Happy January

January 29, 2008

Where have you been?”

“I hope everything is okay. You have been awfully quiet.”

“Thanks for all that you do for us, Kathy, now get back to DOING it!”

…..and your point is….? Actually, I began a note just after Thanksgiving and another just after Christmas – but like many of you, I’ve been sidetracked by a few unexpected events. However, here I am – your “gentle hints” duly noted! By the way, I want to thank you for your overwhelming response to my request for news to post on the Classmate News page. It has been such a pleasure to hear from all of you! Having said that, I will move on to….

January Greetings, WWW’67!

Sadly, our class suffered yet another loss just before Christmas. Classmate Suzanne Rieves Chambers passed away December 17, 2007 at Baylor Medical Center after a two-year fight against gall bladder cancer. She will be missed by all who knew her. For whatever reason, I remember standing around talking with Suzanne one day in the cut-through hallway by the girls’ gym dressing rooms at Woodrow and both of us getting so tickled about something that we absolutely couldn’t stop laughing. Isn’t it strange the little, seemingly insignificant things that stick in our memories? We posted news of Suzanne’s death and services on the Classmate News page of the web site back in December. The In Memoriam page also has been updated. Charlie and I try our best to post information as soon as we receive it.

Dallas Area WWW’67 Ladies Who Lunch –

Okay, ladies, it’s time again for lots of chatting and laughter! Everyone is invited – 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 2 (this Sat.), Baker Bros. Deli at Old Town on Greenville. Hope to see you there!

Bounced email addresses –

I no longer have working e-mail addresses for the following people: Gary Houston, Doris Johnson, Lloyd Edwards, and Billy Jenkins. In addition, I’ve had to remove these people from the list because of a series of bounced messages: Gordon Grundy, Judy Stevens, Elia Pesenti, Jenny Morrow Glass, John Farmer, John Ramsey, Patrick Roy, Steve Thomas, Becky Bredow Brown, and Barbara Sue Carter Hisle. If you have current e-mail addresses for any of these classmates, please forward them to me. My last message also bounced to Joy Stevenson, but I googled her name and found another e-mail address to try, and I also found a wonderful article about her. (click here) Who would have guessed she secretly wants to be Annie Lennox?!

This and That -

Our web site continues to bring me in contact with interesting people. I received a message from Suzi Sargent Bezemer, now in Idaho, who attended Stonewall before moving to CA in 5th grade. She said she had lived next door to Cynthia Cannon and was best friends with Nancy Clark. Jay Ballou later told me he had a mad crush on her although he says he was “painfully shy” around girls…and still is. (yeah, right) I posted her note on the Classmates News page.

Another note was from Dan Gannon, Class of ’55. He had received an invitation to his reunion and was looking for information about his class. He moved from Dallas in Aug. after graduating, and hasn’t been back since. I told him to be prepared because there will be very little, other than Woodrow itself, that he will recognize!

If you saw Woodrow’s musical last year (Fiddler on the Roof), I’m sure you were as impressed as I was with Matthew George, who played the lead. He is now a star on the stage at Yale – Check this video clip on YouTube. http://lakewood-now.net/view/article/1801 Matthew is the shorter guy. I had to watch a couple of times to get all of the dialogue, but it is really cute.

Back in November, I had lunch with Jan King in Austin. What a great time we had! I don’t know that Jan and I had seen each other since graduation. We at lunch in a very “Austin” outdoor spot and talked about so many things – especially about the people who influenced us during our formative years. Isn’t it fun to think back to those individuals – people we took for granted when we were young? Jan is not a “reunion-goer.” We need to work on that. :-)

Classmate News page teasers

Click here to check the latest postings on the Classmate News page. Among many, many other items, you will find"

The Exiles on YouTube!
a non-CIA agent
a sound legend
a shattering mishap
5 wives/5 children/5 grandchildren…..and a greenhouse
a preacher with a purpose….and a shovel
an EXCELLENT quote – “When I die, I want to come back as my children.”
a biographer
a baby named Remington who was almost named Winchester
a couple of eyelid surgeries of the non-cosmetic and cosmetic varieties
a couple of old Foo Fighter fans
a chance meeting between a web wizard and a snow bird
news of a Northwest classmate who has been MIA for most of us
bionic knees
ballroom dancing in NYC
grandbabies, grandbabies, and more grandbabies
lunch dates
awards
retirements

A funny –

The other night, I e-mailed to my three daughters some family tree information I have been compiling. I quickly typed the names in the address field and sent the note on its way. Very quickly, I realized there was a mistake on the attachment, so I made the correction and resent. That’s when I noticed auto-complete had filled in the address not of my daughter, Susan, but of Susan Ashburn. I immediately sent the latter a note of explanation (an admitted full-blown case of old-timer’s disease), knowing everyone involved would think I had lost my mind. My daughters certainly did, and Susan Ashburn? Here is her reply – “I thought for a moment that you had figured out a way that the entire WWW '67 class was related.” Beware the auto-complete feature of e-mail programs.

In closing, I will paste part of the newsletter I began composing during the holidays, ‘07 -

Last night I poured myself a glass of wine, exhaled, and turned my gaze toward the Christmas tree. I smiled as I realized that tree seemed to perfectly reflect the year – colorful/glittering, tilted a bit to one side, more than a few tangled wires hidden deep within the branches, an old, broken glass ornament glued together because I was not ready to part with it, another from my childhood – now very tarnished but proudly displayed among newer ones, a burned out light here and there, the inevitable problems putting the whole thing together….and the resulting familiar, comforting scene. ’07 has not been an easy year for many of us – we’ve lost parents, siblings, classmates, jobs, marriages, friendships, and confidences. At times, it has been difficult to find balance….to “find our footing” as a good friend recently said…..and sometimes we found that “footing” only to realize other aspects of our lives had crumbled during the process. On the flip side, we’ve celebrated marriages, the births of grandchildren, retirements, graduations, new “downsized” homes, victories over illnesses, our 40th reunion and resulting numerous mini-reunions, picking up where we left off with long-time friends, and the unexpected surprises that have come with exploring new relationships……even at “our age.” All of this has made for a dizzying ride from January to December. Something tells me it only gets wilder from this point forward. We are losing our “sandwich generation” status, WWW’67, and are moving up the ladder to the top rung. The view, I hear, is wonderful although precarious….but then, we didn’t get to this point without balancing on one foot and taking chances now and again. The ladder, we know by now, is made of strong stuff……and the view is ours for the taking. 2008 will be a good year, ‘67. We will make it one.

Take care, WWW’67. Until next time…..

~Kathy

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

Happy Halloween

October 31, 2007

Halloween greetings, WWW’67!

Fall has arrived, finally, and although my Longhorns are not exactly having a stellar season, my little (very little) teacher retirement check barely covers the cost of gasoline these days for my aging car and my evening glass of wine (medicinal purposes only ), I’ve worked in the yard for the past few days and what isn’t stiff in this old body is really sore, I read that the price of beer is going up due to a shortage of hops (the truth!)……….despite all of that…… the weather this past week has been autumn-perfect, pumpkins and scarecrows are in my yard, newly baled hay is decorating the pasture, there was the most beautiful harvest moon a few nights ago, and I’m loving all of it! Yessireee, life here behind the Pine Curtain is good during the fall…..especially if I can stay on the road for most of the other seasons of the year! (Note to the East TX Chamber of Commerce: Don’t get your pine cones all in a wad. I’m just joking…….sort of.)

