HAPPY 4th of JULY weekend!   Hope you have something fun and safe planned.  It is going to be quite here.  Murphy is working his regular DAY SHIFT and my brother and sister-in-law and niece are coming in from Friendswood to spend the day with us.  In lieu of the usual 4th food....hot dogs, watermelon, etc., my mom has decided to make shrimp creole and we will also have a big batch of grilled and boiled shrimp.  Yummy.

MAIL CALL (from classmates)
from Diane Richmond Miller in Silsbee
About the reunion, I guess that maybe we'll come, but there are only a few people on that list that I knew very well. I'll bet that my husband, Dan, knows more people there than I do. He's a financial planner and retirement specialist and some of these people are his clients...he never met a stranger anyway.  I'll send a check to Kay.
(You will be very surprised at the classmates that will be happy to see you.  I know ONE right now that is going to give you a hug....ME!  See you there and oh, don't forget to send that check PRONTO!  Thanks)

from David Salter in Oklahoma City , OK
At this point of time, I doubt I will be attending the reunion.  Fortunately, my change in plans is due to one of those "life-blessing events."  Our daughter, Erica, is due with their second child, our 2nd grandson, the first week of August.  Her mid-to late July date was moved back.  Lana and I just returned from Guatemala , with Erica and husband Dan and our first grandchild, Alejandro (A.J.) whose adoption was finalized after a 12 month process.  Since the entire process has now been modified and the final portion seemed so unpredictable, we just cherish every moment with A.J.   He is now a little over 14 months old as he awaits baby brother's arrival.

Prior to our trip, Dan and Erica had put their house on the market and then actually found one for sale about 2 blocks from us.  As things worked out, they had to step out in faith and commit to buy before theirs had a contract to sell.  Fortunately, they had one soon thereafter and moved in a week after returning with A.J.  Since then, our son Windell and his wife Kristen moved to West Virginia to work on an oil and gas project for about a year.  It is a great opportunity for them.  Also this month, Lana and I went to Chicago for a convention and celebrated our 35th anniversary.  She is planning on scaling back her work to one day a week to focus on grand-parenting.  I am going on 26 years with the same independent oil and gas company based here in OKC. 

Best wishes to all the reunion attendees!  It would be wonderful to see everyone again....something I truly miss.  What a great group!  I was looking forward to #40, especially after having a mini-reunion with Fred McCarty, Joel Levy, and George Collins early in the year when I was in Houston on business.  (If grandson #2 arrives early and all is well, I MAY TRY TO MAKE PART OF THE FESTIVITIES.)

I still have heard of no single class anywhere having a better website and regular NEWSLETTER.  What a blessing to be a part of TJ '68!!!
(I have my fingers crossed for a safe, EARLY delivery of a healthy baby boy!  Aren't grandbabies the best? We'll be looking forward to some photos of AJ and his little brother.  Congrats.)

from Joe Singleton in Groves
Yes, my wife and I are planning on attending the reunion.  Thanks for the reminder.
(Great.  I am looking forward to meeting your wife.)

from Randy Landry in Crystal Beach
Nope, you didn't overlook my name on the list of attendees.  NOT OVERLOOKED, more like OVERBOOKED.  Thanks for asking.  Life is a Beach and then you die.
(Watch out for the seaweed.)

from Debbie Felder in Port Arthur
Hey, I know you think I've been missing in action but not true.  I need to register for the reunion and pay my money if it is not to late. So, let me know as soon as possible. Thanks.  Hope to see you soon!
(Not too late.  Do it ASAP to avoid "late fees".)

from Hal Ross in Nederland
After more than 40 years, I just got off the phone with Janet Hicks Pounds ('70).   She is doing well in Laguna Hills , CA .  She promised a free guided tour of Orange County, CA by her and her husband of 28 years if I'm ever out there.  I also got e-mails from Beth Anne Sutherlin and Carol Olivier about the 1966 annual that I mentioned in the last NEWSLETTER.  Now, about the 1968 annual ?
(I am glad our classmates are trying to reconnect with old friends.  Now, check out the "auction" mentioned later in the NEWSLETTER about a 1968 yearbook.)

from Gail Wilson Felker in Williamsburg , VA
Hello everyone!  We're leaving Williamsburg on July 26th headed for our new residence in Shreveport , LA.
(Wow, that is going to be a culture shock! Such is the life of a military wife.)

from Cathy Cravens Fincham in Chardon , OH
I was so surprised last fall when you contacted me at my mothers and I found out I had been lost for 40 years!  I have really enjoyed the website since then and have decided to JOIN EVERYONE at the reunion in August.  My check will be in the mail tomorrow.  I will be spending some time with my sister, Debbie in Austin just before the reunion.  The timing was perfect for both trips. 

