JUNE 2008
IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!!!
While trying to prepare for the Chambers Family Reunion [which we hosted this past weekend] I first learned the hard way what pleurisy is….. then I encountered poison ivy for the first time. Bet I have more sympathy in the future, for folks experiencing either of those two maladies. The effects of poison ivy are still with me, after a full month. The only thing that helps is a prescription anti-itch pill.
See that e-mail address above, and remember that I told you to use Yahoo, because Yahoo was dependable, and would always be there? Surprise!!! Yahoo doesn’t like me, either!!! I live on the fringes of the computer society, cursed to always be fighting to get online, to stay on line, or to get my messages.
Have
you seen those HughesNet ads
on TV? Well, that’s
the wonderful server that I just spent a bundle to obtain…. Should have
stayed with dial-up! I
won’t bother you with the full story, but last week, they finally
admitted that something is wrong with my service, and stated that a rep
would be calling to set up a date for a technician to come out….
The call came. I
listened intently to a foreign voice…. She [I’m sure it was a woman]
told me…”Mrs. Gilmore, since you purchased the insurance with your plan,
we will have the technician at your home in two days.
If you had not purchased the insurance, this service would be
free, since you are still under warranty.
But since you have purchased the insurance which guarantees
service within two days, your card will be billed $29.95 for this
service.” At that
point, I interrupted, “I don’t want the technician out here in 2 days.
I am hosting a family reunion this weekend, and can’t be bothered
at this time. Just make the
appointment for a later date, and don’t charge my card.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Gilmore, but we cannot do that.
Since you have purchased the policy, we must charge you for the
service” I began to
get just a little miffed…. Well, maybe a bit upset….. Oh, let’s be
honest…. I blew a gasket!
“You’re telling me that I am paying on a policy so that you can charge
me for something that would be free, if I had not paid you for the
policy?” “Yes.”
“By the way, who are you, and where are you right now?”
“ My name is Something, and I’m in
My Friends….. may I interest you in signing up with HughesNet Satellite Internet service?
THANKS to all who let me know that they received the newsletter. Again, unless there is more to your messages than acknowledging the letter, and voicing appreciation, your names will be listed together:
Pat Sewell,
[1947]
Jerald Brown [1950]
Rip
Van Winkle [1948]
Myra (Taylor) Hays [1952]
Bob Pace [1951] Agnes Wesley Giles [1955] Lou Ann Gay Yarbro
[1952] Laverne
Talley Backhaus [1950]
Patricia Horn Pierson [1951] Swanelle Clements Spradley [1947]
Jeanetta Croft Bagley [1953] Ella Lou Van Horn Forney [1941]
Naomi Baxter Runco [1953]
Johnny Dunn [1950]
Frances Arnold Taylor [1955]
Howard Gay [1949]
Lloyd Klinkerman [1955].John
Parish [1948] Wanda Chandler Cheves [1948]
Phillip Turner
[1950]
Johnny Watkins
[1947] Donnie & June James McManus [1955]
Dean Jackson [1948] & Betty Jo Hatten
Jackson, [1947] Ray
& Mary Ann Spence Shook [1947]
ONLY A FEW of you who sent responses answered the survey about wishes concerning the Homecoming Banquet in the future. I won’t repeat myself, so if you want your opinions to be taken into consideration, and you have not done so, please let us know what you think.
OTHER CORRESPONDENCE:
Eva Nell Clements Cook, class of
1951
Thanks so much for all you do.
I flew to
Johnny Crawford ,class of 47, June (Fortner) Crawford,.class of 48
Enjoyed
very much this latest newsletter. It is really a joy to read
all the e-mails from our friends and classmates. Couldn't
help but chuckle regarding Tom Pace's comment regarding Wayne House's
meter reading abilities. I've had a lot of laughs with the both of
them at one time or another. I told
June and I are doing fine (other than
the aches and pains that come along with "maturity" ....now
that sounds somewhat better than "old age" doesn't it??) We have
been blessed with 9 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren and all are
doing well. My, how time flies....
As to Mr. Bradford and his electric
paddle....I can testify that it was not a paddle (like in ping-pong).
It was more like a paddle in BOAT and I don't know if it was
electric or not, but I do know that it would definitely "warm you
up". Well, that's what I heard anyway.
