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4/16/23
MAIL CALL
from Jan Russell in Houston
How did we get to be this old? Just yesterday we were 18! Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Jlrussell49@att.net

from Billy Caldwell in The Woodlands
Can’t wait to see everyone at the 55th reunion. It has been a long time since walking across the stage to receive our diplomas.
bgcaldwell@outlook.com

from Ann Hefley in Cypress, TX
I look forward to seeing all of our friends. Thank you for all the work the committee is doing to get our class together.
Annie12549@aol.com

from Nancy Ippolito in Conroe, TX
It is hard to believe it has already been 5 years since our last reunion. I look forward to seeing everyone in July.
nanseawell@yahoo.com

from Carol Olivier in Walsenburg, CO
Looking forward to the reunion.
tootsienooner@yahoo.com

WEBSITE DONATIONS
In the last two months since our last website update, we received donations from the following:
Janice Huebel
Cherlyn Hebert

Hal Ross – I know it is about time I sent a donation but I kept forgetting. This is for the last 15 or 20 years!
Sharon Gary – in memory of the deceased classmates
Linda DeCuir – in memory of Phyllis Woodard, Susan Broussard, Randy Blanchard, Marlene Fallin, Cathy Swanson and Alma Frances Cook
Mike and I are so thankful and humbled by your support.

For donations you may Pay by Check
Make out to:
Linda McFadden
Send to:
Linda DeCuir McFadden
7699 Boardwalk
Lumberton, TX 77657


REUNION DONATIONS

Cherlyn Hebert
Mindy Marburger

Judy Thompson – Use this $ for whatever is needed. We won’t be able to attend. Maybe the 60th?
Linda DeCuir – to use toward buying BOUDIN BALLS in memory of our sweet Lynn Eldridge (she paid for all the boudin balls every reunion)
These donations have helped to pad our reunion account and will help us to be able to make the planning a little easier.
THANK YOU from the class of ’68, 55th reunion committee members

Pay by Check
Make out to:
TJ, class of ‘68
Send to:
Linda DeCuir McFadden
7699 Boardwalk
Lumberton, TX 77657


REUNION NEWS

The 55th reunion invitations were sent on March 22, 2023. (The invitations were designed by my senior granddaughter, Drew Boullion.) We have had wonderful response already! That is exciting for the reunion committee that has been meeting monthly since last summer. But, remember that not just a meeting is involved. Many hours have been spent trying to confirm and update addresses and contacts. Of the invites sent, we have received 19 back. Of those, I followed up by e-mail, text, FB, etc and was able to resend 9 of them. Some of the envelopes we received back had confirmed addresses in the last two to three months. Who knows????
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN INVITATION and WOULD LIKE ONE, please contact me and I will send you one promptly.

The following classmates had their invitations returned due to address problems and I have not been able to correct the contact information.
Catharine Finley
Peggy Foster
Juanita Perales
Shirley Moreau
Dennis Schmidt
Beth Robbs
Darrell Matte
Lynnette Robbins
Darla Achord

If you have their correct contact info, please let me know.

Contact me:
Linda DeCuir McFadden
By text (409)749-4879
By e-mail lindaDmcfadden@yahoo.com

Friday, July 21, 2023
6-9 pm
Mixer/Social/Hors D’oeuvres
CASUAL DRESS
Museum of the Gulf Coast
700 Procter St.
Port Arthur, TX 77642
Cash bar

Saturday, July 22, 2023
7-10 pm
Hors D’oeuvres/Social/Dance
CASUAL DRESS
Jefferson County Dance Club
7851 Green Ave.
Nederland, TX 77627
BYOB but wine, beer and set ups must be purchased there.
HUSSARS will hopefully perform at approximately 7:30pm Saturday night only.

$50.00 per person (includes both nights)
$35.00 per person (one night of your choice)
*Your tickets will be held at the door of the event*

Payment Methods:
Check: TJ, class of ‘68
Send to:
Linda DeCuir McFadden
7699 Boardwalk
Lumberton, TX 77657

or
Venmo: Thomas-Jefferson68
PayPal: @TJHS68

HOTEL INFORMATION

The following have blocked rooms:
Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton
Best Western Plus Mid County
Towne Place Suites by Marriott
Clarion Pointe

DO NOT WAIT TOO LONG TO CALL FOR RESERVATIONS since there is a deadline and also only so many rooms have been allotted by the hotels.

