June 2004

It is summer time, but the living isn't necessarily easy! It is hot in Texas already, and with what many consider to be a rather less stormy than usual spring....June hit hard with storms, tornados, high winds and rain in many areas of North Texas. So, here we are two years away from our 40th year reunion. I guess that means you may be older than you look, and truly older than me, Yancey, Cumbie, Havran, Jean, Ellen, Carolyn, Stockton, Vaughn, etc.

On the Reunion for 2006...plans have not changed much since the last bit of information. We are still looking for a time in the late spring of 2006. We are continuing to look into having events that last the weekend. Maybe even starting on Friday evening (there is a move to have those who can attend on Friday to get together somewhere for a time of fellowship). We are still working to have a breakfast/brunch on Saturday morning and a golf tournament for those wishing to participate around noon (that way it will be plenty warm). We still plan on a dinner with music for the Saturday evening event (place still being pursued). And, for those who are still able to move and can be here - a time for everyone to get together for breakfast on Sunday morning for those who can wait until that time to head back home!

Gary Cumbie and his committee (Linda Bowden Cox, Darlene Tillery Florence, Van Morrison, Diane Cherry-Stacy) continue to work on our GHS Class of 1966 Alaskan Cruise in June of 2005. Anyone who is interested in participating, please email me or call or mail me that you are a POSSIBLE participant. I suspect that sometime soon, those interested will be required to put up a deposit to HOLD their stateroom on the ship for discounted pricing! For those of you who have never been on a cruise, you will LOVE it! For those of you who have, it will be the best yet with all your OLD friends there to help celebrate the good times...it will be a trip of a lifetime - even if you have been on a cruise to Alaska before....you didn't go with Darrell & Donna Faglie and Gary & Jane Cumbie and David & Darlene Florence and Rick & Diane Stacy and Kent & Beverly Kennedy and Jerry & Linda Bowden Cox and others (to be named later). We will continue to keep everyone posted via the Newsletters --- however, I do need to know who is interested for COST purposes and so that we can contact those with interest specifically with information if necessary. SO - let me know and make plans. If you have any specific questions, email me or Gary with your questions.

Gary Cumbie's last report on the cruise asked that I provide this information: "We are looking at a week-long Alaskan cruise; somewhere during the time period from Saturday, June 4 through Sunday, June 19 2005 (it will only be about 7 days during this period). We intend to make it a one-way cruise, with Seattle or Vancouver on one end and Anchorage on the other. While there are ads for $700 Alaskan cruises, those are typically last-minute, filling the worst cabins, and do not include airfare or other costs. We're probably looking at $1500-$2000 per person for the trip, depending on cabin, although we'll certainly try to do better. There will be options for excursions before, during and after the cruise, for those who choose (and pay). We will engage a travel agent to help guide us through the selection of a cruise choice."

Gosh Gary, I didn't intend for you to propose to anyone just to get a travel agent (I think that was a Havran joke).

TUESDAY, JUNE 29th, 3 - 5 PM......

The Colony Fire Department
and the
City of The Colony
cordially invite you to
a reception honoring
Fire Chief
Van Morrison

Several months ago Van Morrison made an announcement that he was going to retire after 25 years of service as a Texas Firefighter...effective June 30, 2004. I wanted to make sure that our class was aware of this event and hopefully a number of you will be able to attend a reception being held for Van on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 from 3-5 p.m. The event will take place at The Colony, Texas Central Fire Station at 4900 Blair Oaks. (Directions: Take Hwy 121 from Lewisville, proceed east for about 7 miles to Blair Oaks at the traffic signal. Take a left on Blair Oaks and go about one mile and the fire station will be on your right - 4900 Blair Oaks.

I asked Van if his wife, Joy, was going to be retiring as well. He said that "someone in the family has to work!" Actually, Joy is eligible for retirement next year. Van plans to take a Royal Caribbean cruise being given to them from the firefighters! After the cruise, Van said he plans to "get current" his instrument rating so that he can do some flying. It is not in his plans to jump back into firefighting he said. He hopes to spend some time with his family (especially grandchildren) and ride his bike to take off some of the pounds he claims he picked up during his tenure as Fire Chief at the Colony. I hope that our class has a good showing at Van's reception on the 29th!

Van said "...the entire class is welcome to come to the celebration on the 29th...it would be an honor to see you there. I love all of you guys...as always!"

On the gaming front....another casino evening was hosted in June by the Honorable Judge David A. Florence at his home. Attending were more losers than winners....Gary Cumbie, Jim Box, Rick Stacy, Darrell Faglie, and Gus Linthicum. I certainly am beginning to realize just how much these guys are losing their memories...it is really sad at times. I also noticed that we talked a lot about aliments, pains, pharmaceuticals, and the lack of pharmaceuticals. Stacy was talking about his recent body-scan and pains; there were other numerous comments about things that won't be published here.

