| TJ Class of '68 NEWSLETTER 11/25/07 |
| My thoughts about this edition of this NEWSLETTER is that it will be brief. But, we'll see as it progresses. I haven't heard much news from classmates in the last two weeks, but I certainly know that everyone is in the thick of things with the holidays upon us. It has been pretty hectic here at my home, also. MAIL CALL from Sandra Nicks
Kelly
in Taylorsville, NC from Beth Anne
Sutherlin
in Bedford from Christy Dodge
Young
in Destin,
FL from Casey Arredondo
in Groves ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************* FLASH BACK Whether
you're a Billy Joel fan or not, you'll probably remember his great song "We
Didn't Start the Fire." Here it is, set to pictures---along with a history
flashback of the past half century. Thanks go to Billy Joel and someone from
the
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************** WEBSITE $$$$$ CONTRIBUTIONS Webb
Draughon
PS Mary Margaret and I are looking forward to Aug. 1st for the reunion next summer. David
Elliott
Checks
may be written to:
****************************************************************************************************************************************************************** SARAH JANE ROAD (Bring back memories?) The
many legends of Sara Jane Road
• One legend has it that while Sara Jane's husband was off fighting in the Civil War, the lonely woman and her child were keeping the home fires burning in their house along the Neches River. When rumors spread that Union soldiers would soon ravage the area, Sara Jane is believed to have hidden her baby — tucked away in a wicker basket — under a wooden bridge near her home. She then returned to the house where legend says she hanged herself from a Cypress tree in the front yard. Local residents say they have seen the ghost of Sara Jane haunting the Southeast Texas roadway. Others believe that you can still see a light flickering at night as Sara Jane continues to search for her baby with the help of an oil lantern. • Another story has a young mother pushing a stroller carrying her baby, Sara Jane, across a bridge when the carriage tips over and the baby is spilled into the rushing waters below. As the mother frantically searches for her baby, she cries out for her child. Her moans and cries for Sara Jane are allegedly still heard on eerie Southeast Texas nights. • Very similar to the above story, one tale focuses on a young mother driving a horse-drawn carriage down the roadway at midnight, many years ago. She had her baby daughter, named Sarah Jane, in a basket beside her. Heavy fog had descended and when she crossed the middle of the bridge the horse spooked and the carriage overturned — throwing the baby into the water. Sara Jane was never found. The tale goes on to say on Halloween night when it’s dark and foggy you can hear the mother calling, “Sara Jane, Sara Jane”, looking for her baby. • On a more sinister level, one local legend pegs Sara Jane as a baby murderer. The tale includes the mother throwing her child into the river and being hung at the very site of her crime as a punishment. • Local author and historian W.T. Block told a newspaper reporter a few years back that Sara Jane was actually his mother, Sarah Jane Sweeney Block. The Port Neches resident also reported that his mother had three children — none of which died in the murky waters of the Neches River. Sarah Jane Sweeney Block, according to her son, lived to be 99-years-old and did not die by the noose. The tale, according to Block, is false as this Sarah Jane lived a ripe, full life. ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ONLY
IN AMERICA:
Only in America...do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries When you are making out your Christmas Card List this year, please include the following address: A Recovering American soldier
c/o (Please
send us the name of your "special" military person so that we can
share our Christmas message and thanks with them.)
CHANGES HERE IN BRIDGE CITY I mentioned that things were HECTIC here on the homefront. Well, my frail 85 year old mother was sick for a week or so at her home and was admitted into St. Mary's Hospital for 5 days. She had dehydrated, was suffering painfully with sciatica (back and nerve inflammation), severe stomach pains (the same as last spring), went through tons of scans and tests, and even an epideral for the intense back pain She was released and was home for one day when I had to bring my 91 year old dad with dementia to the emergency room for what I thought might be a mild stroke (ended up a TIA) and found out my sister was in the same emergency room after falling in her garage. Needless to say, my parents landed on my doorstep, with the intentions of staying here a "week or so" to recouperate. You guessed it....they are enjoying the stay and MIGHT make it permanent (not set in stone, yet.) What an HONOR to have the opportunity to be able to care for my parents as they did for me all these 57 years! My husband, Murphy, has been a gem. Never blinking, he has fully accepted whatever comes this way! I guess I got it right 34 years ago when I married him. God bless you, Murphy, and my sweet parents! ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************* SAD NEWS for Class of '67 from George Taylor '67 CONDOLENCES Sarah
Hefty Edwards
Lynn
Eldridge Gill
Billy
Jordan
(I got the following e-mail from Billy concerning his sister's death.) I
received word this morning (Monday, November 19), that my oldest sister,
Margaret, passed away. She had just turned 72 years old and has had
Alzheimer's for several years. She fell at the assisted living facility
in Beaumont about five weeks ago and broke her hip. She got through the
surgery okay and my niece moved her to a private assisted living home
in Groves when she left the hospital. She was bedridden and they were doing home
physical therapy trying to get her where she could at least get out of bed.
I am not sure what happen this morning as she was doing all right, although
depressed. They are performing an autopsy because she died at the private
home and was not under the care of Hospice. It sounds like she might have
had a heart attack. The assistants at the home say that she woke up and
told them that she was "going home today". They went to help her
sit up in the bed and she passed away at that moment. What is ironic
is that our mother passed away a year ago on the Monday before Thanksgiving just
like Margaret.
(Please inform me of any deaths that you feel should be reported in my NEWSLETTER. I am sure that many are missed that should be included. Lots of the obituaries never make it to our area newspaper and I don't know of them. Our classmates are the BEST at sending support to grieving friends. ) Due
to
Fred
McCarty's
untiring pursuit of finding classmates, we have CONFIRMED three
more untimely deaths of Toni Lee Adams Coleman 10/10/49-7/27/85 Annetta Marie Johnson 6/26/50-12/5/03 Wilford Earl Hightower 7/21/50-unknown date (Missing and legally declared dead) MAY THEY REST IN PEACE! ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************* Well, it is cold and raining here this morning. Finally, some resemblance of winter weather. I am out the door to take my parents back to Lakeview for their morning at their "OTHER" home. This ritual lets my dad have some time in his comfort zone of things familiar. He gets to piddle around in the back yard, pet his cat, and rock in his rocker on the patio. Mom just goes there to straighten up things that are already STRAIGHTENED! Then, it is back home to BC where my dad thinks my pet poodle is a cat instead of a dog. When corrected, he said, "Well, Millie looks like a cat! I guess she must be a half-breed!" (What an insult to my registered toy poodle! Ha!) On with the circus! Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. George Carlin
Stay safe and keep in touch, |
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