It is New
Year's Eve
as I am
writing
this.
I am glad
that 2010 is
coming to a
close.
I think I
need a fresh
start.
Here's
hoping for a
new
beginning
and keeping
my eyes on
some goals
I am setting
for myself.
from
Beth Anne
Sutherlin
Coakley
in Bedford, TX
I teach in a
high school
with 70-80 %
Hispanic/disadvantaged....those
kids are at
our school,
also!
I'm retiring
in 30
months.
eac2005@sbcglobal.net
from
Cherlyn
Hebert
in Houston
My cruise
last month
on the
Allure of
the Seas
was
fantastic
even if it
was only a
2-night
cruise to
nowhere.
This is a
fabulous
ship.
I heartily
recommend
it; and
(here comes
the
shameless
plug), I
would love
to book a
cruise for
any of you,
of course.
There's
absolutely
something
for
everyone.
Lots of open
space, even
on a ship.
Miniature
golf, a
carousel
(even that
adults can
ride), a bar
that moves
up and down
3 floors,
and they
actually
have a
zipline!
I would
guesstimate
that the
length of
the zipline
is about the
length of a
football
field.
But for now,
I can cross
off zip line
from my
bucket list.
Maybe there
is enough
room for
world peace
after all.
hebert1220@att.net
from
Dwight
Wagner
'69
in Port Arthur
I am not a
member of
the TJ class
of '68, but
I just want
to commend
you and Mike
on the very
professional
manner in
which this
website is
produced.
God bless
you in all
your
efforts, and
may you
enjoy the
merriest and
most blessed
Christmas
ever.
(Dwight is
the
principal at
Dowling
Elementary
in the Port
Acres area.)
dwagner@paisd.org
from
Paula Iles
Restrepo
'69 in
Dallas area
I missed the
NEWSLETTER
not being on
the website
update two
weeks ago.
I do indeed
look forward
to the
McFadden/Lawson
bi-monthly
news
updates.
Our family
has spread
around the
world, and
John and I
have no
family here
in Dallas.
We are
looking
forward to
driving with
our daughter
Victoria,
15, to
Kansas to
spend with
John's
family which
includes 93
year
mother-in-law
who acts
more like
73, lives
alone,
drives to
church and
to work for
Source of
Light
Christian
ministry
during the
week, works
out at the
community
rec center
twice a
week,
and corresponds
to many
friends
around the
world, and
she is
bi-lingual
to boot.
She was a
missionary
teacher in
Columbia
where she
met her
husband in
the 40's.
restrepo2009@aol.com
from
Gary Hammond
in Plano
I wanted to
wish you and
Mike, along
with all my
TJ '68
classmates,
a very Merry
Christmas.
Speaking for
the class,
we
appreciate
all ya'll do
to keep us
together.
ghammond@sabrerealty.com
from
David Salter
in Oklahoma
City, OK
Thanks to
you and Mike
for doing a
great job
with the
website of
keeping tabs
on our
classmates.
I always
look forward
to receiving
the updates
every two
weeks.
As for us
here in OKC,
this year
ends for our
family with
excitement
and
anticipation
as we await
the birth in
early March
of Anna, who
will be our
first
granddaughter.
This is my
son, Windell
and
Kristen's
first child.
Our little
Anna will
have some
seasoned
mentors in
cousins,
A.J. (3
1/2+) and
Brogan (2
1/2), our
daughter
Erica &
Dan's boys.
Lana and I
are so
blessed in
that, our
kids and
grandkids
all are
located
within a
half mile of
our house!
In addition
to working
as financial
secretary/treasurer
of our
church, Lana
keeps the
boys on
weekdays.
I am still
in the oil
business
with Mustang
Fuel and ,
as of yet,
have no
plans to
retire soon.
Work is
still fun,
and we get
to travel as
the school
schedule
allows.
We and our
kids are big
fans of the
OKC Thurnder
basketball,
watching
many of the
games on TV
together and
attending
several
games each
year.
Best wishes
to my TJ
classmate
family for a
most blessed
2011!desalter@sbcglobal.net
from
Rhonda
Carleton
Richey '70
(wife of
Bill Richey)
(taken from
Face Book)
What a great
Christmas
with family,
especially
the little
ones.
Happy New
Year to all.
We are
staying home
for New
Year's Eve
while Bill's
foot/ankle
heals.
So sorry to
miss out on
our
after-Christmas
hill country
travels.
