From Kathy (Posted July 4, 2010)

Wish I had better news for you today - I learned this morning from Patricia Mooney that Dave Kittrell died last Friday.  His service will be Tuesday, July 7, 12:30 P.M. at Christ Episcopal Church, 510 Belknap in San Antonio.  If you knew Dave, you knew his smile.  He was, undoubtedly, one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.  Dave and I exchanged emails just last week about a possible mini-reunion this week when I will be in San Antonio……..and now, I will be attending his funeral.  What a strange feeling.  I’ll be driving down Tuesday and will be there until Saturday morning.  If anyone would like to meet me somewhere and drive to the church (I don’t know S.A. very well), please let me know.  Rest in peace, amigo.  You will be missed by many.

 

These pictures are from the mini-reunion at Patricia’s house in San Antonio a few years ago.  So many laughs.  (Dave is in blue.) 

 

 

Comments for Classmates

 

From Glenda Knight - I just opened my emails and saw this.  I loved Dave and he was one of the sweetest guys.  I have very fond memories of when we played in the band together and he was a drum major and as you know I was a majorette.  And you’re not going to believe this but I was just talking about him just last night, July 4th.  My husband and I were watching the Boston Pops and one of the tunes we use to play in the band came on, I think, the Washington Post.  Anyway, we used to perform that song on the field and I was telling my husband that our Drum Major was a gynecologist now and it was funny the directions we go in as we grow up.  I was telling my husband what a funny guy he was and that I’m sure he had met him.  So for me this is major strange.  I know it must be for you when you were going to be meeting him this week and now going to his funeral.  Please give my love to his family.  I wish I could go to his funeral.  I will always remember his humor and laughter and how kind he always was. He surely will be missed.

 

From Bill Rogers -  What a shock...  I really had a great visit with Dave at our last big reunion.  We were in the band and a lot of classes together, but had lost touch with each other over the years.  The funeral home has a memorial book you can sign on-line if anyone wants to.  The website is www.porterloring.com. Give my love to his family.  He was a great guy, and I will miss him!

 

From Tracy Coffey - I just opened today's paper and saw the obitury for Dr. Dave Kittrell. What a shock. My heart goes out to his family. We will miss him.

 

From Steve Davis -  Just hate reality  :(    Dave was a sweetheart.  Sick of this dyin’ stuff.

 

From Christy Thomas - What a horrendous shock, Kathy.  This is terrible news and brings such grief.  I so wish I could attend, but like so many things, I just can't get away for that long and still be faithful to what must be done here.   The fact of our mortality is moving from shadow knowledge to solid experience.  Tough stuff.

 

From Jay Ballou - Wow – that is awful.  What a nice obituary – he was quite an accomplished guy like so may of our classmates.  He leaves a big void.

 

From Brenda Bock - As always, thanks for keeping us informed. I remember Dave as always being so sweet and kind with a smile on his face.

 

From Suzi Shuler Harkey - I hate to hear the news. What a wonderful obit. I'm sure he deserved every accolade. He was much too young.

 

From Karla Kirby - I just found this news a few minutes ago. I am stunned. Dave was so very nice to everyone and we'll all miss him.

 

From Jim Barnett - You are so right in that Dave was such a nice guy. I am deeply saddened at this loss...

 

From Brenda Hornsby - Thanks for keeping us updated.  What sad news.  What a wonderful man.

 

From Mike Barnes -  It is sad when one of “us” passes on. When I think back to the party at Patricia’s, Dave seemed to be a happy sort, but there was something missing, he was reserved in a way that left me feeling that he was either slightly uncomfortable with being there or perhaps he was reminded of some feeling or experience from our high school days or maybe he just couldn’t find a way to bridge the gap between  who he was back then and who he had become .…nothing major, just a feeling, a distant sadness. I only knew him as a face and a name in high school.  (That’s pretty depressing in itself.)

 

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From Russell Light (Posted July 7, 2010)

 Some more sad news. My mother, Marion P. Light, passed away on Sunday June 13 after suffering a stroke on Thursday June 10. Her Memorial Celebration was Wednesday June 16. My mom was well known and remembered by many of our classmates who often asked me about her. She had taught many of them in 7th grade English at Mt. Auburn high school. She often asked me about many of her ex-students like Dan Hatzenbuhler, Billy Jenkins, William Bagwell and many others that she remembered very fondly. She was 94 and had a wonderful fulfilling life where she touched and influenced many people, and had more dear friends than could be imagined. I had  been with her for lunch with my family at Highland Park Cafeteria in Casa Linda on May 30 with my wife Lou and my sons Brendan and Justin. I had  spoken with her on Tuesday June  8 from DFW airport and she was feeling fine. On Wednesday evening June 9 she played bridge with friends at her independent living  retirement  community CC Young on Lawther Drive at Mockingbird. I had been in California on business but was able to get back and  be with her on Thursday and Friday when she could still hear my voice. I was holding her hand on Sunday when she passed away surrounded by family saying prayers. I was very blessed to have had her with me for so long and she ws an inspiration to me with her love, advice, and counsel. Here is my mother's obituary where I tried to express what an exceptional and influential person she was as a Christian example, a true Southern Lady, a teacher, and a friend. In her life she made a real difference and contribution to the lives of others, and that is her living testament.

 

From Kathy (Posted July 7, 2010)

With all of this sad news, I just had to post something funny.  My daughter, Carrie, is expecting her second child in September.  Her sonogram 10 weeks ago showed the baby to be a girl, her second.  They selected a name and then decided to have one of those new 3D sonograms last Saturday.  After commenting that the chosen name, Layla, was “cool, sweet” etc., the technician looked at the screen, then at Carrie, then at all of us in the room, then back at the screen and said, “Uh, this isn’t Layla…………………..See that penis?”  We saw it, but you’d think none of us had ever seen one before.   :-)   This baby will be my mother’s first great-grandson after 5 great-granddaughters!

 

From George Foster (Posted July 7, 2010)  

Was watching an old ESPN Classic of Super Bowl III between the Jets and Colts, the famous called win by Joe Namath which reminded of the punter for the Jets, Curley Johnson. Joel Claybrook and I played fast pitch softball with Curley, he was the pitcher and a good one.  In looking him up in Google, discovered he was a Woodrow graduate. Didn’t know that. Add him to the list of Woodrow greats:

 

The sympathy of the class is extended to the friends and family of our classmate,Jane Anderson, whose mother passed away (Posted June 8, 2010)

 Jane Anderson Moore’s mother  passed away this weekend.  The viewing is tonight at Restland, from 6 to 8 and the services are tomorrow (Wed., 6/9) at 12:30.   Obituary: http://www.restlandfuneralhome.com/obituaries/tribute.html?url=http://stei-23954.tributes.com/show/Vivian-Daggett-88704354  

 

From Kathy (Posted June 8, 2010)

Last month, Mike Barnes and I (as co-producers of the “80 Years of Woodrow” documentary) presented a check from sales of the DVD to Ruth Vail, Woodrow principal.   The money will be used for the new IB program, which will kick-off next fall.  She told us they had far more applicants (from all over the city/county) than space in the program, and that’s wonderful!   She is very, very appreciative of WWW’67 for our financial help.  Way to go, gang!  By the way, it’s not too late to buy the “80 Years of Woodrow” 2-DVD set http://www.www1967.com/80th-reunion-video-buy-dvd.html  

 

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, Jane.

Best wishes on the success of your new book, Mike L.

Welcome back to the country from Machu Picchu, Dan Hatzenbuehler!

I loved having dinner last week with you, Bucky & Nancy! 

We hope your daughter is doing much better, Brenda. 

Congrats on your new granddaughter, Carol Fuess!

Enjoy your daughter’s wedding later this month, Betty Benda.  It will be over all too soon…….and then you will have time to plan a mini-reunion!!!

Oh, and I haven’t forgotten about posting names to the photos from the 10th reunion.  I just need to find all of those emails.  This computer switch has not been smooth.  Have pity on an old PC user……and patience.  J   Yeah, yeah, I know, Steve (Hughes) and Jay (Ballou).  I shoulda gone with a Mac.  [Sigh]

 

One last thought – Like everyone else, my heart is breaking for the Gulf …. the people, the wildlife, and the ocean itself.  You can watch an animation of the movement of the spill herehttp://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/gulf_of_mexico_oil_spill_anima.html .  Stay with it until the very last frame.  Such a slow-motion, never-ending nightmare.

~Kathy

 

 

From Kathy (Posted June 6, 2010)

Last Thursday evening, Bucky Gross, Nancy Clark and I had a wonderful visit over dinner in Dallas.  Bucky was down from Michigan for a fraternity golfing event in Hillsboro the next day, and I was in town visiting my mother.  Although we’ve seen each other fairly recently at the 40th reunion and the class 60th birthday party last year, we really hadn’t had a chance to sit down and talk since…….well, forever!   Mr. G was craving Tex-Mex, so we ended up enjoying the evening over margaritas at Mariano’s.  Nancy & Bucky grew up on the same street and both went to Stonewall, but this Lee kid was entertained by their tales (tall?) all the same.  WWW’67 friends are the best!

 

 

From Linda Stephens Marsh (Posted June 5, 2010)

Just wanted to let you know Brenda Bock’s daughter Honee is in the hospital. It is Chron's related. She was in the hospital, recently to extract 6 cysts from her brain ( they don't know where these came from, not Chron's related) Brenda wants to hear from friends but probably can't reply as her days are spent taking care of the kids and working. Her daughter Angel, Brenda's ex., Ronnie, and father of Honee are all helping.

 

The sympathy of the class is extended to the friends and family of our classmate,Sara Burden, who passed away. (Posted May 12, 2010)

We have lost another classmate and friend, WWW’67.  Sarah Burden passed away in her sleep last night. Her sister Judy found her in bed this morning when she went by to pick her up for radiation treatment.  Sarah had recently learned that she had a recurrence of cancer.  When Christy Gay came to Dallas for a visit last February, Sarah was in the group of ’67 ladies who met for lunch.  I had not seen her in years although we frequently chatted on facebook.  This is yet another case of knowing someone at Woodrow but not really knowing them until recent years.  The last thing she posted on her fb page last night was, “… taking pain meds and going to bed.  I’m beat.”   

 

The funeral is at First Baptist Dallas downtown at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday in the chapel. The viewing is at Restland Funeral Home on Greenville on Wednesday from 6-8 p.m.  I am going to try my best to drive to Dallas for the service Thursday.  If anyone would like to meet somewhere and go with me, let me know.  Sarah was such a sweetheart.  Rest in peace, my friend. 

 

Restland Obituary for Sarah    http://www.restlandfuneralhome.com/obituaries/tribute.html?url=http://stei-23954.tributes.com/show/Sarah-Burden-88509811

 

Sara Jane Burden of Dallas, TX, went to be with her Lord on May 11, 2010 peaceably during her sleep. A service to celebrate her life will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 13, 2010 at the First Baptist Church of Dallas with Dr. Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor, and Reverand Mark Farish, Pastor of Lake Highlands Baptist Church, officiating. A private graveside service for the family was conducted at Restland Funeral Home with Reverand Alan Lynch officiating. Sarah Jane was born on November 19, 1948 in Dallas, Texas to Earl and Dorothea Burden. She had one older sister Judy McLaughlin. Sarah Jane grew up in First Baptist Church of Dallas where she accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. Sarah Jane enjoyed serving in the music ministry, especially the Sanctuary Choir, for many years during her adult life until she joined Lake Highlands Baptist Church. Sarah Jane love the Lord and her family. Sarah Jane's life was one of giving to others. She acted as the chauffeur for her mom and dad driving them to restaurants, the grocery store, and countless ball games of her nephew Brett and niece Shannon. She was the "best friend" to her sister. She loved spending time with Brett and his wife Leigh and their children Dean, Robbie, and Addie. She equally loved spending time with Shannon and her husband Lester and their son Nathan. And God graciously granted Sarah one last day here on earth to hear that Shannon and Lester would be having a baby girl in October. Sarah Jane was proud of the 32 years she spent working at Dallas Theological Seminary as head of the word processing center. Sarah Jane is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Judy and Larry McLaughlin, nephew Brett and his wife Leigh, niece Shannon and her husband Lester Stewart, three great nephews, one great niece, cousin Ione Hall and her two sons Blake and Todd and their families.

 

Classmates comments about the passing of Sarah.

 

Patricia Mooney Marlowe sent this photo from the WWW’67 60th birthday party.  In the photo below are Dini Montoya, Sarah Burden, and Cynthia Cannon at the dinner we had at Mario’s in Lakewood.

 

Kalthy Kilmer Moak:

Read the words of wisdom Sarah put in the directory – “Always keep your chin up and a smile on your face.”  Timeless advice, Sarah.

 

From Eve Holland: 

Maybe Judy can find comfort knowing this had to be a peaceful way for Sarah to leave everyone.

 

From Wanda Pagel Jackson:

I knew Sarah is high school. She was very sweet then, too.   May she rest in peace. 

 

From Joy Stevenson:

Thanks so much for sharing this sad news, Kathy, which reinforces in my mind how great Facebook is for maintaining connections.  I am probably too quiet there, but enjoy all the postings and feel like I am in touch with so many through their messages, photos, videos, etc on Facebook.  Even the teasing against my Longhorns!  I send my love and prayers to all of you who will be there for the funeral on Thursday. 

 

From Cynthia Cannon:

I was in Dallas a couple of weeks ago and we had a long nice lunch and visit at a Mexican restaurant where she said she'd never had margarita.  I told her I'd be in Dallas this week and I could drive her to treatment,go to the store for her, bring her lunch, or take her out and that maybe it was time to have that margarita .

 

From Marianne Behr Gibson:

Sarah and I used to have fun together in Mrs. Well's typing class.  We would still see each other occasionally at church.

 

From Suzi Shuler Harkey - So sorry to hear about Sarah. I remember her as a sweet girl. I've been thinking about your comments on why we still enjoy each others’ company etc., and I think part of it may be that those who needed "position" as their validation probably aren't involved now. It's the rest of us who really don't care about proving anything that can appreciate what's happening here.

 

From Christy Gay - I'm both stunned and sadden by Sarah's sudden death.  I was pleased this last year to reconnect with this friend again and it was so wonderful to get to see her in February. The last thing she said to me was to express her pleasure that I was so happy with my life.  What a dear person we have all lost.

 

From Dee Anne Egan - I am so saddened by this.  I hope she had somebody to help take care of her.  I do remember talking to her at the Woodrow 80th and wanting to talk to her even more. 

 

From Rhonda Halasz Lands - This is shocking news for me, although I knew about Sarah’s cancer.  Sarah and I were friends in high school and I spent plenty of time at her house with her family.  I look at her WWW photo, which is how I think of her, and remember how much she loved the Kinks!  I emailed her a few years ago (thank you, WWW directory) and we corresponded a while.  Wish I had visited her in person, especially at the recent meeting in Dallas with Christy who was also a friend in high school and at UT.

 

From Brenda Bradbury Pool - It is wonderful to have those treasures of our childhood.   People come and go in our lives, friends etch a pattern on our hearts that last forever.  We will miss Sarah, she was a precious lady.

 

From Sandy Crump Leners - Sarah was a Sweetheart...Sarah was kind to everyone.

 

From Dini Montoya Janacek – I am devastated, as you can imagine.  I spoke with Sarah several times a week and emailed every day. She was like a sister to me. We told each other secrets that we told no one else.  I valued her friendship in school because she took a chance on being friends with "that Mexican girl." I had few others, but she was loyal. She spent every weekend at our house, and went on family trips with us. We took her to Mexico a couple of times...stuck out like a sore thumb with that blond hair and 5'10" stature! We have been friends since then.  I will miss her terribly. There is no one to take her place...

 

From Linda Coleman Allen – I am so sorry to see this posting.  I remember Sarah as being a very shy and kind person; the kind of person that makes the world a better place. Living in Alabama, I cannot attend the services, but I will be there in spirit and prayer.

 

From John Witmer – So sorry to hear about Sarah.  She was always nice to me.  I am sorry we have lost her from our group.  I hope that we will meet again on the other side.

 

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From Kathy  (Posted May 13, 2010)

Last week, Mike Barnes and I presented the Woodrow principal, Ruth Vail, with a check for $1200 from our class to the school for the new International Baccalaureate Programme, which will begin next fall.  She was very appreciative for extra funds!  The money was what we earned from the “80 Years of Woodrow” DVD.  If you haven’t bought yours, go back to the home page and DO IT!  We would love to present another check for the Wildcats!  When I get my computer situation straightened out (IF I ever get it straightened out), I will upload photos and post them.

 

From John Witmer (Posted May 13, 2010)

Thank you, Kathy, for keeping all of us up to date on the class's status.  I follow your e-mail postings avidly, even though I dont respond well with my own.  I had not expected so many of my friends to have gone on so early in 'our time.”

I am retiring from public school work this year now I must find a real job, or grow up.

 

From Allison (Ruth) Smith  (Posted May 13, 2010)

I just went to a family "do" in LA.   Ms. Bless, our PE teacher at WW, was there. I will be getting a picture of us soon.  She looks great. She is a ""cool old lady" and a recently retired principal on the elementary school.  (That may be slightly wrong, because she did something a the middle school, too)

 

From Kathy  (Posted May 13, 2010)

If you are on Facebook, go to the Exiles’ page and listen to the 15 new soundtracks they have posted on the lower left of their page!

 

From Paul Brown  (Posted May 13, 2010)

I had emergency open heart surgery in February and came very close to not making it through the event. My aorta dissected (split) and I almost bled to death big time. The main problem was a congenital defect that I was unaware I had and one that was probably the cause of both my father's and grandfather's sudden deaths before the age of 60.  I am healing slowly but steadily with a new aorta and a new aortic valve. I was lucky to be close to both a hospital and very good heart surgeon when the event occurred.

 

From Cynthia Smith (Posted April 15, 2010)

I am now the President of Wayside Waifs, the largest no-kill animal adoption center in the Kansas City area. www.waysidewaifs.org. See some great videos of our animals on You Tube.

 

I have also attached a picture of me and my new golden retriever puppy "Wilson".

 

From Kathy (Posted January29, 2010)

In February, Christy Gay made her way to Dallas from the frozen north (Wisconsin). Several of us met her for lunch in Lakewood. So many laughs and so much fun! (front row L to R: Patty Landers, Dini Montoya, Christy Thomas. Back row: Kathy Kilmer, Christy Gay, Sarah Burden.)

 

 

The sympathy of the class is extended to the friends and family of our classmate, Doug Saunders, who passed away on April 8. His service was on Sunday, April 11.  Below is Doug’s obituary found at the following link:  http://www.restlandfuneralhome.com/obituaries/tribute.html?url=http://stei-23954.tributes.com/show/Gordon-Saunders-88255706

 

SAUNDERS, GORDON DOUGLAS “DOUG”, JR. of Wylie passed away on April 8, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. He was born on August 6, 1949 in Dallas, Texas. Doug was a 1967, graduate from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas and graduated from North Texas State University. He worked as a Sr. Building Inspector for the City of Carrollton. Doug was preceded in death by his father, Gordon D. Saunders, Sr. He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Mary Saunders; daughter, Starr Brown; grandson, Robert Brown; mother, Georgie Saunders; sisters, Judy Yamamori, Connie Saunders; niece, Kelli Yamamori; nephew, Steven Yamamori and great-nieces, Lilly Joy Yamamori and Tegan Lee Yamamori. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son and brother and will be missed by all who knew him.

 

The sympathy of the class is extended to Carol Fuess Garrett, whose father passed away on April 7.  Mr. Fuess’ obituary can be found here -  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=charles-fuess&pid=141678097

 

From Kathy (Posted January29, 2010)

More good news for Woodrow!  Yesterday, Coach Cotton Miles called to say he is being inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in May.  He may be 84 yrs. old, but he sounded like an excited little boy when I spoke with him.  There will be press releases and other media coverage closer to the induction banquet in May, but Wildcats should be the first to know about this honor! 

 

Information about the banquet to be held in Waco on Sat., May 8, 6:00 p.m. is available here - http://www.tshof.org/highschool/banquet/  It is open to the public, and I’m sure some of his former players and friends will want to be there to see him accept this honor. 

 

Check out past Woodrow inductees into the TX H.S. Football Hall of Fame - http://www.tshof.org/highschool/inductees/  (Note:  Sam Blair is listed for his sports writing, but he is a Woodrow alum as well!)  It is amazing how many there are considering the number of high schools in the state and how relatively small Woodrow is.  Also, note that Coach Miles will be one of the few coaches in this select group. 

 

A bit of trivia – Coach Miles got his 200th win in 1973 against North Dallas.  He was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 1977.  http://www.thsca.com/documents/ALPHA%20LIST%20OF%20HOH.pdf   His coaching record is 184/81/7.   (http://www.texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=1434 ) .

 

I’m sure some of you will want to call or mail a note to Coach Miles, and I will be happy to share his contact information.  (He does not have e-mail.)  Just reply to this note, and I will send it your way.   He will love hearing from you – even if you didn’t know him well!   Let’s flood him with cards and calls!  Please forward this message to anyone you think may be interested.

 

From Nancy Clark Rubenstein (Posted January29, 2010)

Today, January 28, 2010, was officially proclaimed Patty Landers Day in the City of Irving. Patty is retiring after her 35 year career during which she served as Director of Libraries (twice) and as a founder and director of the Irving cable television network. I was happy to attend her retirement celebration and hear the accolades from her colleagues. Also, to make me know that my pal was still the same Patty that I’ve known since our early days at Stonewall, there were comments and jokes about her distinctive laugh, her sense of humor, her tendency to walk fast and attract accidents, and her speed at the wheel of a car. Congratulations, Patty!

 

From Patricia Mooney Marlowe (Posted January 22, 2010)

Have continued to look for news on this site since the first of the year and am sad to not see any. It\'s my fault, too, because I haven't contributed anything. At our house we are looking at twenty ten or two thousand ten (What are we calling it?) as a year of fewer hospital visits and appreciating family and friends more. I was hoping that at our age we were looking at just aging gracefully for a few years, but we have had friends and family diagnosed with leukemia and other awful things that are taking a terrible toll. Am feeling I need contact with my longest term friends even more. (Please note that I didn't call you "oldest"!) We have much to be so thankful for. Our youngest (out of 2) grandchild will be a year old next week and it is a reminder of how fast time is flying by for us. We are healthy right now and looking forward to a glorious new year and I wish the same for all of you, my friends. A belated Happy New Year!     xoxoxo

 

In the Dallas Morning News, 1/4/09

 

Bushes go bowling

 

The core four of the George W. Bush family were together in Dallas during the holiday in the spot where H.L. Hunt used to feed his pet deer.

Former President George W. Bush, his wife, Laura, and their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, assembled at a holiday bowling party at Mount Vernon, the White Rock Lake estate ofTeresa and John Amend, which was the home of the billionaire Hunt for nearly 40 years.

 

The gathering was to spread the word about the Global Health Corps, a new program from Barbara Bush (the daughter, not the mother), which will pair recent college graduates with partner health organizations such as the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative and the Global Health and Security Initiative.

 

But the main activities at the Amend estate were bowling and picture taking. When Teresa and John bought Mount Vernon following the death of H.L.'s widow, Ruth Hunt, they built a magnificent four-lane bowling alley where H.L.'s deer used to roam. The group at the Bush party was invited to throw a few balls for global health.

