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Class of 56   Newsletter

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up!

Fall Edition  October 2011 

It’s been a really hot, dry summer here in Arkansas after the late spring rain. The past few weeks the weather has been just about perfect (in my opinion); not Fall just yet, but certainly not the ‘dog days of summer’ either.

I, for one, am ready for our next luncheon.  Hope many others are too and that I will see you there. 

We’re scheduled for

Saturday, October 15 from 12:00-2:00pm (or so)

 The Old South Restaurant

Please try to come.

Tidbits from Classmates

John Jennings says he is getting too old to be putting a new roof on his 1600 square foot shop building.  Seems a ‘baby’ tornado came to visit on August 29 scattering the roof all over the yard. He said they did not know a storm was going on until they heard something bounce off the top of the house, so they just sat there in their recliners and watched things happen.  Fortunately, no one suffered any injuries.

Sue Rider Luce and husband Bill were blessed on September 4 with their first granddaughter to go with their five grandsons.  Lumen Dora Spigner (long ‘i’) weighed 5 lbs. 15 oz., was 19-1/2 in. long, and is absolutely the most beautiful baby they’ve ever seen (no bias there).  She had a little difficulty due to a stressful delivery and was still in the hospital on September 14 but improved daily and soon came home to an anxious Mom and cool and very helpful Dad.

John and Renetta Lindsey’s middle grandson, 12-year-old Duncan, recently caught this 29 pound Chinook (King) Salmon on the Washougal River, a Columbia tributary. Chris relates that 30-40 men got of the way and cheered loudly as he fought the bright red hatchery buck up and down the river bank for about 30 minutes and landed the fish without a net.  Chris is a 7th grader in Shahala Middle School in Vancouver, Washington. With his big fish smoked, all the fish eaters in the family are excited.

Linda Goodwin and Bob Griffin took a trip out West earlier this summer.  They stopped by and had dinner with Wilma Humphrey and Sam McBride in Albuquerque.  Linda says they look great and their health issues are greatly improved.  Enjoyed the visit very much.

Erma Duryea Cotton’s son now lives in Corpus Christi, TX and Erma flew down for the July 4th holidays.  Her daughter’s family drove down as well.  Erma soon found out that she is no longer intrigued with the sandy beaches so she chose to stay home in the A/C (spoiled?) and “babysit” her 14 month old granddaughter while the rest of the “kids” went to the beach and played in the ocean.  She did enjoy the fish they caught and cooked, and felt she was the winner all the way around.

In August, Erma worked one of the A/C ticket booths (really spoiled!) for a few hours during Valley Fest which helps the Boys and Girls Club.  She enjoyed watching the kids being so excited and having loads of fun, and says it sure brought back a lot of memories. 

Dalene Davenport and Sam Horton attended Sam’s 50 year reunion of the UT engineering class in Austin, TX.  The campus had changed drastically; lots of improvements in all the buildings, but no expansion of parking areas.  And regular clothing for students now is mainly shorts and knit tops, basically what was worn in gym class 50 years ago.  It was lots of fun seeing people they hadn’t seen in 50 years and trying to decide if they knew them personally.

They have also toured the Arches National Park in Moab, Utah while waiting for their son Scott to meet up them.  He was riding a bike across a “rock surface” for a week with some of his friends. The group had experienced a few injuries.  Scott fell off his bike landing on his elbow but fortunately an elbow guard prevented him from breaking it.  However, he was unable to drive his car so they helped by driving back to Elko, Nevada with/for him. Scott’s company is modifying the electrical power plant for the Gold Mines which are doing quite well during this recession.  Then they hiked in the Ruby Mountains to see Lamoille Canyon Lake and the glacier.  It wasn’t as spectacular as the glacier in Alberta but it was lovely to see in the heat of the summer.

Currently they are busy receiving packages of ‘supplies’ their daughter has ordered and will deliver the items when they go to Calgary, Alberta in October for their granddaughter’s 7th birthday.  They have a hard time finding clothing and Disney toys for the children there.

Pat Crouch Murphy reports that beautiful identical twin great-grandsons were born August 19.  Their granddaughter and her husband named one for her grandfather, and the other for his grandfather using the middle names of each.  The babies’ names are Elija Sanford Pierce and Wyatt Frank Pierce.  Malcolm’s middle name is Sanford and the other grandfather is Frank.  Both great-grandfathers want to buy something special for their namesake (Malcolm has chosen golf clubs) but neither can tell yet which one is theirs since they are identical.  Pat says, “They are so tiny and have both had a bad case of sinusitis for several weeks, and they can't have any medicine except nose drops and Vicks.  I may have to quit work and start keeping them.  My granddaughter did go back to work at the school so they go to day care.”

Larry Woodward has requested that we continue to pray for their daughter Kim who has been without a job for over 2 years, and that we also please include their other daughter Karla and her husband  Dan Scherdin who are now also without jobs.  Larry and Lois thank you and will ask that God bless you and your family as well.

Jane  I had my cataract surgery in July/August and would highly recommend it to anyone who needs it.  I must admit, though, that it might take some getting used to.  The first blew my mind.  I was not aware that cataracts are yellow so when I came out of surgery I was shocked to be seeing this bright white light and I discovered that things I thought were dingy, weren’t.  That one was a breeze. While I didn’t really have a problem with the other eye, it did have some swelling inside and was slower to heal.  Unfortunately though, I quickly realized that the wrinkles in my face are much worse than I thought, and that I have freckles again as well as age spots on my skin.  And while I can drive and watch TV without glasses and have bought my first non-prescription sunglasses in 50 years, I cannot read a newspaper or magazine beyond my nose without readers, or do a decent job of putting on make-up. Kind of reverse vision and it’s a bit confusing.

Bereavements

Erma Duryea Cotton’s father, Dennis Duryea passed away in Russellville on July 12.  He was 92.

Lonnie Leavell’s wife Betty passed away on August 5 in Beebe.  They had been married for 52 years.

Ann Young Shields’ father, James Allen Young passed away in Russellville on August 7.  He was 97.  Many classmates may remember him from The College Grocery.

The Class extends it’s sympathies to each of these Classmates.

E-Mail Correction:  I stated in the last edition that Barbara Ellington Jones’ e-mail address had apparently changed.  Not true!! I’ve had a problem a couple of times but have heard from Johnny that it is still the same.  In case you no longer have it, it is: bajjones@tx.rr.com 

Edward Ragsdale has apparently received the last couple of e-mails I sent as well, so I must assume that his is working fine too.

I did not hear from Sharon Benson Rachel after I mailed the newsletter but it was not returned to me, but the e-mail still does not work.

Next Newsletter will be due out in January 2012.   Send news of what you did during the upcoming holidays. 

Next luncheon will be in February 2012.  It is not scheduled yet but will be in time to be listed in the January Newletter.  Watch for it.