The Winds of Change Are Blowing

All around us we are getting messages of change and reminders that things don’t always stay the same. The time is changing (don’t forget to fall back on November 2!); the weather is changing to a winter chill; the leaves on the trees are changing to bright fall colors and will soon change to winter brown; the season will change to winter followed quickly by spring and summer. The political candidates propose endless changes, and indeed we will have a change in the presidency on January 20. However, most importantly, the Reflections blog for the CHS Class of 1963 is changing. (Just kidding about the most important part!) Seriously, we are making changes in our blog. For 14 months we have loved writing posts to share with you. Initially the blog was created as a means for reuniting the classmates in our graduating class—sort of a where is everyone now type of thing. The vision was that we could, through the blog, enjoy a virtual reunion of getting re-acquainted by posting, commenting, and emailing. Later the blog served as a vehicle for planning a real face to face reunion. Of course, like “true love” everything didn’t go as smoothly as one would have liked, but happily we did finally meet for a wonderful reunion in Childress. I would like to think that the seeds have been planted for future meetings, reunions, and above all, staying in contact with one another. Believe me when I say that for those of you who did not appear on the blog or come to the reunion, each of you were missed.

However, as I said above, changes are a’coming and this decision for change has not been an easy one. While we absolutely love the blog, the time has come to say that in its present format and purpose, Reflections has run its course. Our goals for reconnecting have been met and that is a very satisfying feeling. At this point we believe that we should give the blog and ourselves a rest. When I say “rest”, I mean that for the foreseeable future we will not be adding new posts or comments. It is our desire that the blog will stand as a testament to the way we were and to the “we” that we are today.

I have recently spent time rereading every post and comment and they were even better the second or third or fourth time around. The blog will stay on the web as it is with only minor changes which you will see over the next week. We have gone public by making the posts available to search engines on the web. I have added defining labels to all posts which will make them easier to find by subject. After all, this is our “history” and we want to share our stories now and in the future. There will never be another Childress High School Class of 1963 and we still have much to offer.

I do want to assure you that over time if we receive important or notable news concerning our classmates we will post this information. Our history isn’t over. Should anyone plan another reunion or get together, we could reopen the blog for this purpose.

For now, I encourage each of you to stay in touch with old friends and newly discovered friends. I also encourage you to make it a point to notify us or someone else when you move or get a new email address. Now that we have found each other, let’s not allow anyone to get lost again! Friends are forever and we need you!

As I have stated many times, the blog would not have been as successful or as much fun without help from all of you who contributed in one way or another—addresses, posts, comments, photos, information and most of all your support in reading the blog. Jennifer knows how I feel about her and I hope each person recognizes that she was indeed a driving force behind what we have done and enjoyed. Immediately below this post, Jennifer has published a wonderful post of farewell. I am so proud for what we all together have been able to accomplish!

Comments to these posts will not be possible so we encourage you to email or contact Jennifer or myself (Nicki) if you have questions or comments. We will always be happy to hear from each one of you.

For now, as of Friday, October 31, 2008, Reflections on the Way We Were: The Childress High School Class of 1963 blog is at rest.

May you all have a wonderful holiday season and a safe, healthy, and happy 2009.

It's Not a Trick That Grandchildren Are a Treat!

Halloween and Autumn make such a "delicious" combination of colors, sights, tastes, and sounds! For most of us as children, Halloween was a time of fun and treats and the memories of that time remain with us even today. Because it was such a special time in our lives, many of us have taken the time to ensure that our own children and grandchildren embrace those Halloween traditions to ensure that they too have "spooky" memories of fun, tricks and treats. Several of the Class of 1963 have taken the time to share great Halloween photos of their children and grandchildren with all of us.



Spooks-

by Sandra Liatsos

There's a goblin at my window,

A monster by my door.

The pumpkin at my table

Keeps on smiling more and more.

There's a ghost who haunts my bedroom,

A witch whose face is green.
They used to be my family,
Till they dressed for Halloween.

Peter Pan and Wendy (aka Ellie and Nathan) are so lucky to be a part of the family of Driscilla and Robert. Of course, Driscilla and Robert consider themselves even more lucky to have these two Halloween cuties for grandchildren.