With Jenna nearby, Barbara addressed the VIP crowd around the Amends' pool. Every guest lined up to have a photo made with Laura and George W. in front of the fireplace in the main house.

 

Among those on hand were former White House counsel Harriet Miers; former ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Jeanne Johnson Phillips (now a VP for Hunt Consolidated); tax services titan Brint Ryan and his wife, Amanda; ad agency owners Molly and Leon Banowetz; and developer Denny Alberts and his wife, Cynthia Comparin.

 

 

From Kathy Kilmer Moak (Posted Decmber 8, 2009)

 

I just received this from Kyle Rains, WWW’76.  Even if you are not in the Dallas area, I think you will be interested in seeing the exciting things going on at Woodrow right now.  Here in Texas, the focus seems always to be on sports, but Woodrow is a wonderful example of emphasizing a strong academic program.  WWW’67 is helping to support the redesign of the curriculum by producing/selling the “80 Years of Woodrow” DVD.  Proceeds go to the new International Baccalaureate Programme.  It’s an exciting time for the school.  Be sure to check the attachments and click on the links below.  I think you will be very proud of our Alma Mater.  I know I am!

 

~Kathy

 

In case you haven't seen this yet, Woodrow made the Channel 11 news last night. Watch the video (click below) about the college ready plans and great students.

 

Also see: http://lakewood-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/articles/17450

As Woodrow launches its redesign we should see more stories like these. If you have an eighth grader or know of one, please get him/her/them to Woodrow tonight for the open house unveiling the four new college preparatory academies and the International Baccaluareate Diploma Programme. The prospective student does not have to live in the Woodrow attendance zone as applications for transfer will be taken this spring.

I've attached information about the academies written by Dr. Kathy Scherler, our IB World School Coordinator. Also I've attached our most recent honor, the ACT College Readiness Award. Less than 5% of the high schools in Texas qualified for this honor. Of course, you probably already know that Newsweek chose Woodrow as one of the Best High Schools in America for its AP program a few months ago.

It's a very exciting time for The School We Love.

Kyle

If you are interested in donating to the Woodrow Foundation http://eastdallasblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/10/woodrow-wilson-high-community.html
contact Richard Vitale '91 at 214-209-0334 or richard.vitale@bankofamerica.com

Please vote today in the DISD school board runoff elections if you are eligible.

Woodrow's Holiday Program is at 7 pm Thursday, December 17th - everyone is welcome.

 

The sympathies of the Class are extended to the family and friends of ’67 classmate, Kathy Thomas Gerwig (Posted Decmber 5, 2009)

The sympathies of the Class are extended to Kathy Thomas Gerwig, whose mother passed away Friday, Dec. 4.  Viewing will be Sunday from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., and the funeral is on Monday, December 7, at 10:00 a.m. at Restland – Wildwood Chapel. Click here to learn more.

 

The sympathies of the Class are extended to the family and friends of ’67 classmate, Diane Little. (Posted November 2009)

 

From Kathy:  Sad news to report, WWW’67.  We have lost another classmate – Diane Little.  Tonight I received the following message from Tim Pollard, Class of ’66.  He had just received word although he did not have any specific information.  He thought she may have passed away some weeks or months ago.   I am having a little trouble loading the entire video on the web site he mentions, but what I’ve seen so far has wonderful childhood photos of Diane – photos so typical of those all of us have in old family albums or in boxes in the closet.  Even if you did not know her, you will find the tribute touching.

 

 “I was one of the first friends Diane made when she moved to our side of town from Highland Park. She moved in with her 2 " Old Maid" Aunts in the 6000 block of Morningside, next door to Billy Henderson. Diane and I formed a fast friendship and we attended loads of Long and Woodrow events together. Later, after school and college, I ran into Diane again in Dallas. She had married Mike Mack ('66 - he was with Jim Alpin Jewelers - Dallas) and had a house on Marquita with Mike and a couple of kids. I have not seen either of them since they divorced many years ago. She and Mike Mack had a son named Robin ( WWW ‘88 I think ). Apparently Robin has done a website in memory. I just reviewed it (fotos of her past ). It is very well done and it brought me to tears. Everyone who knew her well loved her so. I guess she married again after Mike to someone named Jones. The web site is – www.mydianejones.com   Thanks for letting your classmates know.”

 

From Kathy (Posted November 11, 2009)

 

Ohmygosh, WWW’67! See our Hair Pix collection from the ‘70s, here. You’re going to LOVE these. If you haven’t already, send yours to add to the collection!

 

Also, check out this online article and my comment about our part in the Woodrow Veterans Day ceremony.  http://lakewood-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/articles/16201   I want to thank each of you who gave me feedback on this and said you believed this would be a great project for our class.  I know the JROTC as well as the family of Edwin Atterberry will be very appreciative.

From Kathy Thomas Gerwig (Posted November 9, 2009)

 

Just a reminder that we’re going to give our WWW’67 Ladies Who Lunch another try this Saturday, 11/14, at 11:30 at Baker Brothers in Old Town.  Let me know if you plan to come so we can pull enough tables together for everyone.  If you are going to be in the Dallas area Saturday, we hope you can make it!

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Mike Corley and his family.  (Posted November 6, 2009)

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Mike Corley, whose mother passed away and was buried earlier this week. 

From Mike Looney (Posted November 6, 2009)

 

On Friday, November 6th, the White Rock edition of Neighborsgo in the Dallas Morning News will feature Mike Looney and his soon to be released book The Battle of the Bulge: The Untold Story of Hofen.  This edition of the Dallas Morning News is available in most Starbucks locations in the White Rock Area and can also be reviewed online at neighborsgo.com/stories/45489

 

Continue to see www.mikelooney.com for updates on the book's release date.

 

From Kathy (Posted November 5, 2009)

 

Here is a photo Steve Bones sent of the Exiles last Saturday night at the Sons of Hermann Hall.  Notice the glow around Dracula, aka Mike Ellis.  For those of you who have facebook pages, the Exiles now have a fan page!  http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1259453973317#/pages/The-Exiles/322317110712?ref=nf   Mike Ellis created a slideshow/video to go along with the audio track (see post below) that uses photos by Fred Holmes (Class of ’69 – EXCELLENT photographer).  Right now, it’s only on his page, but I think they are going to put it on the Exiles page, too.  If you are not on facebook, it is easy to join.  I know some people don’t like the whole concept of social networking, but my personal thought is it’s a great way to stay in touch/share photos/etc. if you keep in mind nothing about it is private and if you use it in moderation!  There are LOTS of Wildcats on there!

 

 

 

From Nancy Clark Rubenstein (Posted November 5, 2009)

 

Stonewall Jackson classmates reunited Halloween weekend to welcome Suzi Sargent back to Dallas. Suzi rediscovered us through our fantastic WWW Class of 1967 website. As Jay said at the Exiles' performance last Saturday night, "Suzi moved to California after 5th grade, breaking the hearts of many little east Dallas boys." She was my best friend and we cried hysterically as only 10 year olds can do when she had to move away. We enjoyed a fantastic, memory filled weekend from Friday afternoon when Jay, Patty Landers, Cynthia Cannon, and I greeted her at DFW until Sunday morning when Suzi and I remembered our parents by attending the last 10 minutes of the All Saints service at Greenland Hills Methodist Church where we grew up. During the weekend we reminisced and reconnected--learning of Mike Ellis's special childhood surround sound system, empathizing with Suzi's most embarrassing moment in front of Miss Pitt's auditorium class, and discovering that Jay cleverly filled his sack with part rocks during our hot and prickly cotton picking field trip. However, because we could not locate the BB gun, we were not able to have a completely realistic reenactment of the shooting incident in Cynthia's backyard on Concho. Suzi enjoyed seeing all who attended: Cynthia Cannon, Jay Ballou, Patty Landers, Don Mohon, Mike Ellis, Mike Candler, Vicki Telkamp, Ken Kuesel, and Tim Mitchell. For those of you who attended Stonewall and did not make it for this weekend, Suzi promises to return for our WW 45th reunion!

 

 

 

From Judy Manning Blissard [re: Mabel Barfield’s death] (Posted November 4, 2009)

 

It is really sad how many of our classmates do not live to enjoy this part of their lives.

From Kathy (Posted November 4, 2009)

 

The Woodrow Wilson Wildcats slammed past Samuell 27 to 26 Friday, keeping its district 12-4A record at an unblemished 5-0. The team broke into the Sports Day rankings at number 20. Woodrow meets number 9 Lincoln (also 5-0 in district) at 7:30 pm Friday at Forester Field in a clash of the titans. Admission at the gate is $5 for adults

 

From Kathy (Posted November 4, 2009)

 

Mike Ellis sent me an audio clip of the Exiles, a band that first got together in junior high and, as we well know, are together again at 60. Click the play button below to listen!

 

 

I replied to his note asking for official background info. of “our” band and also details of the song clips on the tape. Below is what he sent. Enjoy! By the way, they are looking for a New Year’s gig. Any ideas?

********************************

In J.L. Long the Exiles were….
Jim Barnett - Drums and lead vocals
Blake Miles - Keyboard
Jay Ballou - Bass
The Late Great Chris Pappas - Guitar and lead vocals
Mike Ellis - Guitar

Today the Exiles are….
Jim Barnett - Drums and lead vocals and background vocals
Blake Miles - Keyboard,
Jay Ballou - Bass and background vocals
Steve Bones (class of '68) - Guitar and lead vocals and background vocals
Keith Barnett - Harmonica and percussion and lead vocals and background vocals
Mike Ellis - Guitar and lead vocals and background vocals

 

The neatest thing about the new Exiles is that we are now a vocal group as well. Nobody could sing and play back then except for Jim and Chris. Now we've all got voices (and need to get Blake in there on vocals, too). Jay will be getting a lead vocal part soon, too. His voice is excellent. Jay has ram-rodded the whole project and is the backbone of the band. Kudos to Jay!

 

The song clips on the demo are:

 

1. Blackbird (by the Beatles) - Jim Barnett - Lead Vocal, Mike Ellis - Guitar, Jay Ballou - Bird (funny, Jay Bird!).

2. Nature's Way (by Spirit) - Jim - Drums and Lead Vocal, Mike - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jay - Bass and Background Vocal (This was just the three of us... pretty good sound for just three).

 

3. Great Balls of Fire (by Jerry Lee Lewis) – Jim - Drums and Lead Vocal, Blake Miles - Keyboard, Mike - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jay - Bass and Background Vocal (just the four of us).

 

4. Long Tall Sally (by Little Richard) - Steve Bones (our newest member) - Lead Vocal and Lead Guitar, Jim - Drums and Background Vocal, Blake - Keyboard, Mike - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jay - Bass and Background Vocal.

 

5. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (by Bob Dylan) - Keith Barnett - Lead Vocal and Harmonica, Steve - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jim - Drums and Background Vocal, Blake - Keyboard, Mike - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jay - Bass and Background Vocal.

 

6. Stormy Monday (by T-Bone Walker) - Jim - Drums and Lead Vocal, Keith Barnett - Harmonica, Steve Bones - Guitar, Blake - Keyboard, Mike - Guitar, Jay - Bass.

 

7. Brown Sugar (by the Rolling Stones) - Jim - Drums and Lead Vocal, Keith - Harmonica, Percussion, and Background Vocal, Blake - Keyboard, Steve - Guitar and Background Vocal, Mike - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jay - Bass and Background Vocal.

 

8. You May Be Right (by Billy Joel) - Steve - Lead Vocal and Guitar, Jim - Drums and Background Vocal, Blake - Keyboard, Mike - Guitar and Background Vocal, Jay - Bass and Background Vocal, Keith - Harmonica and Percussion.

 

9. South California Purples (by Chicago) - Jim - Drums and Lead Vocal, Keith - Harmonica, Steve - Guitar, Blake - Keyboard, Mike - Guitar, Jay - Bass.

Look again at the original artists. It's quite a variety which is really lacking in today's music. "Oh I believe in yesterday."

From Kathy (Posted November 4, 2009)

Jay Ballou tells me the Exiles are selling t-shirts with their logo on the front. If you would like to have one, contact Jay. The price is $20 (includes shipping and handling) or $10 in person. I won’t post Jay’s phone no. or email address here (due to all of his groupies….and spammers), but you can send him a note through our directory if you want to order. Can’t wait to get mine!

 

 

From Sam Leftwich (Posted November 4, 2009)

 

This picture is from a Symphony League party earlier this week. How did I get to be so very old? Happy….but old!

 

 

From Cynthia Smith (Posted October 28, 2009)

 

http://bottomlinecom.com/kcnews/cynthiasmithsreturn.html

Above is the link to an article about my brief return to KC television. Randy Cooper and I are having lunch tomorrow. Should be fun to catch up. Sorry I can't make the Halloween party.

 

[Note from Kathy:  Cynthia Smith sent a note awhile back saying, “I may be the oldest woman in American to ever anchor an evening newscast. Let's hear it for the boomers."  Check out the video of her …..well, from a few years back in this article!   Way to go, Cynthia!  http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2009/10/wdaf60.html ]

 

From Jay Ballou (Posted October 26, 2009)

 

Don’t forget the Halloween bash at the Sons of Hermann Hall Saturday night!  The bands playing will be The Loners (Logan Curtright and David LeCour – WWW ’71, Paul Welch – WWW ‘72), Wes Niles and the Texas Skeeters (Jeff Jones – WWW grad), and The Exiles (Jay Ballou, Jim Barnett, Mike Ellis, Blake Miles, Keith Barnett – WWW ’67 and Steve Bones – WWW ’68).  The Loners will play first, and start around 7:30.  The Exiles will play next, and start around 9:00.  Wes Niles will play last, and start around 10:30 – 11:00.  It’s not billed as a Woodrow event, but we will certainly have a presence!  There will be a modest cover charge, probably $3.00 to $5.00 to help the bands cover the cost of hiring the sound engineers at Sons.  We will have Exiles t-shirts for sale for the bargain price of $10.00, or 3 for $30.00.  A must-have for the holiday season! 

 

Here is a link to the Sons site, with directions and parking.  Please encourage anyone attending to read the entire write-up on parking – we don’t want anyone towed.  Thanks, and we hope see you and everyone there!  http://www.sonsofhermann.com/sohh_directions.htm.  Sons of Hermann Hall was voted “Best Live Music Venue” in the Dallas Observer Reader’s Poll of 2006, and the “Best Place to Take a Non-Texan” in the DO Reader’s Poll of 2001.

 

From Sharon Thomas Thomas (Posted October 15, 2009)

Does anyone recognize this old house? My dad should have kept it..... paid $38,000 for it in 1960...... Wish someone we know would buy it.....I have lots of fun memories from that house !!! (Click here to see a copy of the current realtor brochurce.)

From Kathleen Wright Minnix (Posted October 15, 2009)

I have begun writing occasionally for Book of Odds (www.bookofodds.com). It is an interesting look at statistics with lots of articles for math haters like me. I have an article on the site now: "Andrew Jackson: Killer President" about the duel in which AJ killed a man. There will also be a bunch of my articles up in mid-October on the 1918 flu that killed 50-100 million worldwide (get your flu shot!) It promises to be a really fun time waster.

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Mabel Barfield and her family.  (Note from Kathy Kilmer Moak) (Posted October 12, 2009)

 

While on the way to Austin I yesterday received the following sad news from Dan White.  I immediately replied on behalf of the class.  Each and every memory I have of Mabel involves her distinctive voice and laugh.  We had some crazy times at school. If anyone would like to contact Dan, let me know and I will send you his phone number.

 

“Please note that my wife, Brandi White (Mabel Barfield), finally gave in to her MS and has gone to meet her maker. She passed away on April 5th and was buried in Tennessee. I miss her so much and find it hard to live without her. Please inform her fellow classmates.” 

 

From Kathy (Posted October 10, 2009)

 

Check out this article and photos about the premiere of “80 Years of Woodrow” from BlackWhiteRead-Lakewood!  http://lakewood-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/articles/14611?page=1&r=1910 (Click here for a pdf version.)

 

From Kathy (Posted October 7, 2009)

 

It was ’67 fiesta time in San Antonio a couple of weeks ago!  Click here to read all about the mini-reunion and to see the photos!

 

From Kathy Thomas (Posted October 1, 2009)

 

Due to the unusual number of conflicts the WWW '67 DFW Ladies that Lunch meeting for this Saturday (10/3/09) has been canceled. The new date is Saturday, November 14, 2009.  Be sure and mark your calendars, ladies.

 

From Kathy (Posted September 23, 2009)

 

From time to time, I receive notes from Wildcats who assume this site is for all classes.  I always have to explain that while everyone is welcome, our directory, classmate news, etc. is specifically for ’67.  Due to the DVD, this site is seeing a tremendous increase in traffic.  The other day, I received a directory listing from someone from the Class of ’64.  Mary Ann Darr had such a wonderful sense of humor and uplifting outlook on life, I asked if she minded if I shared with all of you her “words of wisdom.”  Her reply?  “Sure, Kathy, that would be fine!  I will see all of my fellow WWWs on our special premiere night.  I just don't know if I'm going to win an Oscar or an Emmy.  You do have my award ready, don't you?  I will be escorted by husband who use to have hair and formerly weighed 175#'s.”  I am looking forward to meeting this lady!

 

Her words of wisdom for the directory –

 

“I never thought that I would agree with Miss Abernathy, my algebra teacher, when she said something like this, "Folks, you don't know this, but some of your best years will be remembered right here in this building". I also fell down all of the stairs from the second floor to the first floor (I mean I missed every step). I was late to my last period class...Mr. Allen's Spanish Class; and besides one other girl and me, I was the only one on those steps. I like to have broke my fanny. Ever since then, I have had epilepsy really bad; but all in all, I will make it...after all, I've made it since 1964! I guess you might call that fall...dying to speak Spanish (even if it was with a southern accent); and I also might say "I am now dying to live" and I will, by Jove! I am a fighter. I also learned about football at Woodrow. I didn't know one darn thing about football up until my high school years, but I learned real quick from watching those Wildcat Boys of 1961 to 1964 playing so hard to win (I never missed one game; so guys, just know you had one very shy girl who loved each and every one of you)!  As far as I am concerned, they are all still winners (No Losers in any of those Class Years)! God bless every Wildcat boy and girl who has ever walked those hallowed halls. Furthermore, I heard the paint is peeling. Those maintenance people under Superintendent W.T. White's auspices would have never let that happen when I was there. I also hope that no one got the Biology Textbook that I inherited from some sex fiend who had it before me. I remember that book...whoever had it before me drew everything in it down to every sex organ that a male and a female has. I was so embarrassed to turn that book in for fear that someone would think I drew those drawings. I thought seriously of burning it. So whoever got it, just know it wasn't me who created the sexual artistry. My mama would have killed me!”

 

From Sarah Burden (re: McMansions mentioned in Kathy’s Corner) (Posted September 23, 2009)

 

I was with some friends for dinner about a year ago. We were near my street so I had them turn so I could show them where I grew up. A 948-square-foot frame house. Well, it was gone and that lot now has a 4,500-square-foot $650,000 house on it.  Unbelievable. So many memories just destroyed with a backhoe.  If I had known they were going to tear down the house, rip up the shrubs, and do away with the terrace, I think I would have tried to save something and put it on the lot where I live.  There are three HUGE homes on my street all in the same block. Huge house, little house, huge house, little house. I don't know why you would want a big expensive house right next to a little 1000-square-foot frame house anyway.

 

From Nancy Clark Rubenstein (posted September 16, 2009)

Hello Stonewall Jackson classmates. Remember Suzi Sargent who left us after 5th grade to move to California? As some of you may know, Suzi found us a year or so ago through the WWW Class of 67 website. She is coming for a visit the weekend of October 30th. Her favorite band from Dallas, the Exiles, will be playing Saturday night (Halloween) at Sons of Hermann Hall (www.sonsofhermann.com). Suzi and I will be there and she wants dance partners! I would also like to plan some other reunion events for those of us who went to Stonewall. I am thinking of a breakfast/brunch type thing at my house on Saturday morning. Remember how Miss Jarrell served us pancakes at her house on a Saturday morning? I would like to hear from any of you who are interested in coming. (I'm not promising pancakes and certainly will not play the piano.) Maybe we could plan another visit to Stonewall like we had at our 35th reunion weekend. Please email me to let me know if you are interested at nrubenst@sbcglobal.net.

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Bill Miegel and his family. 

 

William Miegel, Bill’s dad, died on August 5.  Read his obituary here.

 

From Kathy (posted August 6, 2009)

 

From time to time, I receive messages from Wildcats who are not in our class.  The following is a note I received today –

Kathy: Thanks for your great work in behalf of Woodrow. My January 1950  60th reunion is coming up in a few weeks; many of the 77 of us from our January '50 class have stayed in touch across all these years, and we're looking forward to being together once more. {I've been blessed with a very successful life, and I give Woodrow credit for a lot of that.}  

Steven Fulda, Class of 1950

 

From Mike Peret (posted August 6, 2009)

 

I talked with Chris' son, Jason, today and his wife, Ashley, had a baby girl this morning... Addison Elizabeth Pappas.

From Kathy (posted July 28, 2009)

 

In the newsletter I just sent, I neglected to put the author’s name with the book title for the quote I used. It is from the novel, A Private View by Anita Brookner, Several people have sent comments about this quote. It seems to hit home with many of us. As Steve Hughes said, “I turn 60 on Saturday and have put off retirement, mainly because I still find my job interesting. I can't help but wonder what else I might be putting off.” Dan Hatzenbuehler and I have had good discussions about putting things off in life. (He is currently reading the book.) Everyone else is invited to join the conversation if you’d like. There’s something about turning 60 that makes us realize the time for enjoying friends, family, travel, and “things” is now.

 

“They had waited for too long, and the result ….. was the reflection that time and patience may bring poor rewards, that time itself, if not confronted at the appropriate juncture, can play sly tricks, and, more significantly, that those who do not act are not infrequently acted upon.”

 

Dan sent this summary of the book – “George Bland put off “living” his whole life until it was “convenient” when he and his close friend retired at the same time; unfortunately, his friend died weeks before retiring so George was left alone to sort out what he would do with the rest of his life now.”

 

From Sherwood Blount (posted July 27, 2009)

 

Some sad news to report.  Coach Ralph Hollywood, our line coach at Woodrow Wilson High School, passed away this morning [July 27].  His daughter in law, Shirley, who is married to son, Steve, called to share the news with me.  His funeral service is scheduled for this Thursday, July 30th, at Peter's Funeral Home located at 3935 Joe Ramsey Boulevard in Greenville, Texas.  The telephone number at the funeral home is 903-455-3310.    Shirley indicated that Coach Hollywood's obituary will appear in the Tuesday - Thursday issues of the Dallas Morning News. 

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Jan King, whose sister passed away on May 10.

