letters from classmates
 
If you have anything you would like to share with the class, just email me and I will add to this page. I know that everyone would like to hear what is happening in your life.
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Feb. 15, 2009, letters from classmates 
 
Tuesday, January 27, 2009  - from Joe Pinell
Hello Mike, I am doing fine now but from the heart attack in 2006 till now its been EYE OPENING for me. I talked to Randy Landry the other day and as ya'll know the storm took all he had worked so hard for. I have him on my special prayer list, I pray a lot when I ride My motorcycle, and call it my special time. There are a lot of class mates that lost everything at the beach. Tillman Richey is another one on that same list. He takes care of my yorkies, and goats. I am truely gratefull that I am in the TJ CLASS OF 68.....YA'll keep intouch I have a lot of free time now......
 
Sunday, February 15, 2009 - from Ronnie Campbell
My home was also flooded during Hurricane Ike.  I live right on the ship channel (101 Dodge Place) off of Procter Street, across from Joel Levy's father (whose home was also flooded).  He still has not returned home.  It took months of hard work with lots of setbacks and frustrations, but I'm finally back to normal. 
 
Sunday, February 15, 2009 - from Bonnie Thiery and Steven Sasser... PNG '68 grads

Thanks for all the memories!  The smells, the DRAG, the places to eat!  We were there, too.  Everytime we read your TJ '68 website we read about friends from our past.  We love it!

Steven went to Travis Elementary until the 4th grade and I went to Terrell Elementary until the 5th grade.  That is why we both enjoy your 1968 class web site so much.  We know so many of the classmates since we grew up in the neighborhoods and attended class with ya'll.  

We would love to hear from any of you.  We still live in Groves close to the "Pea Patch" golf club!  Contact us sjsbjs@sbcglobal.net 

Steven Sasser and Bonnie (Thiery) Sasser

(PN-G '68 graduates)
 
Jan. 27, 2009, letters from classmates
 
Monday, January 05, 2009 -  from Linda Blanton

Dear Mike: 
You are doing a great job in Linda's absence, thank you very much.  My heart goes out to all of our classmates that were hit so hard by Hurricane Ike.  It sounds like most everyone is getting their lives back together, slowly but surely.  You are all a tough bunch of folks.  My condolences to all who have lost a loved one recently and best wishes for all of you who are having health challenges.  I wish all of our wonderful classmates a fabulous year in 2009. 

Always, Linda Blanton Murski
 
Jan. 04, 2009, letters from classmates
Sunday, January 04, 2009 -  from Linda DeCuir

HELLOOOOO to all.  Happy New Year!  Thank heavens it is NOT 2008 ANYMORE.  Murphy and I were talking the other day and listed some unwelcomed events that happened in our lives during that infamous year.

Here they are:
1) Brother-in-law had a stroke
2) my mother fell and fractured her back and almost died due to complications during the 10 day hospital stay
3) my mother gave me her diamond tennis bracelet, (a gift from my dad for their 50th anniversary), and it was "stolen" during a repair job for the clasp at a local PN jeweler on Nall Ave. (lawsuit pending)
4) Murphy's mother passed away
5) my mother fell and fractured her knee cap
6) our 3 year old granddaughter fell ill in July which required a hospital stay
7) the same granddaughter had kidney surgery in Houston and stayed in the hospital for 7 days due to complications and was released on the day that Hurricane Ike decided to rear his ugly head
8) HURRICANE IKE's storm surge devastated our home with 6 foot of mud, saltwater, and marsh hay (parents lost everything in our home, niece living with us lost everything, also) 
9) I lost all my computer files concerning the classmates!!!
10) Murphy began having anxiety attacks, lost weight, and couldn't sleep
11)sister had a nervous breakdown (she is bi-polar and the stress of having her home flooded became too much)
12)dealing with FEMA, insurance adjusters, and finding housing for all of us became a nightmare 

BUT, on the FLIP SIDE....