You didn't know where to look for me because I am just east of Cleveland , Ohio in Chardon, the center of the snow belt off of Lake Erie .  Who would ever think to look for a Texan up here on the " North Coast "!!  I have been here 23 years working at Lake Hospital System in Willoughby , Ohio .  I am now the Operations Manager for the laboratory.  I got my degree with a Medical Technology certificate and later a specialty in Blood Banking.  I love my job, but retirement can't come soon enough. 

I have a daughter, Brenda with 2 kids in Ann Arbor , MI which is only about 4 hours from me.  Not too far to see them often.  She and her husband are both perfusionist at the University Hospitals at the University of Michigan .  My son has just moved his wife and 3 boys to Columbia , SC for a new job with the State Health Department as a Soil Scientist.  They are loving South Carolina and the job, but it is a long way away for Grandma Cathy.

Although I was married for 25 years, I've been divorced for 13 years now.  I am enjoying being a grandmother, my work and singing in the church choir.  I've had the opportunity to go to Uganda , East Africa twice in the last 3 years with a group called Masindi Education which was started at the Methodist church here in Chardon.  We have built an elementary school and will be starting on a secondary school next year.  I have been able to fulfill a life-long dream of going on a Safari and tracking the Mountain Gorillas in Southern Uganda .  It is great getting older!!!

I am really looking forward to seeing everyone in August.  It sounds like a great time.
( I am assuming that you are a first-timer to a reunion.  Correct?)

MAIL CALL (from Faculty)

from Carolyn Bigler Hebert ('58) wife of  Alfred Hebert (biology) in Pt. Neches
We plan to be there both nights.
Alfred and the TJ track team used to sing The Hawaiian War Chant when they did their training for track meets. He really knows how to sing it now. I printed the words for him and he put the music on a CD. When he drove to my house before we got married he would listen to the music and practice the song. After we got married and he won the triathlon in Sept. 2006, I hosted a Luau for him at our house. He sang the War Chant for our guest. But, my Karaoke machine wasn't working so we used the small CD player and the music wasn't loud enough. Alfred is still a bit shy about it. The dance itself is a bit too fast paced for me to learn it but I do have the workshop lessons for it and I do have the instruments for it too.

See you there dressed in Hawaiian wear for sure. I just wish my hula dress would still fit me. The grass skirt is Tahitian. I still have the skirts etc left over from our Luau. And too, the poi mix came from Hawaii . A hint...poi is not to be eaten alone. In Hawaii , it is most always eaten fresh and they mix it with a little sugar, preferably natural organic sugar. You mix it with your meat, rice or whatever. You do not eat it plain. If it is good poi, it is almost purple in color. I still have some freeze dried. You reconstitute it in the microwave. You can use honey instead of sugar. I love it!

Here you can find the lyrics/words to Hawaiian songs translated from Hawaiian to English. 

http://www.huapala.org/index_H.html

Meke Aloha ke Akua,
may kay ah low ha kay ah coo ah
with love of God,
Carolyn Bigler Hebert
http://moonlightflower.org/HulaMe.html

from Hugh LeBaron (student activities director and history teacher) in Starksville , MS
I have made my "room reservations" at my brother's in Nederland for the reunion in August and plan to attend.  I am very excited at the thought of seeing old friends again.

from Coach Wayne Williams (basketball) in Crockett , TX
We will be happy to come to see our students and fellow faculty members!

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MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST

(contributed by Yvonne Sutherlin...Beth Anne's mom)

Here is the info about the Museum of the Gulf Coast . 