Before writing this column, I decided to look back through all of the Classmate News and Kathy’s Corner postings since we began the web site in ’06. It is almost the end of another year – the traditional time for reflection. It made me wish I had kept all of the newsletters since I first began sending them in ’01, long before our web site was created. I both laughed and became a little misty-eyed while re-reading everything including Jay Ballou’s hilarious account of his first day at Woodrow, the continuing fun of all of the mini-reunions, Dee Anne Egan’s suggestion for a WWII book, Sarah Burden’s touching celebration of being cancer-free, the saga of the found Woodrow charm bracelet, the anticipation of the reunion, the celebration of retirements, the birth of grandbabies, the overwhelming sadness of the deaths of so many classmates and parents…….And then there are the photos – post-reunion gatherings, Jay in a field of bluebonnets (really!), Susan Ashburn flashing her ’67 poster to Dusty Hill at a ZZ Top concert, Martha Miller talking on the phone to Don Mohon, Joy Stevenson and her dog, Sonny Thompson and his Crusader, Dan Hatzenbuehler and his camel (!)…… Of course, there are also my endless notes in preparation for the reunion – contact us for this, sign up for that, send your money here …….the, uh, “encouragement” (read: nagging) made me cringe until I read again the many, many positive post-reunion notes everyone sent. I do hope all of you make a point to read Classmate News from time to time. It’s a great way to keep up with everyone – even people you may not know. We are an interesting bunch of young-at-heart old folks, and we are lucky to have each other. Charlie, we thank you again and again for providing this web site so that we can share our lives.

Speaking of people you many not know, someone from another Woodrow class commented to me the other day he wouldn’t go to a reunion if he knew his close friends weren’t going. I heard that from and about a couple of our own classmates before our 40th. There was a time, I suppose, I might have felt the same way. Not now, and I am very thankful most of our class broke loose of that high school mindset. I’ve given this quite a bit of thought and have come to the conclusion that our class may be special because most of us have been able to set aside the self-imposed social restrictions and artificial barriers of our teen years, and have allowed ourselves to branch out. I won’t go into details, just know that time and time again you have shown that we genuinely care about each other.

Not one to pass up the chance to have a good time with a group of classmates, I’ve begun feeling a bit like the “roaming gnome” lately, showing up in mini-reunion photos of the ’67 crew in cities scattered all over TX….and even WA. On September 10, the Houston-area bunch got together, and what a super time we had! Those attending were Lois Dickerson, Cynthia Cannon (who wore her senior ring!), Brenda Bock, Betty Benda, Gary Houston, Elaine Cogswell, John Witmer, and yours truly. The next day, Lois and I flew to Seattle to meet Martha Murphy and spend time on beautiful Whidbey Island. Read the details here about all of the fun we had.

Dallas-area ladies – Kathy Thomas reminds us that the next meeting of the ’67 Ladies Who Lunch is this Saturday, Nov. 3, at Baker Brothers Deli in Old Town (Greenville Ave.) at 11:30. We had a great time chatting, laughing, and eating in August. Hope to see you there!

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Odds and Ends:

When you have time, take a look at this – DaVinci’s The Last Supper in 16 billion pixels. There’s a video showing how they did it. I found it fascinating.

Look at this web site for some very early White Rock, Lakewood, and Forest Hills history.

One of the best “tributes” to the sixties I’ve seen is here…..although I differ with the guy on a couple of points. As an emotional, teenaged girl, I LOVED West Side Story! Be sure to turn on your sound.

I recently received notices of a couple of interesting Lakewood area meetings – My, how times have changed! “First Grade Mom’s Club of Lakewood – the Margaritas Moms met @ Matt’s in Lakewood…” and “The Dad’s Club @ Lee met for beer & burgers….”

Polly Bohmfalk recently wrote an article for Lakewood-Now in which she described “the very loose and very unofficial means by which we came to know this neighborhood as Lakewood.” A subsequent article stated, “She’s looking for old-timers who might be able to recall a Lakewood without McMansions and Garage Mahals, when the Lakewood Rats were a household name, when the Lady of the Lake might really have walked the Woodrow halls.” I guess all of us, WWW’67, are qualified “old-timers.” You can contact her at lpb1103@sbcglobal.net.

For Lady of the Lake information, check this out.

Happy 50th birthday, Lyle Lovett! (I know we have several devoted fans in our group.)

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Tell us what you are up to these days! Please help keep this web site going by submitting information for the Classmate News page.

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A notice to all of you grandparents out there who, over the years, have excitedly flashed pictures of those smiling little cherubs, shared the joys of first steps, soccer games, dance recitals, and even high school experiences (these classmates obviously are much older than the rest of us!)………be advised that my first grandchild is due in April! Furthermore, I plan to be the most insufferable, proud grandparent of the bunch of you! It’s payback time, folks! :-)

Until next time, WWW’67…..Autumn smiles to all.

~Kathy

The other day the TV was on while I was working in another room. (I know - a waste of electricity.) I have no idea what the movie was – but one of the last lines came through loud and clear…..and I’m sure it was spoken directly to me - "It's cool when you stop being who you're supposed to be and start being who you are."

Vacation is Over

August 22

Greetings, WWW’67!

“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking."

Okay. Yes. I know. It has been much too long since I have posted anything here. More than a few of you have politely let me know that my “vacation” from Kathy’s Corner is over, and it’s time I get back to work! Actually, I did not realize my last posting was May 8. That was quite awhile ago. I suppose both Charlie and I needed a breather after the reunion, because we certainly took one. I managed to post a recap of the reunion, and he put up a few photographs on the site……..then we kind of shut down for the summer. However, it’s not as if we have taken a total leave of absence from the web site – If you have been checking the Classmate News page (here), you’ve been keeping up with everyone. You send it – We post it!

Web Site

As for reunion photographs, it is going to be fun to look at them again after putting them aside for a few months, but here’s the deal. Before we go to all of the trouble of posting slide shows/pictures, etc., we want to revamp the entire web site. ……..and before we do that, we want your suggestions about what to change, what to leave the same, etc. Our feelings will not be hurt, so fire away! Tell us what you like and dislike – from the general layout down to colors, fonts, etc. This is your chance, WWW’67! If you have other web sites you like, please send them to us as examples. Take a stroll through www1967.com and let us know your thoughts. Once we get your input, we’ll get to work and have an all new web site for you soon. See? When we come back from vacation, we come back with a vengeance! Oh, and please send us your reunion photos if you haven’t already done so. Thanks.

A couple of months ago, I was at a party and overheard the spouse of a ’67 classmate say to another, “Close? This class is unusual, all right. What could they possibly want to know about each other that they don’t already?” (Proof positive you have to be a Woodrow alum to “understand.”) I smiled when I heard that because we have a new feature in the works for the renovated web site – a series of podcast phone interviews with classmates. We’re still working out the details of these podcasts, but Mike Barnes, Charlie and I have already had one meeting this summer about it. The possibilities are endless…..and very exciting. Our class has some wonderful stories to share. Stay tuned…..

This web site has brought me into contact with so many interesting people – a pawnbroker in Dallas among them. His message, sent yesterday, is posted on the Classmate News page here. In short, he is in possession of a charm bracelet, all of the charms being Woodrow related, probably from the class of ’70. I immediately sent the information to people from the classes of ’68, ’69, ’70, as well as to Kyle Rains (’78) who has scores of contacts in many classes. I just received a reply from my brother & sister-in-law, who said they thought the charms had something to do with Jeff Senter, the president of their class (’70). They are in the process of tracking him down. They’re thinking the bracelet may have belonged to Jeff’s mother, who is now deceased. In the meantime, Kyle has posted the information as well as photographs on the Lakewood Now web site. See it http://lakewood-now.net/view/article/1112. Solving mysteries fascinates me, and I love using web connections to do it!

…and that reminds me of an excellent article Christy Thomas sent me awhile back that really hit home. It’s entitled, “Aristotle’s Email, or Friendship in the Cyber Age.” You can read it here. You’ll enjoy it.

Mini-reunions abound!

Kathy Thomas is calling together all ’67 ladies in the Dallas area for lunch this Saturday, August 25, at Baker Brothers Deli, (Old Towne Center, 5500 Greenville Ave., near Michael’s) at 11:30 a.m. I will be there and am looking forward to it! Please join us – everyone is welcome!