1) Granddaughter is doing wonderfully with her improved kidney but is still having to take blood pressure medicine twice daily (THANKS for ALL your prayers!)
2) Murphy and I are living temporarily behind their home in Lumberton until we find THE house to buy (Love seeing the granddaughters daily!)
3) My parents are living in a small 2 bedroom rental in Groves and loving being independent AGAIN (I did not realize how unhappy my mother was until she and Dad were living on their own again)
 4) My sister is going to group therapy 5 days a week and is doing better
5) Murphy is sleeping better and EATING again!
6) Murphy saw firsthand what WONDERFUL, caring, classmates and friends that I have!!!  Even though I always knew it, I was STILL OVERWHELMED by the generosity and support shown!   

We received calls, visits, and manual labor help along with monetary donations and numerous, numerous furniture and needed items for all three of our families.  We could not have done nearly as well WITHOUT the generous support.  I wish I could hug everyone of you.  Many of our own classmates and/or their families lost so much during this tragic storm, also.  Still I heard from many of those also affected with offers of support.  Please check the website and contact those mentioned to see if you can also support them in any way possible.  It is going to be a long haul.   

We have made the very hard decision to NOT remodel our home of 31 years that we lovingly built!  We are going to relocate here in Lumberton near our only daughter and her family.  My parents said they would go into ASSISTED LIVING when my mom couldn't drive anymore.  We miss our neighbors, our church family, and our many friends that we have lived among for the last 31 years.  It is a lot to give up (especially under such duress).  A lot of soul searching went into this decision.  We are putting our BC home up for sale.  Maybe you might know someone interested in a good buy.  We built it and moved into it January 3, 1978.   

INFORMATION BELOW:
Home for sale
AS IS

(HAS BEEN GUTTED AND SPRAYED)
112 Woodsong
Bridge City, TX 77611
 $60,000
CORNER lot & 1/2 (oversized)  127'x135'
cyclone fence enclosure with wooden fence in the back
3 large 30 year old oak trees
1818 sq foot
3 bd rm
2 full baths
gas and electric hookups in kitchen AND utility rooms
fireplace (gas or wood burning)
oversized screened-in patio
triple garage (1100 sq feet) including shop and toilet and shower facilities and shop sink; gas outlet for stove; 220 volt outlet for welding machine
concrete slab with sewer connection for RV storage next to garage with electrical outlets for RV 

Contact numbers:
Linda   (409)755-1439 (home)
           (409)749-4879 (cell)
Murphy (409)749-4912 (cell) 

We have a home that we will be purchasing here in Lumberton in the Boykin neighborhood.  It is 8 minutes away from our granddaughters and a couple of minutes to the main road in Lumberton.  It will not be the same BUT looks like it will be our future. Some of you might remember JoAnna Simmons, TJ '69.  She and her husband (KP Moreau) are the owners.  They live across the street and purchased this home for her elderly mother.   We will be remodeling and will continue to stay in the small apartment in the shop behind our daughter's home until it is complete.  Thanks to Mike Lawson who has donated this computer and printer to enable me to stay in touch with all of you.  Thanks also to Beverly Copeland for coming and setting it up for me since I am so technically challenged.   I have been pretty snowed under and will still have my plate full for awhile. So, bear with me.  I would love to start writing a NEWSLETTER again but will need to have classmates contact me with news to pass along.  So, get to gettin! 

                    Love to all of you!  You are the best!
                   Linda DeCuir McFadden
                   lindasuemcfadden@sbcglobal.net
                    www.tjhs1968.com
 
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - from Cherlyn Hebert - Update on Linda Smith

Hi, Mike.  I just wanted to give you an update on Linda Smith Webber.  She's been home from the hospital for probably a month now and doing outpatient rehab.  She had another surgery to put a weight in her eyelid so that her eye can stay closed.  I talked to her last week and she was doing well.  Trying to take it easy with all the holiday hoopla and let her husband Wayne wait on her.  LOL   Most of all, she's itching to be able to drive again. 

