Martha.  We grew up together in Lakeview, went
to Woodrow and TJ together and then accidently moved across the street from each other 32
years ago in
Bridge City.  Now that I have moved to Lumberton, we only talk on the phone or

e-mail.  "-(  I am looking forward to spending quality time with her Sunday.

**************************************************************************

SUPPORT

(Update on Tillman Richey's brother-in-law) drtarichey@aol.com
(#1)
Beaumont Fire Captain David Chesser is in ICU at an Omaha, Nebraska hospital.  
Chesser was diagnosed with
mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.  Doctors did several hours

of surgery and removed most of the cancer.  They had to remove Chesser's spleen, part of his
pancreas and his appendix. Captain David Chesser has been serving the
Southeast Texas

community
for 35 years. 
(#2)
Michelle Chesser tearfully accepted her husband's collar brass Monday morning (July 27)
during the Beaumont Fire Department's promotion and hiring ceremony.
Her husband, David Chesser, was unable to attend his promotion ceremony as he was back in
the hospital with complications from surgery earlier this month. "He wanted so desperately to
be here," Michelle Chesser said after the ceremony. "When he went into the hospital Monday,
he
told the doctor, 'Do what you have to do, but I'm out of here Monday.'" Chesser was one of ten
Beaumont
firefighters whose promotions were announced at a ceremony Monday morning at

the
C.A. "Pete" Shelton Memorial Plaza Gazebo. Four new hires were also announced.

Unfortunately, his plan to receive his district chief pins himself didn't work. Chesser, who has a
rare cancer called
Mesothelioma, had a 14-hour surgery in early July that removed his

appendix, spleen and part of his pancreas, Michelle Chesser said. He also went through a
course of
chemotherapy. He flew home last Tuesday and immediately went into the hospital

to receive blood, she said. Then, Saturday, he went back into the hospital because of a
complication. "It's been a roller coaster in a short period of time," Michelle Chesser said. "We
hope it's just a slight bump in the road." Chesser has been with the department for 35 years
and was promoted to captain in 1992.
 

Pat Trahan Knox and Ray Knox
925
Brandywine

Beaumont
, TX 77706

patknox@hotmail.com
 

Barbara Bowers
PO Box
196

Pagosa Springs
, CO 81147
(970)731-6665 

Jeanette Constantine Morgan
3901 Pure
Atlantic Rd
Groves
, TX
7719
june-bug@mail.com

*************************************************************************

CONDOLENCES

Susan Reagle Duplant  
(death of her mom)
   -   Obituary
texasbeargrammy@aol.com

*************************************************************************

I sure need to thank members of other classes that helped in our MAIL CALL this week.  I need
more information, news, photos, memories, etc from our class.  Hope to hear from you SOON.
 

                                           Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
                                           Linda DeCuir McFadden
                                           
lindasuemcfadden@sbcglobal.net
                                           
www.tjhs1968.com



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