The doctor
said he is
too old to
jump out of
the duck
boat onto
the
concrete!!!
rrich@gt.rr.com
excerpts
taken from
Allen &
Wanda
Baldridge's
Christmas
Newsletter
In Hideaway,
TX Allen
continues to
enjoy
playing golf
and watching
FOX News.
And the fall
here has
been
glorious; in
the four
years we've
lived here
we've never
seen it
quite so
beautiful.
Ballooning
was once
again part
of our late
summer and
early fall
travel.
Reno and
Albuquerque
are still
our favorite
ballooning
trips.
We invite
you to give
us a call
and come
visit.
We are
grateful for
our health,
our family,
and our dear
friends.
xbaldridge@hotmail.com
***********************************************************************
It has been
pretty quiet
here.
We had a
low-key
Thanksgiving
(still
mourning my
mom) and
wanted it to
be quiet.
Christmas is
more for the
kiddoes and
I felt more
in the
holiday
spirit (not
my usual,
though).
My sister
has been
down with
upper
respiatory
infection
and dad was
showing the
beginnings
of the same.
Well, he was
out of his
dementia
medicine
(lost in the
mail after
being sent
from the
mail order
station) and
obviously
his
congestion
medicine
combined
with his
LACK of
Dementia
medicine
drove him
into a
hallucinogentic
state.
He was
"crazy" for
2 1/2 days.
This is so
unlike him.
I obviously
got a glimse
of what
someone acts
like with
Alzheimers.
I sure
didn't like
what I saw.
It was very
dangerous
for him and
us, too.
He seems to
be feeling
back to his
"normal"
self.
I wanted to
again share
with you my
home address
in
Lumberton.
We received
some
Christmas
mail at our
OLD
evacuation
address at
our
daughter's
home.
***********************************************************************
EXERCISE FOR
PEOPLE OVER
50
(sent in by
Linda
Blakeley
Rindlishbacher)
1)Begin by
standing on
a
comfortable
surface,
where you
have plenty
of room at
each side.
2)With a 5
lb. potato
bag in each
hand, extend
your arms
straight out
from your
sides and
hold them
there as
long as you
can.
Try to reach
a full
minute, and
then relax.
3)Each day
you'll find
that you can
hold this
position for
just a bit
longer.
After a
couple of
weeks, move
up to 10 lb.
potato bags.
4)After you
feel
confident at
that level,
put a potato
in each
bag!!!
***********************************************************************
Mike and I
were pleased
and happily
surprised to
receive a
check in the
mail for a
donation to
help pay for
the class
website.
Thank you to
Cynthia
Marshall
Devlin
in Zavalla,
TX.
***********************************************************************
REMEMBERING
CLASSMATES
WHO PASSED
AWAY IN 2010
Rachel
Burton
Wheeler
Ronnie
Hollier
Arthur
Eugene
Hufstetler
Tim Kennedy
Myra
McConathy
Schexnayder
***********************************************************************
(written by
Regina
Brett, 90,
of
Cleveland,
OH and sent
in by
Janice
Hebert
Boudreaux)
1)Life
isn't fair
but it's
still good.
2)When in
doubt, just
take the
next small
step.
3)Life is
too short to
waste time
hating
anyone.
4)Your job
won't take
care of you
when you are
sick.
Your friends
and parents
will.
Stay in
touch.
5)Pay off
your credit
cards every
month.
6)You don't
have to win
every
argument.
Agree to
disagree.
7)Cry with
someone.
It's more
healing than
crying
alone.
8)It's OK
to get angry
with God.
He can take
it.
9)Save for
retirement
starting
with your
first
paycheck.
10)When it
comes to
chocolate,
resistance
is futile.
11)Make
peace with
your past so
it won't
screw up the
present.
12)It's OK
to let your
children see
you cry.
13)Don't
compare your
life to
others.
You have no
idea what
their
journey is
all about.
14)If a
relationship
has to be a
secret, you
shouldn't be
in it.
15)Everything
can change
in the blink
of an eye.
But don't
worry; God
never
blinks.
16)Take a
deep breath.
It calms the
mind.
17)Get rid
of anything
that isn't
useful,
beautiful or
joyful.
18)Whatever
doesn't kill
you really
does make
you
stronger.
19)It's
never too
late to have
a happy
childhood.
But the
second one
is up to you
and no one
else.
20)When it
comes to
going after
what you
love in
life, don't
take no for
an answer.
21)Burn the
candles, use
the nice
sheets, wear
the fancy
lingerie.
Don't save
it for a
special
occasion.
Today is
special.