I wanted to share one of the 9000 jokes Cumbie told at the gambling party at the Judge's house, but when I contacted the other guys, no one could remember any of them....I told you that was beginning to be a problem.

One of our number was noticeably absent. Joe Lipscomb, who was awaiting surgery the next morning, due to his situation, would be unable to be seated long enough for us to take his money. I called his home and talked with him (about 24 hrs. afterward). He sounded pretty good and said that they had provided him with excellent pills that seemed to being keeping the pain down. So, if you have an opportunity, give Joe a call and wish him well....at least keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers during his (we hope) very short recovery! Of course Darrell Faglie has been calling him offering up suggestions - of the ones I heard; I am hoping that Joe is ignoring them. Needless to say, some of the class members have been picking on Joe a little recently - sometimes even without him being present!

Bob Stevenson was up in the Montana area fishing with Bill Crabtree. Any ideas about this relationship can be emailed to me, and I will forward the worst ones to Stevenson upon his return to civilization in Texas!

Yancey was also missing from our gambling activities again...this continues to happen when you have children 1/2 the age of Sponge Bob participating in so many activities. John is looking younger to a number of our classmates. I think it is that group that is due for an optical exam.

Speaking of Yancey, his sister Julie's daughter, Gennie has moved into the Bill and Betty Yancey's home on Manor Oaks in Grapevine. I think that is great....and I know that Gennie (John, I am not sure, but I think I spelled this right, if not, please accept my apology) was such a joy to Bill and Betty - very fitting.

Congratulations to Brad Faglie, son of Darrell Faglie and Donna Young Faglie (Donna always makes me say that - something to do with Young Faglie I think) will begin Medical School at Texas A&M in the fall. He and his wife Jennifer have moved and she will be teaching second grade in the area! I know how proud Brad's parents are!

I am hoping to hear from Linda Bowden-Cox's trip to Sweden (I think I'm right on this)...but, I have not. I will make sure we get some first-hand accounts of that for the next Newsletter.

Since our last newsletter, most, if not all of you know that Ellen VanDeventer Hamlett lost her mother, Pat VanDeventer in May. I had told Ellen's dad, Bill, that I couldn't remember Grapevine without Pat VanDeventer. Pat was always at the school helping take care of us in all of our activities - especially in Elementary School. She was one of those Moms everyone recognized and knew. She was a wonderful lady and she will be missed by so very many people. Please keep Ellen and her family in your prayers.

I want to provide you with a list of classmates that I do not have accurate addresses for or phone numbers or locations or anything. If any of you know how to contact any on the list below, please let me know:

Jerry Bates
Pat Bates
Hank Biggers
Jill Carlson Williams (Nebraska?)
Gail Defibaugh
Quentin Hix
Kenneth Hughes
Doris Jean Jones
Betty McQuade
Jackie Morgan
Donna Womack Green
Carol Smith Strange
Janice Jordan McElroy
Evelyn Dobie Gill Lindsey

If anyone has had contact with Pat Calhoun in the recent past, please let me know.

After some work by Gretchen Schultz Ramsey, Tom Walker, Bill Powers and a little "just call and ask" we located Gwen Austin. Now for those of you who don't know or remember Gwen, she started the first grade in Grapevine with many of us, but she and her family moved away in about the seventh grade. I sent her some copies of photos and our March Newsletter about six weeks ago and I talked to her on the telephone...she is living in Mineola, Texas. I tell you this as a reminder to keep looking for those who shared time with us between 1954 and 1966 in the Grapevine Public Schools and let me know so that I can send them information and "stuff".

Thanks to each of you who have contributed to our funding. We should have sufficient funds to take care of our mailing expenses and website expenses for a couple of more years. That means we shouldn't be asking for any money before needs arise for our 40th Reunion in 2006! A very special THANK YOU to Rick and Diane Stacy for providing the major portion of the funds. And that was possible due to the great response we got to classmates sending me their BU9-xxxx, BU1-xxxx, BU3-xxxx (Butler) exchange phone numbers during our high school years! A huge number of your responded and that sent us over the top on funding. Again, a BIG THANK YOU to Rick and Diane!

By the way, we have added Gayle Shumate to our email listing when things go out! Heck, she's even sent me a few emails! Thanks Shumate for so many of us for so many things!

CHECK out the Birthdays on the website....July is our largest number of birthdays!

If any of you classmates have something you want to put in the newsletters or events that had numerous class members in attendance or recognitions and the like...PLEASE send that information to me!

BYE for NOW, I will continue to keep everyone posted on special events and such via emails when possible. Next Newsletter - scheduled for early October....hopefully!

Larry