The Following Biographies were copied from the Yahoo Website. They are dating back to our 35^th Year Reunion. If you have one of these biographies please update if not please submit yours.

 

Adams	Frances	Toler
Baker	Donald
Baker	Gary
Barron	Kayla	Gaddis
Binch	Bonnie	Doescher
Biondolillo	Barbara	Simmang
Bissonnet	Daniel
Blakely	Debbie	Oller
Bobo	Judy	Hamblen
Bohlae	Alice
Boone	Daniel
Bowman	Kim
Brazier	Clayton
Brimberry	Eron
Champ	Bubba
Champ	Gary
Chupik	Roland
Clark	Robert
Collins	Patti	Kallus
Cook	Alan
Cooke	Daniel
Councill	Terry
Daily	Mike
Dunn	David
Euering	Carol
Faubion	Linda	Sluder
Fleming	Susan	Simmons
Gillingham	Penny	Cronan
Hackney	Barry
Head	Donita	Mccormick
Holberg	Douglas
Jenkins	Mark	Baranosky
Johnson	Sherrlyn	Hauser
Kethan	Debbie	Good
Knobles	Kris
Kurzawa	Bob
Lawrence	Hulda	Coskey
Lively	Vickie	Burkins
Mcmahan	Jack
Mcreynolds	Linda	Tsuhlares
Meyer	Kim
Meyers	Gary
Mock	Elizabeth	Killough
Mondy	Catherine	Boyce
Moran	Melanie	Boyd
Naff	Kenneth
Olson	Marilyn	Pahlavan
Orrell	Fred
Paul	Danny	Jatzlau
Paulk	Jon
Payne	Donna
Peyton	Doug
Reagor	Melinda	Flannery
Reese	Gregg
Renfro	Diana	Taylor
Renfro	Dawna	Cronin
Rich	Clay,Ginny
Roberts-Borski	Ginger	Mullins
Ryan	Dan
Schulze	Randy
See	Linda	Gray
Sewell	Terri	Allen
Shotts	Britton
Smith	Jane	Thomas
Strickland	Dee
Telge	Debbie	Straube
Terry	Rick
Walker	Jennifer	Walker
Watts	Barbara (Necie)	Meyer
Weir	Jackie	Childress
Wenzel	Mary
Yezak	Bonnie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frances Adams Toler

 

I feel compelled to write this since I have really enjoyed reading all the bio's and referring back to the Aries '73 yearbook.

Here goes.  After high school and dying to leave home, I got an apartment with a friend across from St. Stephens Church. Our 2 bedroom apt. was $145/mo. Don't ask me how I remember that!  Louanne and I frequently partied/danced at Dome Shadows Club. Anyone remember that place by the Astrodome?  Anyway, that stint lasted less than a yr. At the time I was dating Ronnie off and on.  He and I met at Camp Warnecke (remember?) while with our families when I was 16, he 21.  What was my mom thinking? I think she was just tired as I was child # 5. Ronnie was "2 timin" me with an alcoholic stewardess (as they were called back then) so I drove my orange VW and free spirit out to Southern California; not totally alone as I had cousins there.  I worked at Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance as a Claims Adjuster in Hollywood and had some interesting experiences including meeting Elton John.  He dated one of my friend's twin cousins.  The California thing was up in less than a year when my Dad suffered a massive heart attack.  Unfortunately, he died.  I moved back home with my Mom (parents had been divorced since I was 15) and entered Nursing School at San Jac in Pasadena. My Mom was a Labor and Delivery nurse at Memorial Northwest where I was a Candy Striper volunteer and at 16 was a Pharmacy Tech. In 1976 nursing seemed to be the only thing I was halfway interested in.  I got back with Ronnie (he finally dumped the stewardess) and we married in 1978, 6 months after graduating Nursing School. I worked at Memorial Southeast (before it became Hermann) as an RN in the Newborn Nursery.  We moved from the Telephone Road area to a new home in Pasadena. While childless we vacationed numerous times in Cozumel and Cancun. In 1983 and 1985 we adoped Keith and Kelli. We were thrilled!  You could say I had some connections. They were both born on a Friday and we brought them home on the following Monday.   I became the suburban soccer Mom with the minivan as many of you ladies were as my kids dabbled in karate, bike racing, dance, and gymnastics while I was working part-time.  We had a travel trailer and along with family camped at many Texas State Parks. My mother died of a brain tumor and colon cancer in '94 and by '96 my marriage had long quit working. Ronnie was drinking and was not a happy drunk. We divorced and the kids (10 and 12 at the time) and I eventually moved to a home in Pearland where I currently live. 

I continued working at Memorial Hermann Southeast and of course worked fulltime. I was the Nursery Clinical Manager for 14 years until new management came in.  At that time I transferred to Memorial Hermann Northwest in a staff nurse roll and have been there since Oct '06.  I had had enough of management. I just celebrated 30 yrs. employment at Hermann. I love my job working in the NICU and Well Baby Nursery. Just not so crazy about the drive now.