These DO NOT have blocked rooms or discounted rates but are located nearby:
Residence Inn by Marriott
Home2 Suites by Hilton


All of these hotels are in a one block radius.
More information is on the invitation and website under the REUNION NEWS section

LIST OF ATTENDEES (as of Saturday, April 15, 2023)
Linda DeCuir & Murphy McFadden
Bobby Williamson & Jonnye Dee Doering
Cecelia Trevino & Tony Esqueda
Debbie Borres & Raymond Desmond
Diane Barker
Ernie Castaneda & Ron Bullion
Jeanette Constantine & Denny Morgan
Hal Ross & Glenda McCuller
Carmen Babin
Lyn Frasier & Perry Lee
Carol Hammonds
Jimmy Schexnayder
Bart Darby & Laura Meece
Dale Netherland
Mary Wells
Carla Castro
Mikey Varing
Beth Anne Sutherlin & Ron Coakley
Georgia Peterson & Joe Winkler
Gary Barbin & Jody Hopkins
Jim and Jane Andrus
Terry Saulsberry
Jan Russell
Billy & Jan Caldwell
Ann Hefley & Don Boriskie
Jack & Chris Atkins
Linda Eldemire
Linda Carlsen
Gail Wilson & Ross Felker
Arleen Lang & Marlon Hulin
Janis Hamilton
Tinker Brown & Jody Juneau
Jude & Cindy Arisco
George Breeding
Sharon Gary
Bill & Rhonda Richey
Richard Cole
Shirley Barra
Nancy Ippolito & Mike Babin
Mindy Marburger
Carol Olivier
Linda Gothia
Marilyn Jackson
Paula Daigle
Lana Oliver
Sandra Garsea
Sharon Lewis
Darlene Turner & Ronnie Smith
Patricia Trahan & Ray Knox
Janice Huebel & Glenn Slaughter
Fred McCarty & Lynda Kalantzakis
Carole Oubre & Marvin Reeves
Ruelle & Lana Parker


MEMORABILIA INDEX
Take the time to get to know our class website better. On the front page of the website, scroll until you find MEMORABILIA INDEX. Go to the word Memorabilia at the bottom and click. Once there, enjoy by opening the different items that we have collected over the years for your enjoyment. If you have any other items, contact me about them.

CLASSMATE LISTING
Another tool to stay in touch is to use the CLASSMATE LISTING link. You may find this by going to the TOP of the website. Next to the YELLOW JACKET symbol, find the 3 diagonal lines, then click on them. To the right of CLASSMATE LISTING is a downward arrow. By touching the arrow, it opens up the alphabet list. This list includes classmates’ names, location and most times, an e-mail address. We do not publish street addresses. Often, a classmate contacts me to find out a classmate’s e-mail address. See, you have had them at your fingertips all along. Thank you, Mike, for helping me keep this list current.

NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT

It seems forever since I wrote the last newsletter two months ago. A lot has happened. Murphy has to take a back seat for my attention. I am usually in the office staying on top of reunion business. I have been trying to do as much as possible before the end of April. Right after I wrote the last newsletter February 18, I hurt my left shoulder yanking on a dog leash (not even hard)! I really think that the shoulder might have had a partial tear already. Well, the aggravated shoulder got worse in a week until I couldn’t lift it. I got a steroid shot in it and steroid pills. I went back the next week to get the second shot. An MRI was prescribed. I got home and decided one injured arm wasn’t enough. I fell in the hallway and landed flat on my face with my right arm straight out and messed it up bad! I hadn’t even had the MRI on the left one yet. Now, I have two wounded arms and Murphy calls me T- REX or Flipper. I can’t reach up or out with either. To make it worse, I got the MRI results of the left and there is a massive rotator cuff tear, SLAP tear and torn biceps tendon, and partial tear of the ligament. WHAT THE HECK! I have an appointment with Dr. T Bradley Edwards on April 27. My family physician said to let him check out the right arm at that time. In the mean time I have now received two steroid shots in the right arm. Ugh. GOOD NEWS!!!! I can TYPE all day long even with two “broken wings”. Yay me! But it isn’t just me, me, me! Murphy was jealous that I was getting all the attention, so he decided to fall off the ladder cutting down a limb. He was up about 5-6 feet by himself and I was leaving to go to a doctor appointment. I decided to turn back around and check on him before I headed out and he was on the ground.!!! While using a pole chain saw, a cut limb swung around and broke the rung of the ladder. Thankfully, Murphy was guarded by an angel AND our golden retriever grand dog who was waiting with a tennis ball wondering when he wouldn’t get up off the ground and throw it to him, again! Luckily, all he had were some bruises and a sore knee. We are very thankful that it wasn’t worse. On a better note, we attended our first Vietnamese mass and baptism recently in Beaumont. The singing was beautiful, just as I imagine angels would sound. We later went to their family gathering and met many new friends. We were invited because my nail tech had her first baby and calls me her son’s “grandma”. Now, it is crying time. Not from pain, but from my last granddaughter, Drew, having her LAST everything at high school. She played her last soccer game in the UIL playoffs (I cried like a baby) then the next night had her spring revue and her last drill team dances and video of her from being a baby on up! By now, I am a blubbering idiot. We have an only child and two granddaughters. By the end of August, they will both be away at Texas A&M and Murphy and I will be empty nesters AGAIN! NOOOOOO! Oh yeah, the other bad news, remember the cruise I was gushing about in February? We obviously had to cancel! T-Rexs aren’t allowed!!!