Maryanne, again, many thanks and appreciation
for the job you are doing. I am sure it is a "Labor of Love for
you" Our thoughts and our
prayers go out to all. Johnny
Melva Lee
Clark, class of 1957
Received the news letter today, wanted to tell you I enjoy it so much. I don't know a lot of the people but, I do remember their names from, my years at school. I graduated in 1957 and I do remember Mrs. Owans and her poetry. Mrs Weiler and having to memorize speeches, those were the days.
Larry (my husband) and I have lived in
We
are retired and love it. My sister Shirley Lee Smith (1954) lives in
We had our 50th last year and had a great time seeing everyone.
My email address has
not changed so please keep the up the good work so I will know some of
what goes on in
God has blessed me greatly I have pretty good health and am able to do most of what I want to do. Thanks again for the newletter, it is great to get it Melva(Lee)Clark Class of 1957
Evalene
Farris Reed, class of 1947
Received the welcomed news letter and report on pug. Hope everything continues positive for her.
Have talked to baby sister [Mary Ellen Farris Styles, 1951] and she had her letter also and wanted me to express her thanks and to tell you that since we go over it together. and that not many of her class respond to it, you could rely on me to keep her updated, and no longer keep her on the slow mail list.
Really do appreciate you efforts and work. Er
Boyd West
[1950] and Eva Jane Watson West [1951]
Thanks for sending the newsletter. We are fine here and enjoying
the beauty of springtime. We have not been to
Marie Grussendorf Bennett, class
of 1944
I really appreciate getting the newsletter and thank you so much for all your efforts in putting it together and also all your efforts to keep the banquet going along with other visiting times.
When
I hear of all the tornadoes going on in mid-America I am thankful that
we don't have them here (
Sure wish I was able to come for the Homecoming but am not able to do much traveling. But we have so much beauty here it is a joy to just go out in the yard and pull a few weeds and see the beautiful roses start blooming. God is good to provide such beauty for us to enjoy. May you be blessed and thank you for praying for all in need. Love you, Marie Grussendorf Bennett 1944
Jim and Sue (Vestal) Bradberry....daughter
of W. D. and Bessie. Both
class of '67
Thanks
for the newsletter. My
class of 1967 was the last class to actually graduate from the stage of
Tell
Jim Bradford that the Jack Vestal's say hello and that we miss seeing
them up here! (if he has an E-mail address please send it to me)
Also, I wonder if the Van Winkle's would take a few Iowa Parkan's
for a little trip in the Med... Amazing. My brother and his wife
took a Mediterranean Cruise last summer and it would just be neat to see
a fellow Iowa Parkan on the opposite side of the world!
Remember to tell everyone if they send
me an E-mail to put
Alumni Banquet in the subject line or it goes directly to spam and
may be deleted.
[Note: Sue is in charge of
the banquet.]
I had
Tommie Smith as a first grade teacher, too! and I still remember
some of the actual things that she taught me in class. I had the
big, bad, red measles in the first grade and I never forgot how sick I
was and even missed the first grade "play." I also had Mr. Smith
for geometry. And, wow, do I ever remember that class! He
was giving us a lesson in volume one day and he went over and kicked the
"big, metal trash can" and looked at us and said that now there was "no
way the volume could ever be figured" on that one! He was a hoot.
And, back in those days, it was one of two air-conditioned rooms in the
old high school. (unless you count the auditorium with the cracks
in the wall letting in the outside air) Sue Bradberry
p.s. I
felt young again when I read your newsletter. However, I remember
so many of the ones in your newsletter......uh oh.............
Note:
Sue’s comment about the air
conditions reminded me of Viviene Davis Diercks’ question “WHAT
CAFETERIA???” So,
Sue, WHAT AIR CONDITIONING????
And, yes, I feel young too, when I get a message from someone who
graduated in the 30’s or early 40’s.
It’s all relative… We just must not feel OLD!
Annelle Short Mundt, class of 1944
We did get the newsletter this afternoon and so enjoyed reading it. It is always fun to find out what old schoolmates have been doing. THANK YOU for your dedication to letting us know all of the news.