One of the best things that I did after my divorce was join a dance group in the Clear Lake area with a couple of my single female neighbors.  We dance Whip/West Coast Swing.  No guys, sorry to say, we don't use whips and chains but it is a sexy dance and I love it.  I have been teaching it for 4 yrs.  I also dance country and some of the Latin dances. Mary Wenzel, according to your bio, we share the same passion for dancing!

Except for a near fatal car accident I was in in 2003 breaking the major bones in my left leg and wearing a halo type device for 7 mon. and in a wheelchair (that's why I did not attend the last reunion) and my 15 y/o with her teenage woes (I came close to giving her back to her birth family-just kidding,kinda) I have danced since 1997. For 2 yrs, I was Parent Coordinator of my daughter's youth group. It was a Tough Love type program.  They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  That is true!

In 2006 at the Baton Rouge annual Swingapalooza dance contest, my partner and I placed 1st (finally) in the Pro-Am Division.  I beat out all those skinny bitches! lol. And yes, I love to watch Dancing With the Stars.

 Now in 2008, Kelli is 22, outgrown the adolescent stuff, working and attending San Jac College.  It is just she and I at the house.  My son Keith who is almost 25, graduated UT Austin a couple of yrs. ago, works and lives there and is currently studying to take the LSAT. He wants to be an international attorney (whatever that is). 

Between working 4, 12 hr. shifts/week, spending time with my kids when I can, the responsibility of being a single female homeowner and my dance, life leaves me with little else.  I have great friends and am very close to my brother and sisters. Our family looks forward to our annual summer Garner State Park camping trips.  It seems to be a contest on whose campsite can be the most redneck between the crappy strings of lights and rigged boombox on an ice chest in the river.  Love the Garner pics on the website.

I only married once and love my single life.

Well there it is.  Hope y'all weren't too bored!

Thank you Doug for posting this and for all your hard work helping us keep in touch  I can not believe we are in our 50's!  Some of you probably don't remember me but I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.  I have kept in touch with Patti Patton Palmer and renewed contact via e-mail with Chrystal.

Thanks also to everyone on the Reunion Committee for all the preparation involved. See ya there!!

 

 

 

Donald (Don) Baker

June 2008

In 1973, I enlisted in the Air National Guard and served seven years as an aircraft mechanic. I was commissioned as an officer in 1980, trained as a C-130 navigator and have attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I am presently serving on active duty with the USAF in Washington, DC, and flying a desk instead if a C-130. It’s not as much fun but at least I’m home with my family by 5 p.m. every day instead of being deployed to some remote corner of the earth with no cable TV or air conditioning. I graduated with a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering degree from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 1985. Over the years this was followed by subsequent degrees from the Florida Institute of Technology with a Master of Engineering Management (1997) and from the U.S. Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies (2002).

I met Gloria at UTA and we were married in 1990. Our first child, Timothy (now 15 years old) was born in 1992 and we added Mark (now 13) in 1995. There’s never a dull moment around our house; the boys are into baseball, and soccer in addition to piano and trumpet. The family life is great and my only regret is that I waited so long to settle down. Gloria graduated from UTA with a BS in Electrical Engineering and holds two Master Degrees. She works for the Department of Defense in network security.

We live near Washington, DC, and really enjoy the local area but it is a little far from our Texas roots.  We plan to move back to Texas when I retire on July 1^st, 2008. We are looking to relocate somewhere along the I-35 corridor between San Antonio, Austin, or Dallas-Worth Worth but will consider other locations in Texas.  Gloria and I are both looking for something in engineering program/project management.  If anyone has a recommendation on job opportunities, we are willing to consider any possible option.

I enjoy woodworking and now have more power tools than Tim Allen. Nevertheless, every Christmas, Father’s Day and birthday I can always find another tool that I need. I have so many home renovation projects going on or in the planning stages that Gloria wonders when this will ever end. The answer to that is “when they pry my hammer out of my cold, dead hands.”  However, our upcoming move to Texas has put pressure on me to complete the projects that I have in various stages of completion. 

My hair is a little grayer (okay, a lot grayer) than it was five years ago.  But I’m still young at heart and thankful for every day that the Lord lets me wake up.  Take care. We look forward to seeing everyone in June.

