8/13/23

MAIL CALL
I want to APOLOGIZE for not writing a newsletter since April, 2023! The mail service Mike Lawson and I use would no longer work and send to the classmates as bulk mail. Even having to divide the 442 classmate e-mails into three separate groups would not work. After many months of Mike trying hard and talking over and over to the mail managers and researching for a new program to our liking, we decided to spend $ out of the website checking account and start from scratch with a new softwear. I had to hand type a list of e-mails after updating them from the class spreadsheet. My list on my computer is also listed by FIRST NAMES then LAST! That wouldn’t work for Mike. Then, the reunion was so near and my mind was completely on that. Mike’s wife was having some health issues that he had to be with her. So, we have our fingers crossed that we now have things under control. We’ll see. Thanks for still hanging in there and supporting us in this endeavor!!! Mike is still learning this new program called Ventura.

MAIL CALL
 I will not list all the wonderful notes and messages received in the last four months since there were so many conveying how excited they were about the upcoming 55th reunion. The response was amazing. I also heard from some who were disappointed that they were not going to be able to make it down to PA. Some of the reasons were personal poor health or in the family, too far to drive, vacations previously planned, family obligations, etc.

DONATIONS
Website:
Shelley Dettman
Linda DeCuir (in memory of Josephine Bordonaro, Patricia Patrick & Harold Schkade)

Reunion Account:
Jim Gill (in memory of his wife, the late Lynn Eldridge)

55th REUNION
The committee came through again to bring a wonderful event to fruition. It sure takes a village to plan and implement this large of a gathering. It was amazing that no drama came about in the last stages. Wow!

FRIDAY NIGHT at the Museum of the Gulf Coast
Golf Carts provided transportation to and from vehicles
Plenty of food and drinks
25 large framed posters of pictures from the senior annual
Beautiful table decorations and memorabilia displayed
Pictures honoring the 174 known deceased classmates
Lots of visiting
Reminiscing
177 classmates & guests attended

SATURDAY NIGHT at the Jefferson County Dance Hall
Almost all of the food was consumed including the beautiful TJ sheet cake
Hussars came and performed (we donated $250.00 to their scholarship fund)
Group pictures were taken of Woodrow Wilson JH, Thomas Edison JH, & TJHS
All military & military spouses were honored
Reunion committee announced
Gift given to Pat Trahan for purchasing the 1st reunion ticket last March.
Gift given to Cheryl Mackey for traveling the farthest
(Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, to PA 1661 miles)
More beautiful table decorations
Table set up selling custom made Pens and Jewelry with many TJ colors
(contact Sandra Garsea Broussard for more info. Sandrabroussard@yahoo.com
Memorabilia displayed
Memorial display
DJ playing oldies
Lots of smiles and hugs
HARLEM SHUFFLE!
Classmates singing the Alma Mater and Fight Song at the top of their lungs
155 classmates and guests attended
(bad thunder and lightning during the night)

COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXTRAORDINAIRE!
Bobby Williamson, Cecelia Trevino, Darlene Turner, Debbie Borres, Diane Barker, Ernie Castaneda, Jeanette Morgan, Jonnye Doering, Linda Gothia, Marilyn Jackson, Paula Daigle, Lana Oliver, Sandra Garsea & Sharon Lewis. Our spouses, Murphy McFadden, Tony Esqueda, Raymond Desmond, Ron Bullion, and Dennis Morgan, have been extra helpful again this year. A giant thank you to them for putting up with us all year and for helping setting up, delivering and packing and repacking! Also, Bill & Rhonda Richey are honorary committee members and lend a hand in the decorating, clean up and Bill again was the “host” at the Saturday night event. Thank you for your help, also. (This was an especially ROUGH year physically for many of the committee dealing with serious health issues. They toughed it through. Kudos to this hard-working, dedicated group.)

A BIG THANKS TO THE VOLUNTEERS who helped keep both nights running smoothly. We couldn’t have done as well without your help!!!!
Anna Beth (Marsh) ’70 & husband Gene Christian ‘67
Martha (Lipe) Bodin ‘69
Dianne (Mannino) Landry ‘69

PS. While talking to a classmate on the phone a few days after the reunion, I was surprised at his response when I asked why he hadn’t made BOTH NIGHTS. He said, “Oh, I always thought the Saturday night event was for couples.” NO WAY!! I had never had anyone say that to me. Now, I am sad that might be why we don’t have others come on Saturday night. Lots and lots are singles attend on Saturday. It is just MORE time to mingle and continue catching up with some you didn’t get to talk to on Friday night.