Ellie also loves dressing up for Halloween as Poodlena (from a child's book about a prim and proper poodle).








Grandson, Nathan, makes a very handsome elephant for another Halloween of trick or treating. Note the elephant's friend "Snaky" who wanted to be in the photo, also!

Great job, Driscilla and Robert! Thanks for sharing!!

This is 4 year old Marshall whose grandparents Donna and Harold describe him as "Marshall our pride and joy." Marshall is one of four grandchildren for Harold and Donna, but because the other three are much older "Marshall rules our house & thinks he is as old as all the others." All of the grandchildren are very special, but the other three have outgrown Halloween so now we all focus on the small one at this time of the year, and we have fun with the others at different times.

Marshall is a lucky little guy!

The little cutie in the pumpkin costume

is the first great grandchild of Jennifer and Yahn. They describe her as “our Great (granddaughter) Pumpkin, Bayleigh Ann" ...seen with her mom, Heather, who is the grandaughter of Jennifer and Yahn.

The photo on the right is Bayleigh held by her Uncle Coby who is the grandson of Yahn and Jennifer.

Bayleigh is obviously the cutest pumpkin in the patch!

Jim and Nicki have been blessed with 2 daughters, Kim and Jami, who were once the cutest little Raggedy Ann dolls one Halloween. On this occasion Nicki stepped up to the sewing machine and managed to make the costumes. That in itself was a real "trick."

Now these two little dolls have grown up and blessed us with two little boys, Jordie and Cole, who love Halloween trick or treating so much that they have been willing to try a variety of costumes over the years. In fact Cole is probably the Halloween costume king when it comes to selection of what to "become" for the night.

Jordie is a 4 year old Superman and a 5 year old Batman, a Power Ranger, and at one time he wore a baseball head. (He is 13 now so he helps us hand out candy to the little ones.)

Grandson Cole is a Jedi Knight and a Roman Gladiator and this year a Ninja Warrior. At other times he has been a puppy, a jester,a dinosuar and a Beast Boy.

It is always a treat for us to share their pictures!

One of the little Raggedy Ann dolls has grown up to be Cat Woman for Halloween. She is the "mother" of 5 plus cats to care for.

One of our classmates still loves making Halloween costumes for her grown daughter, Terrell. The name of this costume is la cucuracha. When asked "Why did she want to be a cockroach?" The answer is "I have no idea."

Clara, You are a great mom and the costume is simply fabulous!! Thanks for sharing.

Recently on "Live With Regis and Kelly", Kelly Ripa stated that,"If loving Halloween is wrong; I don't want to be right."

I agree!!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween everyone.

The Times of Our Lives: Fall 2008 ... Turn! Turn! Turn! ... and The Color of Ugly....

Autumn Leaves, painting by John Everett Millais (1856)

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.

Nicki and I have written recently of the transition of Summer into Fall, our favorite season. It has indeed been a glorious Fall (at least weather-wise) so far ... beautiful, bright cooler days, the beginnings of changes in the color of leaves, the low insistent sense of urgency that things should be completed and brought to order before the onset of cold, dark winter. And I have found myself pondering the meaning and import of those words from Ecclesiastes (set to music by Pete Seeger in the 1950s as the song Turn! Turn! Turn! and made popular by the Byrds in October 1965).

I last published a post on the blog on September 22, at the advent of autumn and amid the building excitement for the Class of 1963 (and All-School) Reunion in Childress October 3-5. Some might think it strange that I've gone so long between scribblings ... see, I do occasionally shut up!!! (grin) ... but various considerations have kept me from writing again until now. So to catch up on some of the events and thoughts which have occurred between that post and this one....

A time to be born and a time to die; ...
a time to kill and a time to heal ...

Not the least of my recent considerations has been Yahn's health, which has not been the best lately, and which of course prevented my attending the much-anticipated reunion. In addition to his problems with breathing ... COPD, asthma, etc. (apparently also suffered by our recently deceased classmate Reed Lockhoof) ... we have been confronted with some loss (we hope temporary) of Yahn's cognitive abilities ... a very scary situation, and one of particular concern for those in our age group.