I have been lax in my correspondence but appreciate the news about Pug and others you have emailed about. These have been busy times for us--------granddaughter's wedding in April and then our annual vacation the first week of May with Lee and Doris (Probst) Perry, Ray and Mary Ann (Spence) Shook and Fred and Zada (Lemond) Glover. These are such special times for us and this was our eleventh trip together. We have vacationed together in Vail, CO, Myrtle Beach, SC, Navarro Beach, FL, Sedona, AZ, Gulf Shores, AL, Galveston, TX, Ruidoso, NM, Taos, NM, Kingsland, TX, Mt. Nebo, AR and this year we went to Branson, MO.
This weekend
Note: I will insert here that Bill Gilmore [1950] is also scheduled for a hip replacement July 15th. I made him wait until after the 12th for a very good reason, explained at the end of this newsletter.
From Lee Holloway and Sue Croft about James [Bubs] Fenner [1955]: Friday, May 30
PLEASE PASS ALONG TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW THAT BUBS FENNER IS HAVING HIS RIGHT LET AMPUTATED BELOW THE KNEE TODAY AT 1:30 P.J. SPOKE WITH BUBS WEDNESDAY AND HE IS SO READY TO GET THIS OVER WITH. HE'S BEEN UNABLE TO WALK EXCEPT FOR A FEW STEPS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. JUST KEEP PRAYERS COMING.
BUBS SAYS THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON HIS LEFT LEG - GOT STAFF AFTER SURGERY FOR CIRCULATION TWO MONTHS AGO...........SUE C
About Pug [Wenzella
Blum Walsh, 1950] and Gerald Walsh, 1947…
At this point, I shut down my work on the newsletter to
call…. Pug answered, but
her weak voice is not that of our Pug.
I’m afraid I misled our friends in my last report, as her
recovery has not been good. She is unable to keep food on her stomach,
and is frustrated over the lack of help she is receiving from the
Gerald is also suffering from the tiring routine and worry over her. So we need to pray for his health as well. It’s a very difficult situation, because both need their friends, but neither feel like having company, or talking on the phone. Their faith in God is their strength, and they are relying on Him to bring them through this terrible time.
Jerry Rogers, class of 1949
Received a mailing
from you today. Noted your email address changed. A couple of my
messages to you bounced. I too changed my email address. Had to change
because my cable company (IPS) sold. My email address
is
Berniece Cage Mason , class of
1953
Someone mentioned the Walters’ place near the Van Horns on the old IP highway. [Note: Bernice means the old Electra highway] My folks bought the Walters place, then later sold it, and we moved to town when we bought the little grocery store. Before I got my license, I practiced driving out there. I’d drive down the road to the Crawfords, [do you remember Mary Ann Crawford?], turn in their driveway and turn around, and drive to the Van Horn’s driveway, and back up and turn around again.
We lived there when the tornado hit. It turned over a trailer house at the Crawfords, and the hail riddled our roof and windows… we were in the cellar. It had a tin door, and the hail was beating on it and I was SCARED! The hail killed some of Mama’s chickens and baby chicks. A day or two later, we found a rabbit in the pasture that was still alive, but knocked out.
Thanks again for sending the newsletter. Bernie
Note:
I could write a book on Bernie’s letter alone….
She doesn’t remember that we were neighbors on the highway east
of town when she was younger.
Our fathers were very good friends.
Her brother Harold Cage,
class of 1949 later married a cousin of Bill’s in
Isn’t it strange that she and Marie Grussendorf Bennett both wrote about storms for this issue? I don’t know which tornado she’s speaking of, but I don’t think it’s the one in which Jimmy Arnold [1950] tried to switch my baby boy for his baby girl, in May, 1953!!! [Yeah, I did write a book about that!]
Bill Weiler,
class of 1950
The news letter was on the computer when we got home, thanks.
Interesting trip to the former communist world and
Grover Miley, class of 1940
Enjoy your mailouts, and appreciate all the time, effort and money you put into keeping people in touch. Enclosed is your printed questions with answers, along with something to help with postage. It went up again just recently.
There are still a few of us left from the class of 1940.
I read in your report that
LaDell Trimm Jordon was the
only one present from that class, in 2007.
Also Elloys Evans was
there. We lived on a
farm between the Trimm and Evans family north of
The class of 1940 was before computers, so I’m still staying in touch the old fashioned way, by writing.
Thanks for all you do, Grover Miley.
Note: I don’t have Elloys Evans address, and there was no signature on my list at the old cafeteria. Can someone help me with that info?
LaDell and I were Little League moms together, and I really didn’t know she was 10 years older than me! We did have a visit last time, just not long enough!