1968 YEARBOOK AUCTION

(received this note from Jane Lippincott Koerth)
 I noticed thatsome classmates were looking for a 1968 yearbook .  I have been thinking about contacting you with an idea about an extra 1968 yearbook that I have.  It actually belonged in a set of annuals that belonged to my late father-in-law, Alex Koerth .  As Asst. Supt. Of PA schools, he was often given a yearbook each year.  I do have an extra one from 1968 that hasn’t been written it.  It is in fairly good shape.  How about  having a silent auction or something of that nature and see how much you can get for it?  Then, we can take that money and donate it to the  web-site fund .  What do you think? 

Well classmates, do any of you have an idea about how to do this auction?  Should it be a silent auction at the reunion or should it be some type of auction through the website e-mail?  Let me know if you have suggestions.  Suggestions  need to be sent in before the next update in two weeks.  If it is decided to do something at the reunion, that will be Aug. 1-2 (just 4 weeks away!!!) 

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REUNION NEWS

The committee members are getting anxious about last-minute plans.  We are having meetings every week now . We have two more weeks until the DEADLINE to tell the caterers how many are  attending.    It seems that everyday I hear from classmates saying they are coming but possibly they are forgetting to send in their money .  So, if quite a few show up at the door,  the attendance count will be off. Don't let that stop you from coming though.  The bottom line is that  WE WANT YOU AT THE REUNION !~  but DON'T FORGET THAT THE TICKETS AT THE DOOR WILL COST MORE.    (So, pleassseee stop right now and mail us a check.  Don't put it off anymore.  Thanks.)

Sad news .... Mike Lawson, (our esteemed classmate webmaster), MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE REUNION !   His job is having a "turnover" or something like that and he is going to have to start working long hours on Saturdays!  Most of you might not realize that Mike and I don't EVER see each other.  We ONLY communicate by e-mail or phone (occasionally) to man this huge undertaking of the website updates and NEWSLETTERS.   We have been REALLY looking forward to finally seeing each other!  I have not even met his real  wife yet. 

                                                                  (By the way....forget the diet IF YOU HAVEN'T YET BEGUN ONE!)

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FACULTY LIST (updated)

Names in BOLD have been found and sent an invitation . The list of those that have said they are attending can be found on the homepage of the website. I do hope that even more will show up.  Many have said that they are only attending Friday night  .  If you know any of these faculty members that haven't replied, give them a holler and tell them how much we would LOVE to have them join us. 

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NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT

New boarder!   My 37 year old niece has moved in with us.  She is the one that we prayed for to get a job in Round Rock.  It turned out to be a temp job and the temp employees were later laid off.  So, she decided it was time to move on back to BC where she grew up around the corner from us.  She has been a breath of fresh air having energy and stamina (elderly parents here don't seem to have much of that) and has been helping around the house and with her grandparents that live in the next room.  She brought her newly blind 4 year old schnauzer with her.  That has been an "eye opener" for my 7 year old poodle who was used to be an ONLY DOG!  I can not tell you how many times my dad with dementia says, "Did you know that dog can't see a thing" like he just figured that out....which he does OVER AND OVER.  It is amazing how FLUFFY our EMPTY NEST has become.

By the way, the niece was an Administrative Assistant and Event Coordinator at Dell Computers for years before the lay off.  She is hitting as many places as possible to find a job at this time.  Anyone know of somewhere she can look?  Certainly a place with benefits would be awesome!  Duh!

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SUPPORT

Jonnye Dee Doering Williamson
suffering with Bell's Palsy
jonnyedee@yahoo.com

Walter Jones ('67) concerning his wife, Linda Messer Jones ('66)
We have a lot to be thankful for. Linda's day at MD Anderson went well. Physical was good and all blood work was good. The chemo - Doxil - continues to be well tolerated. CA 125 is still very low at 7, lowest value detectable. A CAT scan is planned for the end of July, and regardless of the scan results, Linda will do 3 more cycles of Doxil. Of special note, Linda is getting the BRCA 1 & BRCA 2 genetic blood test. Chances are low that the results will be positive, but it is good information to have. If there is history of Breast Cancer in your family, you should research this test. Also, some of you are aware that our older daughter, Georgia, was struck - near miss - by lightning last week. She is OK. Did miss a day of work. Please keep us in your prayers as you are in ours.

We like to hear from each of you, especially what's going on with you and what you may need from us.

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CONDOLENCES