On July 10, Patricia Mooney hosted a group of San Antonio/Austin area Wildcats at her home for dinner and laughs and laughs and more laughs. I was able to attend that bash as well and have posted pictures on the Classmate News page here.

A month before that, on June 10, a group of about twelve of us met at Kirby’s on Greenville (what memories!) for a two-fold celebration - Barbara Brown, who was unable to attend the reunion, was in Dallas, and that day just happened to be my birthday! We had such a great time!

Also in June, the reunion committee had its wrap-up party at Kelley Geary’s house in Dallas. We had a delicious Mexican dinner, watched the Exiles video Charlie had put together, looked on in amazement at the antics of Kelley’s h-u-g-e dogs, and bid an official farewell to the 40th reunion.

As the result of a conversation at the April reunion, Lois Dickerson and I are flying up to Seattle and then going over to Whidbey Island to visit Martha Murphy next month. Can’t wait! We will be flying out of Houston and are thinking we might see if any ’67 classmates in that area would like to meet us for dinner the night before, the evening of Sep. 10. Let us know if you’d like to get together!

Dan Hatzenbuehler and Sonny Thompson, both Memphis residents, have met for lunch a couple of times this summer. They even gave me a call during their last meeting. What a conversation! See a photo here. There aren’t many ’67 folk in their vicinity – I think a group of us should head up there sometime to join them. Dan and Sonny could show us the real Memphis…..and something tells me Graceland (a place I have resisted visiting for years, no offense to The King) would be on the tour.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a traveling ’67 group? We could visit classmates scattered across the country, letting resident Wildcats act as tour guides. I would love it!

Next Thursday, August 30, is the monthly LT (Last Thursday) get-together for all Wildcats (any class) at the High Point, 12101 Greenville Ave. #105, Dallas (between Forest Lane and LBJ), after 6:30 p.m. I hope to be there to see what it’s all about. Read an article about last month’s gathering here - http://lakewood-now.net/view/article/1075

Losses

The sympathy of the class goes to Mike Barnes, who lost his mother last week. There will be a memorial service this Saturday, August 25, at 10:00 a.m. See details here.

Since the reunion, several of us have lost family members – Keith Barnett’s brother, my dad, Betty Benda’s dad, Gayla Duce’s dad, Barbara Brin’s dad, Kathy Thomas’ dad, Ben Bennett’s mother, Judy Manning’s mother (Judy’s dad died in March)…….and others are dealing with parents who are very ill. This is a difficult time of life for many of us and a time of transition for all of us – moving from the sandwich generation to the oldest. You’ve been sending numerous emails discussing the new sets of challenges we are now facing. I was grateful for the support I received from all of you ……. I wonder if we might have some type of discussion group so that we might benefit from the experience of others. Just a thought – let me know if you are interested. We might be able to work something out on the new web site.

Bits and Pieces

Check the link to the Woodrow football schedule on the home page. The Wildcats begin the season ranked #13! Homecoming is Sep. 28.

The class of ’68 has a new web site - http://www.www1968.com/

See photos of ZZ Top fan, Susan Ashburn here!

Travelers – Carol Fuess is in Australia (surfing?) and Dan Hatzenbuehler is wiggling his toes in the sands of a Florida beach.

Final Thoughts

Okay, I’ve come back from my “vacation.” Now, you come back from yours! Let me hear from you!!!!!

Until next time, WWW’67…..

~Kathy

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”

Henry Van Dyke

What a Reunion!!!

May 8, 2007

We, WWW’67, are a unique, caring, cohesive group…….and you have proved that both at our 35th and especially at our 40th reunion. OHMYGOSH!!! What a weekend, what a weekend, WHAT A WEEKEND!!! I don’t even know where to begin……….In the words of another classmate and of members of the classes of ’66, ’68, ’69, ’70, ’82, and others – we are the envy of our peers.

No kidding, ’67 – at the musical Sunday afternoon, at the reception at the bank that evening, and around Dallas last week – time and time again people stopped me to say, “Oh! We heard you had a wonderful reunion!”…“You must have an extraordinary group of classmates!” etc. All I could do was smile and say, “Yes, we did….and yes, we do!”

For a bunch of old folks, we certainly know how to have a good time, don’t we? Although the headcount was rather hazy ( “fuzzy math” at its best due to people paying at the door, unable to come at the last minute, “new friends”….read: bar patrons Fri. night, etc.), we had over 100 classmates Friday and somewhere around 135 classmates and guests Saturday night. I won’t know for sure until the committee has it’s wrap-up meeting next month…….and then again, we may never know the exact number…….but who cares? All I know for sure is that the people who attended had a wonderful time. I ran across a quote today, "There are two types of people -- those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am!' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'" Without question, the vast majority of our classmates fall into the second category, and it showed all weekend.

Your generosity is incredible – so many of you offered your time, your talents, and your dollars to the reunion effort. Your extraordinary kindness provided “scholarships” for grateful classmates who otherwise would not have been able to attend the reunion, and also a $1000 scholarship to a graduating senior (WWW’07) who plans to pursue a degree in secondary education. Even classmates who knew they would not be able to come sent money for the scholarships…..and several who had unexpected family crises prevent them from coming donated their registration fees to the cause. Selfless acts of kindness, WWW’67 ….. Don’t know about you, but I am very proud to be a member of this class.

Charlie and I have begun posting reunion-related information and a new slide show with the first photos we’ve received. Check our updated home page, www.www1967.com You will also see how to send us your pictures, and we do need everyone’s photographs! Please send them ASAP! Some of the first sent in can be seen here .

There is so much to say about the events, our classmates, the atmosphere……..the hugs……oh, the many, many wonderful hugs! I think I will simply give personal recaps of each event and then ask every one of you who attended to send your thoughts for us to post on the web site. This will be long – pour yourself a cool one and get comfortable…..

Friday – Backyard Beach Bar

My reunion weekend actually began Friday afternoon by unexpectedly running into classmates….but it was only a taste of what was to come. What an evening! Many thanks to the youngsters from the class of ’68 who worked the registration table allowing all committee members to enjoy the evening! As always, the Friday night “classmates only” event, was my favorite of the weekend. I loved seeing the initial excitement on everyone’s faces as people walked in…………and those Friday night hugs were the best, weren’t they? Years, pounds, wrinkles, gray hair……all of it vanished instantly as soon as we came through the door. Unlike the first couple of reunions, no one was out to impress anyone else – no one cared about a thing except reconnecting with long-time friends….and making new ones. I guess what I loved best ….well, next to the hugs, anyway…..was the sound of the Friday night laughter…….the genuine laughter of 18 yr. old spirits emerging from 58 yr. old individuals. No question, the hugs and laughter were my favorites………..well, next to the Exiles! OHMYGOSH, WWW’67! If you weren’t there to witness this group of amazingly talented guys, you have no idea what you missed. I mean, even the twenty-somethings at the bar were rocking to the music and were quite impressed! That had to be the ultimate compliment. Mike, Jimmy, Jay, Blake, Chris….and the newest Exile, Keith, put on a show that won’t soon….or ever….be forgotten by those who witnessed it! Not only have they not lost their touch, they’ve never sounded better. The many hours these guys rehearsed paid off, and every single person in the place (and out on the patio as well) loved every minute of the 2 hr. set! Want to relive some of what they did? Click here for a sneak preview of the future video….and turn up those speakers! Yeah – no doubt about it, the Exiles’ performance was my favorite thing about Friday night, which was my favorite event of the weekend……..well, maybe next to the basket of wine and goodies that Jay and the group presented to me that night!

(By the way, although Kelley Geary (fearless leader of the reunion committee) wasn’t there in person, we made certain her spirit and life-size photo were. Stay tuned for hilarious pictures and video as proof…..)