In addressing these problems, Yahn's doctor first took him off some of his medications which may be causative of memory loss. The first to go was Ambien, prescribed to help him sleep; the second was hydrocodone, a strong pain killer, which helped alleviate his discomfort from arthritis and restless leg syndrome; then Lipitor (as we have learned in our research, all of the statin drugs given to regulate cholesterol can cause cognitive difficulties). And, while I must say that some of his cognition has returned, there are still lapses of memory ... the largest one recently being that he completely forgot our last appointment with his doctor ... had no memory of it at all, even though she took more than an hour with us. This week the doctor has ordered an MRI and an MRA to see if there are indices of (the dreaded word) Alzheimer's, or possibly past mini-strokes, sufficient to disrupt his thought processes but otherwise without outward signs.

I know there are some who fear to have such tests ... or tests for breast or colon or other cancers, or for other potentially life-threatening or -altering conditions ... but I have always believed in the old saying that "forewarned is forearmed." If we find the worst as a result of these tests ... at least we will know and can prepare. There are treatments and therapies which can alleviate or delay the progression of many diseases.

If the tests do not indicate Alzheimer's or mini-strokes, then we can proceed with trying to identify and isolate the cause of the problems ... but we will know that we need not concern ourselves with those particular fears ... at least not at this juncture. And knowledge is among the most important weapons ... if not the most important weapon ... that any of us can possess.

Please ... take care of your health ... physical and mental. See your doctor regularly ... have necessary diagnostic tests ... eat right and exercise ... stay involved in life ... keep reading and learning. Do it for yourselves and for your loved ones. You are important ... and we want to see you at the next reunion!!!

Since I last wrote, Paul Newman, actor and philanthropist, succumbed to cancer at age 83 ... and with his passing we lost another icon of our youth. While it was our dear Joby (JoAnn Neel Lathram) who had the killer crush on Newman when we were at CHS, I daresay most of us (male and female) saw a number (if not all) of Newman's films and were moved by them to one degree or another. Just yesterday, while Turner Classic Movies was doing an all-day tribute to Newman, I watched Exodus (again) ... crying a good deal of the way through it, of course. While it was certainly not Newman's best film (nor was it as good a film as it might have been), the "connection" I have had since high school with the book, the song, the movie is still alive and strong. Newman was not only a true giant of the silver screen, he also stood tall in his personal life, and dedicated a good deal of his time and effort in later years (along with all of his profits from his "Newman's Own" line of products) to charitable endeavors, seeking to make the world a better place. It is a pity there are not more like him.



Falling Autumn Leaves, painting by Vincent Van Gogh (1888)

a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...

I was thrilled to see the pictures from the reunion ... thanks to the pooled efforts of Nicki, Driscilla and Clara ... and to read Nicki's posts on both our class dinner at K-Bob's and the All-School Reunion. (If you haven't yet checked out Nicki's slide show on the Show and Tell blog, don't miss it!) I marveled as I saw each different face, and I lingered over the pictures for a long time, savoring memories from CHS, but also recalling the updates Nicki and I have received from so many during this past year.

I have been privileged to see some of those who attended the reunion "up close and personal" in recent years ... dear Joe Don (at the Wimberley Weekend in October 2001, and twice in 2002), Jack Petty (the last time I saw Jack, in May 2002, we engaged in an a capella impromptu duet of our "official" class song Sooner or Later), Mike Spradley (and his sweet wife Ada, also at Wimberley, and since), Doug Greer (at the time of Paula's funeral in May 2002), Jim/Willie, Don Meek (Class of 1960) ... of course my beloved sister-women Raenell and Joby and Shirley and Nicki and Clara.

The pictures of those I haven't seen in many years were true revelations and delights. Don Morgan and Kay Eatherly Whitten seem definitely deserving of the appellation "Forever Young" ... and how wonderful to see Sharon Molloy Kelley and her Ray (Class of 1961), and Driscilla, and Bettye Shahan Bagley and Max McClendon.

I got such a rush of wonderful memories thinking about how Max's mother "Sis" and my grandmother were BFFs ... on the golf course and around the bridge table and at church. Jettie Hicks Huff and Bobby still make a great looking couple ... and I couldn't help but remember how Jettie was one of my mother's favorite students when mother taught at the Community Center school for a while. It was also great to see John Steed, my old Sunday School buddy, and J.R. Bell and his talented wife Jan, and Beth McKee Gore and Gayle Whitten.