She would love to hear from our classmates, I'm sure.  She is profoundly grateful to the Lord for bringing her through all this, realizing how bad things could have been.  So now she's just enjoying the kids and grandkids and trying to take it easy.  I think she'll know by the middle of January if and when she will be able to return to work.  Her job is being held until then, and she's hoping they'll let her work parttime if necessary to start out.  I know she would appreciate prayers from us all that the job situation will work out.

 So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Class of '68.
 
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - from Linda DeCuir
Went to visit Lynn Eldridge Gill in Tupelo (Corsicana) at their ranch.  The classmates present were Jody Hopkins, Gary Barbin, Jude Arisco, Paul Colletti, Jim Andrus, Lynn Eldridge and our spouses.  A lot of laughs, no stress, too much food, and even just enough libation!  Paul Colletti brought some of his EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL that he is selling.  He actually handpicked the olives in Sicily in November. (see pay-off photos in Misc Photos page 2)
 
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - from Fred Schneider '66
Recently I noticed that my bride of 38 years spends plenty of time and money at the Spa, getting groomed. When I pointed this out, I got the "single digit" reply, and a challenge. She pointed out that I have the ugliest feet in the county, and that my face was ridden with craters and could use a touch up. She said that there wasn't a hair on my --- , if I didn't pop over to the spa and get a pedicure and a facial. 
You guessed it, I was rushed out the door and told to come back looking "beautiful". I wasn't worried at all cause I know those places operate by appointment, and I would be turned away until I could schedule one. When I walked in- every employee in the place, ( 10 or 11) was standing around with empty chairs.  The people at the counter jumped on me like an open bag of chocolate.  
Before I knew what hit me, I was walking around the place with my cuffs rolled up waring fuzzy little slippers and heading for the whirlpool foot tub from hell. I almost didn't live through this because my feet are so ticklish and all the tools they were using on me were either tickling, or taking off skin. By then there were other clients there laughing their little bums off at me. 
Me and my slippers were then headed into the facial room with steam with Olga and the biggest hands I've ever seen on a woman. I was numb by the time I was guided to the front to be separated from my money. 
This experience taught me a lot about a lot of things. When I got home I told my wife that I indeed did have that hair on my ---, but that Olga had probably removed it. I now have a lot more respect for the trouble and efforts the ladies go through to to stay beautiful, and  I certainly learned when to shut up.
 
 
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 - from Sharon Lopez '66

Val has had extensive back surgery 2 weeks ago.  It has slowed him down to a crawl.  He is looking forward to kayaking by March.  Hope all is well in the Port Arthur area.  We sold my (Sharon Lopez-Babineaux's) parents home in Port Arthur about a year and a half ago.  Haven't been back since.  I will be passing thru in a couple weeks on my way to visit family in Louisiana.  Our prayers are with all of you that survived the Hurricane. 

Here is Crowley, Texas (outside Fort Worth) the weather is great--cold but great!  We had a chance to vacation with our son, that is a Contractor in Iraq, this past October and his daughter and fiance'.  What a blast!  I loved kayaking in Cozumel.  Our 13 year old grand-daughter lives with us since her dad is in Iraq.  She keeps us going.  Val has been wteaching horseback riding to Girl Scouts.   He volunteers with our 2 grand-daughters.  He likes to fish with our grandson, also.  We are not traveling as much as usual with Camy in school.   

I do a lot of volunteer work with Girl Scouts.  The girls are 11-14 and they keep everything interesting.  We do a lot of camping, canoeing, kayaking and they are working on their Silver Award for Girl Scouting.  They are remodeling the Nature Hut and turning it into a Craft Hut at Camp Timberlake in Azle, Texas.  We have planned a trip to Savannah, Ga. in the future.   

We retired about 10-12 years ago and are wondering why we don't have any free time now.

Take care and let us hear from you. 