 

From Kathy Re: 80 Years of Woodrow DVD (posted July 27, 2009)

This project has mushroomed to unimaginable (at least by me!) proportions.  What a quality documentary it is!  Obviously, we did not meet our self-imposed July deadline.  What were we THINKING?  Mike and I are such global thinkers, we should have known it would morph into something that had little semblance to the original plan.  In fact, we just last week taped additional excellent interviews.  Also, I have spent hours in the Woodrow library scanning wonderful photographs from old Crusaders.  You are going to love this thing – I guarantee it.  Mark Walsh, our videographer is an amazing talent.   Give us another month or so, and we should have it wrapped up and in the mail.  In the meantime, help us raise the money we need.  Remember, this is a Class of ’67 and Friends project.  Go back to the home page, and place your order if you haven’t already……and if you have already done that, place another or at least spread the word to other Woodrow grads!  I swear, you’re not going to believe this thing! 

 

From Kathy (posted July 27, 2009)

Patricia Mooney Marlowe is planning another WWW’67 mini-reunion at her house in San Antonio in September (either Friday, 25th or Saturday, 26th).  Send me a note by Wed., July 29 to vote on either the 25th or 26th.  As soon as the date is set, I will post it and also get an email out to everyone.   Last time (2 yrs. ago), we had a good group from San Antonio, Austin, and Kerrville show up, but people from all over expressed an interest if we ever had another.  This is your chance!

 

From Cynthia Pierson Green (posted July 27, 2009)

It was such a joy to attend Woodrow’s 80th anniversary at Eddie Dean's Ranch.  I really enjoyed the bands and seeing everyone having such a good time. I left Woodrow in 1964 my sophomore year to marry. 45 yrs - in Oct. I attended elementary school with many in the class of 1967.  I attended Lamar Elementary-1st, Mt. Auburn- 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th, David Crockett-6th Wm. Lipscomb-7th and J.L Long-8th and 9th.  I've really enjoyed reading all the comments on classmate news.  I live in Lancaster, TX.  I had two children, Tonja and Heath- we lost Heath in 1997 at age 25- one granddaughter, Hannah. We return often to Lakewood to dine. Lots of good memories. I'm retired.  Worked in the Drug Wholesale business for 12 yrs.  I had a antique shop for 3yrs and I now make custom jewelry. I would love to hear from old classmates who might remember me.

 

From Bill Knight (posted July 27, 2009)

I was in the class of ‘67 but dropped out in the middle of my senior year. I was smarter than the teachers I thought. Any way I did graduate and now I just stumbled on the site and what memories.

 

From Gayla Duce (posted July 27, 2009)

Well, I am single again.  Have been travelling last few weeks...............Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque, Houston, Galveston and New Orleans. Home now but leaving next week for 2 weeks n New Orleans.  Son, Codye has moved back in. No job and school till Jan. Hope all is well with everyone else.

 

From Kathy (posted July 27, 2009)

I received the following note from Nancy Nell Foster Brewer (WWW’68):

Hi, I'm a 1968 graduate from Woodrow. We had a flood several years ago that destroyed my 1967 annual. I was wondering if any of you had an annual that was gathering dust that you really don't look at much or if you know someone who might have one that they don't really cherish as much as I would, please give them my email address. I would, of course, be willing to pay for it. I have so many drill team memories from that book that I would love to revisit. Thank you so much.

 

From Bucky Gross (posted July 27, 2009)

Regardless of what Ruth says, it does not always snow in Michigan. These 85 degree days a tough.  [This is Bucky’s backyard.  Beautiful!]

 

 

From Marva Doak McGahey (posted July 27, 2009)

Thanks for the many updates and interesting articles.  Just want to let you know that I am retiring from Grand Prairie ISD after 30 years of service.  Please change my e-mail address to marvamcgahey@att.net.

 

From Tracy Coffee (posted July 27, 2009)

I had planned to attend graduation because my neice, Sarah Kate Pederson, was graduating with High Honors. Unfortunately, I had a very close friend die unexpectedly and suddenly on Memorial Day. As a result I was unable to go to Dallas for the big event. Kate will be attending UT this fall. She will be following the in footsteps of other great UT women, my wife Julie, my sister Becky, and of course, my esteemed classmate Kathy Kilmer Moak. Peace be with you and thank you for the wonderful work you do.

 

From Karen Killebrew Luter (posted July 27, 2009)

I am so proud of my new great-granddaughter. I am flying to Milan to see her on August 2. My son was a Georgio Armani model in Italy for 5 years. He married an Italian hence my Italian granddaughter, Tatiana. She is the beautiful mother of my great granddaughter Isabel Eva Marin. Her husband Alejandro is gorgeous - Mexican national living in Milan. It’s fun having an Italian family, and now I have relatives in Guanajato near San Miguel, Mexico. Must be in our DNA to marry young. At this rate I could live to be a great, great, grandmother!

 

[Note from Kathy – I saw a photo of the new family on Karen’s facebook page.  She’s not exaggerating – all 3 are beautiful!]

 

From Kathy – Re: Chris Pappas (posted July 27, 2009)

I received so many notes about Chris, many from people I did not know.  A couple of my favorite comments…. “Just like Sandra, I doubt that Chris ever knew how many lives he touched.” (Charlie Taylor)  “The biggest cut up in Woodrow history! So much fun at the Y.M.C.A. after the game. I will never forget how he installed my first car stereo, a Muntz 4 track. The band nominated me to do the Inner Sanctum logo. We are still looking for the lost recording of this great band with our buddy singing.” (J.P. Massengill)

 

From Kathy (posted June 18, 2009)

 

Re: Update on the ’67-sponsored 80th DVD for Woodrow

We are still editing many hours of raw video footage – It’s a slow, tedious, and time-consuming process.  It looks as if we will have to push back our estimated time of completion several weeks, but I expected that all along.  We knew that once we got into the actual production, we would begin thinking of things to add, additional interviews to schedule, etc., and that is exactly what has happened.  Pre-sales/donations are going well, and I anticipate a surge in both once we begin distributing the DVDs.  Remember that this is our class project.  Mike B. (editor-in-chief), Jay (music/bands), Kelley (mail orders), Charlie (online sales/donations) and I (assistant to everyone else and as usual, the mouth!) are simply the committee pulling it together.  What can you do?  Direct anyone who has anything whatsoever to do with Woodrow to the DVD trailer on the homepage of this web site, and encourage them to order a DVD and/or make a donation!  Remember to tell them we have a twofold purpose – (1) to document the first 80 years of Woodrow with a focus on the April celebration, and (2) to raise money for Woodrow’s new International Baccalaureate program, which is not paid for by DISD. 

 

FYI – A recent Newsweek national poll ranked Woodrow Wilson High School as the 637th best in the United States. That’s in the top 3% of all public high schools in the country – no small feat when you consider researchers ranked nearly 22,000 high schools across the country.  That places Woodrow ahead of area schools such as Keller (652), Plano East (653), Lake Highlands (707), Allen (882), Flower Mound (885), The Colony (1,235), and Frisco Centennial (1,425).   (Info from Black/White/Read, Lakewood Edition http://lakewood-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/article/11466?r=1910 ; Newsweek article - http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160/?s=texas&q=2009/rank/1 )

 

From Mike Looney (posted June 18, 2009)

 

John Storey went in for knee surgery, I believe Marilyn said knee replacement surgery, but had complications and then went into ICU.  He is now out of ICU but is in a 24 hour care facility and is having a rough time.  Marilyn is going to get me the address of that facility so people can write.

 

From Marilyn Storey (posted June 18, 2009)

Wanted to let friends know that John has been out of touch the last week. If he had been in good health I'm sure he would have been in Dallas. The news of Chris' death was very sad for me and it will certainly be hard for John to hear. John is back in the hospital and hasn't been in shape to talk on the phone.  I spoke with Matt and John's sister. It sounds like he is improving.

 

From Janis Bozarth (posted June 18, 2009)

Re:  The Lakewood 4th of July Parade

I realize this is a bit late (meant to mention it earlier and always got distracted), but this is a very casual neighborhood parade that I thought would be something our class would enjoy.  I noticed last year that the Class of 68 had an entry, and there may have been other classes as well.  Anyway, here's a link with details.  http://www.lakewoodparade.com/Parade.shtml

 

[Note from Kathy – I think it would be GREAT if WWW’67 had an entry in the parade - even if it’s just a wagon with a flag and ’67 sign on the side!  How about it Dallas people?]

 

From Brenda Bock Linzel (posted June 18, 2009)

 

Wish we could do another reunion sooner.....I would be willing to help big time! 

[Note from Kathy – Okay, classmates, you heard the lady!]

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate Sherwood Blunt (posted June 17, 2009)

 

The sympathies of the class go to Sherwood Blount, whose mother passed away on Monday.  The funeral will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June, 20, at Sparkman-Hillcrest in Dallas. Click here to read Mrs. Blount’s obituary.

 

From Kathy Thomas Gerwig (posted June 15, 2009)

 

The Woodrow '67 DFW Ladies that Lunch had another great get-together on June 6th.  Smaller group than usual but great because we had two join us who had never attended before - Vicki Telkamp and Jane Farrar. Also attending were Brenda Hornsby, Patty Landers, Janis Bozarth, Nancy Clark, Cynthia Cannon and Kathy Thomas. Many of our regulars were on vacations or had visiting relatives, etc. It gets that way in the summer. Hopefully we'll have a big turnout if we get it on our calendars right now for the fall. So save Saturday, October 3rd! Be there or be square!!

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate Chris Pappas (June 7, 2009)

 

As many of you know, Chris Pappas passed away. So many classmates have posted beautiful comments about Chris. Please click here, to read those comments and to watch a youtube video tribute created by Mike Ellis.  Messages are posted as they were received, the most recent at the bottom.

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted May 29, 2009)

 

Check out the great senior prank the Class of ’09 pulled at Woodrow the other day. What creative kids! It’s interesting to read the comments on this article, as well.

http://www.advocatemag.com/lakewood/blog/Woodrow_senior_prank_Attack_of_the_corrugated_boxes_LW.html?submitted=y#comments

 

From Jay Ballou (posted May 29, 2009)

 

Nice – we never had a senior dinner, OR a senior prank (did we???)

 

From Linda Zoch Schwartz (posted May 29, 2009)

 

This is a very creative way to have a little fun with no vandalism! I approve! As a teacher, I would have probably helped them clean up.

 

From Marsha Neill Surles (posted May 29, 2009)

I don't remember that the class of 67 had a designated Senior Prank. I thought our prank was the whole senior year!!!

 

From Barbara Brown Grajski (posted May 29, 2009)

 

Good one! I don’t remember our having a senior prank (but then I don’t remember much of anything) – did we?

 

From Karen Brown (posted May 29, 2009)

Thanks for sharing. I am in Jackson Hole for the summer again this year and enjoy hearing news from home.

 

From Sam Leftwich (posted May 29, 2009)

 

What a great prank! Thanks for sharing.

 

I hope your spring has been full of good things. We are busy with events. We are working with Gap and Banana Republic on parties and did a big cocktail party for a Brazilian Couture designer on Wednesday evening. I left on a redeye that night for NYC to meet with Tavern on the Green and the founder of Contribute Media for updates on projects which will span the next two years.

 

Here is a picture of the Leftwich Event Specialists team. The old fart between out two amazing gals is…..well, the old fart in the mix of young folks. Also attached is a more glam pic from a gala a couple of weeks ago. My gawd, where did all that white hair come from!

 

From Gayla Duce (posted May 29, 2009)

 

Nothing really exciting has happened other than travelling since I last wrote. Decided to do a road trip to Santa Fe, TX, Galveston and over into La. to visit friends in Sulpha then up to Shreveport to visit the father of a girl that I raised that was killed a year or so ago. Visited with my first mother in law and came back thru Dallas, spent one night and drove to Ft. Worth to visit with my birth sister, buy out Sams and a wholesale Jewelry supplier and several fabric stores. Now I have no excuse as to not get to work. Other than my workroom is still filled with boxes to unpack. But soon, I will get to it soon. I promise. Sorry I missed the 60th birthday party but I am one of few who just turned 59. I would have loved to have visited at WW 80th parties and visited a lot of old friends. Everyone take care and have a wonderful and safe summer. I plan on staying here, so if you happen to be in the neighborhood of Granbury/Glen Rose the house phone in under R.Nillen. We'd love to see you. I guess you can tell that we have been working so hard on this house that we only run to town for things we have to have.

 

From Kathy Kilmer Moak (posted May 26, 2009)

 

WOODROW ALUMNI ACTIVATE TWO NEW NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

 

Wildcat Pride has reached new heights as alumni have recently established two non-profit organizations associated with Woodrow Wilson High School. One organization is the revived Alumni Association, and the other is a brand new Community Foundation.

 

The Woodrow Wilson Alumni Association was first established several years ago as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that supported various activities of the Woodrow alumni groups. Although Woodrow alumni had been active in the community and in supporting the school, there was negligible activity on the Association accounts and the organization went dormant. In the autumn of 2008, in view of the approaching 80th Anniversary, several alumni worked together to file documents with the IRS and the State of Texas to reinstate the Association. It is now up and running as a 501(c)3 non-profit. The officers of the Woodrow Wilson Alumni Association are: Bradley Sue Howell, Kyle Rains, and Paul Dalton.

 

Another group of Woodrow supporters and alumni have also formed a new non-profit organization. The Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation has been established and is anticipating approval for 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. The vision of the Community Foundation is to provide support and funding for programs and activities at Woodrow Wilson High School as well as at other schools in the Woodrow feeder pattern.

 

The initial focus of the Community Foundation is to provide funding for the International Baccalaureate program at Woodrow. The funding is expected to go to application fees, ongoing participation fees, and expenses associated with teacher training and IB program development. The directors of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation include Woodrow Alumni Richard Vitale, Paul Dalton, and Gary Griffith. Directors also include WWHS PTA past-presidents Susan Schuerger and Emily Martin, as well as attorney Brad Fletcher

 

For more information about either organization or to contribute, please contact Emily Martin at 214-327-0068 or Richard Vitale at 214-209-0334.

 

From Rex Aymond Class of `70 (posted May 6, 2009)

 

Mrs. Mary Taylor, Former Youth Director at East Dallas YMCA in the 70's - passed away -

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Mary Taylor, longtime neighbor, volunteer, political activist, friend and mother of Bill, Charlie (WW, ’67) and Danny (WW, ’72). Mary was known to literally thousands of Long and Woodrow students as Mrs. T. Starting as a volunteer parent and eventually becoming a Program Manager at the East Dallas YMCA, Mrs. T built one of the largest and most successful Y teen programs in the country. Under her leadership in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the Y became the place to gather for East Dallas teens. Mrs. T created, planned and brought to fruition many different successful programs, including Long and Woodrow After Game Parties, Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y clubs that included hundreds of students, annual trips including Padre Island, Colorado ski country and various Y campsites and one of the largest and most successful Youth and Government Program in the State. She built the East Dallas Y into a safe and popular destination for many Woodrow students and she truly cared for each and every kid who came through the doors of the Y. (Click here read her obituary.)

 

From David Hamilton (posted May 4, 2009)

 

It was a great joy for me to visit and interact with my classmates at our mutual 60th Birthday party and the 80th WWW Birthday function. In respect, I want to submit my condolences to all of you have recently lost your beloved parents, siblings and friends. I am very thankful that you were able to be the connected caretakers, and were able to support them in their final years. I lost both of my parents and my closest sister in the early 70' s, and genuinely have been jealous of my classmates who were given the opportunity to until recently share the last years of their beloveds with them. I was fortunate to be involved with my mother-in-law, and father-in-law until they passed in their late 80's. I really know true love, and I am overwhelmed knowing how difficult it has been for all of you to put your family and friends to rest. I am praying that only the pleasant memories of all whom we have lost remain in our minds. To y'all that still have your parents and other loved ones, please express yourselves to them in love, which covers everything. Also, BIG thanks to Kathy K. and Charlie T. who keep us bound together in love and friendship. Hey Charlie, your mother was an inspiration and a help to me during those East Dallas YMCA days; may she rest in peace.

 

From Russell Light (posted May 4, 2009)

Such a joy to see old friends at the 60th birthday party. I mentioned the party to my mother and she wanted to say hello and be remembered to her past students and my high school friends. She remembers you all. For many years she was a 7th grade English teacher at Mt. Auburn. Mom is 93 and living in independent living in Dallas at the CC Young retirement community on Lawther Dr. She has slowed down a bit this year and has to use a walker. In the past year she gave up going to the symphony and to Sunday morning church downtown at 1st Presbyterian but is still very active. She goes out shopping and to various social clubs and is an active bridge player. I hope I am as alert and engaged at 93. Lou and I will have out 30th anniversary this summer. This month I will have been a Senior General Attorney at BNSF Railway for 8 yrs, after a prior 22 yrs at Union Pacific Resources/Champlin Petroleum. Time flies. I currently am working on major intermodal projects in California and Kansas that are very important to the nation\'s Goods Movement infrastructure. Still have my Dallas antiquarian book and art business at Snider Plaza Antiques near SMU and at The Gathering on Slocum in the Design District. My youngest son Justin graduates this month from Austin College in Sherman, magna cum laude and phi beta kappa. He will be going to SMU law school in the fall. After finishing SMU in 2006, my older son Brendan is surviving in this economy as a stock broker/financial adviser at Merril Lynch in Ft. Worth. My daughter Erin, also a phi beta kappa Austin College graduate, is in her 2nd yr. of teaching and coaching in the Weatherford School District. Obviously Lou has parenting skills. Having my middle age crazies. In July bought a 2004 BMW Z4 and a 1958 Morgan 4/4 roadster for the weekends. When I heard GM was doing away with Pontiac it brought back memories of my senior year 1967 GTO. If my stock portfolio ever goes back up I might try to buy that GTO piece of my youth. Please stay in touch and if coming to Ft. Worth give me a call for a get together and a martini walk down memory lane.

 

From Sam Leftwich (posted May 4, 2009)

Please take a look at our new website! www.samleftwich.com

 

From Dave Connell (posted May 4, 2009)

I have to work Saturday so I won't be there at the reunion, but I'll be thinking about ya'll. Have fun! Kathy, I really admire and appreciate all the hard work you put into keeping us all informed as to the happenings and doings of our class. We are blessed to have you and your boundless energy!! Thank you.

 

From Mike Managan (posted May 4, 2009)

I’m sorry I can’t be there this weekend. Previous commitment and conflict with family stuff. Do a little bit of getting older for me as well. Best regards to all!

 

From Darlene Hogan Kruse (posted May 4, 2009)

Wish I could be there for this special event. Good job everyone!!

 

From Paul Brown (posted May 4, 2009)

….BTW, My Mother -in-Law, Helen (Bliebler) Hetherington is a WWW 1935 grad., as well. She went on to Barnard in NYC and came back to teach at Hockaday for many years.

 

From Jay Ballou re: the now famous Dusty/Rocky Hill interview in pt. 4 of our 20th reunion video (posted May 4, 2009)

There are also some still shots of Dusty on 2.1 at 12:04 and 12:42, and of Dusty and Rocky at 13:23. My wife Linda and I served as greeters for about 15 minutes, and were at the door when Dusty, Rocky and their bodyguard rolled up in the limo. Dusty was really cool – both as a Sharp Dressed Man (all black, black fedora, black and white wingtips) and he spent several minutes talking with us. He even remembered our band The Exiles (at least he said he did) – I reminded him that he has had a slightly better musical career than we did – but he was really nice and talkative. Man, we looked young even then – with our cool clown glasses!!!

 

From Kathy (posted May 4, 2009)

Below is part of an interesting exchange that was initiated when Dan Hatzenbuehler sent a message after I mentioned talking with Steve Cargile after Rocky Hill’s death. Read them in order, beginning at the top. Many of you will remember Steve’s dad, Bob Cargile, from both Long and Woodrow. I have no doubt he would love to hear from any of you who would like to send him a card or a note. Forty two years after graduation, it’s unusual to have the opportunity to brighten the day of one of our former teachers.

 

From Dan Hatzenbuehler I had Mr. Cargile for wood shop in 8th grade. Gave me a C for the 1st 6 wks; we got to be good pals and he helped me a lot. I remember when he moved to WW and was the drafting teacher. I would go by and see him periodically. During 8th grade Rocky Hill (must have been the second or third tour of 9th for Rocky) would go up in the stacks of wood and smoke; I was his lookout for Mr. Carlisle. Please ask Steve to give my regards to his dad. He really was a person who I have always remembered very fondly. He was supportive of me when I needed some encouragement. I doubt he will remember me; only had him for 1 semester.   From Kathy to Steve Cargile (Mr. Cargile’s son is a Disney Imagineer in California and a Woodrow Hall of Famer.) – Steve, I’m forwarding a note from Dan Hatzenbuehler, one of your dad’s former students. I think it will bring a smile your way.   From Steve to Kathy, who forwarded it to Dan and Mike – I called dad this morning and read him the piece you forwarded from Dan. He remembered him and the appointment of trustworthy students to "monitor of the lumber room." Apparently the threat of fire AND rules against smoking on campus made this a necessary post. And, he said it was "a real pepper upper" to hear those words today from a former student. He remembers Dan Hatzenbuehler and another bright student he had close to that time with red hair whose last name was Yaw. Do you remember anyone who fits that description? Another exceptional student he remembers from your era is Mike Managan. Dad has many funny stories about things that happened in the Long woodshop. There was a flocking gun they would use on the bottom of finished woodworking projects like jewelry boxes, turned candlesticks, etc. - a gun that would shoot felt pile into wet varnish or paint. One time a "difficult" student snuck off and flocked his shoes red!   From Steve to Mike (now an architect extraordinaire, of course!) – This morning I received the email from Kathy with your email address. Dad does indeed remember you well and those “great years” at Long and Woodrow. As I told Kathy, Dad taught woodshop at Long from 1957 to 1963 and drafting at Woodrow from 1963 to 1990, so his entire career was spent on that campus. He will be 80 in November. He is in good physical and mental health, in spite of having had Parkinson’s for almost 12 years. Only recently did his symptoms require that he give up driving and living alone in his house (we lost mom in 2001). Since September he has been at the Buckner Retirement Village on Samuell and is doing very well there. His address there is: Bob Cargile, 4800 Samuell Blvd. #25, Dallas, TX 75228.   Because my family has been focusing on his care and settling the house, I have not been involved in the 80th preparations at Woodrow. However, five years ago I helped put together a commemorative 75th anniversary edition of the Woodrow Wilson News and included inside was the floor plan you drew of the building in dad’s class. Dad made me aware that you were the person who drew it, and you are given credit. I hope he was remembering correctly – does this sound familiar? You may or may not be aware that this floor plan was used for many years in the student handbook, which was still the case when I started in the 80’s.