Even though they didn't attend the reunion in Childress, I want to acknowledge that I have been immeasurably blessed over the years with continuing contacts with so many friends like Linda Kay and Lynn and Pat and Linda Sally and Sheila. And the mini-reunion with Phil Tutor and Joe Warren (who did make it to Childress) and others in April was delightful.

Nicki tells me that she's had e-mails from some who did not attend this reunion, indicating that they are definitely interested in attending the next reunion ... oy vey! Folks, I think Nicki and I, and Joe, are all willing ... but if we are to plan such a thing (possibly for our 50th?) we would certainly like some input from as many of you as possible as to when, where, etc., which we would anticipate might ensure a better turn-out. It occurs that perhaps a reunion not in conjunction with the All-School Reunion in Childress might be better for planning time for all of us to visit with each other. We've also speculated that it might be nice to hold a reunion somewhere other than Childress ... someplace in Texas (home to most of us, I believe) like Dallas, or Austin, or San Antonio, or even Amarillo or Lubbock. Of course, right now all of this is in the realm of conjecture ... but we are still interested in any thoughts you may have on the subject ... and volunteers to work on a future reunion are sought and gratefully accepted.



Leaves in autumn

a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

The past few weeks since my last post have also witnessed some scary history in the making for ourselves and our country ... the roller-coaster of the financial markets, the largest plunge in stocks since the Great Depression, the heart-breaking foreclosures, the Presidential campaign which looms so large amid all the trauma and tribulation and fear. Whoever is chosen by we the people to lead our country in the next few years must bear a great burden in trying to get our society, with all its diverse population, back to times of prosperity and hope for the future ... with a shared sense that we are all in this together and that we will likely accomplish more by working together, rather than dividing into armed camps.

It seems that for the past few election cycles there has been talk of that particular election being the most important in years ... but I feel that it may actually be true in this instance. I so hope you have all registered to vote ... and that you will exercise your right and obligation to do so on or before November 4. This is no time for fence-sitters ... nor for people who in a fit of pique choose to "throw away" (yes, I said "throw away" for that is what it amounts to) their votes on some specious, questionable, inarguably doomed third-party candidate.

But when you vote ... however you vote ... please make certain that your vote is based on actual issues, not fear or hate-mongering or mindless bigotry. Frankly we should all be waaay more concerned by the poisonous color of "ugly" than by any other "colorful" considerations....

Fall is assuredly a time for recollection and reflection ... the season to take stock of the things we have done, the things we should have done, and the things we wish we had done ... to plan and dream and hope for the future. And yes, the future still beckons. Abraham Lincoln said "The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time." There is a lot of life and living in the days (each and every one of them) ahead for the Class of 1963 ... and it is up to each of us to determine how we will live those days ... whether we will look back on them fondly and cherish the memories ... or view them with telescopic regret at lost opportunities and dreams denied.

It is in our power to determine whether we will inhabit a feral, darkling tangled garden haunted by shades and shadows and sorrow's sighs, or whether we choose to walk in light and love and eager anticipation of the days that remain to us. For me, the choice is easy ... and clear. I hope it is for all of you.

)O(

Picture It....CHS Class of 1963

New Photos Have Been Added!

Thanks to Clara Robinson Meek

Let Them Eat Cake

Picture It: A small town at the edge of the Texas Panhandle with an exceptionally busy highway running through it. All day trucks, cars, and other vehicles filled the streets. As late afternoon approached, the parking lot of a popular local restaurant became especially busy with cars vying for parking spaces. After a quick check in the mirror the passengers of the cars headed toward the door of the restaurant. Upon entering it was obvious that the establishment was filled with groups of people in all areas of the rooms. KBobs had taken on a new appearance for the evening with a separated room that had been created with slide out walls near the back and a sign that read “Class of 1963.” A bit tentatively the arriving individuals from the CHS Class of 1963 walked to the door of the room not quite knowing what to expect. Inside, the room tables were lined with small orange pumpkins decorated with blue and white feathers and painted with “CHS ‘63” instead of jack-‘o-lantern grins. Name tags bearing photos from the 1963 Bobcat yearbook along with the names of the class members were given to each person. On a small table in the room two decorated cakes were waiting to be eaten as the dessert for the evening. However, no one took notice of the decorations or the cakes. Instead the room was filled with welcoming smiles and cries of greeting as each person entered the room to be met with hugs. The first 30 minutes of this 45th reunion of the CHS Class of ’63 was spent, talking, laughing, and greeting. A stranger looking in the room might have seen a noisy group of “older” people, many having sliver or gray hair and some wrinkles, but to the group inside the room these strangers had been transformed into much younger men and women from a time long past but easily recognized by their eyes or long remembered smiles. No one managed to stay unrecognized for long.

