TJ Class of '68     NEWSLETTER                                                           07/03/10
         
         

Happy for rain here but sad that is raining so much in the Houston area that they are having flooding! 

MAIL CALL

from Georgia Peterson Winkler in Austin
I am now a grandmother!  Andrea, our oldest, has a little boy.  Now I finally get to enjoy the role of grandmother.  The rest of the family is also doing well.  Allison and Blake are in California.  He is in school at Berkley.  Ashley is still in Austin working.   

Thanks to you and Mike for the work you do on keeping us informed.  It's fun to read the news.  Even my brother, Perry '65, commented on how ya'll know everyone. 

from Dianna Caillier Lewis in Port Arthur
Thank you so much for sending me the updates in the mail of our classmates.  I like the idea of listing the Birthdays of the Month.  Also, I was wondering if you ever hear from Ronnie Campbell.  Thanks again and tell Mike thanks, too. 

from Billy Jordan in Decatur, AL
I just got back from my annual fishing and camping trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  For those who do not know, this is an area between Minnesota and Ontario with lots and lots of lakes.  We always camp and fish on the Canadian side.  There were six of us that went and had a great time even in the rain.  We saw lots of wild life including very large eagles and beaver.  We caught a lot of smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  We stayed five nights and for three days we did not see another person.  The sunrises and sunsets were just fantastic.  Over that time, we canoed around 50 miles portaging from lake to lake.  The water is so clear and pure that we could drink it without adding anything to it.  I cannot wait until next year. 

I finally decided to do something good for myself.  I have disciplined myself on eating and exercise and have lost about 30 pounds over the last six months.  My goal is to reach what I weighed when I played basketball at T.J.  I have about 20 pounds to go to get there.  I am proud that I have done this without any diet plan, just will power.  I have not had any ice cream for six months, which is tough since I just love Blue Bell.  I have learned yogurt is pretty good.   

I am spending 20+ hours a week at my church taking care of maintenance and doing small improvement projects.  We have a very active congregation and there is always something going on.  In three weeks, we hope to be off to Destin, FL for our annual summer week at the beach.  Of course, that is if the oil does not prevent it.   

I really love hearing from the classmates and look forward to the NEWSLETTERS and updates on the website every two weeks.   

from Richard Daniels in Beaumont
Gosh, I must be the poster boy for the "Get a Life" campaign.  Our company has been so busy trying to survive in these terrible economic conditions, (for the construction industry), there hasn't been much else going on.  But, my health is good, at least the physical part!  "-)  Just had my annual check-up and the doctor said everything looks good.   

from Charles Cramer in Downingtown, PA
We are in Sydney, Austrailia today heading for the Great Barrier Reef to scare the fish! 

from Raymond Belz in Tyler, TX
We just got back from Tucson, AZ.  Will send some pictures. 

from Sandy Ellis MacNamara in Elgin, TX
Sorry to be out of touch so much.  I continue to work 40+ hours a week, working in a career that shows little mercy on those of us who do the work.  I continue to love the work I do and believe I still have a few more years left in me.  Of course, it is interesting when I get clients that I have start thinking, "this ol' woman....what does she know"?  So, my journey continues.  

The grandbabies are amazing.   There is nothing like cute kids you get to hang out with until they quit being cute and then you send them home! They were out for Father's Day.  Kiersten learned how to pick tomatoes.  Christopher perferred being in the house where it was cool and with his grandma!   

Both my husband and I are healthy.  We are hoping to get a few long weekends this summer with a longer vacation in the fall.  We are going to the beach at Port Aransas this month.  We are worried about the oil and what it is doing to the wildlife.   

from Paula Iles '69 from Dallas
We are off to a nice summer her in Big D.  Our only child daughter, Victoria, 15, is going into Highland Park High next year.  She will be in a Christian overnight horsemanship camp in Waxahachie and then we will all fly to California July 3 for 2 1/2 weeks to hit the high spots of my beloved Southern California where I lived from 1970-1980.  Then we will spend a week in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach "Surf City USA", 4 days in LA/Hollywood/Santa Monica and another week in North San Diego (Del Mar, Solana Beach, La Jolla).   