 

From Nancy Clark Rubenstein (posted May 4, 2009)

Matt (of Matt’s in Lakewood, where we have had Fri. night reunion events in the past, and also his restaurant in Austin) died recently. Check out this great editorial from the Dallas Morning News:

 

Editorial: Matt Martinez Jr., in Tex-Mex heaven (posted May 4, 2009)
There he stands, winged and robed in white like a hangdog angel, chomping a cigar under a black cowboy hat, a rascally twinkle in his eye as he guards the gates to Tex-Mex heaven. A placard bearing that iconic image of Dallas restaurant legend Matt Martinez Jr. stands by the door of Matt's Rancho Martinez, his Lakewood restaurant. It's fronted by a bouquet of fake roses and a single votive candle burning in memory of the place's beloved patron, who died of cancer last weekend. The makeshift memorial is pure Matt: unpretentious, mischievous and full of heart. His untimely death last weekend meant the passing of a Tex-Mex legend. He came from a storied Tex-Mex family tradition and made his name nationally by refusing to accept second-rate status for the Texas variation on Mexican cooking. He did amazing things with what, along with barbecue, has become the state cuisine of Texas. His loss is especially felt in Lakewood, the East Dallas neighborhood for which the laid-back Rancho Martinez serves as an unofficial clubhouse. As Jeff Siegel of The Advocate put it on the neighborhood magazine's blog, if you want to know how the real Dallas eats, head for Matt's. "How many other places have a Matt's?" Siegel wrote. "It's like my pal Mack Turner, a native Dallasite, always says: 'Tex-Mex may not seem like much, but it's ours. And we should appreciate it.' " True, that – and important. Lone Star expats long for two things: Dr Pepper (easy to find) and authentic Tex-Mex, which is hard to come by outside of Texas. In our beany, cheesy, beefy bounty, it's easy to take cultural treasures like Matt Martinez for granted. You don't miss your queso till your bowl runs dry. Dallas food writer Kim Pierce notes with appreciation that Mr. Martinez's trademark phrase was, "I'm so happy." Indeed he was, and he made lots of hungry Texans happy, by being true to himself and his place. Because the stove remains on in the Rancho Martinez kitchen, he still does. And if that's not a Texas life well lived, hell, what is

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate Charlie Taylor (posted April 30, 2009)

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Charlie Taylor whose mother passed way on Tuesday, April 28th. There will be a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 10 at St. Matthew's Cathedral located at 5100 Ross Ave at Henderson. A reception will follow the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the White Rock YMCA (formerly the East Dallas Y) or to St. Matthews Cathedral. The family also will be receiving visitors on Thursday, May 9th from 5:30 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. at 6431 Sunnyland in Dallas. Click here to read a copy of her obituary.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate Susie Coniglio Calmes (posted April 14, 2009)

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to Susie Coniglio Calmes on the death of her sister, Benita, who passed away last Thursday.  Family visitation will be Tuesday, April 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas.  Services are scheduled for Wednesday, April 15, at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel.  Memorial contributions in Benita’s honor may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  Click here to read her online obituary or here to read a .pdf copy.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate Dusty Hill (posted April 14, 2009)

 

The sympathies of the class also go to Dusty Hill, whose brother, Rocky, died last Friday.  Click here to read his obituary and an article about his music.

 

To see a short video of Rocky and Dustry from our 20th Reunion click here. For more information about Rocky and his Woodrow days click here.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate, John Fisk (posted March 7, 2009)

 

The sympathy of the class is extended to John Fisk, whose son passed away last month. 

 

 

From Kathy Kilmer Moak (posted March 10, 2009)

 

Last Saturday, March 7, 15 ladies from our ’67 group met for lunch in Dallas.  The noise level in the restaurant rose a few decibels with our chatting and laughter, but what a GREAT time we had!

 

The DFW ’67 Ladies Who Lunch

back: Patti Glenn, Patty Landers, Kelley Geary, Kathy Kilmer, Brenda Hornsby, Sarah Burden, Theresa Pennington

center: Cynthia Cannon, Karen Brown, Kathy Thomas, Janis Bozarth, Jane Anderson

front: Marianne Behr, Suzie Calhoun, Dini Montoy

 

From Mike Ellis (posted February 26, 2009)

 

I am currently giving private lessons on Guitar, Piano, Bass Guitar, and Banjo. I have owned my own studio for the last two years and have just moved into a larger studio so I can add another teacher and pass along the teaching methods and wisdom of the late Terrill Gardner, modified by the great Mike Ellis. hahahaha I have an average student load of 55 to 60 students per week and hope to double that with the other teacher. In this economy, fun is at a premium and so students are plentiful, in spite of the economics of the day. I LOVE my work and love seeing the students play and enjoy music. I'm also playing with the Exiles again, preparing for the 1969 Reunion. I have just published the book "Chordmaster Chord Theory for Keyboard." You can order it online at http://www.lulu.com/chordmasterforkeyboard today and soon at many retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Nobel.

 

From Jay Ballou (posted February 23, 2009)

 

Please note that the Class of 1967’s very own Exiles are playing at the “WW Alumni Band Roundup” the night of April 25th.  It would be nice to see a full envoy of classmates at the gig to spur us on!!! 

 

From Danny Bartley (posted January 16, 2009)

 

Changed jobs and didn't get my new E Mail to you guys. Saw where there was an update on Hurricane Ike stories. We have owned a house in Galveston for about 6 years. We sold our house in Houston and permanently moved to Galveston in June, three months before Ike. We left Galveston on business the Wednesday before Ike hit and while we knew there was a storm out there, at that point it wasn't pointing towards us. Consequently, while we did some storm prep we didn't do near as much as we should have. Lots of damage to the lower part of the house (the garage) but the upstairs was just like we left it. Due to utilities slowly coming back on, we were out of our house for almost 6 weeks. It’s been 4 months and the work here is constant but there is a long way to go. Its amazing the damage that was done. We were lucky in that we had losses weren't that great but some lost everything. They wouldn't let us back on the Island for about 10 days and we were scared to death of what we'd find when we returned. It was a huge mess but like I said, we were lucky.

 

From Kathy Thomas Gerwig (posted January 6, 2009)

 

It’s high time that the WWW DFW Ladies that Lunch get back together!!  Mark Saturday, March 7th on your calendars and I’ll send out a reminder in late February.  Of course, anyone who can arrange to be in town that weekend is welcome to join us.  I look forward to seeing you all again!

 

Bud and I will be joining his two sisters and their spouses on a 14 day cruise starting March 30th.  We leave out of San Diego, pass through the Panama Canal and land at Fort Lauderdale.  We stop at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco and Huatulco Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Colon, Panama and Cartagena, Colombia.  I’m sure the cruise will be great – but what I’m really psyched about is missing two full weeks of work!!

 

---

 

Postings from 2008

 

From Brenda Bradbury Pool (posted December 29, 2008)

 

I just received this information.  Mary Margaret Meggs Harms had a kidney transplant on 12/28.  She is doing well.  Just pray there are no complications.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate David Gilmer (posted December 29, 2008)

 

The sympathies of the class are extended to David Gilmer, whose father, H.T. Gilmer, passed away Saturday.  Viewing will be from 6 PM to 8 PM Monday evening, Dec. 29, at Bethel Baptist Church, 9314 Ferguson Rd., Dallas, TX .  Services will be at Bethel Baptist Church at 10:00 AM on Tuesday. 

 

From Ted Burk (posted December 22, 2008)

 

My one and only child Melissa blessed us Nov. 13th with our first grandchild.  A little boy Justin Andy Lestina.  9lbs  Born at Baylor Hospital in Dallas.   The photographer was great. He came to her home....... took 200 pictures (CD) and produced the video for $200.  What a deal!!   See the slide show here:  http://www.poeticexposure.com/justinandy/  

 

From Robin Abbey (posted December 22, 2008)

 

Dear friends I hope this finds you well and planning for a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year. Santa must have had a glitch in his communication loop this year. There are way too many packages under our tree with my name on them. That or coal wraps better than I remember. On December 1, I turned the big 60. Kathryn and I are celebrating with a month of weekend getaways. Fortunately, Christmas falls in this time so that makes it even that much better. So far we have been to a Kansas City weekend taking in the production of "The Lion King" with friends and fun; the Branson, Mo weekend included several sights including the Christmas Lights at Silver Dollar City in a snow storm that closed the park early. It was awesome. We caught a production of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol there that night which was wonderful: Michael W. Smith gave a Christmas concert in KC and had Melinda Doolittle ( American Idle finalist ) on the program. This one was a there and home trip but well worth it!  Last weekend we were in Tulsa at the new BOK center. Our entertainment was one of the Cirque du Soleil  productions. We had seen the one in Orlando at Disney a few years ago. Each show is different but all are fantastic. This weekend has been Christmas parties with friends here at home and next weekend to Texas to see family. So all in all not too bad of a birthday celebration. If I can just figure out how to push this thing into 2009! Well that's what’s been happening lately. FYI, I read our sight frequently and enjoy your news always. The good news and the sometimes not so good. I celebrate with you your blessed events and grieve with you during those times of sorrow. May they be few and far between! Peace to you and yours.

 

From Patricia Mooney (posted December 22, 2008)

 

Happy Holidays everyone. We will be going to Dallas from San Antonio for Christmas this year because our daughter is expecting her second child -a boy- at the end of January and is on travel restrictions. Rudd and I are doing dinner for Christmas Eve after church services and then we will have "Santa" at their house Christmas morning for our two year old granddaughter. After that we will have Christmas lunch at the home of our son-in-law's parents in Highland Park. Interesting for us to be going back to Dallas for Christmas. We have had a wonderful year-no health problems, and the anticipation of the new baby. I love hearing all the WWW news and wish all of you a healthy and prosperous New Year!

 

From Walter Patton (posted December 22, 2008)

 

Yesterday I was in Dallas and drove by Stonewall Jackson school and noticed the gardening activity so Ping and I went back and looked around a bit. Very impressive that someone had done a lot of work. As I was leaving I briefly saw on the school sign a request to Save the Garden and to see some web address . I wanted to be sure you knew of the issue.

[Note from Kathy:  After I read Walter’s note, I asked Nancy Clark to check it out.  Her reply is below.]

 

From Nancy Clark Rubenstein (posted December 22, 2008)

 

Attention Stonewall alums! Some of you may remember touring the Stonewall garden at our elementary school tour on Saturday morning at our 35th Reunion. Our tour guide was Mark Painter, science teacher and gardener. Unfortunately, with the DISD school cuts, Mr. Painter lost his position, but still seems to be working or volunteering at the garden. They need donations to keep the garden going. What a great Holiday gift that could be! Here is the link to the website: www.stonewallgardens.com.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. My husband and I are off to London and Edinburgh for the holidays.

[Note from Kathy:  EVERYONE should check out the web site and send a contribution if possible.  As a retired educator with many years’ experience, I can say this is undoubtedly one of the finest elementary school projects I’ve ever seen, and I’ve visited scores of excellent campuses.]

 

From Tony Mantzuranis (posted December 22, 2008)

 

I still own Casey's Lawn Equipment, but had a mid-life crisis and went and got my real estate salespersons license. I turned 60 so I guess I needed a new challenge. I am working with an old friend of mine. He does a lot of ranches in west Texas, in and around Coleman county. Tom is editor of a game magazine and is also an outfitter. Looking forward to retiring, hopefully around 80.

 

From Patti Glenn (posted December 22, 2008)

 

Melissa (Proctor) Baker, Rosemary Piazza, and I are planning a cruise to celebrate our 60th in 2009 --- we don’t have date yet.  But we know we are going.

I think a birthday get together would be great….

 

From Allison (Ruth) Smith (posted December 22, 2008)

 

I would love to come to the 60th party.

 

From Dan Hatzenbuehler (posted December 22, 2008)

I like your idea of a 60th birthday party.

 

From Mike Barnes (posted December 22, 2008)

 

I like the idea about a birthday party for us 60 year old Wildcats………a new twist to “child of the 60’s”……….

 

From Christy Thomas (posted December 22, 2008)

 

I will hopefully get to see all my children and grandchildren for the holidays.  Big challenge for us to get together when we are so scattered.   My blog: "A Pastor's Thoughts:" http://www.krumchurch.blogspot.com/

 

From Manuel Zaby   (posted December 9, 2008)

 

Lib's father, Marshall Fagin, celebrated his 100th birthday with a big crowd last weekend. He still swims 12-16 laps 2-3 times a week at the Landry Center as he has for years. There was a big article in both The White Rocker and Park Cities People this week with the news. Happy Holidays all!!

 

From Linda Simmons Brandon   (posted December 9, 2008)

 

I started working for Gramercy Insurance as a file clerk in 2001, after 5 years I was fired. I went on to work various jobs and received invaluable experience in the clerical world. After the change of ownership I was rehired by Gramercy as an Underwriting Assistant. Two years later I'm now an Underwriter. We write policies for large commercial vehicles and it's quite an interesting world.

 

An interesting note: When I started working for Gramercy in 2001, I discovered that I was working with 2 other Woodrow alumni. The first graduated in 1947, the second in 1957, and I graduated in 1967. What did we have in common? We all had Zada Wells as our business teacher and we all had the most wonderful memories of this marvelous teacher.

 

From Kathy Kilmer Moak   (posted December 9, 2008)

 

Well, LT (Woodrow alumni’s monthly Last Thursday gathering) plans currently are up in the air.  The place keeps changing as businesses go out of business - both the High Point and Bailey’s First & Ten - a sign of these rocky economic times.  Last month, they met at the Tipp Inn (old Volks bldg. on Skillman), but apparently that didn’t work very well.  Anyway, I will find out where they are going to meet and post the info. both here and on the calendar on this web site.  When they settle on a place, we need to get a group from ’67 to go.  I really enjoyed doing that last spring!

 

From Allison (Ruth Smith) Poggi (in Ann Arbor, Michigan)   (posted December 9, 2008)

The temp now is 12 F and falling.  Not my cup of tea.  Talked to someone in Dallas today bitching about the 30s.  Balderdash!!!  Don't even talk about wind chill.  Monday, the plow company had done the drive at 4:00 am, I did the drive before 9:00 am (to get to exercise) and had to do driveway paths late afternoon the same day.  I could barely walk Tuesday, but I was out with my shovel again....I'm too Texan for this!

 

From Carol Fuess Garrett   (posted December 9, 2008)

 

Our Thanksgiving was quiet, spent with my Dad, my sister and her family. None of our kids could get away from work long enough to come home, but they are all coming for Christmas!! We just returned from a 2 week cruise, visiting Spain, France and Italy - ending up with 5 days in Florence and Rome. We had a wonderful trip - luckily we had paid for it earlier in the year before the market went "south". We left on election day - all the Europeans we met wanted to know who we voted for and how we felt about the election. They were so interested in how we felt about the President-Elect. How global we've all become. We're in Colorado this week. We bought a cabin in South Fork, Colorado last summer and have been getting it all furnished in anticipation of our Christmas visit from all of the kids. They are fired up about skiing for a week, I'm just wondering how I stand up to cooking for 14 people for a week! I'm out of practice!

 

From Jan Kimbro Matthews  (posted December 9, 2008)

 

I am founder of Covenant Woman Ministries. We hold monthly meetings as well as annual conferences. We have several chapters in a few states, and other countries. We expect to grow to other states. I have a daily radio broadcast and minister in churches and conferences from time to time. I am also a writer, write articles and books. I also am a freelance writer for magazines and ministries. I'm a ghostwriter for other ministers also. My latest book is Lively Stones, Personalities of the Tribes of Israel. It can be purchased at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and other bookstores.  I enjoyed browsing the site.  Wish I had come to the reunion.

 

From Karen Brown   (posted December 9, 2008)

 

Retired from Boy Scouts of America October 1, 2008. Not ready to kick back, however, and looking for an interesting, part time, opportunity. My only grandson lives in San Francisco so I don't get to see him too often. I enjoy reading, gardening and knitting. If anyone in our class knows of a good club that features any of these activities, I would love to hear from you. Divorced since '85, went back to my maiden name as no one could either spell or pronounce "Rudsenske".

 

From Sandy Mixon Reed  (posted December 9, 2008)

 

I am still working at Luminant (formerly TXU Electric) and hope to retire soon. I plan on moving back to East Texas when I retire or North Carolina. My oldest daughter and her family live in North Carolina close to Ashville. It is beautiful there. My youngest daughter and her family live in Mesquite. My life is not as exciting as some of yours is, but I do enjoy it. I have been with Luminant 19 years and hoping to retire maybe in 5 more years. I was pretty shy in school so you probably don\'t remember me. I have really enjoyed this website. Keep up the good work.

 

From Tim LeMay  (posted December 9, 2008)

 

Re-married in March and moved to Wortham, Tx from Richardson. I now work remote and travel about 2 to 3 times a month for business. Enjoying my grandkids (Ages 16 - 3). Travel for pleasure 3 - 4 times a year.

 

From Alexis Fink Mavridis  (posted November 30, 2008)

 

I just learned today that Jean Pierce, Wayne Pierce's wife, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25.  Steven, their son, has requested a memorial service for his mom on Sat., Dec. 6, at  2 PM.  It will be held at Grand View Baptist Church, 1401 I-30, Mesquite, TX  75150.  I asked Steven if I could share this with you so you could let our class know; he said that would be fine.  The obituary will be coming out Fri., Dec. 6. 

[Note from Kathy – I received this information from Bill Knox (Class of ’69) as well.  He said that Becky Pierce (Class of ’69, Mr. Pierce’s daughter) had just become a first time grandmother a few hours before losing her mother.  The circle of life….]

 

From Wanda Jackson Pagel (posted November 29, 2008)

 

We have so much to be thankful this time of the year. My husband recently had part of his colon removed and thank God there is no cancer. It is a long recovery for him. Our plans have had to change for Thanksgiving and Christmas since traveling would be too much for him. I am just thankful he will be alright. We are going to his aunt and uncle's for Thanksgiving and probably Christmas, too. Each of you have a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

From Suzi Shuler Harkey (posted November 29, 2008)

 

Here's the latest with the San Antonio crew... Randy retired the end of September and to celebrate we headed to our daughter's home in Albuquerque for the Hot Air Balloon International Fiesta. Fantastic! We plan to make it an annual event. Since then we've been working on our little retirement home, having quite the time of it. We got the idea to rip out all the carpets in the living area and stain the concrete a wonderful agate red and love it! If you're interested, it's a great way to update a place, but be prepared for a lot of hard work! And of course, now we've continued on to the hallways and kitchen for new tile work. We found a terrific faux slate at the Habitat for Humanity store. The entire project for all new flooring in 3/4 of the house will run us less than a $1.00 per square foot. Not bad for retired folks! Needless to say, I don't think we'll be decorating for the holidays this year. We're knee deep in furniture moved to odd places, mortar dust, boxes of tile, and tools. Merry Christmas to us! Have a wonderful holiday everyone! We have so much to be thankful for and to appreciate in this wonderful country of ours. We are so blessed!!!

 

 

From Steve Davis (posted November 29, 2008)

 

Sold my stocks which afforded me a 2 day stay in Cedar Hill. Looking forward to Dollar Store shopping spree tomorrow. Adios

 

From Bren Hornsby Pool (posted November 29, 2008)

 

Thanksgiving 2008........As for many in the Class 67, this is my first Thanksgiving without Mama.  I reflect back on years past, and remember the warmth of our home.  Thanksgiving Day was always filled with laughter, warmth and good food.  Except, the year that Mitch (my youngest son) about 9 or 10 at the time, decided to sneak out early that morning and ride his horse , with nothing on except his underwear.  As Mitch had her running in full steam, she decided to head straight for a big oak tree.  Pulling to the right, she headed for the oak tree.  Before he could get the horse to stop or veer away from the tree, a big ole branch caught his left leg and to the ground he went.  When the horse returned with no rider, we went looking.  We spent most of that Thanksgiving in the emergency room.  After he was bandaged up and no major damage was done, Mama and I looked at each other and said UNDERWARE, rolled our eyes and laughed.   When families enjoy life together there are no bad times.  I will miss Mama this year and many to follow, but I thank her for all she did and the memories I cherish. 

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate John Reed (posted November 28, 2008)

 

Christy Thomas forwarded the following message from John – Just a note to relay the sad news that my dad, Jack Reed, passed away yesterday evening at the age of 89. He lived a long and full life until the very end. For many of us, dad was a national treasure, a patriot, a solid citizen, a devout man of faith, devoted husband, a wise and caring father, a sweet and gentle soul. We will miss him. Joy and I are flying to Dallas this afternoon to be with family.

 

Visitation at Restland on Friday, November 28th, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Grave side at 9:30 on Saturday and memorial at 11:00 at Park Cities Baptist Church.

 

Mr. Reed’s obituary can be read here  http://www.legacy.com/dallasmorningnews/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=120694576 .

 

From Christy Thomas (posted November 28, 2008)

 

I have been pondering thanksgiving week as a pastor. Hmmmm . . . holiday for most, fun getting family together and all cooking and eating and having fun. I, on the other hand, have exactly as much work to do as I do in a normal week plus a lot of other family/meal/granddaughter care responsibilities and privileges, have less time and less help to get it done, and feel my stress level getting even higher. I definitely need a vacation--and can't figure out how to do it. Oh well. . . at least I'm never, ever under the any circumstances bored. And I sleep like a log when I do manage to get to bed.

From Karen Laurea (posted November 22, 2008)

 

[Note from Kathy:  This is a response to a note I sent to Karen after I saw the latest California fires were in Santa Barbara, where she lives.]

 

We lost our house……It has burnt to the ground…..

Things have been crazy….  We had 30 minutes to pack and get out.. we packed documents, 8 photo albums, jewelry and sterling, and clothes for overnight..  The good news is that we were given the keys to a 3 BR condo in Montecito Del Mar yesterday and will be moving in this morning. What a wonderful gift it is to have friends who are working to help us get situated and back on the road to moving into our new home! Things are moving forward slowly.. We are safe and sound.. We will rebuild in the same place with a lot of hardscape vs. landscape.  Thank you for your thoughts &  prayers.

 

From Mike Ellis  (posted October 26, 2008)

 

Well, Terry and I finally went on a cruise. We took a 5-day cruise on September 20th to Cozumel and Progresso. You guys should have told me to go years ago. We drank more Pina Colada's (where is that damn squiggle for over the n when you need it?) than I can recall. We swam with two dolphin (and the football team's name is incorrect - dolphin IS plural) and got to be pulled around by them. We saw one of the new seven wonders of the world (the ancient ones like the Colossus of Rhodes are gone), the Chichen Itza Pyramid. We ate like Kings! Food was EVERYWHERE on the ship. It was Carnival Cruise Lines, Ecstacy. We gambled... Terry gambled. I couldn't win squat!!! But Terry is a Black Jack Queen!! We ended up a little over $200 ahead at the casino on the ship. Add that to the fact that we ate $650 worth of food (I put a pencil to it and the steaks and such every night along with the gourmet breakfasts and all the snacks and lunches came to right about $650 if we had eaten all that here in Dallas), yes add it all up and we ended up taking the 5-day cruise for FREE except for the price of the drinks and souvenirs!!! It was a blast. Then today we went downtown to the Carnival Cruise Lines World's Biggest Beach Ball party where they set the Guinness Book of Records record for the world's largest beach ball. They had two of them each three stories tall. We were filmed \"tossing" them down Main Street. I don't know if we'll be seen in the commercial they were filming or not. Then we ate free hot dogs, free kettle korn, and free ice cream and Terry and I got to make a video postcard of the event for free, too. I'm SOLD on Carnival Cruise Lines and all the people we talked to who had been on multiple cruises, said Carnival is the best. So hop on board one SOON!! Damn! I sound like a commercial! hahahahaha

 

From David Hamilton  (posted October 26, 2008)

 

Although not all of my memories are good concerning high school, the good memories far outweigh the bad. The thing I remember the most about Mr. Pierce was his “board of education”.  He was the “Master” of correcting all my rowdy friends in high school. My buttocks were real skinny in those days. I wish the accumulation I now have in that area was available in 1965-67. 