Finally with a lot of urging from Joe Hopkins, the ongoing MC for the class reunions, everyone found a place at the tables and the reunion was officially in session. What followed was an evening of fun, sharing, and good food.

l to r John Steed, Don Meek, Jettie Huff, Bobby Huff

Bobby Huff and his wife Jettie(hopefully photos to follow) arrived from Houston where they have lived since 1976. Bob is a First Vice President – Investments, Wealth Management Advisor at Merrell Lynch. His degree from NT was in Accounting and he did work for Halliburton (8 yrs) as an Accountant, but his job at ML has not been in Accounting. Hard to keep it all straight They are looking forward to retirement and they plan to buy an RV and travel to cooler places. They have Sasha who is their only child. They are proud grandparents of 2 boys ages 5 and 7. It means a great deal to the Class of '63 that Bobby and Jettie came to share the evening!

Reading the Top Ten Reasons Why People were Unable to attend the Reunion
l to r Gayle Whitten, Kay Whitten, Bob Huff, Anne Hopkins

Don and Clara Meek

Clara Robinson Meek and her husband Don Meek live in Boerne, Texas after having lived in Denver and San Antonio. Both Clara and Don are retired--Clara from teaching and Don from his business in San Antonio. They have one daughter, Terrell, who lives in Washington State. They love their home in Boerne where Clara has a small studio for her art, and they love to travel. Clara and Don are wonderful to spend time with!

John Steed standing, Jim Encke, Bettye Bagley

John David Steed, whose wife Christina was unable to attend, shared his memories of working in the AG's office and his memories of Reed Lockhoof during that time. John and Christina live in Arlington while construction continues on their new home in Ft. Worth. John, everyone was so happy to see you. It would be wonderful to hear more of your stories!

l to r Don Meek, Bettye Bagley, Jettie Huff

Bettye Shahan Bagley and Jim Encke

Bettye Shahan Bagley, who was accompanied by friend Jim Encke, retired at the end of the school year after 37 years of teaching. Bettye remembered teaching in Childress the first year of her career and later teaching in Germany where she enjoyed the opportunities it gave her to travel around Europe before returning to Abilene where she lives today. Bettye has two sons. It would be great to see Bettye more often!

Jack Petty

Jack Petty and his wife Becky are residents of Childress where Jack conducts the BootCamp program for the Roach Unit working with young offenders at the prison. After high school Jack joined the army expecting to see the world. He spent the entire 3 ½ years stationed at the air base in Amarillo and was one of the last to leave as the air base was closed. Jack and Becky share 10 grandchildren. Additionally he enjoys playing golf and occasionally still plays his music. Spending time with Jack at the reunion, Dawson's and the golf course was so much fun.

Jack and Becky Petty

l to r Bobby Huff, Jack Petty, Sandra Warren (Joe), Billye Hopkins Morgan

Shirley Neel Cromartie lives in Quanah. Last year Shirley suffered the loss of her husband George after a long illness only two days after their home burned. She described the year as really difficult and it was only with the help of friends of family that she has managed to rebuild her home and her life. Shirley still has a delightful sense of humor and a wonderful zest for life. Shirley has one daughter and two grandchildren. Hopefully Shirley will have a much better year and hopefully we will see her again soon.

L to R Sharon, Doug, Shirley

l to r Ray Kelley, Sharon Kelley, Doug Greer, Shirley Cromartie

Doug Greer has retired after working for AT&T for 30 years. He recounted his four years spent in the Navy after high school when he served in Ethiopia. Doug and his wife live in Graham where Doug lives on a lake and spends much of his time fishing, golfing and enjoying life. However, he assures us that his wife keeps him plenty busy so it isn’t all fun and games. Doug has 2 step-daughters. It was so much fun to become re-acquainted with Doug after such a long time.