The most amazing thing was we had to PLAN & IMPLEMENT this reunion on HALF the funds as our 50th reunion! We cut corners on quanity but not QUALITY!
THAT’S ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL REUNION IN THE BOOKS!

REUNION PICTURES
I tried to copy as many pictures as possible that were posted on Face Book. Also, some of the classmates personally sent some to me. I passed them onto Mike to publish on the website. To view them, first go to SITE LINKS, then PHOTO GALLERY and follow prompts to REUNIONS. Please send me any photos that you would like to add to the group of pictures from the 55th reunion. Joel Levy has promised to send me several at a little later time. Take time to check them out and send any that you may have that weren’t included.

E-MAIL & CONTACTS
PLEASE, please try to keep me updated on these. I have heard that anyone with an sbcglobal.net e-mail address will need to change theirs by the end of the year. I don’t have that kind of server so I can’t be sure.

NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
I’m still dealing with my two torn rotator cuffs that were injured two weeks apart in March! I have been going to aquatic therapy twice a week since May and my left shoulder is getting more range. So, I choose not have to have surgery on that one at this time. I will probably have surgery (reverse shoulder replacement) done by Dr. Edwards at Fondren in early October on the right one, though. The reason it wasn’t done earlier was I had to much going on with the REUNION PLANNING and our 50th anniversary was coming up on July 28th. My husband surprised me early with an anniversary flower arrangement delivered on July 26th. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD EVER SENT ME FLOWERS!!!! Perfect timing. The next day we took a road trip to Houston for a dr. appointment, proceeded on to Bryan to visit cousins, and then to A&M to visit our first granddaughter who is a junior there. WE brought the FLOWERS along on the trip surrounded by ice in an ice chest. On our actual anniversary the next day, our daughter and our second granddaughter surprised us there at a restaurant. They brought t-shirts made up for the five of us to commemorate the special anniversary weekend. That evening we went to a “fancy” restaurant and opened some gifts from them. When we returned to the hotel, (TEXAS A&M CONFERNECE CENTER on campus), the hotel desk staff surprised us with champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and macarons! The next day, our “bonus” daughter (niece) and her husband surprised us at the hotel. We all hung out by the pool. That night, Joe Breaux (’69) and Suzanne came by and we reminisced about our time growing up in Lakeview and TJ. We left the next morning and visited dear friends in New Braunfels. It was a wonderful road trip. The FLOWERS made it to all the stops! It was like the “Anniversary Trip of the Traveling Flowers!” I wouldn’t have changed a thing! Lots of surprises, no drama and lots of eating. Now, this week our last granddaughter leaves for A&M to begin her college journey. Murphy and I will have EMPTY NEST again! First time, only child left for A&M in 1996 and last GRAND leaves in 2023. Boo Hoo!

SUPPORT
Jeff Lee (son of Janis Hamilton)
Ablation and will need a defibulator pacemaker
markjlee@yahoo.com
712 Little Jeff
Port Neches, TX 77651

Ricky Bradley
4/19/23
The doctor glued the hole in his lung 2X & did debridement of the wound. Follow up is in 1 month and doctor will flush lung wound to check for leak. If all is good, we will proceed to using the wound vac to start wound closing up.
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

Gary Hammond
A variety of tests being run. Also, a heart monitor for a month.
5321 Seascape Ln.
Plano, TX 75093
ghammond@sabrerealty.com

Charlie Fontenot
4/30
Let me begin with my appreciation of all the prayers and good thoughts from everyone as I battled with prostate cancer. I had my first follow up since surgery and it was as good as I could have expected. Best news was no radiation is needed unless numbers change. Will continue with three- month check-ups for now! Again, sincere thanks to all my wonderful classmates for thinking of me.
cajunfont@aol.com
412 Brookedale
League City, TX 77573

Randy Sonnier
major health issues
220 N. 32nd St
Nederland, TX 77627

Hal Ross
Pancreatic cancer
Hal.ross@me.com
3113 Madison
Nederland, TX 77627

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

Jim Snoek
5/28/23
Update on surgery: yesterday I had the cochlear implant in what was to be 1 ½ - 2 hour procedure. It took 4 hours. In spite of MRIs and CT scans the surgeon did not anticipate I have such a hard thick skull. But the surgeon is optimistic about the results. I see her again June 5. Meanwhile we will communicate with the cochlear institute that will provide and program the instruments for activating the implant in about four weeks. Does it hurt? It did feel like I had been shot in the head but that has eased up so not bad. Going without food or drink (coffee) for so long before the procedure was probably the biggest shock to my system along with anesthesia induced nap. So, all is well in the cone of silence.
jimsnoek@gmail.com
112 Roadrunner Trail
Boerne, TX 78006