From Manuel Zaby  (posted October 8, 2008)

 

My sabbatical has ended.  I started working for Match.com last Thursday.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate, Mike Looney. (posted September 30, 2008)

 

Mike Looney's mother, Mary Looney, passed away on September 30th after a fall.  Visitation will be Thursday, October 2nd from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sparkman Hillcrest located on Northwest Highway. The funeral service will be held Friday at 10:00 a.m. at Sparkman Hillcrest.  There will be a reception following the service at the home of Mike & Sandra Looney.

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted September 30, 2008)

 

There was an interesting take on fortieth reunions in Parade magazine last Sunday.  Click here to read James Grady’s “You Can Go Home Again.”    (James Grady authored Six Days of the Condor.)  I think you will enjoy reading it.

 

From Karla Kirby Corchran (posted September 30, 2008)

 

Hi everyone! I'm so glad that everyone that wrote news of the damage from Ike came out OK. I worry every time there is a new one, for family as well as classmates and friends who live in hurricane country. That's not to say we wouldn't be affected in the Hill Country with an "inland" hurricane because we can! I guess living in Louisiana for 20+ years with the threat of hurricanes makes you a believer in the damage they can and will cause! On a lighter note, Corky and I just got back from visiting my daughter and her boys in Ft. Collins, Colorado for a month which was fun. We took our time getting home just meandering through Colorado and New Mexico visiting some of the National Monuments and Parks we missed previously. One of the highlights was watching a Bobcat stroll through our camp while we were drinking coffee one morning. It didn't seem to be scared in the least-had a huge squirrel in it's mouth! We've never seen one in the wild so it was a thrill. It's good to be home for a while and enjoying the fall in here.

 

From Linda Bartek Coker (posted September 30, 2008)

 

We had a new grand baby born on August 31, our second!! His name is Logan Eugene Coker and weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. We are taking his older brother, 3 years old, camping this weekend to get away from all the hoopla created by the new sibling. Thankfully his mom seems to have loosened her apron strings just a little not that she has two. He was to have been a scheduled c-section on September 9...but guess he had other plans! Received a phone call at 4:00 in the morning from my son. He was all casual like and I was wondering what was he thinking anyway...he started out with casual conversation that ended with "oh, by the way, can you and dad come on over...Eileen's water just broke and we need to go to the hospital. How long will it take you to get here to take care of Collin?! Needless to say a 40 minute drive took us 20 minutes and we drove through McD's for coffee too!! We arrived to a nice neighbor lady half asleep on their couch waiting for us. We waited as long as we could and finally woke Collin up at 6:15 to head for the hospital. Collin was there in time to see his mom before she went into surgery and then see his baby brother brought to the nursery window by his proud dad. Of course, we were pretty proud. So as you can see...we might not be traveling the world...but our little world is pretty exciting!

 

From Martha Murphy (posted September 23, 2008)

 

I am currently appearing in LOVE LETTERS on our Langley stage.  A local writer who has a BLOG about South Whidbey featured an article about my co-actor, Ed Cornachio, and you can also see a pic. of me from Sunday's show (scroll down) http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/whidbey/  ....We had standing ovations!  and there are three more performances this coming weekend.  Keep scrolling down for pictures of this year's Soup Box Derby on Saturday. 

 

[Note from Kathy:  Last year about this time, Lois Dickerson and I were visiting Martha on Whidbey.  We attended a play in “her” theatre and also were fortunate enough to witness the famous Soup Box Derby!]

 

From Karen Brown (posted September 23, 2008)

 

I have been hibernating the past three weeks on an 8000 foot mountain just south of Jackson Hole.  With no phone and an hour's drive just to read my e-mail, I have missed out on all the craziness since the Democratic Convention ended.  Guess I picked a bad time to retire!  I choose not to even look at my stock portfolio. 

 

From Gayla Duce (posted September 23, 2008)

 

I thought my next news would be short and sweet, but my life does not function well on short and sweet.  I had reconnected with my college boyfriend (Ron Nillen) back in March and after taking our time, we have decided to get married. We wanted to marry after college and his Dad loved me but my Dad said I was not old enough. I hope I am now,  The end of August we spent 2 weeks moving all of his household, equipment, cattle and horses up to Corsicana, after we got the animals out we can sadly say that he WAS from Galveston. Lost a beautiful home on the west end but everything is ok.  The house had enough furniture in it to make it inhabitable but haven't found one scrap of anything.  Just pilings in the water.  He was down near Bolivar, blocks from the beach.  His boat broke and half was in the swimming pool.  His daughters and their families live in Santa Fe, TX north of Galveston.  They suffered water and tree damage but all are safe.  We went down there every weekend in college and all of the old hangouts, bars, restaurants and his parents, aunts and grandmothers are gone.  Believe it or not, they are buried at Sparkman Hillcrest.  We don't have a date set yet.

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted September 19, 2008)

 

As everyone knows, parts of Texas were blasted by hurricane Ike last weekend.  I have sent emails to classmates in the Houston/Galveston area, asking them to “check in” to let us know about their experience with the storm.  Click here to read how everyone was affected.

 

From Kathy Kilmer Moak (posted September 17, 2008)

 

Because I know our class has at least three present or former art teachers (Martha Bruton, Lois Dickerson, and yours truly), news about a Woodrow art show/scholarship honoring the present Woodrow art teacher caught my eye. Click here for details. (See Woodrow in the News page) Lois and I have spoken so many times about the influence Jack Stevenson had on our decisions to become art teachers.

 

 

From Jay Ballou (posted September 11, 2008)

 

The new links are great additions, and the site is exceptional!  Especially the Brockles page.  Here is a post I left for Jimmy – “I distinctly remember the entrance, the round window and the waitress uniforms.  It was always my mother’s favorite restaurant when we were little, and she always had the special dressing around.  Too bad the old place is now a parking lot for city hall.  Great picture of the family - it's nice to see all the Ellis boys and Mr. & Mrs. Ellis, my parents away from home.  They were always really nice to me, except for the time Mike and I accidentally dropped a lit "punk" into a FULL grocery bag of Black Cat firecrackers - indoors on the side porch.  Let's just say that after the chaos of hundreds of firecrackers exploding around us, and Mike and I realized we were still alive and had not burned the house down, Momma Ellis had a few choice words for both of us!  And we earned it.  I loved both of them and miss them and Billy a lot”…

 

From Sherry Jackson Ricamore (posted September 11, 2008)

 

Two years ago I moved from my Garland home of 30 yrs to Plano. I've worked for the same executive for 26 years in Dallas - no plans for early retirement. I have 2 daughters, one a teacher in Plano and the other an attorney in Dallas, and I have 4 grandchildren. I spend lots of time with my daughters and grandchildren and love every minute of it!  I’m turning 60 in October - will be happy to do so- my Dad died at 59 (aneurism) so I will be glad to make 60 and beyond.  My mother passed away a week before Christmas last year at 87.  Love the website and thanks for all your hard work on it. 

 

From Wanda Pagel Jackson (posted September 11, 2008)

 

I have to laugh when I read about retiring. Dan and I have been for the last 3 years and he thinks he needs to work again for rest. We love being able to help other people, that is what we want to do now. We take time for us too. No trips for now but know we will be planning a trip to see his kids in WA state soon. Grandchildren are all well and great grandchldren too. What more could we want.

 

From Patti Glenn (posted September 11, 2008)

 

Rosemary Piazza has a new grandchild, Janie.

 

From Patricia Mooney Marlowe (posted September 9, 2008)

 

Terrific launch!  You and Charlie did a terrific job.  Thanks again for all your hard work.

 

No news here in San Antonio.  We spent the last half of August in Dallas with Meg and Evelyn while Ed was hunting in Siberia.  I will say, though we had a good time, 18 nights in a double bed at someone else's house is way too much of a sacrifice for me to make---even if it is to spend time with daughter and granddaughter! .  While we were there one morning during breakfast Evelyn asked for a fork and Meg asked her why she needed one.  Her answer was, "The Bible tell me so."  I guess Sunday school classes do work!   We laughed and laughed and decided that is the perfect answer for when you are stumped!

 

We found out last week that the baby due at the end of January is a boy.  Very exciting, but mostly that the sonogram was good and there seem to be no problems. 

 

Rudd is busy with his consulting and traveling quite a bit.  Several of the projects he has been working on have popped at the same time.  While he is gone, I am busy getting ready for a genealogy trip in November with my sister Maureen to Charleston, SC.  We have done this for years, but moving to Bermuda and back and having the grandbaby interrupted things.  We go the first part of November and it is kind of open ended

 

Thought this was an interesting article about East Dallas.  It is from my sister Maureen.

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted September 9, 2008)

 

Check it out!  We made the front page of Lakewood-Now! 

 

 

This was the comment that I sent –

 

Hey, Bruce!  Thanks for the kind words.  We welcome all visitors to the '67 site and enjoy hearing from those who stop by.  One clarification, however - it is not my site - it is very much "our" site.  Charlie Taylor and I have worked together to create and maintain it, but we could do nothing without the cooperation of all of our classmates.  WWW '67 is a fun-loving, remarkable group!

 

From Brenda Bock Linzel (posted September 6, 2008)

 

OMG.....have you guys done anything else but work on this???? I can't even take it all in at one sitting!!!! Fabulous! THANK YOU!

 

From Suzi Shuler Harkey (posted September 6, 2008)

 

Many thanks to all of you who made this new web site possible. You guys are our mainstay to continued communication. Fall is upon us and we are rejoicing as the temperature begins to drop into the low 90s here in south Texas. Randy and I enjoyed an Alaskan cruise and stay in Anchorage as we celebrated our 40th anniversary this summer. Randy retires the end of this month and we will hit the airways to Albuquerque to take in the hot air balloon festival. Then it's back home to learn how to live like retirees, whatever that means! I'm still coordinating counseling at our church, and we are content with life here in San Antonio.

 

From Beth Baxter Eikenburg (posted September 4, 2008)

 

The 3rd annual David Eikenburg Memorial Bike Ride will be held in New Braunfels, Texas on Saturday, September 13, 2008. This ride is to honor David Eikenburg, WW class of 71. who died tragically in a cycling accident on July 11, 2005. He died doing what he loved but his first love and passion was to share the love of Jesus. We honor him again this year with with bike ride, remembering what he loved and then to glorify God by continuing David's legacy and passion for spreading the good news to people everywhere. Information about David, his family, his ministry, and this event can be found on our website, www.davideikenburgmemorialbikeride.com Donations can be sent to Beth Eikenburg at 247 Twin Oak, Seguin, Texas 78155. Funds this year will benefit a bereavement camp for children who need to learn how to deal with their loss and Volunteers in Mission, a free medical clinic.

From Sonny Thompson (posted September 4, 2008)

I can only surmise how much time and effort this took from you two, and I'm guessing you've used up two sets of eyeballs looking at all of the new site's info. A hearty "Well Done" to the both of you!

 

From Darlene Hogan Kruse (posted September 4, 2008)

 

The website is absolutely wonderful.......... very well done!! Everyone that assisted did a fantastic job.

 

Keep us in your prayers for TS/Hurricane Hanna....we are 30 minutes south of Savannah. Also, Hurricanes Ike & Josephine as we are scheduled to leave Saturday 13th out of Port Canaveral for our 25th Anniversary Cruise. Will send pictures!!

 

More big news, we are expecting our first great-grandchild in March 2009. Our daughter, Renee, is so excited!!

 

From Kathy Thomas Gerwig (posted September 3, 2008)

 

Kathy (Kilmer)Moak asked me to review the new web site before "go live". Of course, it is quite impressive and she and Charlie have done a "wow" job as usual. She lived to regret this request however when I got to the photo gallery. I had to miss the 40th Reunion because my Dad was critically ill so I REALLY enjoyed looking at the slide shows. The down side for Kathy was that I kept emailing her saying "who is the blonde on slide 21" or "the guy on the left on slide 48", etc. because I just knew I should know who it was but I just couldn't quite figure it out. It looks like you guys had a really great time - particularly the Exiles. It looked like they were having too much fun! I was also really impressed with the decorations at the country club. Kathy tells me that Tommy Attlessey was in charge. Good job!! The most "exciting" thing that has happened to me this year is that I had both knees replaced in April. It was well worth the hassle - I can walk without limping anymore (I've been told I had gotten so bowlegged from the arthritis that I had the "rolling gait of a salty tar") and I'm even an inch taller! Life is good. If anyone else is considering this drop me an email and I'll be glad to give you all the helpful tips I wish I had known!

 

From Lois Dickerson Morton (posted September 3, 2008)

 

I'm part of a new Houston art co-op called Green House Gallery that will have a grand opening on Sep. 19th and is currently open Thurs-Sun. I'm also participating in a show at The Pink Magnolia in Katy on Sep. 28th. That gallery is open during the week by appointment. www.loismortonart.com and www.greenhouseartgallery.com

 

 

From Mary Terranella Thelen (posted September 2, 2008)

 

Doug has landed in Kuwait on his way to Iraq.  Please keep him in your prayers.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate, Dee Ann Egan. (posted August 24, 2008)

 

The sympathies of the class go to Dee Anne Egan, whose mother passed away on August 8 following a ten year battle with Alzheimer's. Read her obituary here.

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate, Patty Landers Caperton (posted August 24, 2008)

 

Our sympathy also goes to Patty Landers Caperton, whose 20 yr. old nephew (her brother’s middle son) died several weeks ago. Patty’s brother passed away in ’99.

 

From Nancy Cook Pendleton (posted August 24, 2008)

 

My deepest sympathies to all who have lost loved ones. I don't think the impact of losing a parent really hits until you have experienced it.

 

My Dad had always said that for his and Mom's 60th wedding anniversary we were all going to take a cruise to Alaska. My family - Mom, siblings and spouses, and I - just returned from a cruise to Alaska and were on the ship on July 31st which, would have been their 60th anniversary. It was a little bittersweet for all of us but, I feel Daddy was there with us in spirit. He had always talked about taking a helicopter ride to the top of a glacier. And, I, who am terrified of heights, did just that. It was an awesome experience.

 

I am still a reference librarian in the Austin area. I haven't decided yet what I want to do next.

 

Thank you so much for keeping this communication going. Even though I don't respond much, I do read every word of the messages and think about my high school classmates often.

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted August 24, 2008)

 

Some of you probably remember Claire Wilson, WWW ’66. This article (click here) about her was in the Austin American Statesman Sunday. I knew Claire and have thought of her each time I hear anything about the Tower shootings. What a tragedy. Many thanks to Rhonda Halasz for sending the article to me. Betty Benda also sent a note saying Claire was her “big sister” at Long.

 

From Darlene Hogan Kruse (posted August 22, 2008)

After some rather serious discussions, and a little pathetic whining on my part, I was released from St. Vincent's Hospital Jacksonville, Florida July 31st.. We got home around 6:00 PM.. what bliss!! I had a comfortable night, and now learning about ALL of the new medicines that are required to keep my heart safe and healthy. I am taking this very, very seriously. The Lord has worked a miracle on me, so it's up to me to live for whatever He has in store for my future and trust me on this one, I don't want to feel that kind of PAIN again.

 

Ladies, my Heart Attack woke me out of a sound sleep at 5:00 AM, with intense pain in my left SHOULDER, it then radiated to my chest and jaw. Do Not ignore this pain, call EMS immediately. I went to work and finally had my husband come and take me to the ER in Brunswick around 6:00 PM. After a Diagnostic Heart Cath, I had a reaction to Heparin and nearly bled to death. My palettes dropped to 6. I was transported to St. Vincent's the next morning. The doctors found a 70% blockage on Friday, then when they went to do the Stent on Tuesday..... it was gone!!

 

God's Grace!! With rest and medication I should be able to resume normal activities within two weeks.

 

From Bren Hornsby Pool (posted August 22, 2008)

I’ve just been trying to stay outof the summer heat. Gone swimming with grand-daughter all summer. That has been fun. I also am having minor surgery tomorrow. I have been having a bout with trigger thumb and tendonitis. Needless to say, my right arm has been wrapped most of the time. Thats why I have been swimming so much. Can't wear that brace in the water LOL. Expect a complete recover in no time. Dr. said take it easy for two weeks. So I will probably do some much needed catching up on paperwork and taxes. Also my husband started a new career. He is Sales Manager for a 2-way radio communications company. Resigned from McDonald's after 18 years. Enough of the corporate life.

 

From Linda Bartek Coker (posted August 7, 2008)

No real exciting news from the Terrell/Forney area. 

Growing lots of squash and okra right now, also black-eye peas...freezer is overflowing!   Getting ready to re-start substitute teaching in Forney.  My husband, Ron, turns 60 in October (he graduated from Seagoville High).  I plan to take him to Rockport/Fulton Beach for a couple days of guided bay fishing and throw a small family party.  Small is relative as he has 9 brothers and sisters and a jillion nieces, nephews not to mention great nieces and nephews...I am always the one in charge of the Christmas gatherings, too!  I was an only child with only a few cousins out of town!

Our second grandson will be born on September 9th!  Can't wait!  My oldest son, Chris and his wife Eileen have already given us 3 year old Collin...now Logan will be here soon!  My other two children, Daniel and Stacy are not married.  Daniel is engaged...ring...no date.  Stacy has a long time boyfriend in Sulphur Springs.  She will start her 2nd year teaching 5th grade math in Mesquite. 

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted July 25, 2008)

Click here to check out the ZZTop article that was in the DMNews recently.  The actual newspaper article had a large map of Dallas/Ft. Worth with places referenced in the article marked on it.  (It also had very cool artwork!)   Woodrow, was marked on the map as “Mr. Hill’s alma mater, Class of 1967.”The sympathies of the class go to the Cissy Everts Hornbckle who lost her father on July 9, 2008.

Note from From Cissy Everts Hornbuckle (August 6, 2008) My father died July 9th, 2008 in Dallas. It was in the paper. He had been sick since Christmas 2007.

 

From Charlie Taylor (posted July 25, 2008)

 

As most of you know I do not write often. This year I made a commitment to re-launch my little video production company and to focus on a small segment of the market needing video web presentations, software tutorials, e-Learning and training videos. The goal was to create a news business plan, then a website and then start selling. Ironically, it seemed to all happen in reverse. I put the word out to a couple of friends and wham; I got hit with three good sized jobs. Two are completed and the third is in the pre-production phase. With a little bit of a break right now, I decided I had better launch my website and to feature a short sample of my work. It is a small website, which oddly seems to use WWW colors, but is certainly more entertaining that the typical website. So, if you’re looking for a couple of minutes of entertainment then take a peek at www.pinpoint-productions.com.

 

Now it’s time for Charlie to get back to work on our new class website which will include the photos and video from our reunion last year.

 

From Robin Abbey (posted July 25, 2008)

 

Well OK, I have been putting this off long enough. I do enjoy so much reading about your lives and how things are progressing or not with you all. So this is the Readers Digest version of things from Kansas. The two most exciting things in the near future in my life will be first my two grandsons will be here for a couple of weeks. For me anytime spent with them is a wonderful adventure and a highlight to be remembered. The second thing is something that I note few if any of you have mentioned in your correspondence. Could it be that it has slipped your minds or maybe conveniently omitted? I know it is something we all share because we all have graduated in the same year. So I’ll go ahead and say it! SIXTY YEARS OLD. Yep the big 6 - 0 hits this December, and I can’t wait to celebrate. We have no big trips planned or anything like that. None the less, we will have a grand celebration. Now, for those of you who may have failed to state this fact and it has already happened, Happy belated Birthday. To those that have yet to see the day but will, Happy Birthday. To those of you that are in denial - you dogs!

 

Over the past few years I have been involved with various aspects of a renovation and expansion planning for our church and school facilities. The church building was erected in 1824. It is a beautiful antique but not very user friendly. This spring I was involved with a few others in fund raising to help make it happen.

 

I am proud to say we raised $1,900,000 in a month’s time. We are so blessed!

 

Health wise things are OK. Not like I’d want them to be, but I am writing this to you so that is a good thing. The down side is I can’t do the mowing anymore and have a yard man for that. I have to sell my fishing boat. I am not supposed to take it out without adult supervision. But sense compliance has never been a strong point with me steps have been introduced, per say! The yard thing is a plus. The fish need me.

 

I hope you all will continue to report in. Your travels, your family successes, the ups and downs all inspire me and often make me smile. Bless those that make our communication happen. Wildcats ’67 - Who could have ever imagined?

 

Peace my friends.

 

From Rhonda Halasz Lands (posted July 2, 2008)

 

Barry and I were in Colorado on vacation June 14-21. It snowed 263 inches there this winter and the weight of it bent the chimney of my parents’ house to a 45 degree angle. There was quite a bit of snow on the mountains still while the rest of it had melted into waterfalls and rushing rivers, and the temperature was delicious. Here is a goofy photo that I tried to take of myself at arm’s length in front of the Blue Lakes Trailhead. It was just beautiful and we had a good time. It is difficult to witness the effects advancing age on my parents, but I was glad to have the chance to be with them in that beautiful setting. All in all, they are doing very well for 83 and 82 years old, and I would be happy to be in the same shape at that age! I’m looking forward to the revamped WWW web site and really enjoyed reading Christy Thomas’s journal of her trip to France. Can you believe it has almost been a year since our mini-reunion in San Antonio? That was such fun.

 

From Cynthia Cannon (posted May 28, 2008)

 

Well, I can relate to Karla K's report. Last Feb my mother(87) had an extreme case of bronchitis and ended up in the hospital a week with dehydration and needed IV's of electrolytes and sodium etc. Then in April my father (89) fell and broke his hip and was in the hospital and rehab for 2 weeks. He's now home with PT for a while. Doctors told him he'd need to use a walker from now on..NOT what he wanted to hear. He'll have to quit mowing his yard!! I've been in Dallas several weeks this spring tending to them both.Didn't realize what Mother can not do, and what my Dad did until now. Little things like getting the morning paper from the yard, hanging out clothes on the line, putting gas in the cars, grocery shopping and vacuuming. Meanwhile Mom fell and hit her head on a door frame and had a big long black and blue goose egg on the top of her head and broke a blood vessel in her eye! but, this is just a bump in the road, not the end of the road. They both have their senses and a clear mind, are determined to stay living in their home they built in 1940. They just have a mobility problem with Dad's hip and Mom's knees.They can drive, just can't walk very far ! I'll be going to Dallas once a month from now on to help out and do "chores" . Dad has a list ready for me when I get there. Anyway. I'm going to New Zealand in JUly ,driving my parents to North Carolina in Sept and Branson in Nov. , and myself and friends to Texas wine country (Fredricksburg) in Oct.

From Jane Farrar Admire (posted May 28, 2008)

Well, this is not to exciting, but for my news:

1) I am starting my 25th year practicing ear/nose/and throat surgery at Medical City Dallas --- a place that did not begin to exist when we graduated from Woodrow,

2) my daughter just got her Senior Ring at Hockaday (Class of 2009) (nice, but not a interesting as ours with all the Woodrow stuff on it (Class of 1967!!!),

3) White Rock Lake is my front yard at 4303 West Lawther and it is just beautiful and very green now; everyone will be very disappointed to know that all the parking lots are going to LIGHTED and close at 11pm---- this was never a problem when WE were parking there in 1965-67.