Sharon Molloy Kelley and husband, Ray Kelley of the CHS Class of 1961 currently live in Midland. Previously, Sharon had shared the wonderful story of her life and marriage to Ray on the blog (Sharon Molloy Kelley), but it was a pleasure to see Sharon and her wonderful smile.

JoAnn shares her story!

JoAnn Neel Lathram lives in McKinney sharing a home with her son and family. JoAnn laughingly told how she had at one time moved to San Angelo to be with her children and their families only to have them move away. Today she works at Plano Presbyterian Hospital and plans to retire soon. JoAnn seems to be enjoying her life and she delighted everyone with her comments and great sense of humor.

l to r Jim Smith, Raenell, JoAnn, Ray Kelley

Raenell Wynn Smith and husband Jim live in Childress and continue to live there because “they like it.” Raenell works for the Childress hospital and is looking forward to retiring in a couple of years. Jim will be retiring very soon. Raenell states that she plans to retire a year after Jim so he can have time to get all the projects and work at home done before she has to. They enjoy traveling whenever possible. Previously Raenell shared her story on the blog, Raenell Wynn Smith. At the reunion, Raenell was awarded the "These Boots Are Made For Walking" certificate for being the person coming the shortest distance to the reunion. It is always wonderful to see Raenell and Jim.

l to r Jan Bell, Max McClendon, Raenell Smith

Max McClendon accompanied by his wife Jane attended the reunion for the very first time so for most everyone this was the first time to see Max since graduation in 1963. Currently Max is the preacher at the Church of Christ in Shamrock. Prior to that he had served in many places, notably in Seattle for many years. While they loved living there, they returned to Texas and Shamrock to be near Jane’s parents. It was wonderful to see Max after such a long time. It is obvious that he is a kind and caring person with a good sense of humor and a great voice that should serve him very well in his church. Hopefully this won't be the last reunion for Max and Jane.

Max McClendon

J.R. Bell and Jan Bell

J.R. and Jan Bell

J.R. Bell and wife, Jan came to the reunion from Amarillo where they have lived for many years. J.R. retired after 28 years of working for the USDA. He currently does consulting with Dupont which leaves him plenty of time to pursue hunting and projects at his home. J.R. and Jan have two grown children. As a side, Jan (Hudlow) graduated from Estelline High School. Jan is an extremely gifted artist. It was so good to have them share the evening with us for the reunion


Beth McKee Gore and Ray Kelley

Beth McKee Gore and Driscilla Dehtan Storrs

Beth McKee Gore currently lives in Lubbock where she has lived for many years. Beth lost her husband to a brain tumor very early in their marriage. Today she works for an orthodontics supply company. Beth shared that even though she doesn’t have children or grandchildren, she has three adopted families who serve as her extended family. Beth still has two brothers in Childress. Beth has a wonderful smile and a gentle spirit. It was wonderful to see her after such a long time.

Driscilla and Robert Storrs (Photo from Celebrating the Journey)

Earlier, Driscilla (Dethan) and Robert Storrs shared much of their story on the blog in the post Celebrating the Journey: The Power of Love: Driscilla and Robert Storrs. Having them at the reunion was an added bonus. They absolutely fit the description of being truly nice people. Currently they live in Lubbock and have for many years. At this time Driscilla works for Texas Tech Health Science Services transcribing medical records for pediatrics. Thankfully, Driscilla has provided many of the photos for the reunion. Unfortunately we don’t have one of her and Robert. Hopefully we will receive one soon from others taking photos at KBobs. At the reunion Driscilla was recognized with a virtual award for “Once a Bobcat, Always a Bobcat.” Despite having left Childress as a sophomore she has continued to return to Childress at every opportunity for reunions. She assures everyone that CHS people are her favorite classmates.
l to r Robert Storrs, Don Morgan, Driscilla Storrs, Jim Smith, Max McClendon

Gayle and Kay Whitten (Forever Young)

Kay Eatherly Whitten and Gayle Whitten have previously shared their stories with everyone in a post for the blog. Celebrating the Journey: The Power of Love: Kay and Gayle Whitten Kay taught school in Lubbock before retiring. Additionally she took time out to be a stay at home mom for her children. After teaching school, Gayle started his own business as a paint contractor. They love traveling, spending time with the grandchildren and look forward to mission ministries in their retirement. During the reunion Kay was awarded the “Forever Young” certificate for the least change in appearance since high school for a female. Congratulations, Kay! It was so nice to have you both at the reunion.