Saturday golf
I can’t give a personal account of this event because (1) I was on the bus tour during the golf tournament, and (2) I don’t play golf…….but I heard plenty of great stories from and about this group. If you participated, will you send me your tales? Also, I need a list of who won what trophies. We already have some fine photographs of our golfers in the new slide show on the web site.

Saturday bus tour
Manuel Zaby, in all of his creative genius, came up with the idea of a bus tour of our old stomping grounds. He arranged to get the 27 passenger SMU shuttle (appropriately, red) and the best bus driver ever! Although I had planned to give up my seat to another classmate, Manuel “forced” me to go…….and am I ever glad he did as I do believe it ended up being my favorite event of the weekend! After pulling out of the Woodrow parking lot (was there ever a more beautiful high school built anywhere in the nation?), we headed through old East Dallas to Fair Park. Oh, the stories that were told of those Friday “school days” at the Fair each year – parents dropping us off early in the morning and picking us up late at night – surviving all day on a few dollars – getting sick after riding the Rotor or Himalaya….then going back for more – hiding the fear of roller coasters in order to impress a date – walking through the automobile building (only air-conditioned bldg.) and gathering 10 lbs. of brochures to lug home only to throw away…….and on and on. We were fortunate to have Allison (Ruth) and Avelino (Frank) on the bus – Fair Park historians, both. The addition of historical facts only enriched the drive through the area. Next, we headed through Deep Ellum to downtown where, of course, many told of their JFK experiences and pointed out where they had been standing, what they had seen, who had been with them, etc. We gazed at the old buildings – Neiman’s H.L. Green’s, Titches, Sanger Harris Jr. College, the courthouse, City Hall…… Next, we headed up Mockingbird, pausing, bowing, and observing a moment of silence when passing the sacred ground where Charco’s once proudly stood. Our Flag Pole Hill picnic couldn’t have been better – Manuel provided absolutely delicious box lunches from Neiman’s, and we enjoyed them from one of the new picnic areas…… the weather couldn’t have been better. An after lunch drive around the lake - great views of Dallas, Winfrey Point, the Bath House, etc., was followed by a drive up Tokalon and Lakewood back to Woodrow. What a day, what a day.

Did Manuel really challenge the group to see if we knew the words to the state song? Did we really still know the words……did we really sing them? Am I breaking a promise never to reveal this bit of information to those who were not present and couldn’t possibly understand we did not look/sound like a bunch of old geezers on a school field trip? Personally, I would have liked it if we had followed up with “The Wheels of the Bus go Round and Round”……….remember that one?!

Those who elected not to go on the tour because you “live in Dallas and see it every day” missed a golden opportunity to take a look at the city through renewed eyes. It wasn’t where we went – it was the people on the tour that made it such a rich, rewarding experience. The bus was small enough so that everyone could be heard – and every single person shared his/her experiences, memories, and priceless trivia. My only regret - Bill O. remained silent whenever talk of bridges came up…..

Yes. The bus tour had to be my favorite event of the weekend. Thank you, Manuel.

Saturday night
While some of us were playing golf or enjoying a tour of East Dallas, Tommie Attlesey and Nancy Crabb were busily decorating Lakewood Country Club. The hours they spent on this labor of love were evident. Every detail, from the elaborate jukebox/turntable in the entry down to the napkin holders (45 records with red/gray WWW’67 labels) and beautiful centerpieces on each table made LCC ours for the evening. We’ll never be able thank these ladies enough. The golfers, bus tour folk, and casual carousers from the night before cleaned up nicely for this affaire, and it was apparent everyone had a grand time. Tim Mitchell, a guy who never needs a script, was our emcee – recognizing various classmates, presenting golf trophies, beautiful plaques to the committee members…and crowning me queen of the prom. Good grief – a person who is much more at home in jeans, t-shirt, and behind a keyboard was standing there wearing a crown, holding a scepter and the most beautiful bouquet of spring flowers……blushing, no doubt. I sincerely thank each and every classmate for making it such a special evening. (As a side note, I wore the crown to the hospital the next day and took the gorgeous flowers to my mother, who enjoyed them immensely all week.) The DJ got things cranked up for dancing with some twisting…..and hula hooping, believe it or not. Amazingly, many people still could keep those things turning……fun at the time, but I’m almost afraid to look at the video. (As a somewhat crude but hilarious side – more than one person was overheard asking, “Did you get it up? Were you able to keep it up?” Sorry, guys – it was just too funny not to pass along.)

What I enjoyed the most about Saturday night was witnessing the now more familiar hugs, the tender smiles, the toned-down conversations – all a natural progression from the frenzied excitement of the night before. I learned so many things about and from so many classmates Sat. night…….not the least of which was how to order the perfect martini. Thank you, Mr. Gross!

I’ve always enjoyed Saturday night reunion events, but they’ve never compared to those of Friday in my opinion. This time was different – the evening was perfect and rose to the top as my favorite event of the weekend.

Sunday brunch

Months ago, when the committee planned the Sunday In-Memoriam Brunch at LaMadeleine as a sort of farewell event for the weekend, it sounded like a great idea. However, when my alarm went off Sunday morning after very, very late night post-party discussions with classmates, I was convinced we had lost our minds planning something for Sunday morning. I dragged myself there and cringed when I saw Charlie with his video camera pointed at me. I remember wondering if I could get away with wearing my sunglasses inside. When everyone arrived (a wonderful turnout), however, the morning brought magic with it. We met in the private room, ate a delicious meal, and then began informally talking about our lost classmates pictured on the in-memoriam poster. It was touching, to be sure – each poignant moment followed by some entertaining tale about that person – the perfect balance of reverence and humor. As I gazed around the room, it struck me as inconceivable that this would be the group to meet for such an occasion 40 years post graduation. As a very close friend who was there said to me, “This seemed to be the nucleus of WWW’67.” We were an unlikely band of classmates by ’67 standards, but a core group of loving, sensitive adults, who enjoyed sharing our memories – both happy and sad – with each other. At the conclusion, we all went outside, gathered in a circle, observed a moment of silent prayer, and Walter released his white birds. As those beautiful birds spiraled above us, we were speechless until as if on cue Russell spontaneously quoted a portion of Carl Sandburg’s poem, “Little Word, Little White Bird.”

love is a little white bird
and the flight of it so fast
you can't see it
and you know it's there
only by the faint whirr of its wings
and the hush song coming so low to your ears
you fear it might be silence
and you listen keen and you listen long
and you know it's more than silence
for you get the hush song so lovely
it hurts and cuts into your heart
and what you want is to give more than you can get
and you'd like to write it but it can't be written
and you'd like to sing it but you don't dare try
because the little white bird sings it better than you can

I cannot begin to explain how touching the entire morning was. Words fail me - It was truly one of those “you had to be there” moments.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Sunday brunch was my favorite event of the weekend. It was the perfect ending to a perfect two days with the perfect group of people.

Post-Reunion Event ---- Woodrow Musical/Alumni Reception/50th Musical Celebration
If you missed “Fiddler on the Roof” this year, you missed one of the best musicals ever produced at Woodrow. The kid who played the lead (Tevye) is one incredibly talented young man – Nat’l Merit finalist, headed to Yale, etc. The sets, the cast, the costumes, everything, as always, were excellent. Perhaps the best thing of all, however, was the opportunity to sit on those same hard, uncomfortable wooden seats in that magnificent auditorium. Classmates at the matinee Sunday – Charlie, Manuel, Rhonda Halasz, Mike Looney, me………..and a sizeable group from the classes of ’68 & ‘70. Charlie and I went to the alumni reception at Professional Bank in Lakewood after – It was exciting to hear from past directors, a member of the very first musical, “Oklahoma,” tributes to Ms. Eckelman, and to be able to visit with members of just about every class for the past 50 years. I had the pleasure of meeting and having a nice conversation with Steve Cargile, son of Mr. B.J Cargile. – the drafting teacher while we were at Woodrow. Steve is a delightful young man, obviously quite talented, who is a Principal Show Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering. He is a WWW’82 graduate, who comes in from California to assist with the musicals. Before he spoke to the crowd that evening, I gave him one of our reunion wristbands to make him an honorary member of WWW’67. What an extraordinary group of dedicated alumni. I wonder if there is another public high school in the nation with the tradition of Woodrow.