Pam McLeod Young
7/22
Asking for prayers for relief of major pain caused from symptoms of an illness.
pamiefly@gmail.com
10416 Hwy 254
Graford, TX 76449

Alfred Hebert (biology teacher)
6/8/23
(posted on FB by wife, Carolyn Hebert)
All who remember Alfred Hebert as their teacher or of a friend, he is in need of major big-time prayers. He is in a rehab hospital. He has had 7 admissions since May 10th. The hospital has stated things that were untrue. He did not have a seizure and fall out of his wheelchair. He was doing something and the chair was not locked. When he went to sit down, the chair catapulted him about 20 feet across the hard tile floor with him landing flat on his back. When the paramedics got here, he was unconscious. Due to a fall in December. He was using a wheelchair and a walker per instructions of the physical therapist. He is not wheelchair bound. The day after being dismissed from PT he had what appeared to be a full body seizure to me, not a violent one. Prayers please. hawiistomnd@hotmail.com

Linda Faulk (wife of Mike Faulk)
7/14
On June 20th, our world was rocked. Linda was diagnosed with lung cancer (non-smoking). Thankfully, it is in the left lung/lining ONLY. She has a wonderful doctor at MD Anderson in League City. Waiting on the results of one more test next week. Then, the doctor will have a treatment plan, hopefully starting next week.
7/24
We received good news today from MD Anderson! Linda’s type of non-smoking lung cancer is treatable by target therapy! Her doctor thinks she will do really well with this. Linda will start treatment soon.
Linda will continue the primarily organic, plant-based diet as she continues to recover from video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Thank you for the cards, texts, gift cards, food, and words of support, but most of all, your continued prayers.
Msf50@gt.rr.com
8370 E. Bridgefield
Orange, TX 77630

Carole Oubre Reeves
8/12
First of all, I’m so sorry I was unable to make the reunion but Marvin had fun for me and brought back many hugs and love from all of you. Currently I am still on chemo but the oncologist wants me to see the radiation oncologist. If I have to do radiation, it would be for five weeks for five days a week. I am not looking forward to that. I have not met with the doctor yet so I’ll let you know the outcome of that visit. Right now, I’m feeling okay. The oncologist cut back on the chemo dosage to give my body a break and it’s working. The tumor markers are not going down which means there is still a presence of cancer cells in my body. Oh, that they would just dissolve disappear go away! Please continue prayers. Thanks to all of you who do keep me in your prayers.
Carole.reeves@att.net

Debbie Borres Desmond
Lymphoma
Desmonddebbie353@gmail.com
503 37th St.
Nederland, TX 77627

Dianna (Caillier) & Robert Lewis
Health issues. Robert was also moved into a secure health facility for his dementia and seizures.
912 E 6th St.
Port Arthur, TX 77640

Judi Levy
(wife of Joel Levy)
Hospitalized a couple of times with heart rhythm issues. Has had an implantable defibrillator. Healing from that.
docjkl@msn.com
5534 Hummingbird Street
Houston, TX 77096

CONDOLENCES

*CLASSMATES*
JOSEPHINE BORDONARO TOMPLAIT
6/30/48 – 6/9/23
James Tompait
James.tomplait@att.com
1526 Merriman
Port Neches, TX 77651

PATRICIA PATRICK CUNNINGHAM
5/31/50- 7/19/23

HAROLD SCHKADE
6/28/50 – 7/23/23
Susan Schkade
2701 McBride Dr.
Port Neches, TX 77651

DR. CHARLES McBEE
6/18/32 – 6/4/23
(his obituary can be found under SITE LINKS, then MEMORIALS, then PAISD FACULTY OBITUARIES)

HILDA BOURQUE
6/4/23
(mother of Vickie Vincent)
Vickie Vincent Roccaforte
Mroccaforte@gt.rr.com
2247 62nd St
Port Arthur, TX 77642

BOB WEST
(sportswriter for PA NEWS)
7/28/23

MICKA PRIMEAUX
(husband of Nancy Decker)
8/25/43 – 4/21/23
Nancy Primeaux
mprimeaux@stx.rr.com
1914 Weston Loop
Kerrville, TX 7802
(Micka’s obituary is under OBITUARIES on front page of website)


We found out about Patricia Patrick’s death on Saturday night of the reunion. She was the 174th known deceased classmate starting from graduation until the 55th reunion ended on July 22, 2023.

The first day after our reunion, Harold Schkade passed away. He is our 175th known classmate to have died. May our classmates rest in peace.

Another reunion is completed and only FOUR years until we begin to plan our 60th! Murphy said I can step down. Any takers? Time is short. Make the most of it.


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