The topic of this post could be "Childress in the Rear View Mirror." So many of the member of our class have scattered and it would be interesting to know where everyone is living, working, retiring or traveling these days. It would appear from some of the emails and comments that I have had that this is a true topic of interest so I am, hopefully, providing an area where this type of information can be added and enjoyed.
Jim and I left Lubbock in 1968 after graduating from Tech. We have been here ever since except for a one year move to Booker, Texas where Jim enjoyed his first year of coaching. After many years in the golf business, Jim found himself, returned to WTAMU, finished his degree and got his teacher's certificate so he could pursue his goal of coaching girls basketball which he did for .gif)
the next 20 years. He enjoyed a very successful career, winning two state titles with the Lady Raiders of Randall High School in 1992 and 1998. In 2004 he became the 135th member of the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame. I took a more straight forward path and spent 33 years in the school system here in Amarillo first as a classroom teacher, then as a school librarian, and finally retiring as an instructional technology specialist where I worked with teachers and staff development. We have two great daughters, Kim and Jami. Kim and her husband, Vince, and our grandson, Cole who is 7, live in Flower Mound. Jami along with her husband Dorsey, stepson, Hart who is 14, and her son, Jordie who is 12, live here in Amarillo. Our grandsons continue to serve as a constant source of joy to us and we could spend hours telling you how cute, smart, and talented they are, but we will restrain ourselves unless you ask. We don't travel very much except around Texas mostly watching grandsons play baseball. However, we did make a trip to New York City a couple of years ago and can't wait to go back someday. Hopefully, we will someday make it to Alaska for a cruise.
We do still have ties to Childress. Both sets of our parents have died over the past 5 years. We still have the Wilcoxson home there. When Jim is in town he always pays a visit to the Childress Bakery to enjoy coffee and donuts with all the men early in the morning. This is a source of news for us especially when Philip Self is present and holding court.
Enough about us! We can't wait for you guys to log in and share with us. Remember if you don't want to go the blog route, send your comments by email to me and I will publish it for you.
coachwil@suddenlink.net
Nicki
Friday, August 17, 2007
Where in the World is......The Class of '63
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4 comments:
Yep. Me again. I am incorrigible (and unfortunately long-winded) when encouraged by well-meaning people to communicate. Nicki, you may be beginning to re-think this whole "Comment" thing by now. But, I digress.
I went to Texas Tech after graduation (Knapp Hall), and then later to the University of Colorado at Boulder. I met Yahn (my husband, for anyone not anyone not aware at this juncture) in 1967 and we married in 1968. As with Nicki and Jim, Yahn is not only my love, but my BFF along with the Nine.
After we married, we lived 12 years in Dallas, three in Denver, 20 in Houston, and have resided in Las Vegas since September 2003. We have two grown daughters, Shannon and Chiara, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. We are a prolific bunch, and I am only 60 (61 in October).
My family in Childress is gone now. My grandparents (Louie and Clarence Harp) died in 1979, within months of each other. My brother Scott died in 1981 and my mother died in 1983. My dad died in 1992, but he had left Childress many years earlier. I once thought that when my family was gone, I would likely not see Childress again ... but then there were my "sisters", Paula Leach Schubarth and Raenell Wynn Smith, who stilled lived there ... so the connection was never really broken. Then around 2000, various class members began to find each other through diverse means on e-mail, and then our "sister" Paula died, and now the tie has become even stronger, if farther away.
I must tell you this story, which brought tears to my eyes just today. My daughter Shannon, who lives in Clarendon, had to go to Childress, stopped at the family graves, and then called to tell me there were flowers there. I e-ed to inquire, and sure enough, dear Raenell had put them there, and she says that she and Jimmy regularly tend "my" graves along with others, because of our history and unbreakable bond. She is a remarkable woman, and I am blessed to have her has my sister-friend. But, I digress again, from the subject of where we all have been.