Val Babineaux and Sharon Lopez-Babineaux

Class of 1966
 
Dec. 12, 2008, letters from classmates
 
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 - from Pan McLeod
I now live on a 175 acre historic ranch near Graford, Tx.  It's been here since 1860.  We have several old log cabins, corn cribs and barns.  We have been in the process of restoring it.  I have been blesses to have lived 8 years after stage 2b breast cancer and a bout with melanoma.  I am still married to the love of my life, Jim.  We have 3 children.  Blaine, our oldest just married a young woman from Bangkok, Thailand.  We are going to their 2nd wedding in Bangkok Dec. 14th.  Their 1st was in Seattle where they work for microsoft.  Lauren, 26, works in Jim's FT Worth plant and is seriously involved with a guy we adore.  Our baby, Alden works for Manheim Ft Worth as a saleswoman.  All are doing great.  Thank God.  I am retired from American Airlines.  I was a flight attentant for 35 years and saw the world.  It was a great job.  I still love to travel and Jim and I just got back from Australia and New Zealand.  I wish all of you the very best this holiday season and hope God blesses you and yours as he continues to bless me and mine.  Love Pam
 
Nov. 30, 2008, letters from classmates
 
Sunday, November 23, 2008 - from Beth Ann Sutherlin

....If you have any extra people that want to help..I have found a K-9 unit that is a therapy unit for soldiers..and I am trying to get together Cmas decorations and small gifts...would you pass this on to your network for me...if you aren't already overwhelmed w/ requests for Cmas?? 

I am also trying to find a way to send dog food over there...the postage..yikes...PETCO is helping me by giving me their clearance dog food (high grade stuff) for a really good price 

Take care

Anne
 
Sunday, November 23, 2008 - from Darlene Turner
Hey Mike..... 
How are you????  It's good to have a little time to keep in touch.....lordy, look how early it is on Sunday....crazy! 
We're doing fine....there's not much excitement at the Landry's, and that's not all together bad.   
We've been busy helping out in Bridge City.  My husband has an aunt & uncle that live there...she's 81 and he's 86 and he's
in very poor health.  As bad as it is for Linda & her family plus everyone else our age, it's really brutal on these elderly people.
My heart breaks for them. I hope we all have a wonderful Thanksgiving...as bad as it is for some, it's still the best gig in town & we do have a lot to be
thankful for... 
Take care!
 
Nov. 17, 2008, letters from classmates
 
Friday, November 14, 2008 - from Don DeLee to Linda DeCuir 
Hi Linda, 
I hope all is OK with your home after the hurricane. I meant to write earlier but I was in the hospital for a few days and, well, just been busy with
followups and been a little lazy.
I was talking with my Brother Jess, and he asked about my good friend , the late Skip Underwood. It seems someone, maybe his 
dad, died just recently who was a football player when TJ played home team advantage for State champions in 1919. Do you know where 
I might find out more. I believe Skips(Underwood) Dadhad a nickname of Red. Not sure though. It seems the pt Arthur news records around that time were 
destroyed somehow, but I would think there is a way to find out more  directly through the school.
 Don DeLee
If anyone has any information concerning Red Underwood, the father of the late Skip Underwood (class of '67), please contact Don DeLee.
 
Saturday, November 15, 2008 - from Carolyn Bigler Hebert, wife of our teacher Alfred Hebert
Our boat Dolphin was totaled due to hurricane Ike along with many other boats at the Port Arthur Marina. It cost $1500 to move Dolphin just across the street to get him out of the big pile up of boats. Dolphin is a 43 foot Gulfstar. When the check comes in from the insurance company the person who is buying Dolphin is getting the boat for what it cost to move him. Yep, only $1500.00. However, it is going to cost this person thousands of dollars to repair the boat and make Dolphin sea worthy again. Alfred spent $10,000.00 and 2 years just to repair the hull. He spent plenty of money on that boat in the years he had that boat. Rita took out Intrepid. It cost $100 per foot to move a boat so figure what it will cost to move Dolphin. Those are things anybody needs to factor in when they are looking to buy any of these boats.

Some of the boats received more damage than Dolphin and some received much less than dolphin like Intrepid didn't receive much damage at all yet Intrepid was totaled because it would have cost more to repair that boat than the boat was worth. Dolphin is worth more than 3 to 4 times the value of Intrepid.