Johnie Hudson Brown, class of
1950
Received your Old Friends letter. Thanks. I do not have e-mail, so if I don’t get an Old Friends by regular mail, that’s okay. I understand your time is very precious and you can’t accommodate those that are not up to date.
Whatever you decide or the group, about Homecoming is O.K. with me. You have my vote. I’m not for sure if I’ll be attending this year, anyway.
Thanks anyway for all your up dates and trying to keep everyone on track. Johnie.
Bill
Mahler, class of 1947:
I visited with
Patsy Rogers Snyder the
other day and I told her I would send you her address so you could send
her copies using US Postal Service. I will send
Lorene Battle Callahan's
address after I talk to her.
Thanks, Bill
My Reply:
Bless your heart Bill, I do appreciate your interest in getting everybody connected, and I would love to send paper copies to everybody, but I just can't do it....
I'm sending to all those in the classes from 1934 down to 1942, because there are not very many of them still living, and it's a matter of "respect to my elders". I send to my own class of 1950, because that's what started the whole thing. I've been sending letters to them for many, many years. Most of them now have e-mail, and that eased the load, until I added the others.
I now again have 60 people to mail to...... I have worn out 3 copy machines in the past 5 years. Now, I'm getting more requests. It's getting out of hand for me. As I stated in the newsletter, I will send to anybody with an e-mail address, but I cannot mail any more postal copies.
That's what I need others to help with. Just as you are making copies for others, I want somebody from each class to be responsible for making copies of their newsletter and sending it to classmates who do not have e-mail. I have the mailing lists for all classes down to 1959, from the Alumni Association. There are only about 900 names in all....... I have to stop somewhere, and the year 1942 is it.
I love Patsy, and I love Lorene, and I love YOU! But no can do!!!
Response
from Bill…..
I know where you are coming from because I
published a plant taxonomy research journal for 20 years after
inheriting it after Dr. Shinners passed away at SMU. I was
responsible for it since it was a privately published journal that he
had started himself separate from the University. I was publisher
and editor for the first 4 or five years until I trained a fellow to do
most of the editing. We had over 300 subscriptions, including US
and foreign countries. When I retired from the Botanical Research
Institute of Texas, I donated all of the back issues and copyrights to
BRIT and they have continued to publish it with the same editor that I
hired in 1975, Barney Lispcomb.
Hopefully you can find some short cuts to make it easier and
faster as new technology develops. Best wishes and it’s looking
good. Bill
My
last word…
If I was at home, I could enlist some help with the newsletter.... or at least, I think I could. I've always done it by myself, and while it was just 2 pages, front and back, I could handle it. It has indeed outgrown my personal capabilities. If I were younger, I would look forward to new technology..... but since I'm trailing you by a few short years....[I'm 76]... I'm searching for someone to take my place.
SUMMING IT UP:
Since this conversation, I remembered Bill’s background…. You might do a search for him and be surprised at what you find on the Internet…. He ain’t no common Redneck!.
Most of you know that I now ‘live’ at my retreat from the real
world near
And, I think I’ve found a partial solution to my dilemma: Please understand that I love doing the newsletter, and do not resent mailing postal copies…. I just need a bit of help.
I’m
going to send a copy of the Old Friends Newsletter to Gilmore Inc at
I have several memories about Mr. Bradford that I can’t hold in much longer…. I think we’ll have a special issue all about him….. So…. send yours’ soon!
LATE WORD from Marie Grussendorf Bennett…. My sister Betty [1947] is in a coma and has been for about 3 weeks, but her daughter Kathy thinks she is moving around more. Kathy's twin brother came for a visit last week and that really helped her. Sister Rita [1954] is doing very well now since she got out of the hospital with pneumonia. Brother Bill [1949] seems to be the most healthy one of us and he and his son David plan on coming here by car about the first of September, so that will be nice to see them. Bill’s wife seems to be doing well with treatment. [Note: Bobbie [1951] is the other Grussendorf sibling. She is on our mailing list, and had a letter in our last issue. They are a very close-knit family.]
HERE’S WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING
ABOUT:
Paula Ralston McNatt,
class of 1950, has
arranged our July lunch in
OLD FRIENDS [dutch treat] LUNCH
at
CATFISH O’HARLEY’S
West highway 287
Be there!