SUPPORT

Butch Ellis (husband of Liz Tieskens)
2/17
open heart triple by-pass surgery here in Boulder.
2/22/23
doing very well 5 days post-op; moved to regular room from ICU last evening; decided to opt for a hopefully short stay at rehab to ensure strength, mobility, and safety for when he goes home and begins cardio rehab...should go to rehab tomorrow.
3/3/23
We are home!!! Butch is doing so well after his by-pass surgery. Can't believe 2 weeks have gone by...we are both so relieved to be out of hospital and rehab and moving forward to better days and renewed health. We are so grateful for your prayers and well wishes that have supported us through this time. What a privilege to be loved by our families and friends, and especially by our heavenly Father who walks with us every step of the way!
liztellis@gmail.com
358 Elk Trail
Lafayette, CO 80026

Hal Ross
pancreatic cancer
3/13
I've been feeling good, working in the yard and at church. But I go to Houston tomorrow, March 14, for some more of that Home Cooked Chemo at MDA, so the next week I'll be moving slow. I meet with the oncologist and the surgeon at the end of March and they'll tell me if I'm making any progress or not. The last report was basically the tumor was slightly smaller and no visible metastasis. I took that as a win.
They finally decreased my Chemo frequency to three weeks rather than two weeks which makes life between treatments much better.
Thanks to everyone for the cards and letters of encouragement and especially for the prayers. God’s blessings are endless.
3/14
Just an add-on to yesterday’s report: This morning we left home at 5:00 am and white-knuckled our way 95 miles through what could have been predawn darkness, but for the continuous string of blinding oncoming headlights of east bound compensating insecure drivers of ridiculously jacked up pickup trucks and, naturally, the I-10 crazed homicidal (perhaps suicidal) west bound commuters. Then we arrived safely and thankful at MDA.
The lab took me immediately, the results were published instantly to the treatment team and were deemed adequate.
I was assigned to a treatment room, excited that everything was going so efficiently, and eager to get this over with. But…then came the DISCUSSION. I had successfully reached a treatment milestone. Yay? Sort of. I had gained the 10% of my presenting body weight that everyone tasked me to do. Yay? Sort of.
The Infusion group called the Pharmacist, who called the Oncologist. The issue was should the dosage be increased now that there was more of me. The only dog I had in that fight was the clock’s ticking. Move this thing along. After a 2 1/2 hour team DISCUSSION, the team decided to kick the can down the road and deal with it next time.
So, finally I got the Chemo and made it back home by 3:30pm. Another day at MDA
hal.ross@me.com
3113 Madison
Nederland, TX 77627

Mark Waedemon (son of Betty Bernauer and Ron Waedemon)
3/12
Severe health issue
Bbw1m@aol.com
1818 Cheyenne River Circle
Sugar Land, TX 77478

Mikey Varing
Continued health issues and chemo treatment since battling cancer for the last 5 years
Veringmichael32@gmail.com
749 Queen’s Court
Port Arthur, TX 77642

Lee Benedetto Martin
4/11
Had pacemaker implanted
leemnsf@msn.com
74561 Columbia River Hwy
Rainier, OR 97048