22)Over
prepare,
then go with
the flow.
23)Be
eccentric
now.
Don't wait
for old age
to wear
purple.
24)The most
important
sex organ is
the brain.
25)No one is
in charge of
your
happiness
but you.
26)Frame
every
so-called
disaster
with these
words, "In
five years,
will this
matter?"
28)Forgive
everyone
everything.
29)What
other people
think of you
is none of
your
business.
30)Time
heals almost
everything.
Give time
time.
31)However
good or bad
a situation
is, it will
change.
32)Don't
take
yourself so
seriously.
No one else
does.
34)God loves
you because
of who God
is, not
because of
anything you
did or
didn't do.
35)Don't
audit life.
Show up and
make the
most of it
now.
36)Growing
old beats
the
alternative--dying
young.
37)Your
children get
only one
childhood.
38)All that
truly
matters in
the end is
that you
loved.
39)Get
outside
every day.
Miracles are
waiting
everywhere.
40)If we all
threw our
problems in
a pile and
saw everyone
else's. we'd
grab ours
back.
41)Envy is a
waste of
time.
You already
have all you
need.
42)The best
is yet to
come.
43)No matter
how you
feel, get
up, dress up
and show up.
45)Life
isn't tied
with a bow,
but it's
still a
gift.
***********************************************************************
Ernie
Castaneda
Bullion's
in-laws are
both in poor
health after
falls and
age-related
illnesses. Mrs.
Bullion will
be
undergoing
surgery
soon.
tbull50@sbcglobal.net
(Janette
Light Norton
sent me the
following
note on Dec.
19th)
Just a note
to tell you
that I am in
the hospital
with a small
pulmonary
embolism.
A month ago
I had a
heart cath
because I
had severe
chest pains.
Nothing
showed and
the
determination
was stress.
And the pain
went away.
Friday
morning the
pain
returned and
did not go
away.
I thought I
was being a
big baby; I
wouldn't let
Richard
bring me to
the hospital
until late
that
evening.
Lord willing
we have
discovered
the clot
soon enough.
Just pray
for me and
my family.
(I just
procrastinated
too long for
my shopping
so it looks
like they
won't be
getting
Christmas
presents!
"-)
hjn50beach@yahoo.com
**********************************************************************
Carla Castro
Hass
(death of
her mother)
1106 Sun
Ave.
Port Neches,
TX 77651
cah0722@yahoo.com
(Taken off
of Face Book
on Wed.,
Dec. 29)
My MOM had
the most
beautiful
funeral
today.
Everything
but the rain
was
wonderful.
But, the
rain means
she went
straight to
Heaven.
She was so
beautiful.
Janette
Light Norton
(death of
her mother)
20219
Sweetgum Way
Cypress, TX
77433
hjn50beach@yahoo.com
(Taken off
of Face Book
Wed., Jan.
28)
Tonight my
momma is
singing with
the angels.
My daddy and
Charlie are
sitting on
either side
of her--and
she is
smiling! No
pain, no
sorrow.
Thank you
God for your
gift to our
family.
The worst
part of
losing my
mom just now
is that,
after loving
her for 60
years, I
can't tell
her goodbye.
Last week
the Drs.
found a
small blood
clot in my
left lung
and I can't
travel to
the little
country
cemetery in
NE TX.
I'm feeling
sorry for
myself.
I've been
with her
almost every
day.
Grammier
Oberle
Funeral Home
4841 39th
St.
Port Arthur,
TX 77642
Visitation:
Monday,
January 3
from 4-8 pm
Funeral
Service:
Tuesday,
January 4,
10 am at the
funeral
home
(Sent to me
by
Laura Meece
Darby)
We spent
Christmas
day with
Bart's mom
and she was
so happy to
see all of
us.
Even though
she was
getting
weaker and
weaker, she
really
fought hard
to be
here...especially
for his dad.
Bart left to
go see his
mom this
morning
(Friday, New
Year's Eve)
and was able
to be with
her for a
little time
before she
passed away.
God listened
to my
prayers.
She had
suffered
enough.
The family
suffered
watching her
this way.
His dad, who
is also in
very poor
health, is
devastated.
Thanks to
all who have
been
supporting
us these
last two
years.
We are
blessed with
good
friends.
***********************************************************************
Goodbye
2010.
I had some
good times
(vacations
in Alaska
and Boston)
and bad
times (Mom
passing
away).
Here's
hoping that
my
classmates
will have a
healthy,
safe, and
fun-filled
NEW YEAR.