It was a delicious weekend, WWW’67 – every minute of it. I’m sorry each and every one of you were not there to experience it.

*****************************************************************************
We have extra 40th reunion t-shirts available for $15 each (11 mediums, 10 larges, and 1 extra large). Attendees have already received theirs, but if you did not pick yours up, I will mail it to you – probably sometime next week. They are very nice-looking…..gray with the red “40th WWW 1967” logo on the left front. I wore mine to the store while in Dallas and received several compliments.

Special Note: We owe Charlie Taylor so much – Not only did he step in to see that everything ran smoothly during all reunion events, he took video and photographs at each event, and now is spending endless hours updating the web site, getting things ready for the reunion CD and DVD. We sincerely thank you, Mr. T.

And, do you remember my pledge to eat onion rings and curly fries after the reunion?? Well, guess what..... Charlie treated me to a huge plate of onion rings Sunday night and I ate every single one of them!!!  Thanks again CT.

Don’t forget to send that note telling me your impressions of the reunion……and also get those photographs to us!

I will close with a special quote…..a quote I knew had to be posted on the ’67 home page long before we even began creating our web site…..a quote that I hope has special meaning to every person who attended the reunion….

Until next time, WWW’67…..

~Kathy

"And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time."

~T.S. Eliot

Happy Earth Day +2 and 40th reunion - 3, WWW’67!

April 24, 2007

One last email before the reunion weekend. ……still hoping some of you who have not registered will do so…..at the original price. Just let me know. Remember, we will not have another big reunion for 10 long yrs………when we will be almost 70 yrs. young.

First, let me extend the deepest sympathy of the class to Keith Barnett, who lost his brother, Arthur, to cancer last Friday. Arthur taught at Long for many years and retired only two years ago. Our prayers are with you and your family, Keith.

The reunion committee had a wonderful final meeting last Saturday. As we sat there eating lunch, I looked around and thought what a terrific group of classmates we have – absolutely the best. The committee members have dedicated many long hours to this effort – every member has followed through with his/her responsibilities….and more. Queen Kelley Geary, our exalted leader and the epitome of a committee chair., has done an incredible job coordinating everyone and everything. Her leadership skills and attention to detail are unsurpassed, and we are very lucky she agreed to guide us. Only half-jokingly, I moved to elect her chairperson of the 50th reunion…….a motion which passed quickly and unanimously. She, of course, simply rolled her eyes. Others on the committee are Charlie Taylor (wristbands, video, audio, and our webmaster!), Manuel Zaby (bus tour/t-shirts), Nancy Crabb (scholarship), Robert Creel (Sat. night music, golf), Keith Barnett (hotel arrangements), David Hamilton (valet parking, super sleuth!), Lee Russell (super sleuth!), Patti Glenn (Sun. brunch, awards), Tommie Attlesey (Sat. night decorations), Gregg Hill (golf tournament), Paul Wood (accountant – Mr. $), Christy Thomas (mailed invitation), Walter Patton, and yours truly (communications and various other “stuff”)…….a dedicated and fun-loving group!

At that meeting, I also looked around at what these jokers ordered for lunch – I was surrounded by plates piled high with huge, mouth-watering onion rings and seasoned curly fries …….. I, on the other hand, had a small serving of fresh fruit as if it were going to help me lose 20 lbs. by Friday. Sunday night, it’s onion rings and curly fries for me.

Many thanks to both Brenda Bock and Eve Holland, who spent hours contacting classmates for the committee. We couldn’t have made it without them!

What to wear –

You know, I hadn’t really given much thought to this until I suddenly received scores of emails asking. Okay, here are my thoughts –
Friday night – extremely casual (Backyard Beach Bar – the name kind of says it all)

Golf – golf clothes? (Obviously, I don’t play)

Bus Tour – again, very casual – we’ll be ending the tour with a picnic at White Rock – I’ll probably wear jeans
Saturday night – you will see everything from suits to jeans – most guys I’ve asked said they will probably wear sports coats – since it is at the country club and is a seated dinner, I’d probably say “business casual/dressy casual”…………but you know what? It doesn’t matter what you wear as long as you are there!!!

Sunday brunch @ La Madeleine – casual/whatever

Speaking of the bus tour, I suddenly have two vacant seats. If you are interested in going, let me know ASAP. The cost is $25 and includes a Neiman’s boxed lunch. Manuel showed me the route we will follow – He has a great road trip planned for us. We’ll leave from the Woodrow parking lot at 10:00 and return around 1:00. Be certain to let me know NOW if you would like to join us!

Golf – If you want to play with the best, brightest, and bravest Wildcats, let me know, and I will add you to the list of golfers for Saturday morning, 10:00 a.m. at Tenison. Cost is $75, lunch included.

Sunday brunch – No reservations required – Just meet us at LaMadeleine (SMU) at 10:30.

Weather forecast –

Believe it or not, people are asking me (I’m in East TX, remember) about the Dallas forecast for the weekend. Now, folks, even the weather gurus have trouble with this in TX during the spring, but here is the current prediction at weather.com:

Friday – partly cloudy, high 80, low 60
Saturday – AM clouds/PM sun, high 76, low 58
Sunday – partly cloudy, high 76, low 60

All of this, you understand, is subject to change hourly

!

We’ve added items to the classmate news page on the web site. Be sure to check them out here!

EXILES…..SNEAK PEEK!!!!!!

Sign me up as an official groupie! Check out this web page Charlie has put together, and be certain to click on the video clip at the bottom of the page. Not only have these guys not lost their touch, they are even better than they were five years ago!

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

Woodrow/Long News

Don’t forget the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof”, is this weekend. There is a matinee Sunday at 2:30. I am staying over in Dallas an extra day to see it. Because this is the 50th musical, there is going to be a casual get-together with wine & cheese reception for alums, parents, and participants of all Woodrow musicals past at Professional Bank in Lakewood, 2101 Abrams Rd. (corner of Abrams and Prospect). For more information, contact Marybeth Shapiro at 214-232-3728. The event will be emceed by Duward Sumner ’59 (Will Parker in 1958’s “Oklahoma!”) with a tribute to the late founder Helen Eckelman. Jerry McKinney, who took over from Ms. Eckelman, is expected to attend, along with Marcia Lee Bircher and Patricia Hardman.

See a great story on Fiddler - “Lakewood People” here:

There are also a couple of good stories in the Lakewood Advocate here - scroll down to see a photo of a very young Ms. Eckleman and also read the story about the class of ‘54! Reading the Advocate is a wonderful way to keep up with what is currently going on in Lakewood, and it always has such interesting stories from the past. What a wonderfully rich tradition Lakewood/Woodrow have.

One more Fiddler link – click here to watch a super Ch. 8 interview with a Skyline student and with the incredibly talented Matthew George (Tevye in Fiddler – Woodrow senior, Yale-bound).

Congratulations to Lawrence Wright (Kathy Wright’s brother, WWW’65), who won the Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) Monday for his book, The Looming Tower: Al-Quaeda and the Road to 9/11, a penetrating analysis of how Islamic fundamentalism has reshaped the modern world. There is a link here and also one to the book serialization here - other good stories here and here.

Congrats also to J.L. Long math and science teams who won state for the third year! (TMSCA competition – article here.)

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

Trivia:

Check out this touching video.

….and did you know that at three minutes and four seconds after 2 AM on the 6th of May this year, the time and date will be 02:03:04 05/06/07? This will never happen again…….Information you can’t afford to overlook, folks.