When I grew up in Childress, I always wanted to travel and see as much of the world as I could ... and I have done my best to keep that adolescent promise. We really got started beating the globe when we went to Acapulco for Christmas in 1983. We've been back three times since, as well as to Cancun. In 1984, I decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and go to Paris. Yahn balked at "crossing the pond", and hemmed and hawed about going ... until one day I told him that I was going in Paris in June, and I would like him to come with me, but whether he did or not, I would drinking wine on the Champs Elysees in June. At last, he agreed and reluctantly boarded the plane ... and then he LOVED it!!! We have been traveling ever since, returning to Paris three times (I will go for the fourth time in March, with some of my "sisters"; Egypt (twice, all over the country ... ask me about Christmas Eve on the night train to Luxor); London (the second time is on the March agenda); China (Beijing, Hong Kong and Macau) twice; Bali, Indonesia; Italy (Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento and Venice); Amsterdam; all over the southwest of Ireland in 2003 with Yahn and Lynn Purcell Durham (with me driving, and that was an EXPERIENCE); Greece and the Greek Islands; Istanbul, Turkey; Brussels; Switzerland; Thailand; Japan (we were in an earthquake in Hakone); Hawaii (three times); and LOTS of places in the lower 48, including but not limited to New York, New Orleans, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles. I don't think I'll stop traveling until and unless they can't wheel me aboard the plane or train.
Through all these travels, we have learned much about the world, and learned that it is a beautiful place, filled with warm and wonderful people. But there will always be a place in my heart for a little town in the right-hand corner of the Texas Panhandle, and all the lovely people (with a few exceptions, unfortunately) with whom I grew up (some would say I never did, but don't listen to them).
Great idea, Mom!!! Good job on the blog!
As Jordie's mother, and in knowing Jim (Willie) as a child, I can say that Jordie and Willie are almost like two peas in a pod ...
Granddad has Jordie out golfing ... and it just may be "his" sport!
Jordie is a lucky kid.
I have to note that one of the "perks" of living in Las Vegas is that we've been able to enjoy having a lot of friends from the Class of 1963 (and others) visit us here.
Linda Kay and her husband Wayne have been here, as has Sheila Davis Martinez, along with Lynn Purcell Durham and her son Corey. Linda Kay and Raenell came for a "girls" weekend once (we made Yahn an honorary member of the group for the occasion), and we went to see Neil Sedaka for a "blast from the past".
Pat Davenport Shapiro and her husband came one Thanksgiving, and we had the pleasure of seeing Shirley Neel Cromartie on her visit here a few yeas ago.
There's always something to do in Las Vegas. We are very fond of taking people to lunch or an early dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, the French bistro at Paris Las Vegas. Sitting outside, right across from the Bellagio fountains, we have a fabulous view every time the fountains come on, and we can watch them and listen to the fabulous music that is synched to them (running the gamut from Sinatra to Bocelli and Brightman, American standards to holiday appropriate music).
We also like to go to Bally's Sterling Brunch on Sundays ... the most sumptuous brunch EVER, including lobster tails, rack of lamb, Eggs Benedict and otherwise, and other gustatory delights, accompanied by free-flowing Perrier Jouet champagne. Another highlight (if not a coronary in the making) is a ride on the wonderful (and scary) roller coaster at New York-New York.
Linda Kay and I saw Celine Dion together (Yahn and Wayne waited for us by keeping company with the slots). Celine is finishing up at the end of this year, and then Bette Midler (and maybe Cher) are coming for long runs at the Colosseum. We went to see Cher at the MGM Grand Garden and it was just a great show, with the reconstituted Village People as the opening act. You haven't lived until you've seen several thousand people standing, singing at the tops of their voices, and trying to mime the letters to "Y.M.C.A." without taking off the head of the person next to them.
We've also seen and taken friends to see Cirque du Soleil shows such "Ka" (MGM Grand) and "Zumanity" (New York-New York). "Zumanity" is not for the faint of heart. It is patterned on old-style European cabaret theater and is a lot of fun if you can "go with the flow."
"The flow" has taken me to the stage of "Zumanity" more than once. And no, I did NOT volunteer for the duty. For some reason, Antonio the gigolo seems to have taken a shine to me, and I have been chosen by him on a few occasions to participate in the grand finale of the show, which is styled on a Lazy Susan (sort of) theme, with the stage revolving and the show coming to its raucous close. Pat and Alan were there for one of my "performances." After the shows, as we exited with the rest of the audience, a LOT of people who had seen the show came up to inquire whether I was "real" or just a part of the show who had been "planted" in the audience. Some (misguided souls) even wanted their picture taken with me. Ah, the burdens of fame ....
Another advantage of living here is that "locals" frequently get discounts (up to half off, or two for one) on the shows, reduced prices on buffets, etc. Also, most people who just come for vacation don't realize how many other amenities we have: Red Rocks Recreation Area, Valley of Fire, and Mt. Charleston, just to mention a few. There is a ski lodge on Mt. Charleston, and in the winter, 45 minutes will get us from the Valley floor to the ski slopes and sleigh rides at the Lodge.
It's a rough life, but SOMEONE'S gotta do it!!!!
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