Debbie Borres Desmond
Lymphoma
Started chemo pills again. No ill effects.
Desmonddebbie353@gmail.com
503 37th St.
Nederland, TX 77627

Creig Romero
Prostate cancer
3/12
I had an appointment with Oncologist Dr. Fararch (Methodist) and I am still Prostate Cancer Free. PSA levels were down from 0.9 to 0.7. Before my Brachytherapy treatments last May 4th & May
 18th, my PSA level was 4.9. I have my checkup every 4 months and in June will test again. Thanks to Dr. Starke who discovered the cancer and Dr. Fararch who treated my cancer. Guys can't
 emphasize enough whatever your age, get your PSA checked.
creig@creigromero.com
PO Box 262584
Houston, TX 77202

Jeff Lee (son of Janis Hamilton)
4/9
Please pray for Jeff. He had A Fib 2 weeks ago and again Thursday. He will be shocked next week but he’s waiting to hear from a Dr in Oklahoma about an ablation & they also want to change his
 2-year old pacemaker out for a defibrillator. Surgeries need to be done in 2-6 months.
markjlee@yahoo.com
712 Little Jeff
Port Neches, TX 77651

Alfred & Carolyn (Bigler) Hebert (faculty teacher and wife)
Serious health issues
hawiistomnd@hotmail.com

Carole Oubre Reeves
Pancreatic cancer
3/13
Update on my journey. No good news yesterday. Looks like this cancer is getting too cozy. Indicator is my tumor markers keep increasing. Long story short Oncologist wants me to see the Cancer Radiologist. She's thinking the cancer is still in my abdomen area. She is also sending me to a Nephrologist as my kidney function is a bit off whack. I'm going for treatments every other week for now. Will let you know when I know more. In the meantime, all your prayers are much appreciated. Love you all
Carole.reeves@att.net
6535 Jefferson
Groves, TX 77619

Charlie Fontenot
Prostate cancer
3/7
(note from wife, Becky)
Charlie is having Prostate Surgery at MDAnderson today. His anesthesiologist came in saying she prayed for him. Then, the nicest custodian asked how my Loved one was doing and proceeded to say the most Beautiful and thoughtful Prayer.
cajunfont@aol.com
412 Brookedale
League City, TX 77573

Ricky Bradley
Chronic Lung issues
Rbradley73064@yahoo.com
9221 SW 99th St.
Mustang, OK 73064

Charline Valenciano Allen
Dementia
Jhargrave77@yahoo.com
8695 Medical Center Blvd.
Port Arthur, TX 77640

Dianna (Caillier) and Robert Lewis
Serious health issues
912 E. 6th St.
Port Arthur, TX 77640

CONDOLENCES

Classmates gone too soon

Alma Frances Cook
6/27/50 – 8/23/21
(Thank you to her husband who informed me of her death after he received the reunion invitation. Our condolences to him.)
Johnny Rigby
18026 C.R, 4256 S.
Henderson, TX 75654

Phyllis Woodard
9/11/50 -10/7/22
(I found out about her passing while researching about another classmate. She was married to classmate, Godfrey Charles)
pcharles@gt.rr.com
Godfrey Charles
4237 Big Bend Ave.
Port Arthur, TX 77642

Susan Broussard
8/9/50 – 2/21/23
(Thank you to classmate, Reginald Stephens, for informing me of Susan’s passing)

Bertrand Greig
4718 Oakside Dr.
Houston, TX 77053

Marlene Fallin
4/3/50 – 3/5/23
(Thank you to classmate, Joye Jefferson, for informing of Marlene’s death and also for providing information of the services and sending the obituary)
Ken Santos
348 Drury Ln.
Austin, TX 78737

Randy Blanchard
11/13/49 – 3/18/23
(Thank you to Randy’s best friend, John LeBlanc, for making sure that we knew of his passing. RIP, sweet cousin)
John LeBlanc
3836 Lexington
Port Arthur, TX 77642

Cathy Swanson
11/6/49 – 3/23/23
(Thank you to classmate, Dianna Caillier, for making sure we had the information on Cathy.)
Clifton Williams
8735 Holmes Rd.
Nederland, TX 77627

Our class was hit really hard the last couple of weeks learning about all the deaths. That makes our total come to 172 known deceased classmates. Take the time to reach out to the classmates on the SUPPORT LIST and the families of our deceased classmates. Take the time to smell the roses, hug friends and family, and try to take it a day at a time.

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