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

I’ll close with this gem:

High School Reunion

There are always two ways to look at everything, I guess. My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table. My wife asks, "Do you know her?" "Yes," I sighed, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since."

"My God!" says my wife, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

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

That’s it until after the reunion, WWW’67.

I look forward to seeing each and every one of you this weekend……and to those of you who will not be there, I’m sorry you are going to miss all of the fun!

“To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am."
Bernard Baruch

April 10, 2007

Only two and a half weeks until our 40th, WWW’67! Can you believe it? I know the committee can’t! We met during the Easter weekend blizzard (what crazy weather!) last Saturday at La Cantina Laredo in Lakewood (El Chico’s back in the day – remember the Wed. night specials there?!). We’re putting the final touches on all of the plans and have only one more meeting, on the 21st , before the big weekend.

Newsflash – It’s too late to sign up for the bus tour because it’s full!

Are you wondering who is going to be at the reunion? Check the list of those who have paid (classmates only) here -

http://www1967.com/www1967_40th_paid.html Oh, and for those of you who have wondered…….yes, each and every one of us on the committee is paying the same amount you guys are to attend…..some even more. Believe me, this is not a money-making adventure. It’s anything but. Speaking of money (not my favorite topic), please do not let the cost of registration prevent you from coming. Reunions are incredibly expensive undertakings – I would never have believed just how expensive had I not been so closely involved with the past two. Just let me know if cost is a problem, and I will quietly take care of it. No one else will know…..but please, tell me if you plan to come. Our cost (food, etc.) is determined by the number of people attending. We have some generous classmates in our ’67 family who donate extra money for this purpose. It went to good use at the 35th and will do the same at the 40th. Okay. Enough of all of that. Just know that we want each and every one of you to be there.

Excuses I’ve heard for not attending: (I hope you do not see yourself on this list….or if you do, I hope you will reconsider.)

1. “I went to the 35th. It was only five years ago, so I’m going to wait until the 45th.” Well gang, most likely, the next big reunion will be our 50th, in 2017, when we are 67/68 yrs. old. Give that some serious thought – how our lives will have changed, how difficult it will be to “find” everyone, how many of us will not be able to attend…and sadly, how our numbers will have been reduced. Do not assume there will be a 45th…… the committee talk is for the 50th. I think it may take everyone that long to recover from two major events within the past five years.

2. “I’ve gained a lot of weight.” Helllllllooooooooooo….. Have you SEEN the rest of us lately?

3. “I look so old now – everything is sagging, drooping, wrinkling, folding……” ………and that is different from everyone else because…..????????? (see response to #2)

4. “I don’t have anyone to go with me. I don’t want to go alone.” Listen, I’ve gone to the last 3 reunions by myself and have had a great time….each time. While I know that’s not for everyone, I love the freedom to visit with classmates all evening without worrying about my bored spouse!

5. “My friends won’t be there/I already see the people I want to keep in touch with.” Perhaps it’s time to spread your wings! The entire room will be filled with potential friends……but only if you give them a chance. We’re 57/58 yrs. old now. The word, “clique,” is no longer in our vocabulary. Give yourself permission to sit with someone other than your regular lunchroom group! Move to another table and give it a try.

6. “I don’t want to run into so-and-so. We have somewhat of a history.” Okay, six years of corresponding with all of you gives me more than a little insight into this scenario. Believe me, chances are “so-and-so” doesn’t want to run into you, either. Besides, both the Fri. and Sat. night events will be crowded and busy – with plenty of room to steer clear of whomever you wish.

Along those lines, I ran across this amusing reunion tale a few days ago on some blog – Hope it brings a smile your way.

I went to my 30th class reunion back in Ohio. Very laid back, a park with lawn chairs. My high school sweetheart was there with his wife and two kids. Interesting, but not out of the ordinary. Then, two days after the party, when I was back home, I got a phone call from the h.s. sweetheart. He wanted to get back together (What about the wife and kids?). What a hoot! I liked his wife better than I liked him, and I finally had resolution for being dumped 24 years before.

7. “I never really enjoyed high school.” One of the first things that came through loudly and clearly not long after I (somehow) became “e-mail central” six years ago was this – happiness is a relative term. Classmates we might expect to be miserable even today due to their “place” in high school, are some of the happiest, most open, caring, sincere people among us. On the flip side, the exact opposite is true with some – some we may think have always had the world at their doorstep were not then nor are they now “happy.” You didn’t enjoy high school? Wipe that 40+ yr. old slate clean and begin again. Take it from a person who attended only a single high school dance – a Sadie Hawkins at that – it’s not too late. I think maybe during h.s. we concentrated on what we thought would make us happy instead of focusing on what actually did …… peer/high school pressure to the max……and maybe some of us are stuck in that tired rut. That has been the beauty of middle age for me (and…gulp…now post-middle age) – I’ve given myself permission to know you – tossing the book jackets/critic’s reviews aside, and getting to the story……and believe me, there are fascinating individuals among us.

Life is short, gang. Get those reservations in this week. See you on the 27th.

Until next time….

~Kathy

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
~Mark Twain

March 29, 2007

Greetings, WWW’67!

Facts –

• Our 40th reunion is less than a month away!
  
  

• Our next reunion will be our 50th, in 2017, when we will be 67/68 years old….and sadly but realistically, many of us will be unable to attend.We have a great group of classmates signed up so far, but we want all of you to share the fun!
  
  

• There is a $40 late fee if you register after April 11.
  
  

• Our class is awarding a WWW’67 scholarship to a graduating Woodrow senior this year thanks to the generosity of classmates who are registering on the Silver and Wildcat levels.
  
  

• Even if you will not be able to come to the reunion, you can donate to the scholarship.

Jay Ballou, of Exile fame, sent this teaser the other day –

The Exiles are continuing to practice hard for the Friday night gig at the reunion – we are really excited. Just so you will know, we have had quite a surprise in the last couple of weeks. It turns out that after over forty years, there is a Sixth Exile – yes, our very own Pete Best (the earliest Fifth Beatle) – only recently discovered, but now an integral part of the band. We can’t tell you any more about it, but we have a surprise coming – not only to us, but to all our “fans”…

Hmmmmmm………. a sixth Exile……..our own Pete Best……...after 40 years………hmmmmmm………….When I sent a questioning reply, I believe Jay’s exact response was, “If I told you, I would have to kill you.” My, my….those Exiles are serious about their stuff! If you attended the 35th reunion, you know how much fun it was to experience those guys and their music once again. What a treat to know there will be a mystery classmate performing with them this time!

What to expect –

Friday night –lots of laughter, hugs, laughter, terrific live music, laughter……and did I mention hugs?!

Saturday morning/afternoon optional activities – Manuel sent a note yesterday hinting at something special for the bus tour. Ah, another mystery! Also, Gregg has all kinds of fun (and trophies!) lined up for you golfers.

Saturday night – an informal, relaxed atmosphere at LCC with a seated dinner, a D.J. playing “our” music at a level that still allows good conversation, one of our own as emcee (yet another mystery!), and the opportunity to sit down and really visit with each other

Sunday brunch – an informal time to enjoy good food, say good-bye, and honor classmates no longer with us. (There will not be a formal program.)

I’ve done quite a bit of thinking about this reunion…..I suppose it’s only natural to reflect on the past at this point. A few random thoughts –

• For years my parents enjoyed meeting regularly with their “20/30” Sunset club (Sunset grads from the ‘20s & ‘30’s) until the group disbanded when their numbers dwindled and those left were too ill to attend. I went with them once a few years ago – It was heart warming to watch the interaction, hear their high school stories, and share their laughter. It was all about their past but a glimpse into my future.
  
  

• Each of our reunions, 10th, 20th, 25th, and 35th, has been such a different experience for me. I wonder how I will remember the 40th.
  