4) We went to the Woodrow musical this year as always, and as always it was fabulous beyond belief,

5) I just attended a GRADE school reunion if you can believe it and the school opened to my first grade class in 1957; we laughed and shared memories like it was yesterday, almost better than high school because we were genuinely kids then and everyone had a shot at everything in that future.

From Brenda Bock Linzel (posted May 28, 2008)

Life is anything but boring: Just renewed my insurance licenses. Gotta keep the brain going....then went to south miami beach over Memorial day. Geez I am OLD....no bikini and no tattoos!! Heading to a catamaran on the British Virgin Islands for June and to Vegas for my kids' tenth wedding anniversary over July 4th. Back to see the family in Dallas in August. New York for Labor Day. Hilton Head in October.

Vicki (Telkamp) Ballard (posted May 28, 2008)

My husband and I have a houseboat on Lake Ouchita outside of Hot Springs Village and were up there for Memorial weekend. Some new people moved into the slip next to ours and we went over to introduce ourselves. She introduced herself as Cynthia Johnson and as we were talking, she mentioned she was originally from Dallas. I asked her where and she said the White Rock Lake area. I said, so was I. Then she said Lakewood area and I said I was also. She asked me what high school I went to and she said so did I! Come to find out, it was Cynthia Allen and we had gone through elementary (Stonewall Jackson), Jr. High and High School together. She had moved to Memphis, TN, after her Junior year and had graduated in Memphis. I was so surprised!! What a small world! She and her husband live in Hot Springs Village. Her email address is: cjohnson71909@yahoo.com

From Jay Ballou (posted May 27, 2008)

The Exiles have rented the big rehearsal room at Universal Rehearsal (9150 Markville Dr., about ½ block east of High Point, on Greenville, where LT is held – just south of LBJ/635) Sunday June 1st from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm. We are just going to practice, play some old stuff, and try to learn some new stuff – so it is really for our benefit to begin preparing for the 1969 class reunion. It’s not official yet, but they have asked us pending approval of the reunion committee. If anyone wants to come by and listen, bring some food or just say hello, we would love to see you. Also, I hope to make it to the Highpoint on Thursday – hope to see some ’67 grads there.

From Paul Brown (posted May 27, 2008)

 

Sorry to hear of Karl's passing and the loss to his family. Karl and Kelly lived in the same block as my family on Morningside. We ran together a lot and, since we were all wild and crazy, we had a lot of fun and occasionally got into some trouble. Karl was very good with the mechanical aspects of cars and we were constantly tinkering with our parents' cars to make them faster, louder or sometimes not run at all!
Here is one example, of MANY, of our hi-jinks: Karl's mother had a late 50's Mercury that we put a four barrel carb on. We hooked the back two barrels of the carb to a flexible cable and ran the cable into the car's dash board. This gave us the ability to have remarkable acceleration at almost any speed by simply pulling the cable and opening all four barrels of the carb. One time we were going along - too fast as usual - Karl pulled the cable and we took off like a rocket - the cable stuck in the open position - we could not slow down. Karl managed to turn the ignition off and stomped the brakes so hard that the wheels locked up but the rapid deceleration caused the radio to dislodge (we had removed the radio to put the cable into the dash and had not re-installed it properly). The radio crashed under the dashboard and shorted out wires under the dash. The car caught on fire. The car's under dash wiring burned from the resulting electrical fire. We were abundantly creative and destructive at the same time.

Karl had a good sense of artistic design, also. He could have been a graphic designer. He did free hand T-shirt art work in the abstract genre of early drag racers and custom car guys. His family moved to Vickery and we lost touch. We drifted apart in the later years of high school and I have not had any contact with either Karl or Kelly in years.

I'll remember Karl and Kelly as good natured rascals always ready to have some fun. Pass this message along to anyone who might have known Karl and who you think might enjoy the tale. I would like to know of other's stories about these old friends, as well!

 

The sympathies of the class go to the family and friends of classmate, Karl McCurdy.

From Karl McCurdy’s daughter, Kerrie McCurdy (posted May 26, 2008)

My name is Kerrie McCurdy. Both my father and mother went to Woodrow Wilson. I have some sad news. My father, Karl McCurdy, passed away on May 19, 2008. He was 59 yrs. old. He had not been feeling well for awhile, but this was unexpected and it took me by surprise. I am still in shock and numb. My mom graduated in 1969. Her name is Kathy Domino, well, her maiden name that is. She and my Dad divorced in around 72 or 73. Just to let you know, my sister graduated from Woodrow in 1993, she was valedictorian. Her father went there also. His name is Mark Johnson. In fact, I am the only one in my family who did not go to Woodrow Wilson.

 

Thanks to everybody for their concerns.

 

From Christy Thomas (posted May 26, 2008)

 

I've posted here the journal I wrote for my mother about my trip to France this spring. She'll never be able to go over there to see my son and his family who are currently living there, so it was my gift to her. A number of others have read it and enjoyed it so . . . http://www.christythomas.com/writings/france_2008.html

Other than that, things just stay busy here in Krum. I will, after a very long and arduous journey, be ordained in the United Methodist Church on June 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Custer Road UMC in Plano. Any and all are welcome to attend that service.

From Martha Murphy (posted May 26, 2008)

 

I was just in Dallas for a week, visiting family. I ran around White Rock Lake and it brought back loads of WWW memories. I even went to Cox Cemetery!

Now, I'm on the Caribbean island of Bequia. I am here for a month. Ohhhh, so nice. I am finishing my play and writing a children's book too. I needed first-hand experience (hee hee) since the children's book is about visiting this island paradise.

 

Just finished the premiere opening of my one-woman show, "I'M GOIN' ON", in Langley. (see playbill here) It's about my life growing up in a big Irish Catholic family in Texas during the 50's and 60's and the hurtles I've overcome and the challenges I've faced...including getting OLD! It's a comedy for sure. I bill it as "A Baby Boomer Looks Back". Hope to bring it to Dallas.

 

I'll be in Dallas June 17 week. Going to a family wedding in Tyler on June 21. Best wishes to all of my WWW'67 classmates! Life is good.

 

From Jackie Miller (posted May 26, 2008)

 

Can't come to LT this month, but I will have a beer that day in honor of your gathering. I am in Venice, CA for the week. My daughter lives here and works for MTV on a show called the HILLS. Popular w/ 12 to 30 year olds..or anyone w/ IQ below 65. I watch all the time...but just to see her name roll around on the credits at the end. If nothing is insignificant for the Classmate News page, I will add we just got a standard poodle puppy and drove him out here (Venice) to take him to a coffee shop called the Cows End. Everyone brings their unusual dogs to this spot to parade them around...so Pinot is out-classing these mutts. Just joking. One more thing, I made a snowman last winter and after completion he came to life. That was weird. Sorry I can't resist that kind of behavior. Too much coffee

 

From Bren Hornsby Pool (posted May 26, 2008)

 

I wanted to let everyone know...David Gilmer’s dad has been placed on hospice care. His dad may continue to live for years. He does have cancers that possibly have penetrated to the brain. There is no further treatment that can be done. Please keep the Gilmer family in prayer. Also, David and Connie's youngest son (A.J.) graduated from high school this year.

From Allison (Ruth) Smith (posted May 26, 2008)

We just got back from Cape Cod. We went to our first homeowners association meeting since we moved from Chatham to Harwich Port. Greg thought we had stepped into a John Cheever story. I've never seen so much madras, seersucker, and Nantucket red in one room. I think I'll change my name again. Perhaps something like Muffin or Weezie would feel right.

 

 

The people were a actually very nice and welcoming to the strange "young" newcomers. One man had been a member of the association for 78 years. We met in the really interesting house built in 1850. At one time it had belonged to General Rocky. His men planted the flag on Iwo Jima. The house next door was built in 1792 and moved in 1844 to make room for the new Congregational church. This is all good for the preservationist in me.

 

From Kathy Kilmer (posted May 23, 2008)

Kathy’s a Gran……at long last!

Condensed version of personal goings on – I’m beginning my fourth year of retirement (from education but certainly not life), still giving teacher training in the summers, doing more than my share of community volunteer work, active in Texas Master Gardener activities (with a bunch of OLD people…..funny how I feel so much younger but am not!), celebrating 35th wedding anniversary Sunday, about to begin my final year as a fifty-something (YIKES!), mother doing well in Dallas (Dad died Memorial Day, last year……..I miss him), oldest daughter just received a promotion, youngest daughter just graduated from law school, middle daughter presented us with first grandchild (Claire Elizabeth) on April 9, getting into the “Gran groove” and loving it, successfully nursed a very ill stray puppy with Parvo virus back to health (round-the-clock care for over a week - quite a feat!!! What can I say, I like a challenge), already sick, sick, sick of hot/humid weather and finding it more difficult to tolerate each year, feeling extremely restless now that outrageous gasoline prices have put a halt to my former frequent escapes from behind the Pine Curtain.

 

From Manuel Zaby (posted May 23, 2008)

Lib and I are in Budapest right now and will be cruising on the Danube for the next couple of weeks. This will culminate in Krakow and Auschwitz before we get back to Dallas.

Worked backstage for the WW musical again this year and enjoyed that duty as usual.

Still focused on the next job opportunity and interviewing with some interesting prospects.

In the meantime we are being the social hosts for Neiman's for this tour, which is a pretty neat perk, I think.

We are otherwise pretty busy with work and volunteer activities and preparing a mid-summer family gathering in the Colorado mountains.

From Christy Gay (posted May 23, 2008)

Greeting from the Northwoods! Life is transitional these days. After ten years of running the campground, we have decided to try new things. This winter, in preparation for selling the resort, we built a house on a lot we own on a nearby lake. My partner, JJ, got a real estate license and I started a photography business. We’ll work part time at our new jobs until we sell the campground.

Until this winter we have been snowbirds, but our new projects kept us in Wisconsin for the winter. My first ever winter anywhere, I might add. A year of wintery firsts – snowshoeing, snow mobiling, ice fishing, and I made my very first snow angel! Someone should have told me that when you fall backwards, you need more than a foot of snow to break your fall. And how the hell do you get up without wrecking the angel? The whole thing was ill conceived. Do you know that at 20 below when you breathe in, the hair inside your nose freezes? It is the weirdest feeling. Don’t tell anyone because it sounds weird, but I kind of liked it.

 

I love my photography business. I specialize in doing little league teams. Photographing 5 year olds in their very first baseball uniform is so much fun. But don’t ask them what position they play. They have no idea.

Spring is finally here. The trees got their leaves last week, just in time for Memorial Day. The park likes to show off for the first big crowd of the summer. They will arrive tomorrow night – 400 of them, half of them under ten. Most of them have been coming here for years so it feels like a really big family reunion to us. For three days we’ll run a small city. The pool is full of heated water, the change machine is full of quarters and the bathrooms are stocked with paper – bring them on. We are ready. Any of you guys want to retire from your high stress jobs and buy a sweet little RV resort in the north woods? I know one that’s for sale – chetekriver.com!

 

From Karen Grubbs Mayes (posted May 23, 2008)

It is hard to believe that it has been over a year since all of us were at the 40th reunion!!! My brother Charles and I went to the LT last month on April 24th, and it was my first time. There were a lot of classmates from the class of 1963 and a very big presence of the class of 1969, and then there was just Steve Davis and myself representing the class of 1967…and then I thought about what a great time we would all have if we could get together again for a mini-reunion!! I am planning on being there, so let me know if I can do anything to help raise our classmate presence.

Also, my brother Charles and I went to the RAIN concert on April 29th, and it was the best concert I have ever gone to. It was so nice to go to a “Beatles” concert and be able to listen and enjoy all of the music. This band is so great that you think that they are the “real thing”, and the way that they worked with the audience was awesome.

If anyone has a chance to go to the J. M. W. Turner exhibit at the Dallas Art Museum, it is well worth the time. The exhibit has been extended to this weekend, Sunday May 25th. My daughter Jennifer and I spent almost 4 hours touring the exhibit which included the audio tour.
Well, that’s about all of the news from me….I have to save the rest for LT on the 29th (High Point, Greenville Ave., approx. 6:30), and very much looking forward to seeing you there!!!

From Suzi Shuler Harkey (posted May 23, 2008)

Retirement lasted about 3 months. I am now the counseling coordinator for our church here in San Antonio, a congregation of about 4,000. I train lay counselors, field all requests, assign counselors, or take counselees on my schedule. I'm loving it. It is so good to get away from the administrative component of school counseling and be free to do that which I love the most, pure counseling. I have time to develop seminars relating to personal and family issues and to teach. So I'm busy as much as I want to be and still free to be with my kids and go and do as I choose. Best of both worlds. Randy and I are very happy with our choice to downsize. Life now doesn't revolve around high taxes, property upkeep, or who can watch over the place while we're gone. We love it. Just enough room to squeeze in the kids when they come and not too much to have to keep up with. It's great. We are having our 40th anniversary this summer and have decided to go back to Alaska, this time by way of the cruise north. My brother John and his wife, residents of Anchorage will pick us up on the north end and we will visit with them for a week. So we are really looking forward to the trip. We have just moved our church into a new facility and like all "house" moves, it has worn us out. So the timing will be perfect as a refreshing and a much needed get-a-way. So life is good

From Patti Glenn (posted May 23, 2008)

Melissa (Proctor) Baker and I just got back from 7 days cruise out of Miami. First time in 35+ years that we have spent any significant time together – had a wonderful time – picked up where we left off many years ago. Hope to have a girls’ trip once a year.

 

Nancy (Clark) Rubenstein & Susan (Ashburn) Thornhill’s Roman Holiday (posted May 23, 2008)

At a time when oil was at an all time high and the dollar was at an all time low against the euro, the Rubensteins and Thornhills spent 2 amazing weeks in Italy. Nancy’s husband must have been a travel agent in a former life. He planned the entire itinerary, hitting the highlights in Venezia, Firenze and Roma along with a relaxing 5 nights at an agriturismo (farmhouse) in Tuscany. And yes, we had A Room with a View. He must have been an Italian race car driver in a former life also. He zipped through the tunnels on the autostrada in our Alfa Romeo like a local. The Talented Mr. Thornhill was the official trip photographer, capturing the beautiful light Under the Tuscan Sun.

We saw many of the major historical sites: the statue of David, the Coliseum, the Vatican and took an evening gondola ride. We had gelato and espresso everyday. We ate authentic brick oven pizza. Nancy and Susan spent lots of time studying the Italian sense of style. Silver metallic shoes were popular for women and orange pants were very popular for men.

Having a car allowed us to get off the beaten path and most of the time, it was on purpose. A highlight was stopping for lunch in a small town in the Chianti region. We don’t speak Italian and no one seemed to speak English. We were not sure exactly what we ordered, but it turned out to be one of the best meals of the trip. Of course, we had Chianti served in the traditional straw wrapped bottle.

It was a wonderful trip and guess what---we all are still friends! La Dolce Vita…

From Eve Holland (posted May 23, 2008)

You will never know how much I hated missing our 40th reunion but these past 12 months have been the most difficult in my life. I took a year off work to try and help care for my mother. It's really hard seeing a parent growing old and aging. Mother is so frail and eats very little. She has very bad dementia and I've had to step back and re-group for self preservation. And finally I feel some peace of mind. Hopefully that doesn't sound too selfish. I've had to put everything in God's hands.

And on a lighter note, my grandson and I plan on going to Utah next summer for our vacation. It's my favorite state and since hiking is my passion, Utah offers the best national parks in the country, from my point of view. And how wonderful it is to view the world from my grandson's eyes, eventhough he is a teenager.

I plan on starting to work again soon, which in itself can be salvation. I cannot imagine never working. So I'm in the middle of getting government security clearance to work on contracts. Instead of writing, I'll now be reviewing the contracts...maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Besides work, reading is something that really gives me an opportunity to escape. I loved reading "The Secret" and am now in the middle of reading "The Purpose Driven." I'm always open to reading material recommendations!

I would love to see all our classmates again and maybe we won't have to wait another ten years!

Again, thank you Kathy for your dedication to the class of '67.

From James/Jimmy/Jimi Barnett/Hendrix (posted May 23, 2008)

My life: Boring,boring,boring...I love chocolate ice cream. I'm currently reading this week's TVGuide. I'm also thinking of a goal, especially the one the Dallas Stars got in their quadruple overtime win against San Jose. Hockey rules!! ps Are you experienced? Have you ever been experienced?

From Sonny Thompson (posted May 23, 2008)

Vanilla ice cream for me.

 

From Mike Candler (posted May 23, 2008)

I have a bit of news. My wife and I went down to San Antonio April 27th with my son and his wife to pick up our new grandson. My son and his wife adopted a little boy from the Methodist Mission Home in San Antonio. I have wanted to be a granddad for a long time. He is the light of my life. Whenever I get to hold him, he has smiled at me. I know that sounds unusual for a baby just a few weeks old, but I know he is special. His name is William Brooks Candler. He will be called Liam. He already has a fishing rod and reel someone gave to them at a shower. I cannot wait to teach him the love of nature, fishing and the outdoors in general. Maybe Claire and Liam can fish together when they get a little older. [Note from Kathy: I had told Mike that I gave my son-in-law, an avid fisherman, a pink rod & reel for my 6 wk. old granddaughter, Claire!]

 

From Paul Wood (posted May 23, 2008)

Our oldest daughter Heather (a graduate of the Trinity Rep. at Brown, and an Equity actor) is Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego June to September. This is a very big deal in that the Globe is one of the top two Shakespearean venues in North America. So if anyone is traveling to San Diego, as are we, I recommend it. Equally as proud our youngest daughter Courtenay has just completed her first year of Law School and is hoping to assist in a summer program to show incoming first years the ropes of Law School. Our life is anything but boring, we're way too blessed.

There’s not a lot to tell about me. Sallie and I went on a little cruise with a bunch of her New Orleans Cajun family a couple of weeks ago and had a fabulous time. Every morning when I got to the deck at about 9:00am there was a bucket of beer on the table waiting. AHHHHHHHH, beer, not just for breakfast anymore. Sallie and I will go to San Diego in July and I'm really looking forward to that.
As for tax advice, never let the bastards see you sweat.

From Mike Ellis (posted May 23, 2008)

Things are going well here. My daughter is planning on moving back to North Carolina, My oldest son is studying to be a Physics professor, my youngest son is the lead audio engineer for the Glass Cactus and ramping up a production company with a friend, Terry's working and so am I (teaching). But similar to the LT (Last Thursday), last Friday my brothers Jim and Chester and I and our wives went up to the Knights of Columbus on Shoreview to see Billy Joe Shine and the original Nightcaps! It was a hoot. They do this quarterly, so keep your ears open for August.

From Sara West (posted May 23, 2008)

I have a celebration to share! last Saturday I graduated from SMU with an MLA degree ---( Masters of Liberal Arts) --- I started it 6 years ago and have loved every minute of it----you can choose classes from a broad range of the Humanities, which include History, Literature, Fine Art, and Social Sciences---- school is so much more fun when you are of an age to really appreciate it! I encourage anyone even thinking about it to do it ----and I am so blessed with the rest of my life, too which still includes my mother and her husband in their 80's with active lives and amazing good health, a bit of work on some real estate projects ( just a wee bit I should say :) with my dear Sidney, annual trips to Santa Fe, NM and Fairfax, VA visiting friends and relatives, and lots of fun with my two beautiful nieces ---one at UNT and the other starting at TCU next fall----
It's a great life!

From Walter Patton (posted May 23, 2008)

Well nothing boring in this mans life. My dream continues to be my life as a works in progress. Trying to do good, being good and getting good. The dream sometimes gets a bit scary when looking at aging face on and knowing even I cannot beat the clock. I just can’t believe it sometimes. So far so good, pretty good health, no real bad habits and still eager for my daily play time with Ping my wife.

Summer heat is fast approaching and we are trying to get the too large garden plot ready for the heat and probably dry summer. We continue to improve on the green house and have one lady in Dallas wanting to rent some green house space for her miniature oranges. I am developing an idea for a community garden project on a larger scale then normal metro community gardens. Last year I built a new 3 acre lake and it is up hill from my best bottom land for gardening. So I figure I have the dirt, the water, the sun, and equipment to farm. Sooo if you or anyone you know would like a place to garden I am interested. My interest is to create more activity and community on my little 56 acre oasis in Poetry Texas.

Also continuing to explore possibilities for a countryside cohousing community country club for like minded rural living loving boomers. I have read many articles about this cohousing community idea and keep believing that others would want to enjoy the countryside way of living. Got any ideas?

Last year I talked about a Spring Fling www67/ Patton Farm party and I have just about let the cool days of spring come and be gone. Well maybe next year and the invitation always stands if anyone wants to come and visit, fish, fly a kite, shot your favorite gun or teach some younger’s about the out doors or just hang out by yourself and contemplate your navel in the solitude of the countryside. Just give me a call and a little notice 214-728-2755.

My son, Preston graduates on May 27th from West point and I am very happy and proud of him and constantly thoughtful of the journey ahead for him and all our soldiers. Please powerfully pray for peace.

Last read was a book titled "Soldier’s Heart" by Elizabeth D Samet a non military professor of literature at West Point. I am not a good reader and usually get ADD very quickly and this book I found very interesting as the author describes her perspective on the perspective of the student-warriors she has taught at WP, and the similarities of perspectives written about in ancient literature by solders.
I will try to make the last Thursday meeting next week. Happy and Safe Memorial Day.

From Mike Barnes: [Mike relayed this info. after hearing from Rick Carmichael.]

John Storey was there (Hawaii) when Rick sent the note. to Mike. Rick’s youngest daughter was recently married, his oldest son is in grad school in engineering, his middle daughter is in a PhD physics program at Kansas State and is a high school teacher. Rick retired from the Univ. of Hawaii about a year ago and spends his time riding bikes, hiking, swimming, and kayaking a lot. He still works a couple of days a week. By the way, John was recovering from total knee replacement.

From Karla Kirby (posted May 23, 2008)

 

Corky and I just got back from a month trip, probably 5,000 miles total, to the Smokey’s, Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park with a lot of stops in between. We ended up in Pennsylvania at Falling Water, the house that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. We’ve wanted to see that for years and it turned out to be more impressive than the pictures! We visited some Army friends North of Falling Water while we were in PA, then headed home through Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. If any of you haven’t been to Mammoth Cave National Park, it’s a great place to visit. We took two cave tours that were a total of 5 ½ miles of hiking up and down hills (inside the cave). We had a lot of exercise that day and were of course sore. This trip has had a LOT of hiking, some of the hikes five miles at a time in the mountains. We didn’t realize it but we’re in pretty good shape for two ole geezers!!

We also toured the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. At one time we owned a 1982 Collector Edition Corvette when we lived in Louisiana so we were very interested in the museum with all of the different years of Corvettes. Made us want another one! They told us that you can order a Corvette from your local dealer then take possession there at Bowling Green (assembled at the plant two blocks away) at the museum with the full ‘Red Carpet” reception, etc. In our dreams….

I think one of the prettiest places we camped was Bull Shoals State Park in Arkansas (on the White River). To bad I didn’t have my fishing pole but we did enjoy all of the birds that were there, especially the Eastern Blue birds, Indigo Bunting, Pileated Woodpecker family and the Red-headed Woodpecker that are residents of the Park. Corky thinks I’m nuts because I like to bird watch! He tolerates birds.

