TJ Class of '68     NEWSLETTER                                                           06/1910
         
         

Happy Father's Day weekend to all.  Hope you have a fun-filled, laid-back time with family and friends. 

MAIL CALL

from James Leland Hebert in Waldorf, MD
I have changed my e-mail address and have missed a few NEWSLETTERS and website updates.  I did not graduate from TJ in 1968 but graduated from a private school in Tennessee.  I went to Thomas Edison for three years and to TJ until 1967.  I love seeing my old classmates, the ones I grew up with, on the website, so I want to make sure that my information is updated so I can keep up with all of them.   

I played football with Tommy Thompson, Ron Waedemon, Larry Speake, and Ronnie and Donnie Hollier, and others in our sophomore and junior years, although I wasn't really very good until my senior year in Tennessee when our team won all mid-south for private schools.  I was drafted in 1969 after a semester at Lamar.  The TJ class of 1968 was a very special group of people I grew up with.  Port Arthur, TJ, and the people in the 60's were fantastic.  I've always had fond memories of those years.   

I was an enlisted Mustang who went to Officer Training School in 1982 as an enlisted Master Sargeant.  I retired as a Captain in 1990 after 21 years.  I have a BSEE from Texas Tech, 1982, an MSEE, 1983 from the Air Force Institute of Tech, and MSSE from the Naval Post Graduate School, 2008.  I am presently a PhD student at George Washington University hoping to graduate in 2012.  I married Pat Jeffrey, an Air Force Academy graduate, 1980 from Kaukauna, Wisconsin in 1983.  We have four children.  Our son, CJ, works at Microsoft, Mandy is in medical school for genetics counseling, and Chuck is on a fellowship for an MSME.  Our youngest, Katie, is a junior at the University of Northern Michigan.  I moved my dad, C.J. Hebert from PA in 2001.  He had Alzheimers and lived with me for three years until he died at the age of 92.  He worked at Texaco for 36 years before he retired.  I still miss him, although caring for him was a bit of a challenge at the end.  I have worked for the Navy, as a civilian for 15 years.  We are developing new radars for the next generation of Aircraft Carriers.   

Thanks for keeping our class informed.   

from Sara Little Chilton in Beaumont
I have some big news that I would like to share with everyone.  After 27 years of being divorced, I have met just the right person, and we are getting married later this summer!  I am retiring from Beaumont ISD, packing up my home, putting it on the market, and moving to West Texas.  Just when I am turning the big 6-0!  Big changes, all at once! 

I am marrying Rusty Herman, an attorney from the northeast Houston area.  Last summer, he went to Alpine with me to meet my sister, Ellen '65, who has lived there more than 10 years.  He fell in love with the area, as it reminds him very much of his childhood home, northern Montana.  He decided it was just the place he wanted to be, so he closed his office in Houston, opened one in Alpine, and was settled there by March of this year.  I finished out the school year and will join him there as soon as I can get my home ready to put on the market.  I will continue to work when I get to Alpine, just not sure what exactly I will be doing.  But, I will certainly be looking forward to your NEWSLETTERS and Mike's updates so I can keep in touch with what everyone else is doing!  Wish me luck in this grand adventure!   

from Diane Richmond Miller in Silsbee
I called the phone # of MOMO's restaurant that Robbie Greig mentioned in our last NEWSLETTER and a young lady answered who told me that her grandmother owns the restaurant.  She used to be the cook at Monceaux's and knows all the recipes.  She swears the stuffed shrimp taste exactly the same as we would have remembered.  I will surely give it a try soon.  The phone # is (409)678-1202 for anyone that is interested.  

from Cherlyn Hebert in Houston
After almost a year of retirement, I am moving onto my new career as a TRAVEL AGENT.  I always knew that this would be something I would do when I was ready; now, the time has come.  As an independent travel agent, I work out of my house and will be able to take advantage of some good deals, plus I get to write off my travel expenses.  What can be better than that, I ask?  My goal is to make a little money for me and save some for my clients.  So, I'd appreciate a chance to provide pricing whenever anyone out there is thinking about a vacation.  Just drop me a line.  My own next trip is in August: three weeks sailing down the Volga River from Moscow to St. Petersburg.  I will be nice to get out of the Texas heat for that time; the temperature there should be somewhere in the the 70's. 

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HURRICANE NAMES for 2010

Alex
Bonnie
Colin
Danielle
Earl
Fiona
Gaston
Hermine
Igor
Julia
Karl
Lisa
Matthew
Nicole
Otto
Paula
Richard
Shary
Tomas
Virginie
Walter 

REALLY!  Who is actually in charge of making up these names?  Some are downright SILLY, of course, unless they hit your area.  Then, silly is not the word we say!

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QUALITY TIME spent with CLASSMATES

Murphy and I have been fortunate to spend some precious time with a few very special classmates recently at four different occasions. 