  

• Reunions are not about who we were in high school but the people we’ve become. I guess I look at them as celebrations of our common roots, the varied paths we’ve taken during these 40 years ranging from tangled webs of back roads to straight and narrow superhighways, as occasions to reconnect with childhood friends, and most importantly as opportunities for discovering new friends. I’ve said it before, but it is worth repeating – during the past 6 yrs. or so I’ve formed rich friendships with classmates - people I’ve known all along, but never took the time to appreciate. One of my “new” friends sent me a list of 6 people he is particularly looking forward to visiting with next month. The list made me smile – a wonderfully eclectic group of interesting classmates who probably never said more than a few words to each other during 3 yrs. at Woodrow, but who really do have a lot in common.
  
  

• Without a doubt, the Woodrow years were awkward for all of us in one way or another, whether we knew we were popular, thought we were popular, or felt hopelessly unpopular. As a good friend often reminds me, Lyle Lovett had it right – “I went to high school. I was not popular. Now I’m older, and it don’t matter.”
  
  

• Often….almost always….we never know what we mean to our classmates. What I wouldn’t give to be able to see Sandra Newsome one more time – to have the chance to let her know what an influence she has had on my life….an influence I didn’t fully realize until several years ago.
  
  

• Roots – it all goes back to our common roots.

So, here we are, WWW’67 – less than a month away from our 40th, and I say this with all sincerity – I hope to see you there.

Carpe diem, gang!

~Kathy

“Deep roots are not reached by frost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

(…more news later in a follow-up note….)

A Sad Beginning to 2007

January 2, 2007

2007 begins with some very sad news for all of us. We have lost a classmate and good friend. I have just learned that Gary Ruyle died last Friday and will be buried in Claremore, OK this afternoon.

His obituary, and other information can be found here and classmate tributes here.

I was thinking about Gary the other day – about that beautiful white hair and beard of his, how his face always lit up when talking about his horses and peaceful life in Claremore, the time he sent a photo of Garth Brooks (also a Claremore resident), how much he enjoyed the 35th reunion, how I hadn’t heard from him lately, and how good it would be to see him again in April. The words of James Taylor keep going through my mind now – “But I always thought that I'd see you again.”

In other news – our sympathy goes to Karen Laurea, who lost her father over the holidays. Be sure to check http://www.www1967.com/www1967_reunion_committee.html to read a summary of reunion committee decisions from the December meeting. Many of you seem to be changing email addresses, phone numbers, and/or mailing addresses. Don’t forget to keep me posted so that our directory will be up-to-date.

Until next time, WWW’67…

~Kathy

Thanksgiving Greetings, WWW’67!

Each time I stand in the checkout line on one of my frequent but much dreaded trips to Wal Mart, I must psyche myself up to focus on the goal of getting out of that place with only what is already in my basket…and that, invariably, is much more than I set out to purchase in the first place. Come on, I tell myself, you can do it – make it to that magical revolving circle of plastic bags and the oh-so-easy-to-use-while-spending-too-much-money credit card swipe terminal without so much as glancing sideways at the boxes of Snickers, Milky Ways, Butterfingers, and those mouth-watering Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, all of which seem to call my name. At those moments, I have great sympathy for Odysseus and his voyage past those tempting Sirens. Although I successfully navigated the calorie-laden chocolate passage to the outside world the other day, there, at the end, was the ultimate temptation. Neatly boxed in a set of three DVDs were the Peanuts Holiday Classics – “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Chumps like me are every Sam Walton’s dream. I can’t use grandchildren as an excuse because I don’t have any…..I bought them for myself – sort of seasonal comfort food for a weary soul. At least there were no calories involved. Doesn’t the Peanuts’ theme make you smile? http://www.bright.net/~jcbk/filez/snoopy.mid How can anyone possibly NOT smile when hearing it?! I just now watched the Thanksgiving ‘toon and thought how each of those characters, as unique as they are, have such strong bonds with the others. They are simply thankful for each other. This Thanksgiving, WWW’67, I am thankful for the difference so many of you have made in my life. What a ride this never-ending reunion e-mail business has been.

(By the way, one of my favorite lines from “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” is spoken by Sally - “I went down to buy a turkey tree, and all they have are things for Christmas!” Ain’t it the truth!)

Down to class business…

Check out our growing list of reunion sponsors! http://www.www1967.com/www1967_40th.html. What a dedicated, generous group we have!!!

Also, don’t miss the picture of Sheik Dan Hatzenbuehler riding his camel (with his harem?) across the desert sands in Morocco – http://www.www1967.com/www1967_classmate_news.html

Reunion hotel news - Keith Barnett reports we have 20 reserved rooms at the Radisson Central for each night (4/27 and 4/28). The price is $99, single or double occupancy. There is a $10 charge for any additional people. State and local taxes add an additional 15%. Our room reservations are honored until March 27, 2007. After that, reservations are subject to space availability and prevailing room rates.

Hotel guests must contact the hotel on an individual basis. They can call the Radisson Hotel Central Dallas at (214) 750-6060 or through their toll free number at hotel at 800-333-3333. Be sure to tell them you are with the Woodrow Wilson Class of 1967 Reunion.

On a serious note, the sympathy of the class goes to Christy Thomas, whose father-in-law (the father of Keith Cupples, class of ’66) passed away last week. Keith lost his mother only five weeks ago. Mr. Cupples’ funeral is Wednesday, Nov. 22, 11:00 a.m. at Munger Place UMC with interment at the National Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. with full military honors.

We also send our sympathy to Blake Miles, who lost his father, Wayne, last weekend. Viewing and burial will be through Bailey Foster Funeral Home in Palestine, TX. A memorial service is planned for Friday, Nov. 24, at 10:00 a.m., Lewisville Estates Nursing Home, 800 College Pkwy, Lewisville, TX. (972-434-1727)

Continue checking our web site, www.www1967.com. Charlie’s counter shows the home page received 354 hits Nov. 1-18! In case you should miss one, all newsletters are posted here - http://www.www1967.com/www1967-kathys-corner.html . We’re whittling down the Lost List, but we need your help in order to pick up the pace or we’ll never get it done by April. See how you can help here -

http://www.www1967.com/www1967_lost_list.html

Happy Thanksgiving, WWW’67.

Until next time…..

~Kathy

“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”

W.J. Cameron

November greetings, WWW’67!

“Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging report that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan.” I knew it all along, gang,….every evening when I enjoy that glass of vino. Next step for the researchers – extend those results to include humans….and chardonnay. I should be covered then.

Yesterday afternoon, I spent a couple of hours looking at the video of our 20th reunion. Two comments – (1) Dee Anne Egan, Mike Barnes, and others who participated in the project put in an incredible amount of time and effort visiting classmates for the interviews and editing the footage. I would like to thank them again for sharing their creativity with us. (2) My GOSH we looked young, slim, and wrinkle/gray hair-free 20 yrs. ago! I had forgotten about the interview with Dusty & Rocky Hill, Avelino (Frank) Segura describing the dinosaur he had recently reconstructed, Randy Cooper singing a solo (!) of the Alma Mater, the WWW’67 Catholic Connection genuflecting in unison, Blake Miles dressed in a tux exiting a porta-potty, Manuel Zaby enjoying a cool one while his wife mowed the lawn, Jimmy Barnett introducing his sons as only Jimmy Barnett could or would - as budding drug dealers, Martha Murphy’s bubbly interviewing skills, and Glenda Knight’s ability to jog along White Rock and talk at the same time! Can you still do that Glenda? It was fun to see Mr. Pierce, Mr. Allen, Mr. Brown, and Mrs. Enlow. When I saw Sandra Newsome, I smiled and became teary at the same time. As for the footage of the football games, well, it looked as if it had been filmed during the Depression!

REUNION BUSINESS….