On the downside, my Mom fell down the three steps to her bedroom last week. She’s very bruised as you can imagine with a bump on her head, a bad bruise on her shoulder and hip with maybe some damage. It looks like someone hit her in the face from a small cut. She’s taking Coumadin so bruising is worse than it would be normally. I think she’ll be OK. She also has osteoporosis and multiple compression fractures of her back so the fall didn’t help those problems. My step-father isn’t allowed to drive for 2 months because of a stroke he had two months ago so he can’t help her get around town. She’s still driving but has a hard time with the shoulder pain from the fall. She would kill me if she knew I was telling ya’ll about her but Kathy wants news, so there you have it! I will have to help both of them a lot in the near future. To make matters worse, they will have construction starting in July to make living quarters out of their office and storeroom so they can live in a “stair free” part of the house. Mom made the comment that the construction is starting at a very inconvenient time but somehow, we’ll deal with all these problems. We’ll have to stop traveling for a while until things even out.

All of our children are doing OK at the present moment which as you all know could change in a heartbeat! No new grandkids, thank heavens. We just want to enjoy our nine, never mind making an even ten! Several of the little ones are a handful to their parents right now (ages 1 ½, 4 and almost 3) but they will grow up all too soon and then they’ll have or be “teen” problems, lol. Payback is SO hard, isn’t it??

 

Hope all of you are having a good start to the summer and don’t get too HOT. How about Pistachio ice cream, Kathy??

 

From Marsha Neill Surles (posted May 23, 2008)

 

I started 2008 with a fall that resulted in cracked ribs. That slowed me down quite a bit. Shortly after that, I had my quarterly checkup with my oncologist, and we had a scare with my lab results being haywire. After a series of LOTS of tests it was decided that my rib injury and healing was elevating levels of something or another. It was a stressful time, and not an emotional place I want to be in again anytime soon. I have been cancer free for 7 years now (thankfully), but there will always be a little nagging fear that it could happen again. That's when I kick into gear for positive energy and thoughts. I really concentrate on all I have in my life, and it makes me so grateful.

 

I seem to have small projects going all the time these days. I was elected President of our Neighborhood Association this year, so there are lots of things to check into regarding new residents and our deed restrictions. We are not a mandatory association, so sometimes it's a little tricky. I'm also maintaining their website as well as some realty property websites.

I've been "contracted" by David's company (Independent Insurance Agents of Texas) to visit with their agent membership statewide, fortunately by telephone. I've enjoyed visiting and getting feedback from the agents on this project, but I will honestly be glad when it's completed. Work sort of cramps my retirement lifestyle... I don't want a scheduled life anymore!

We are still traveling some, though not as much as we did for a while. We got back last month from a week in Las Vegas and stayed at the new Palazzo Suites Hotel. It's adjoining the Venetian,and has lovely suites for every room. We saw Phantom of the Opera there in their special theatre and enjoyed it thoroughly. We are leaving this Saturday for 5 days in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys for our wedding anniversary (39 years this Saturday). We are leaving in September for our Alaskan cruise. We are already throwing out ideas to each other for how to celebrate our 40th anniversary. I am helping my kids out with day care costs for the summer, and I've agreed to entertain/teach/play with my grandchildren every other week this summer. I'll be teaching piano lessons, refining their swimming skills, teaching them croquet, and getting in plenty of exercise as a result. They are just now beginning to enjoy card games, and of course the first one we taught them was 21. Great math skills involved! I'll confess we have played some games with toothpicks for bets.

Around town, we enjoy going to different restaurants (no chains if we can help it). We went to Sandra Bullock's restaurant in Austin, Bess, and had a fabulous time. Food, service,and wine were perfect. We finished off that evening by going to see "1964: the Tribute". An evening full of Beatles songs, complete with "sing-along" and dancing in the aisles. If any of you have the chance to see this show, GO. It was a great step back in time. I still enjoy going to concerts as much as I did in high school. I have 2 tickets for Tom Petty in August in San Antonio, but I'm thinking about selling them and not going. My son was going to go with me, but couldn't get the day after the concert off from work. They are great seats up close, so if anyone is interested you can let me know. I'll be putting them up on Craig's List closer to the concert date.

Assuring you that my life is not all flowery roses, I suppose I should mention some difficult things happening. We are going through the court system right now to obtain legal guardianship for David's aunt in San Antonio who has Alzheimer's. It's a very sad situation where both her son and grandson have had "sticky fingers" when it comes to her finances and negligent in her care. We feel we need to step in before all of her money is gone and she winds up on the street. It's heartbreaking to see how her immediate family treats her, and totally unacceptable. It's astounding how much it costs for her care, and I am so grateful that both of our mothers are still active and healthy, both physically and mentally. Mom is 83 and David's mom is 87. They are both hard to reach at home, because they are so busy with projects of their own.

My dog got all his shots last month and is very healthy. It was a little bothersome to me that at only 7 he is now classified as a "Senior". Of course, it's a little bothersome to me knowing that I'm in the same category. (Now really Kathy, do you honestly think there is someone in our class that will find that interesting?????) I normally wouldn't mention something like that, but I decided to test the limits of your desperate request for "news". [Note from Kathy: After 7 years at it, I’ve gotten this “nagging for news” thing mastered!]

 

From Jay Ballou (posted April 28, 2008

Rush. The ageless Canadian rock trio Rush was at Starplex in Dallas (now called Superpages.com Center, or something like that) on Friday night. They write thoughtful songs that are very complex with “deep” lyrics; they are truly amazing instrumentally, and have inspired many other musicians for over 33 years; they stage extravagant stage shows of lasers, lights, explosions and triple projection screens; and they have a very good sense of humor reflected in their videos and chatter between songs. In short, they are one of North America’s most popular rock bands. They also refuse to believe that after 33 years together that they have nothing new musically to offer – which is why they are still touring – including an almost 3-hour concert Friday night that included songs from their new album Snakes and Arrows, plus many of their classics from the last 3 decades. In attendance were 2 WWW Class of ’67 compadres pictured below with the stage in the background in their new Snakes and Arrows Rush hats. Unlike the Foo Fighters concert, Mike and me (well, really Mike – he’s older than me) were NOT the oldest fans in attendance. The band, popular since the early 1970’s has a very loyal and vocal following of fans in their 60’s and 70’s, many whom were there Friday – along with many as young as teenagers.

We met for dinner at Dixie Lakewood, which prompted a lively discussion of what the Lakewood area was like in high school, including the Harrell’s building across the street that still has the circular spire and houses a title company. It seemed funny how close the concert venue at Fair Park was to Lakewood, now easily accessible on the Abrams link down Columbia to Munger – not there when we were in high school. Even though Rush played for nearly 3 hours, the night flew by – the weather was spectacular with a north breeze, about 70 degrees (glad it wasn’t in August!!!), and we had a blast. I wish I could include photos of many of the fans in attendance – quite an “eclectic” group to say the least. There were several times we caught the faint smell of marijuana (at least that’s what someone told us) – we have no personal knowledge of what it smells like. ?

I found one link posted on YouTube, which is below, and is about one minute of the song “Malignant Narcissism” (no kidding) leading up to the drum solo – although not a complete song, you can get a feel for the sound, lights, video, etc. There are many other videos of earlier Dallas concerts that you can see on YouTube – it’s only been a couple of days since the Friday concert, so it’s a little early for videos of this one. If you will look closely, just to the right of the drum stage (Neal Peart – what a drummer!!!) you will see 3 very large rotisserie ovens with close to 100 actual chickens cooking during the concert. During one song a guy dressed in a chicken suit danced out, opened each oven to baste the chickens, and danced off the stage. The chickens tied into a video, but other than that we were not sure what the significance was. However, the music was significant, and the show was very, very entertaining – one of the best concerts I have been to. I would have to say – it was finger-licking good!!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2KqpVxvQfo

 

From Steve Davis (posted March 28, 2008)

 

Terrible news about Bobby Black.

LT is still going strong but the ‘67 class is lame . Hope to see ya at High Point.
[From Kathy – LT is “Last Thursday,” a gathering of Woodrow people from the 60s-80s (with a few before and some after). It’s held the last Thursday of the month at High Point Restaurant and Club or Bar & Grill or whatever, at 12101 Greenville near LBJ. I’ve only been in town once for it, but it was fun being able to visit with so many people from other classes. I keep hearing the turnouts every month are great. Maybe we can surprise everyone….Steve included…..and get a sizeable ’67 group to show up sometime soon!]

From: Darlene Hogan Kruse (posted March 27, 2008)

I attended 3rd & 4th grade at OM Roberts, 7th grade at Mt. Auburn, and the last of the 9th grade at JL Long. Started the 10th grade at Woodrow, before moving again. It was great to find this website and loved seeing old faces. I always wanted to find the 64-65 yearbook, this is even better. Good Job.

[From Kathy: Here is Darlene's picture from the '65 yearbook.]
-
I was 15 when that picture was taken, it was the summer of 1964. I walked from 614 Cristler St to the Lakewood Shopping Center to have it made for the school year book. It was so hot that I sweated my makeup off, and of course, my hair lost it's curl. I was wearing a pale blue dress. Lord, I was so young. Little did I know that in four months I would marry Gary Atkinson, and 15 months later have Stella Renee, the first of my four children.

I have been happily married to Fred Kruse for 25 years this August 13th. We now live in Shellman Bluff, Georgia (30 minutes south of Savannah) and own a commercial Snapper/Grouper Fishing Business. My husband fishes 7-10 days 60 miles offshore from Charleston, SC to Daytona Beach, FL. We are both active in our church and community. I served as Parish Secretary for five years, on the Cursillo Commission in the Diocese of Georgia and as President of the Episcopal Church Woman for two years. Was President -Elect for the McIntosh County Rotary this year until ill health forced me to withdraw. Together we have 5 children and 19 grandchildren, who fill our lives with constant delight and joy. We love to travel. Our favorite trip was to England, Scotland and Wales in 2005. We spent last New Year's Eve aboard the Carnival Legend cruise ship out of Tampa, FL.

I remember Lee Russell, Susan Abbott and Susan Stipp from various classes. Julie Hancock and Linda Garrett from Mt. Auburn and the Major Theatre. Donna Jolley's curled ponytail. Dusty and Rocky Hill were great!! Especially, Dusty in Mrs. Spence's Science class at Long the day that we dissected the frog!! He freaked!! What fun to remember those times. I would love to be included in all mailings.

[From Kathy: We are adding Darlene to both the directory and the e-mail list.]

 

From Jay Ballou (posted March 17, 2008)

I was so sorry to hear about Bobby – the Lee community has taken another blow. It continues to remind me of our mortality. In that vein, take the 12 minutes it takes to watch this if you haven’t seen it – it’s worth it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ( or http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8577255250907450469 )

From Jackie Miller (posted March 17, 2008)

Robert (Bobby) Black is going to be cremated. A memorial will be held at his niece's house in McKinney, TX, 6300 Eagle Stone St., on Saturday, March 22, 1-3 pm.

From Wanda Wade Martinez (posted March 16, 2008)

Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading everyone's news ~ you all do such a great job with the wonderful informative website.

The weekend of April 5th some of us are doing a Westlake reunion. Jan King, Livonia Eikenburg, Lisa Allman, Peggy Kellum and I. It seems like every time a reunion comes around we have been out of town or had sickness or death in the family. It makes me smile that you are all staying so close and hopefully soon I'll make it to a reunion.

From Christy Thomas (posted March 14, 2008)

Well, my letter probably didn't get to Bobby in time--but my prayers were most definitely with him. I just went to the memorial page and was hit hard again by how many we have lost. Life is so short.

From Michael Thomson (posted March 14, 2008)

I am so sorry to hear about Bobby. He and I were best of friends through the Lee years. Makes me think of all the things we did as kids. Good memories about the past, but a sad day. I guess every day is a blessing to be alive. We are getting older, and things just don’t work like they used to. I have had some heart problems lately, but I am OK now. I am living in Hot Springs and don’t go to Dallas very often. Thanks for the updates on the Class of ’67.

From Carol Fuess Garrett (posted March 14, 2008)

I had neglected to act on your latest email regarding Bobby and I'm really feeling terrible. I wanted to connect with him before he was gone, but I didn't. He was my first date to a Long dance and I really wanted to tell him I enjoyed my "date" with him. Oh, how quickly time passes and I don't act when I should. First Gary Ruyle and now Bobby. Sorry, I guess I'm more sentimental than normal, but I feel the loss from our "Lee kids" and wish I had been more dedicated to acting when I should have - rather than when I "had time" to do so. Thanks for keeping us all in touch with each other! What would we do without you?

 

From Kathy (posted March 13, 2008)

Last night, we lost another classmate. Rob (Bobby) Black passed away about 9:30. As many of you know, he had been ill for quite some time. Both Doug McCrum and Jackie Miller were able to spend time with him during his last few days. Jackie says he was “very collected and at peace” during their visits. Doug will keep me informed about services, and I will post what he sends. Many thanks to those of you who took the time to send cards and notes to Bobby. I keep thinking back to all of us “Lee kids” during our elementary school days – a bunch of smiling, skinny little creatures who had no idea what inconceivably strong, lifelong friendships we were making at the time. I had not seen Bobby in well over 40 years although we both grew up on Vanderbilt, but that didn’t matter at all. We were “Lee kids.” We were friends. Thank you, Doug and Jackie, for giving me the chance to reconnect with Bobby before he died.

 

The sympathies of the class go Bill Rodgers, whose mother passed away last Saturday. (posted March 13, 2008)

 

Drom Bill: Last Saturday my mother passed away in Baylor Hospital. It was a very short illness that developed into pneumonia. She was 88, and lived a very full and wonderful life. She and my dad traveled the world together as tourists and volunteer missionaries. Dad flew for Braniff until he was 60, and that affording them many opportunities. My dad is now 90, and still running 4 or 5 days a week.

 

The next day, March 9th, Marianne Behr Gibson's father passed away, also here in Dallas.

 

Class sympathies go to Marianne Behr Gibson (posted March 13, 2008)

The sympathies of the class go to Marianne Behr Gibson on the death of her father. Services were on March 13.

From Allison (Ruth) Smith (posted March 7, 2008)

We have had almost 80 inches of snow in Ann Arbor so far this winter, just 8 inches short of the all time record. Bucky is in a part of Michigan where they even get more snow than here. YIKES.

I own more wool sweaters than any person in Dallas. AND that's for certain! I have long underwear, insulated shoes and boots, earmuffs, scarves, insulated gloves, you name it. I refuse to get the Michelin Man coat. By the time I get all the other stuff on, I look like him anyway!

Two week ago, I had to help with school buses for a presentation like we used to attend at Fair Park. I got outside duty It was 7 degrees (not including wind chill) and I was outside for over an hour. Believe me, you have to dress for that!

 

It's a balmy 23 degrees, so I'm putting on my shorts to go to exercise class!

 

-

 

 

From Jackie Miller (posted March 7, 2008)

 

I just got some news about Bobby (Rob) Black. It, unfortunately, is bad. He has stage 4 liver disease. I have his address and will post it. He does not have access to a lap top, but he is very interested in the WWW’67 web site.

 

At this point I don't know what shape he is in...but I'm sure he would appreciate a card or letter. Please, let us not forget he was responsible for the crooked walking "W" at half time.

From Manuel Zaby (posted March 7, 2008)

 

Re: Jack Keck’s death: I mostly remember him because he was the football coach, obviously. I really remember him as a teacher, not so much for the science class he taught, but because during the Cuban missile crisis he took the time to help us understand what was at stake while it was actually playing out. I remember this being a very sobering time for this 13 year-old.

 

From Sharon Thomas (posted March 7, 2008)

 

I was cleaning out some "stuff" ( a.k.a. crap ) and believe me, I have lots of stuff. I found these pictures. The one of Rick Carmichael with the surfboard was sent to me my freshman yr. at Stephens College.... remember when surfer dudes were soooo cool??? The one of me, Sam, Susie Coniglio, and Paul Gentry was taken at a lake party ( White Rock Lake). The last one is sad because Susan Geary is no longer with us.... that's me, Susan, Susie, Jan King, and Marilyn Moore.... not sure who the image in the mirror is???? Weren't those skirts short?

- - -
 

 

From Gayla Duce Perry (posted March 7, 2008)

 

Well, I have done it again, I have moved. I had not planned on it but found out the first of March that my landlord was losing the house I was in and it was worth far less than she owed, so I had to move. Since I had no family left in the Dallas area I moved a little south to Corsicana. My youngest stepson, Michael, lives here and is the father of my newest grandchild, Katherine Rose. She was born Jan. 3 and is a tiny little lady. I have rented a new house about 5 minutes from them and am the backup sitter. Amanda (mom) works days in special education for the school system and Michael is a Corsicana Police Officer. I also have some jewelry design friends here and a great building out back for casting, etc. so the Gypsy Wagon has a new home.

Class sympathies go to Brenda Bock Linzel, whose mother passed away on February 2.

From Brenda Bock Linzel (posted March 3, 2008)

 

It did me good to read the editorial about Woodrow. My mom passed away February 2nd. 13 years and 1 day later after my dad. Really sad. No parents. At the funeral were ALL of my childhood friends. It makes me realize how VERY lucky we are as a class...we are SO close...so unusual....Wanda...I miss US. Dillon......Robin....so many people!!! I am so blessed to have Linda and Cynthia close by!!! Again Kathy, thanks for keeping us together. You don't know what you do for us!

From: Wanda Pagel Jackson (posted March 3, 2008)

 

We had our second great grandchild on Feb. 17. Marlie weighed 5 pounds 8 oz and was 18 inches long. She and granddaughter Brittany are both well. We cannot wait to get to WA state to see her and her 2 year old brother, Jakob. Hard to believe we are having great grandchildren.

From Kathy Kilmer Moak (posted March 3, 2008)

 

Well, WWW’67, if you read the Dallas Morning News, I hope you saw the editorial about Woodrow today! I was in Dallas last week and saw many “Choose Woodrow” signs in yards.

Let me know what’s going on with you! It’s about time for another “Kathy’s Corner,” but I need to hear from you before I can write a letter! If you live in Texas, Ohio, Vermont, or Rhode Island, don’t forget to vote tomorrow…………and if you need help selecting a presidential candidate, just let me know.

From Dave Kittrell (posted February 25 2008)

 

We are proud of my 4th daughter’s first non-school NYC production! http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=25309 Caroline will turn 20 in March. She is in her second year at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts in the Stella Adler Studio. She graduated from the North East School of the Arts High School in San Antonio. Last summer she did summer stock theater at the New London Barn Playhouse in New London, New Hampshire which has been there since 1933. She auditioned for this new play, The Third Step, and got a part. This will be in a theater on West 54th and will run for a week in July. See press release at the following: http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=25309

 

From Patricia Mooney (posted February 25 2008)

We are in Dallas and for some odd reason I looked at the obituaries in today's paper and saw the obituary for Jack Keck. You can read it here .

From Dee Anne Egan (posted February 22 2008)

 

I am back home and back at work, though in a wheel chair. Still can't walk, but the electic wheelchair I am using at school is unexpectedly..fun. I have crashed into every piece of furniture in my office, almost took out a row of computers in the lab, and knocked the door frame off in the PreK room. Fortunately, I haven't harmed any children or teachers.

 

Today was a milestone because after work, I managed to get to my car with the help of a walker, and drove for the first time since Jan. 9th. Had to take the boot off and can't bend my foot very much, but I drove. Unfortunately, wherever I may drive...when I get there, there is nothing I can do since I can't get out of the car to go inside anyplace. For my first venture out today I went to Sonic. Woo-hoo!!! I'm mobile, sort of.

 

The whole experience of breaking the bones, the pain, the surgery, the healing process and the horrible realization that you have to have help to do so many simple things...well, it was tremendously humbling. For the past month I could only count my blessings, of which there are many. The "disability" is not over yet. Will probably be in a boot for another six weeks, but I'm home, have my family, am back at school, can drive short distances... life is good.

 

Now if I could just get my nails done, life would be great.

From Mike Barnes (posted February 21 2008)

Rick Carmichael recently retired from the University of Hawaii where he served as Director of the nursing program at Kauai Community College since 1989.

 

 

 

 

The sympathy of the class goes to Rose Mary Piazza (posted February 7 2008)

 

The sympathy of the class goes to Rose Mary Piazza, whose mother died on Tuesday evening, February 5, at age 94. Her services are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 8, at 1pm, Calvary Hill Cemetery. Rosary, mass and grave site service.

 

From Kathy Thomas (posted February 4 2008)

The Dallas-area WWW’67 Ladies Who Lunch had another great visit last Saturday. Many of the regulars were there (Kathy Kilmer, Marianne Behr, Kelley Geary, Nancy Clark, Patty Landers, Jane Anderson, Tommy Attlesey) as well as new additions Brenda Hornsby and Patti Glen. Kathy was hobbling in a wooden shoe, Kelley could hardly move because her back was out, Nancy was exhausted from moving, Dee Anne Egan didn't make it because of a broken ankle and I'm getting ready to have both knees replaced. Needless to say, the conversation centered on how much we hated getting old and how much we hated (only kidding) the ones who didn't seem to be aging. On a more positive note, Kelley had a great picture of her three month old grandson Charlie, Kathy told us her soon to be born granddaughter would be named Claire Elizabeth, and Tommy brought a hilarious purse that looked like a Yorkie puppy for Jane to give to her granddaughter. Hope the group continues to grow. Let me know if you want your name added to my email list!

From Barbara Brown (posted February 4 2008)

I was sad to hear of Suzanne Rieves’ passing, although I hadn’t been in contact with her since high school. One thing I clearly remember (and I clearly remember hardly anything from those years!) was that I rode in Suzanne’s father’s truck to downtown Dallas to see President Kennedy the day he was assassinated. I have no idea who else was in the truck besides me, Suzanne and her father, although the cab and bed of the truck were filled with girls.

From Manuel Zaby (posted January 30 2008)

We are having fun networking and looking for the perfect place to start my next 35 year career. Lib is coaching me on the nuances of marketing myself outside of Neimans. We are doing a long weekend in Colorado this week. Kids are doing great. Adam is looking for a better job to take advantage of his UT Writing degree in DC and Allison just completed her first semester at UT Law. By my estimation they will be able to support us by the time we are in our 90's. Lib's Dad hit 99 in December and we are beginning preparations for his 100th. I will let you know once I start the new career.

From Mary Terranella Thelen (posted January 30 2008)

 

I just spent the 1st Christmas with my son in four years. He is my only child and career Army--- 03' xmas-Germany, 04' xmas-Iraq, 05' xmas-Germany, 06' xmas-Iraq----2007 Christmas-HOME! He is now back in Ft. Bragg N.C. until April and then he is going back to Germany. Getting him back home safely after two tours of 27 months total has me a very happy but very gray. I will be more than happy to visit him in Germany, he is stationed about 2 hours off the border of France which will make it a MUST trip.

 

From Tony Mantzuranis (posted January 29 2008)

Merry Xmas and a happy new year! My roommate tess had 2 major surgeries from a perforated esophagus that almost took her life. She is doing better, but one more surgery to go to put her parts together again. We had a great year at the lawn mower shop, and hope this will be a good one also. I ran into Mr. and Mrs. Zaby and they told me Manuel RETIRED from niemans. good for him.