1st.....We spent a weekend with Ernie Castaneda and husband, Ron Bullion staying at the Inn at the Ballpark and viewing two Astros games while there.  The hotel is fabulous, (it didn't hurt that we are all baseball fans), and the leisurely spent quality time was an added bonus.  Of course, it would have been better if the ASTROS would have won at least one of the games.  A flash-back was attending a Latin mass held at the Catholic church next to the hotel!  Wow, memories came flooding back.  I have not been to a Latin mass since they changed them in 1962.   

2nd.....We went to Humble for a "surprise" 40th anniversary luncheon honoring married classmates, Janice Hebert and Barry Boudreaux.  It was so nice seeing how grown up their three beautiful daughters, sons-in-laws, and three sweet grandchildren were.  I served in their wedding and went with Terry Watson as my date for the 11:00am wedding that day.  That night, I had my FIRST date with my now husband, Murphy.  So, that day also holds great memories.  Terry and I are still close friends and Murphy and I are celebrating our 37 anniversary this summer.  Thanks Janice and Barry! 

3rd.....We went to a beautiful ceremony for the wedding of classmates Gary Barbin and Jody Hopkins' youngest son, Clay.  He married a precious girl, also from Waco.  Clay has just completed his first year of medical school at UTMB in Galveston at his dad's alma mater.  Memories again....I was Jody and Gary's maid of honor and she was my matron of honor.   

4th.....Shared fun-times at Casa Ole with classmates Debbie Borres, Ernie Castaneda, Sandra Garsea, and friend Linda Pouche Prioux for Ernie's 60th b-d.  Lots of laughs.  Always fun to be with that group. 

(Speaking of birthday celebrations~  I just love the new addition of birthday listings for the month that Mike has added to the website.  Thanks to Fred McCarty for spending hours looking them up from birth records.  What a trooper.)

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TRAGEDY AVERTED!

I received a phone call from my hysterical daughter on June 9th.  Through the anxious crying, I realized that she was saying that they had been in a flash flood while camping at the River Road Campgrounds in New Braunfels!  When all the information came in, I learned that they barely made it out of the camp ground in their truck in the wee dark hours of the morning amid lightning, thunder, and torrential rain.  They lost all of their belongings including their 2 bedroom RV and all their clothes, games, campting equipment, etc. AND her set of wedding rings.  They watched as some of the trailers were swept away.  They were safe as the owner of the park took them in, along with 9 others.  My granddaughters were scared and not sure if they will go back to camping for awhile if ever! Drew (5) keeps calling it a hurricane!  I guess there isn't a whole lot of difference since a flood is a flood!  Thank you, God, (and our newest guardian angel, my mom), for sparing their lives.  I think that must have been my mom's first big intervention.  She had only been in heaven 2 weeks when she had her first FAMILY problem to help with!  Love you, Mom.  We are so thankful.  Just a few days later, many were killed in the same storm system while camping in Arkansas.

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NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT

Well, it isn't easy but we are trying to get back to some normalcy here since Mom's death.  Lots of paper work, thank you notes, changes in schedules, and learning how to make Dad as comfortable as possible.  He is living with us in Lumberton during the week and goes to my sister's home in Bridge City on the weekends.  So far, so good.  Of course, with his dementia he can't find his bed, bathroom, etc.  It just takes awhile.  He is doing much better than we anticipated.  That is helping us heal faster.  I'll keep you posted.

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SUPPORT

(update on Tillman Richey's brother-in-law)
After extensive surgery and chemotherapy treatments, District Fire Chief David Chesser has returned to work at the Beaumont Fire Department.  Chesser, who has 36 years of service with the department, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer, last year.  He underwent surgery and recovered in Nebraska, and continues chemotherapy treatments.  Chesser is stationed at No. 10 Fire Station on Washington Boulevard as a district chief. 

(update on David Williams)
I am doing well going to cardiac rehab.  I have made a change in diet and my exercise pattern.  I have lost 25 + pounds and hope to lose more.  I returned to work part-time on June 7 and within 2 days decided I had had enough.  I will retire August 31 and look for the next great adventure.   

(update on Chrissy Dupuis Mullens' husband, Richard)
Richard is now home and on hospice care.  Please continue to pray for him and the family.
mullens@gt.rr.com 

Fred Hollier and his wife Norma need your prayers as they are going through major health issues. Fred's sister, Joanna Hollier Schmidthke '70 is also having critical health problems.   

Linda Hopper Hunt's husband, Hilton, is recovering from a stroke.  He is presently in Southeast Texas Regional Hospital in PA.  Please keep them in your prayers. 

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Thanks again for all the cards, calls, visits, and laughter you are offering since the death of my mom.  It still seems surreal to me.  Time has to help the hurt.  But, I sure miss her.  Love you Mom!  We are taking good care of Dad.  He misses you, too.   

                                  Stay in touch and contact a classmate,
                                  Linda DeCuir McFadden
                                  lindadmcfadden@yahoo.com
                                  www.tjhs1968.com

 

 

 

                              

 



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