Plans for the reunion are coming along nicely. We had our fifth committee meeting a couple of weeks ago at Tommie Attlesey’s house. Believe me, Tommie is our very own Martha Stewart (minus the prison record, of course). What a spread she had for us! Somehow, we did manage to get quite a bit of business accomplished. You can read the notes from the meeting here -

http://www.www1967.com/www1967_reunion_committee.html

So many of you are always asking how you can help with the reunion. Well, here’s your chance. Please look at the Lost List http://www.www1967.com/www1967_lost_list.html for people you know, knew, or have no idea who they are but wouldn’t mind trying to find, check for any information we may have on them in the pdf directory, then use your super sleuth skills to try to find missing people! Some of you were quite good at this before the 35th. Here’s the information we need – email address, mailing address, phone number. If you’ll send the information to me as soon as you get it, Charlie will keep the list posted on the web site current. Never underestimate the value of a personal call - it just may be the encouragement a reluctant classmate needs. Important information to give “found” people – dates of the reunion (April 27-29, 2007) and our web address – www.www1967.com. Time is growing short, WWW’67. We need your help finding classmates now!

WEB SITE CHANGES….

Just because the format of the web site looks the same, don’t be fooled into thinking the content hasn’t changed! We are continually updating it. A couple of new features –

Kathy’s Korner - http://www.www1967.com/www1967-kathys-corner.html is where all newsletters will be posted after they are sent by email.

Directory - http://www.www1967.com/directory_pages/www1967_directory_a.html On the right where you type the password, the date of the last update is now shown.

40th Reunion - http://www.www1967.com/www1967_40th.html - On this page, you now will find the list of reunion sponsors. Coming soon to this page – all of the details about the reunion will be posted (events, places, times, cost, as well as how to pay).

Speaking of sponsors, many thanks to the following people who have responded to our request for donations to the reunion seed money fund:

Robin Abbey
Carolyn Aiken-Duke
Keith Barnett
Marianne Behr-Gibson
Lois Dickerson-Morton
Brenda Bock-Linzel
Jacques Ebbo
Jane Farrar-Admire-McDonald
George Foster
James Foster
Patti Glenn
Gregg Hill
Kathy Kilmer-Moak
Mike Looney
Mark Lund
Managan, Mike
Terry Maness
Judy Manning-Blissard
William Marlowe
Tim Mitchell
Susie Parker-Miller
Walter Patton
Al Radtke
John Reed
Susie Robison-Mohon
Joy Stephenson

Thank you, thank you! Without this money, it would be very difficult to get a reunion started. If you would like to become a sponsor, make your check to Woodrow Wilson Class of ’67 Reunion and send it to

Kathy Kilmer Moak
220 Beach
Jacksonville, TX 75766

WOODROW NEWS….

The undefeated, #6 Wildcats won a squeaker against #14 Lincoln last week for the district championship. Charlie Taylor, Gregg Hill, and Mike Looney were in attendance. Check out the scores for the season, articles, and a short video clip of the last game here http://www1967.com/www-2006-Schedule.html. You see a few plays in addition to the cheerleaders and band. Many thanks to Charlie for posting all of this!

Speaking of football, here are some good photos of the ’06 homecoming parade http://woodrowwildcats.org/Photos_Parade10042006.htm and also the homecoming pep rally http://woodrowwildcats.org/Photos_PepRally10062006.htm

….and then there is some basketball news here

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/recruiting/stories/101006dnspohswoodrow.1fe99a75.html about Woodrow’s Anthony Randolph, ranked 16th nationally by Rivals.com, committing to play at LSU.

BITS & PIECES…

Let’s see, Dan Hatzenbuehler has been riding camels in Morocco (Please tell us more, Dan!), Mike Barnes is off to VA for his daughter’s wedding, Gayla Duce plans to move back to Dallas soon, Vicki Telkamp’s daughter is getting married this month, and Linda Stephens, Lisa Albright, Marsha Neill, Cynthia Cannon, and Rhonda Halasz are meeting for lunch in Austin on Nov. 18 for one of their regular get-togethers (Sorry I can’t attend - Send a photo!).

Let me hear from you – what you are up to these days, holiday plans, etc. Also, I’m still collecting classmates’ memories of specific songs of “our time” – any songs…..romantic, goofy – anything! Please send them my way!

That’s it for now, WWW’67. Don’t forget to vote today, and in case you need to know how to vote, just give me a call. There’s not a partisan bone in my body.

Until next time….

~Kathy

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”
~George

October greetings, WWW'67!

How are all of you? Hope you are enjoying this wonderful fall weather.........That's a joke, folks. It's hideously hot for October, and I, a person who lives for the fall, hate it. I feel as if I'm being robbed!

Evidently, the note I sent referring to the joys, frustrations, and heartbreaking situations many of us are facing at this point in our lives struck a chord. I received numerous, thoughtful replies to that message. I wish we had some type of forum to discuss such issues.

By now, most of you should have received the letter mailed by the reunion committee on Monday. If not, please let me know. In fact, be SURE to contact me in some fashion - email, snail mail, phone - to let me know you did/did not receive the letter. In the letter, we asked that you go to the web site to check your directory information. Here is how to do that - Go here and you will see a text box to the right (Complete Class Directory). Type the password ********** (contact me if don't have it) and then hit "go." Please do not share this password as this contact information is for classmates only. This complete directory is a pdf file - you need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free, to see it. If you have problems accessing the document or if you have changes to your contact information, please let me know.

On Saturday, Sep. 23, your dedicated Reunion Committee met. You can read the notes from the meeting here

http://www.www1967.com/www1967_reunion_committee.html.

Will you need a hotel room for the reunion weekend? We are negotiating a deal with the Radisson, and in order to reserve a block of rooms at a special rate, we need to know how many people might take advantage of it. Please let me know ASAP if you would want to stay at the Radisson (Mockingbird at Central) for approximately $99. per night. The hotel is conveniently located for our reunion activities, will serve as our "home base" (several of us on the reunion committee will be staying there) and it has nice rooms/bar/restaurant. I really need to hear from you soon on this one so that we can seal the deal with the hotel. Check the facility here - http://www.radisson.com/dallastx_centralexpy - and then let me know!

For those of you interested in the post reunion cruise (the week after the reunion), go to the web site, http://www1967.com/reunion_cruise.html for complete information.

Don't forget I need your memories that are tied to the music of our time - "our time" meaning the late '50s through '67. I'm not looking for a list of your favorite songs, rather specific memories you have when you hear a particular tune. I know there are songs that bring to mind certain events in my life every single time I hear them. Here's a remote one for you - Do you remember the song from the late '50s - "Pink Shoe Laces"? (It ranks up there with "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini", "Giant Purple People Eater" and "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb")

He wears tan shoes with pink shoelaces
A polka-dot vest, and man, oh man!
He wears tan shoes with pink shoelaces,
And a big panama with a purple hat band!

- Anyway, for some reason, I picture being on the Lee playground talking with Tim Shaw when I think of that song. Why? I don't have a clue, but I remember Gary Ruyle, Gary Crafts, Carol Fuess, and Lois Dickerson standing there, too. We were on the gym side of the "black top" outside of the cafeteria .....and that brings to mind vicious tether ball games, throwing spear grass at each other, and hunting horned toads after lunch. Good grief!

Please help me with this, WWW'67! Send your memories to me! Lists of songs can be found on the following web sites -

Top 10 songs - http://www.www1967.com/memories_pages/www1967_Top10.html

Songs of the 1960's (click by year on the list on the right) http://www.popculturemadness.com/Music/Pop-Modern/60s-Music.html

1960's - Click on the year at the bottom of the page. http://www.musicradio77.com/surveys.html

Top 40 songs - 50's/60's - http://www.classicbands.com/top20.htm

1. Let me know if you received the mailed letter (U.S. Mail).

2. Check your contact information in the pdf directory and let me know if