From Bucky Gross (posted January 29 2008)

There is really nothing new going on. It has been a cold, snowy winter in Michigan and I am looking forward to spring and getting back to playing golf. After my first retirement, I find myself working almost full time and deciding how and if I want to retire again. Maybe, just consulting will suffice for me. I think that I really like having a lot of stuff to do. I plan to get down to Dallas and Amarillo this spring to see family. Mom is 83 and doing pretty well except that she can't hear very well. Keep of us all informed of any mini reunions that may be planned this year.

From Marvin Goodman (posted January 29 2008)

After living in Houston, Texas for the last 40 years, I have been transferred with AT&T to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I am living in Northeast Fort Worth near the town of Watauga. (see the Directory on the web site for his new contact information.)

From Christina Gray Henderson (posted January 29 2008)

I have two new granddaughters. Our youngest, Candice, and husband Greg had a little girl, Lilyan Rae Mills, born on November 14, 2007 weighing 5lb and 13 oz and was 18 1/2 ". On November 30, 2007 our son, Rodney, and wife, Annie, had a girl, Mattie Grace Henderson, born weighing 6 lb 12 oz and 18 1/2". Mattie has gone through RSV but is doing much better and both families are well. The holidays were full of kids, grandkids and love, and would I not trade it. Hope all is well with everyone.

 

From Marie Mabry Larson (posted January 29 2008)

Steve and I celebrated our 40th anniversary with a trip to New York in December. Our hotel was on Time Square so we could see the Statue of Liberty from our room. We like to go back to New York every time we celebrate another 10 years. We did the usual stuff like see Broadway shows, ate at the Russian Tea Room, and for our anniversary we had dinner and dancing at the Rainbow Room in the NBC building. The music was all the big band of the 1940’s and the place still looks like something out of an old movie, except updated. It was all very formal with some men even in tails. Almost everyone there was much older, thank goodness, than us. They sure could out dance us. We decided we would come back home and take ballroom dancing lessons so we could do the boogie-woogie just as well as they do when we go back in 10 years.

Our new little grandson, John Theron, turned one on the 15th of January and started walking. John’s middle name is my Dad’s name and my Dad is now 87 and still lives on Mockingbird Lane between Abrams and Skillman.

 

Steve travels all over for his business so I go with him from time to time. This year I went to San Diego with him and we rented a Harley motorcycle and rode down the Pacific Coast Highway. I had never been to San Diego so for me that was a beautiful sight. This all took place only two weeks before the big fires. So I’m glad I got to see it before that happened.

From Cynthia Smith (posted January 29 2008)

In October I was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (they give out Emmy’s) for my 25 years in television. I am currently the President of a child abuse prevention center but still do some commercial on air work locally. My son is a freshman at KU majoring in music.

 

From Kathy Thomas Gerwig (posted January 29 2008)

Heading to Aruba on Feb. 9 as a last fling before having both knees replaced. I shall soon be bionic and set off all the scanners in the airport. Also, it’s time again for the Dallas-area WWW’67 Ladies Who Lunch this Saturday, Feb. 2. We meet at Baker Bros. Deli on Greenville (at Old Town) at 11:30. Everyone is invited

From Jay Ballou (posted January 29 2008)

Thanks to our outstanding web site, http://www1967.com, we had a recent email from a former Stonewall Jackson classmate of ours, Suzi Sargent (now Bezemer). Suzi was in our class through the 5th grade, when she moved to the Bay Area in California – much to my dismay, as I had a huge crush on her. Kathy sent the email to me and several others who knew her, and I contacted her last week via email and had a blast exchanging information on the last 46 years of our lives. I assume she also communicated with Nancy Clark, Patty Landers and others in our class. She contacted us from Boise, Idaho where she is married with an 18-year old son. In the course of our correspondence it occurred to me that she, along with several other girls in my class (and me as the only boy – OMG!!!) had been in my older sister Judy’s ballet, tap and modern jazz dance classes at her first dance studio in Wilshire Village in the 4th and 5th grades – both Suzi and my sister remembered it, too. My participation in these classes was short-lived – let’s just say I didn’t look that good in tights, and was not looking to be the next Rudolph Nureyev! Wow, TMI.

On January 23rd, I convinced Mike Barnes to join me and attend the Foo Fighters concert at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. For those who don’t know, the Foo Fighters are probably the premier contemporary rock band in the world today, and are energetic, loud, and put on an incredible show. They are a 4-piece group, and the front guy, guitar player and singer Dave Grohl, was the drummer for the group Nirvana in the early 90’s. Nirvana had a tragic end when the lead guy Kurt Cobain killed himself at the peak of their success. Dave started the Foo Fighters a few years later, and has steadily built them into a force – their latest album “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace” is their best yet and is nominated for (I think) 5 Grammy Awards, including album of the year – watch the Grammy Awards because the Foo Fighters are going to perform. Mike and I had an absolute blast, and in my humble opinion, saw the best rock concert I have seen since I was lucky enough to see Pink Floyd at Texas Stadium in 1995. A couple of funny side notes, both kind of related – first, Mike’s wife Jackie called him right before the Foo Fighters came on, and the first thing she said was “Well, are you two the oldest guys there?” – his response? “Yep”. Second, as we were leaving the concert, Mike made a pit stop and I waited as the crowd filed by. I noticed a young guy kind of stumble up next to me and he said hello. I said hi, and noticed he was quite inebriated – either legally or illegally – not sure. He started trying to formulate a sentence basically to say what a great concert it was, and then ended his comment with, “Did you like the show sir?” (Sir???) I said I did, that I had waited a long time to see them, and would love to see them again, to which he replied “Me too, sir.” Before I could say anything, fortunately Mike walked up and we left with me laughing my %*s off! And yes, we were the oldest, but I guarantee you nobody had more fun!

For those who have not heard, diminutive Woodrow Wilson and University of Texas icon Billy “Rooster” Andrews passed away last week in Austin at the age of 84. He was only 5’ 0” tall, but had a remarkable life, successful sporting goods business and had more friends than anyone can imagine. Here is a link to an article describing his remarkable life and legend

 

I believe he is a member of the Woodrow Hall of Fame – which reminds me, Kathy can you or one of our classmates find a listing of those who have been inducted – maybe from the 75th birthday program? We should put it on our web site, because it is really a “Who’s Who” for Dallas legends. [Note from Kathy: We already have a list on the web site, but I have contacted some people to try to get the most up-to-date Hall of Famers.]

Don’t forget the Woodrow gathering at the High Point at 12101 Greenville Ave. just south of LBJ Freeway on Thursday January 31st at around 6:30 pm. Be there – Wildcat grads from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are always there, and it’s a lot of fun…

From Brenda Bock Linzel (posted January 29 2008)

in a hurry as i just got back from dallas. my mom is in the hospital. not doing so well. sure lots can relate.
got a wonderful raise at work. i continue to work for a great man and enjoy the insurance business.
linda stephens' daughter moved here, so she and cynthia (cannon) and i have been able to get together several times. cannot put into words how much fun we have had.

face lifts, you ask? also eye lifts. the new way, no anesthesia or hospital. just like sitting in the dentist's chair. deadening with shots and staying awake the whole time. easy recovery! only out of work two days. just told everyone my boss hit me!!! by the way, i look great!!!!

 

From Bill Miegel (posted January 29 2008)

I am not too newsworthy, but we did get a new grandbaby on Dec 13th, our 4th. It is the first boy, Bryant Remington Burris. Dad is a big hunter, so the middle name was going to be either Remington or Winchester. They live in Allen. The other three are in Juneau, Alaska. I have completed 35 years of officiating football and was the referee in one of the state championships this year. Still administrator at Denton High School, and plan to retire in three years. Going to Cruise the Caribbean over spring break, diving at Roatan, Belieze, and Cozumel. This summer we will make our way to Juneau so grandma can have the grandkid fix and I can fish for a week.

From Wanda Pagel Jackson (posted January 29 2008)

Dan and I were in Dallas in Oct. for my step dad's funeral. My step sister graduated in 1965, Vicki Beets. Boy, the area we grew up in has changed. We are doing some remodeling this winter. It seems like it has been a very long winter, too.

From Barbara Brin Seabolt (posted January 29 2008)

It's been a while. Not much going on here. I'm loving retirement... In October, went to Colorado with 3 friends and rented a cabin on Big Thompson River in Estes Park. What a blast. The cabin was really close to the river, like eight feet or so. It sounded like we were in the middle of a bit rain storm. The aspens were absolutely beautiful and one morning a moose came onto the grounds and everyone from many many cabins was outside taking pictures (some were in pj's)!

Went back to Colorado for Christmas. There was already a lot of snow on the ground and it began snowing again Christmas morning about 8 a.m. There's nothing like Christmas in the snow...something many of us missed in our youth.

I'm heading for California in June to see Matt, my son, and his family. We haven't decided where all we will be going. Probably Lego Land for the kids and then on the the vineyards for wine tasting and more sightseeing. Yum.

Thanks for taking the time to keep everyone updated. Especially for some like me who haven't made it to the reunions! Thank God for class nags!

From Kathleen Wright Minnix (posted January 29 2008)

I have just taught my last class in history at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and plan to devote myself to writing full-time. I am working on a biography of the Carroll family of Maryland (descendants of Charles Carroll, last surviving Signer of the Declaration of Independence) during the Civil War. After that, I have 3 or 4 more books to write, so I hope my brain cells hold out! My husband Larry is still enjoying his job in Washington, DC. He is CEO of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aged and is working on getting Medicare and long-term care financed properly before our generation breaks the system into pieces with our massive numbers. We love our house in historic Alexandria, Virginia. No grandchildren yet--no marriages yet, either--but both my sons are doing well in business. John lives in Los Angeles and works in telecommunications and David lives in Atlanta and has started his own business selling multi-screen monitors (shameless plug: www.cinemassivedisplays.com).

From Suzi Shuler Harkey (posted January 29 2008)

This retirement thing is great! Although I have to say, I'm just as busy! I am now working at my church as the counseling coordinator, overseeing a team of trained volunteers, teaching, and counseling. Randy and I are moved into our "new" house, having spent the last two months painting like crazy. It feels good to downsize, fewer steps to where I'm going, and no yard work (that's Randy cheering in the background)! We have boxes everywhere that we're slowly opening and sorting. Wow, how we collect things! But it's a good feeling to organize, sort, let go, keep. I'm so glad we're doing this! In the meantime, I'm determined to get this baby boomer body of mine under submission and have hired a personal trainer to help me. I'm loving it! Fortunately, she's a friend of mine and not Attila the Hun! She knows my limits and little by little this mountain will be removed! Life is good here in San Antonio!

From Dillon Bussard (posted January 29 2008)

Well, I retire March 1. Have two grandkids, and 1 on the way April 15. Will keep playing music. Heard from Jay Ballou, who apparently lives down here but haven't seen him yet.

From Paul Wood (posted January 29 2008)

The Woods had a very eventful Yule Tide season. Sadly my wife Sallie's breast cancer returned after 13 years and she had to undergo some surgeries a couple of weeks prior to Christmas. Thanks in no small part to the love and prayers of our family and friends, she is doing very well and her situation is progressing nicely. In spite of all this our Christmas was joyous and we had both our daughters home for awhile. Shortly after Christmas, our youngest, Courtenay, left for Egypt where she met up with one of her friends from NYU whose family lives there and proceeded on a trip that Sallie and I can only envy. Our oldest daughter, Heather, graduated from the Trinity Rep Theater at Brown and is currently auditioning for the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet to open this spring in the Old Globe theater in San Diego as well as an understudy role for Wicked in NY. Courtenay has returned from Egypt and began her second semester of law school last week. I told her that as far as I'm concerned until I see her on an episode of Law and Order she hasn't arrived. I know our parents said it too, but when I die I want to come back as my children.

 

From Christy Thomas (posted January 29 2008)

Yes, we are finally building at Krum United Methodist ChurchThis is a picture of me at our Groundbreaking on Jan. 20. There is still one more contract to sign, but we expect the bulldozers to be out there by the middle of next week. Anticipated completion date: September, 2008. It's an courageous step forward for this tiny congregation and more than a little scary as we've had to borrow quite a bit to do it, but we all knew the time had come. I'm just the privileged one to be their pastor during these years that will be full of change and challenge.

On a personal note, grandchild number three, Samuel David Sullivan Pena, was born in November, 2007, in Montreal, Canada, and since then he, his 20 month old brother Joshua, and his mom and dad (my son) have moved to a small house outside Paris, France. Jonathan is taking a year off work to attend the International School of Business and also to spend more time with his wife and children. I'm heading to France right after Easter for a couple of weeks with them and will then head to NYC to see my other two sons and my third grandchild--and only granddaughter--there.

Keith (J. Keith Cupples, WWW '66) and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary this summer. As has been the case for most of our marriage, our work keeps us separate geographically as we both have parsonages near our churches we are supposed to inhabit. He's in Irving, and I'm here in Krum. So right at the moment, we are "dating" again, and really enjoying it as we intentionally focus on each other once or twice a week and then work like crazy the rest of the time at our respective churches.

My mother is doing well with her widowhood--and I do thank all those who sent notes and offered presence and love during the decline and death of my dad this past fall. She's still able to stay in her house and fortunately has neighbors that keep a close eye on her.
I look forward to catching up with everyone else.

From Karla Kirby Corkran (posted January 29 2008)

Corky and I got back a little before Christmas from a 22 day genealogy trip to Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama looking for an illusive ancestor. We did find him which was a thrill after looking for ten years! I know we are genealogy “fanatics” but everyone has to have a hobby!

My daughter, Melissa, and her two boys, Nate and Drew, flew down from Denver to have Christmas with us. I have to tell you Christmas is special when you have “Santa” at your house. It’s been a long time! The boys who are four and one had a ball opening presents and generally making a big mess. I hated to see them leave and can’t wait until the next time we see them. Of course we talk to Nate everyday so he’ll remember who we are. Drew just hangs up on us when we try to talk to him. This was the first time my parents had seen Drew and only the second time they had seen Nate. Melissa is a single parent and just can’t get away from Denver very often.

It’s hard to believe my Mom is now 80 and has 3 great-grandchildren. She can’t believe it either!! We had a family get together recently to celebrate her 80th which was a lot of fun and was a huge success. We all “roasted and toasted” her which made us all laugh and cry at the same time.

From Cynthia Cannon (posted January 29 2008)

Linda Stephens’ daughter moved to Houston recently and provided the opportunity for Linda , Brenda Bock, and Cynthia Cannon to get together and visit and have fun. Plan to do more of it. I am going to New Zealand this summer for a couple of weeks.

From Walter Patton (posted January 29 2008)

First, hello to everyone and a happy and prosperous New Year to all.

I continue to live on my 56 acre ranch N. of Terrell. I am very happily married to my fifth (5th ) wife and so happy I never gave up on love. My wife, Ping, a Chinese lady, is learning how to live a life outside the city and it has been a big change for her. We built a new 3 acre lake this past year, making 6 stocked ponds, have 10 yearling head of cattle, 6 horses, 16 Muscovy ducks, 40 white homers, two good dogs and a wonderful cat. We are now trying to learn how to use the 12 x 30 green house I built in the fall and working on spring garden planting schedules. Wild critters are everywhere and the deer are numerous. Chores never cease, and I once heard that highly intended people rarely have time for upsets or sickness and I believe in the concept. Come plant your garden with us if you have no space.

I have 5 children and 5 grand children. My first two, Summer and Walter, live in crazy California in half a million dollar, 900 S.F., 60 year old houses in Long Beach. Summer my favorite daughter has Three children, Ryanne, and twins Addison, and Austin and my son Walter has two boys named Myles and Conner. Everyone is fine and prospering.

Sons Dallas and Preston ( mother Rebecca Hamilton ‘66’ ) are fine and happy. Dallas is getting married this May and is a college certified welder and son Preston will graduate from West Point in May. Preston has been very enthusiastic while at WP and seems headed for Special Forces after graduation. I am very proud and happy for Preston and I am also very worried about all the young people in harms way everyday. I can get very upset thinking about the world affairs. So I better stop.

My last child is Axel, a 16 y.o. tall boy living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Axel and I lived together in Hawaii and he is now learning how to adapt to Mountain living. He does well in school and just got a new Toyota pickup. His mom heard a calling to leave Kona, HI and Santa Fe, NM beckoned. Voices?

I am excitedly looking forward to the first Patton Family Reunion this March 21st on Good Friday. All my children and grandchildren will be in Dallas and I am hoping to get my brothers and their children involved also.

I will have the place all nice and cleaned up and any WWW 67ers are welcome to come for a visit, just give me a signal before you show up. 214-728-2755 I have places for campers, tenters , and cots.

I still have dreams of a boomer community and sometimes call my place Poetry Countryside Community Country Club. I have several home sites identified and am now taking applications for club membership.

I drive to Dallas daily where I am the Property Manager for a Real Estate Investor who has Multi Tenant office warehouse buildings and rural recreational land in Grand Prairie, N.W Dallas, Garland and Kaufman.

Well, that’s quite enough from me and I am glad I was in the mood to bang this key board this morning.

From Barbara Brown Grajski (posted January 29 2008)

Happy 2008 to all of you. It’s hard to believe that the holidays are already a distant memory (but what isn’t these days?).

I spent the week before Christmas in Dallas. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect with classmates that week, as I was in town to help my mother, who is being treated for breast cancer. She really needed more moral support and company than physical help, and I’m thankful that she’s been coming through her treatments as a trouper at age 86.

I hope that I’ll have a chance to see more of you on my next visit.

From Dee Anne Egan (posted January 29 2008)

The only news I have is not very good. Two weeks ago I fell in my house and broke my ankle...shattered it actually. Didn't get to have the surgery until yesterday and believe me, I was scared. But all went well thanks to the little "don't care" shot they add to your IV...I remember nothing. So I am going to be laid up a few more weeks and am driving my assistant principal and staff crazy calling them all day. I insisted on continuing to run my own school without a retired principal coming in to help. This is really not fun at all. I now have a plate and seven screws on one side of my ankle and a couple of pins and screws on the other side. ( Bone doc says he screwed me back together, ha!) My own xrays really creep me out. But seeing my ankle turned almost backwards and then flapping in the wind after the fall was pretty gross, too, and so very, very painful.

Now that I am having to stay with my family a few weeks, much to my dismay, even with 200 plus channels, there is still nothing to see on TV, and after knitting a sweater the last two weeks, I'm actually tired of knitting. Who knew?

Just want my old life back, but a little slower and more careful. My summer trip to Germany and Switzerland must be cancelled until next year, and that is a great disappointment. So, hey out there in Wildcat Land...any of you have this same experience? Any advice for a gimpy gal who is trying to get well right away?

From Dave Lewis (posted January 29 2008)

I went to an acoustic Jam at the Order of Eagles lodge near White Rock Lake a couple of times. I wonder if any ‘67ers ever go to it.

From Sarah Burden (posted January 29 2008)

My nephew's wife just had a baby girl. It is the first great niece for me. I have three great nephews. It is also my sister's (Judy Burden McLaughlin—‘64) first granddaughter.

I have had great fun keeping in touch with several friends from high school through e-mail. If you cannot see them in person, it is a great way to keep up.

From Mike Barnes (posted January 29 2008)

Interesting information about classmate, Buford Jones - http://www.meyersound.com/about/people/buford_jones/

From John Reed (posted January 29 2008)

I had a fun correspondence recently with Steve Hughes. It was so good to hear from him and to catch up a little on his life in California.

From Steve Hughes (after being asked for some news – obviously Steve has not changed) (posted January 29 2008)

But Kathy, I live such a boring life! I am neither a CIA agent nor an astronaut - nor am I a late blooming rock star, a hedge fund manager, a Middle Eastern mercenary - and I didn't marry Paris Hilton - even for a day. It's hard to keep up with my fast-lane classmates.

From Mike Ellis (posted January 29 2008)

Check out the Exiles! Go to youtube.com and type in WWW EXILES, and also Ellis Brothers. Here’s another link for my music michaelandjohnellis.com . John is my son. He has done some recording fairly recently with one of his teachers from Mediatech Institute (where he got his sound engineer training).

From Patricia Mooney Marlowe (posted January 22 2008)

No "news" here, but find I am guilty of not keeping in touch. We are so happy that things are going along at an even keel with nothing newsworthy to share. ( Hope I haven't jinxed the rest of my life!) We are enjoying Rudd's semi-retirement and our 17 month old only grandchild, Evelyn. She is in Dallas with our daughter and son in law. They live in North Oak Cliff and if you haven't been to the Bishop Arts District there, you are missing a wonderful revitalization of a very interesting area of Dallas--not one that I was familiar with when we were in Dallas. It has fun shops and wonderful restaurants. Our son who is an unemployed Cordon Bleu trained chef also lives in that area.

I had non-cosmetic eyelid surgery in October for entropion. The surgeon said he usually doesn't see it in folks until they are in their 80s. Lucky me! Now my eyelashes are not pounding my eyeball, so I am much happier. Wish it had been the "big" eye surgery, but no such luck.

Heard Kathy Kilmer Moak had foot surgery, Martha Miller Leske as a new grandson Albert who has a gorgeous, funny, verbal older sister named Hattie, which is Martha's first name. I am very envious that she has a grandchild named for her! From our mini-reunion in San Antonio, I hear from Marsha Neil Surles and we keep talking about getting together, but haven't.

I SO love the WWW'67 site and look often for news and there has been very little activity lately. Decided I needed to write SOMETHING to contribute. Now it is your turn.

From: Suzi Sargent Bezemer (posted January 16, 2008)

Email address: sbezemer@unitedheritage.com

I just discovered this site, and had the greatest time reading the names of so many familiar friends from my youth. I moved to California at the end of 5th grade but have so many wonderful memories from the 5 years I spent with many of you at Stonewall Jackson. Who could forget picking cotton with Mrs. Derryberry, I believe her name was? Anyway, just wanted to say hi to any who remember me. I live in Boise, ID and have an 18 year old son that is just about to graduate from high school -yes, I always was a bit of a slow starter-didn't want to rush into anything.

From Kathy - a follow-up note from Suzi Sargent Bezemer (posted January 18, 2008)

What a wonderful site you have created - in the past two days alone I have communicated with Jay Ballou, Cynthia Cannon, Patty Landers, and Nancy Clark. I am so flooded with memories because we tend to forget how those early associations had such a profound effect on us. These friends have been in my thoughts for so long, but to get to actually talk to them again is magical. You mentioned in one of your newsletters about going to the celebration of the first musical ever at Woodrow Wilson. My sister, Mary Lee (WW class of 58), was in Okalahoma, and went back for the event you mentioned. I still have memories of her singing all of the songs from that musical. Again, kudos to you.

Class Sympathies to Brenda Hornsby Pool (posted January 14, 2008)

The sympathy of the class is sent to Brenda Hornsby Pool, who lost her mother Saturday night. Brenda says, “She had two heart attacks. She was in Presbyterian Hospital. We had been dealing with serious heart issues. She was scheduled for open heart surgery Monday, Jan 14.” Services will be Tuesday, Jan 15 Skillman Church of Christ 3014 Skillman Street, Dallas, Tex 75206, (Phone 214 823 2179)

12 - 1 Lunch for family
1 - 2 Family visitation
2p Funeral
Burial at Grove Hill