Dale Gothia, one of my classmates lost everything to hurricane Ike. He lost all of his musical instruments, valuable art work, his truck, his home. He lived at Crystal Beach.
Gary Dorsey said what Rita didnt' take Ike got. He lives in Port Arthur. I have not heard from my classmates in Bridge City and Orange yet. But one thing I wanted to pass along to your class is Angel Food Ministries. They are linked in my personal website on this page.
http://moonlightflower.org/FavoriteLinks.html 

The local church here that services this company is the Church of Christ church on Jimmy Johnson Blvd.  You do not have to be destitute to get the food and you can also purchase the food and give it to somebody in need. It cost only $25 for one box of food and you can purchase more than one
box. You have to order by a certain date and you have to pick it on on a certain date and only on that date.
The order sheet is in the website and is in pdf format or you can get one from the church.  I have used this service before. My friend and classmate Pat Sabo Oldham who works for FEMA is who turned me on to this company. That's why it's linked in my website. They are not just local. It's a national Christian organization.

Alfred didn't keep his title at the state triathlon but he still will go to the national senior games in California next year. He came in second which is good considering we had to evacuate and he didn't have a place to do all of his training. He went to the state meet from my son's which is where we evacuated to. Alfred came in second. They changed the bike course and didn't tell him until the day of the race so when he practiced the day he got there he went on the old course. Bummer....in my mind that cost him first place. He lost by 59 seconds. Second place is still good.  ;-) He is still my hero!

Aloha,
Carolyn Bigler Hebert
 
The Following classmates need our support
 
Sunday, November 9, 2008 - from Cherlyn Hebert

Mike, I just wanted to let you know that our classmate Linda Smith Webber needs our thoughts and prayers.  She had surgery two weeks ago in Dallas for a non-cancerous brain tumor.  She had noticed for a while that she was unsteady on her feet but thought it was due to her high blood pressure and medication.  About a month ago she fell and hit her head in her utility room.  Then a couple of days later she had a stroke at home, which finally got her to go to the ER, where the brain tumor was diagnosed.   

She's now in rehab at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and will probably continue rehab on an outpatient basis for a while.  She has some facial paralysis on her right side and is unable to close her right eye all the way, all due to the stroke, and is deaf in her right ear where the tumor was.  But she is in good spirits, knowing how blessed she is that the tumor was non-cancerous.   

Cards can be sent to her home address, and her husband will bring them to her.  The address is: 2605 Buck Drive, Mesquite TX 75181.  Her phone number in rehab is 214-345-5302.  When she's back home, her number will be: 972-989-1640.  I know she would appreciate hearing from our classmates. 

Thanks,
Cherlyn Hebert
 
Monday, November 17, 2008 - from Debbie Borres about Janice Hebert, wife of Barry Boudreaux

Mike, Janice is having back trouble and will have to have a bone fragment removed. She needs the prayers of our classmates. 
Debbie

Please be thinking of Linda and Janice during this time of need. If possible, contact Linda Smith at the phone numbers shown above.
 
Nov. 3, 2008, letters from classmates
 
Saturday, November 1, 2008 - from Phyllis Landry, wife of Danny Landry

Daniel Landry has retired from Flint Hills as of 10/27/08.
Monday, October 27, 2008 - from Fred McCarty

Mike--Greetings from "down under" in Australia. I am on the last part of my business trip that took me into Papua New Guinea, which is just north of Australia. PNG is very rugged in the "Highlands" area in the western central part of the country, where I spent five days. This is primarily a tropical rain forest, and a relatively undeveloped country. Had a pretty good tour, mostly by helicopter. A tremendous number of tribes that live in the "bush" and have seldom had interactions with the outside world. Fortunately I missed the areas that still have cannibals, and after arriving back last night in Brisbane, Australia I heard that there was an earthquake and also a helicopter crash in PNG yesterday. Luckily no impact to our personnel there, and it looks like I got out just in time myself. I leave for Houston tomorrow.
Glad to get a chance to look at the latest update on the website and get more info on our Classmates. You are doing a great job with it.
I hope Linda is doing OK and still making some progress toward getting their lives sorted out.

Take care. Fred
 
 
 
 
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