I have been helping my TJ friend, Martha Ray Redd, to find her birth family.  She found her brother living in Memphis.  They have met several times now.  Martha was in Hussars with me and it was rewarding to use my hobby of genealogy to help her find her family. 

Las year or so I mentioned that I had found Jack Bottoms.  He was the choir director at TJ until he left in 1968.  I have his e-mail address if anyone is interested in contacting him.  He is retired and lives in Jewett, Texas.

from Janice Hebert Boudreaux in Kingwood
Barry and I just got back from our first ever trip to Las Vegas!  We had a wonderful time celebrating our 40th anniversary, Father's Day and my Birthday! Our kids made reservations for us at The Top of World Restaurant at the Stratosphere and it was wonderful.  Of course, for my birthday we went to see the VIVA ELVIS Show.  It was GREAT!  We also saw The Jersy Boys and The Rat Pack.  We really had a terrific time.

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NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT 

Dad is settling in here at our home in Lumberton.  He stays with us Monday - Friday mornings and then I meet my sister and she takes him to her house for the weekends in Bridge City.  He has stopped crying and asking those questions that don't always have answers.  I take him on errands, let him help me with the chores, bring him out, etc.  He watches tv, sits on the porch swing in the front, and the glider in the sunroom on the back side of the house.  He eats everything on his plate and is not a picky eater.  So, keep your fingers crossed that it continues to work out.   

My daughter, Stacy, received a registered letter from a Wrecker Company telling her that they found and retrived her RV that went down the river during the flash flood in New Braunfels.  What's left?  The foundation and the tires!  They wanted $1,000 and $20.00 a day storage.  She told them to contact the insurance company since it was rightfully theirs now.  She had coverage on the trailer but a SNAFU caused her not to have coverage on contents!!

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Website to check out

A reader sent us this website that she felt might be of interest to those in the coastal areas.  Thanks to Karen Champagne Milliff (Ned '69)

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SUPPORT

from Chrissy Dupuis Mullens
Richard is on hospice care.  He has had two bad nights where pain medicines every hour did nothing.  Today, (Friday), they gave morphine in suppositories that seems to help.  He is very weak but is still getting up a little.  Please continue prayers.
cmullens@gt.rr.com 

(update on Leo Foreman)
His tumor has shrunk overall 85%.  In 3 weeks, he will go for his 6th chemo then go back in 3 more weeks for more tests.  He has been having many other health issues that may keep him from getting back his health as quickly.  Please continue to pray for him and his wife Sherrie.  

4648 Gulf Street
Groves
, TX 77619
 

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CONDOLENCES

Georgette Licatino Stepan
(death of her mother)

110 Greenwood Dr
.
Beaumont
, TX 77705

rstepan2033@esagelink.net 

Walter Jones '67
(death of his wife, Linda Messer Jones '66)

211 Jayhil Drive

Minneola
, FL 34715

wdjrel@hotmail.com 

"I would like to thank all of the class of 1968 for your prayer support while we dealt with my wife, Linda's ovarian cancer ordeal.  We always felt the compassion and caring in all the messages we got from your class.  I will continue to follow the class of 1968 in all you do.  I have lots of friends in your class.  May God bless and keep each of you as He has kept us."

             Walter Jones 

Gary Barbin
(death of his father)

2515 Eldridge Lane

Waco
, TX 76710

gkbarbin@yahoo.com 

You may find these obituaries on the front page of the website.

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I noticed that many that wrote in were on vacation or planning one.  Murphy and I are also planning on going on an Alaskan cruise in August.  Yeah!  I hope that the classmates will continue to send Mike and I tidbits so that we can have good updates for you every two weekends, as usual.   

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

 

 

 

 

                              

 



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