Ada and Mike Spradley share a pensive moment.

Mike Spradley and wife Ada came all the way from Houston for the reunion which earned them the “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Award for having come the longest distance for the reunion. It was so wonderful to see them and to see Mike looking extraordinarily well since his long bout with cancer and chemotherapy. Over the past year Mike has entertained the blog readers with his great stories and comments as well as his cartoons. As expected he entertained everyone with his gifted storytelling skills, recounting his travels and experiences working with oil drilling companies in the far reaches of the world. During this time he credits Ada with raising their great kids when he was unable to be there. Mike was also recognized for “Once a Bobcat; Always a Bobcat” because he too left Childress before he graduated and yet he continues to be a part of the Class of 1963 even after graduating from Monterrey High School. It was so nice to have them at the reunion.

Ada and Mike Spradley

Coach Joe Warren and his wife Sandra came to the reunion from Dallas. Joe shared his coaching career with everyone and mentioned that his brief time at Childress HS was the best time of his coaching. Because of this and his continued communication with members of the class of 1963, he was awarded a virtual certificate "Once a Bobcat; Always a Bobcat". It meant a great deal to everyone that Joe and Sandra took the time to come for the reunion! We also think Sandra should receive a "good sport" award.

l to r Jack Petty, Sandra Warren (Joe) Billye Hopkins Morgan, Don Morgan, Jim Wilcoxson

Don Morgan (Forever Young)

Don Morgan and his wife Billye Hopkins Morgan have made their home in Childress where Don is a farmer. Right after high school Don attended Tarleton in hopes of becoming a vet, but he ended up in the Air Force as a pilot and then on to Childress to farm. Don and Billye have two sons, Derrick and Jeff, and no grandchildren. Derrick is the oldest, married and lives in Denton and works for UNT. Jeff lives in Fort Collins CO. and is in construction and also works as a guide for Elk hunters. Both were born while Don was an officer in the Air Force. At the reunion Don was voted to receive the “Forever Young” award for the male classmate who has changed the least in appearance since high school. Congratulations Don! Having you guys at the reunion was so much fun.

Jim and Nicki Wilcoxson

Nicki and Jim Wilcoxson came from Amarillo for the reunion. After 40 years of living in Amarillo, they call it home. In previous posts on the blog, they have shared most of their story. Nicki Sooter Wilcoxson and Jim Wilcoxson Today they are still learning to adjust to retirement and to learn who they are and what their role is for this season of their lives. They continue to be actively involved in the lives of their grandchildren-Jordie age 13 and Cole age 8. Life is good.

MC Joe Hopkins and Anne Hopkins

Joe and Anne Hopkins Ada Spradley

Joe and Anne Hopkins came from their home in Cedar Park (Austin) for the reunion. They moved from Michigan to Cedar Park several months ago. This move has made it possible for him to be nearer his two daughters who live in the Austin and Boerne areas. Three beautiful grandchildren, all with red hair, are the newest members of the family. Joe and Anne have been fortunate to have lived in and visited many wonderful places including twice in Australia. The Class of 1963 has been fortunate to have Joe not only in high school but in the 45 years since. Through Joe’s efforts many of our class members have been able to stay in touch with one another over the years. For this reason and many others he was give an award at the reunion, “The Golden Thread” because he has been the “thread” that has held us together since graduation. Thanks, Joe! Anne, it was wonderful to meet you and spend a little time getting acquainted at the reunion. You are a good sport! Previously, Joe shared more of his story on the blog at Joe D Hopkins

That's the way it was on October 3, 2008 in Childress, Texas! Picture It!

There will be more photos posted as they are shared with me.

A special thank you to Marilyn Havens and her KBobs staff for making everything so special for us!!!