 

Gary G. Baker

I briefly attended U of H and Sam Houston State and took an extended vacation at Southwest Texas. Graduated in’78 with Gary Champ as my roommate; what can you expect….we had fun! Began my career as a liquor salesman (honest truth) for Lone Star Co., Houston, 4 yrs. Then I moved to Corpus Christi as an oilfield equipment salesman for Plains Machinery, 2 yrs. Then moved to San Antonio in ’83 to work with my sister managing furniture stores. In ’87 I started a landscape business called GrassWorks which I am now in my 16^th year. In ’81, I married Burdine Brogniez, whom I had met for the first time on a blind date in the 9^th grade. We had not seen each other since that time until we both attended a funeral of a mutual friend in ’77. (sounds like a storyline for a movie). We dated long distance (she was at Texas Tech) for a year then we both moved to Houston. We decided to marry in ’81 when I took the Corpus job. (her mom would not let her leave with me until we were married, imagine that.) All kidding aside, she has been a wonderful wife of 22 yrs. We have 2 beautiful girls, Desie, 13, and Allison, 8. Both are very athletic and tall. A life changing experience, in ’99 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was found by accident – I went to have a vasectomy and the urologist found a large tumor. Had the prostate removed. 4 yrs out, I’m cancer free. In ’01 diagnosed with atrial fibrulation (heart beats too fast) and is controlled with medication. Been a runner for 27 yrs. 2 knee operations and 5 hernias removed. Still running. Stupid maybe, but happy. In ’94 we bought 5 acres of land on top of a hill with a view. Built a house and moved in ’97. We love living in S.A. – north of town, 20 minutes from Gruene Hall, New Braunfels. I’m surrounded by females at home, wife, daughters, and 2 female dogs…. I ain’t got a chance. God has blessed me well. Looking forward to seeing you guys at reunion.

 

Kayla Barron Gaddis

I pretty much feel the way Jane Thomas does; my life hasn't been near the experience many of you have had, but I feel that I have been very blessed. The fall after graduation I went to good ole' SFA, with Eron Brimberry, where we snuck in Ronnie Guidry and Forrest Cobler's dorm room and played cards all night. It was a great way to meet boys, huh Eron? Anyway, I graduated in December of 1976 with a degree in Computer Science and Math. I married Bob Gaddis in May of 1977, which means we just had our 26th anniversary. (I know you could have figured that out yourself, but I saved you the time.) We lived in College Station until December 1977, when he graduated from A&M. Our next place to live was Havre de Grace, Maryland where he went through Officers' training at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Luckily we only stayed there five months, then Bob and I found jobs in East Texas. I worked for Region VII Education Service Center in Kilgore for 1 1/2 years then moved on to Lone Star Steel in Ore City. Bob started working at Spring Hill State Bank in the summer of 1978 and is still there. He is now the Sr. VP.

After working for 3 1/2 years at Lone Star, I decided to quit and was hoping to start a family. It took 1 1/2 years, two surgeries and God's will to finally make that happen. At last, in May 1984 we had our first daughter, Melissa; then 22 months later we had our second daughter, Kristen. Melissa is now 19 years old and is starting her second year at Harding University. We call her our 'beautiful songbird' because we found she is very talented with a wonderful voice. She won many honors in high school through competitions, and received a music scholarship at Harding, where she is working towards a degree in Music Education.

Our second daughter, Kristen, is the athletic one and especially excels in Fastpitch Softball. She was chosen All-State Designated Hitter as a Freshman, and she has been chosen All-District for 3 years and All-East Texas the last 2 years, having done all this with having surgery on both knees during that time. She will be a senior this year, so Bob and I are fast approaching the 'empty nest'. Our youngest plans on going to Abilene Christian University, so we will be going in opposite directions to go see them at school. Both of our girls have done very well academically, and I'm sure you can tell that we are very proud of them. Not just for their accomplishments, but also for their character and the fine young ladies that they have become.

After taking about tens years off to stay at home with the kids, I began working part-time, then full time at Spring Hill ISD where the girls went to school. Unfortunately, they didn't pay enough, so I left to work at EDP Enterprises, Inc., a computer company that mainly services schools. I have been there for a little over three years, and work as a Quality Control Specialist.

I had quite a few hobbies I enjoyed before kids, but haven't had much time for them since. I guess you could say my hobbies are attending every singing or sporting event that I can that my daughters are involved in. For every musical play or concert or volleyball, basketball, or softball game that I have sat through and the overwhelming pride that it brings me for our girls, there is no amount of money that could replace that. So even though I'm not the boss over my department at work, and even though I haven't traveled the world as so many of you lucky classmates have, I am so fortunate to have a caring husband that takes care of our family so well and two loving daughters with hearts of gold.

I have a lot of fond memories from the good ole' high school days, and I have enjoyed reading all the biographies. Although I have not sent my money in I do plan on attending the Saturday night event, because, of course, I'll be at a volleyball game Friday night. I look forward to seeing all of you and pray for everyone's safe trip there.

In Memory of My Dear Friend, Audrey Holland Hall....

 

Bonnie Binch Doescher McIlroy

 

The biggest problem in writing this is where to begin – I graduated in January of 1973 and married Bill Doescher (Tracy’s brother) in July.  We all had a great time – moved to Austin while Bill was attending UT.  Then came back to Houston, were we divorced, but remain good friends.

 

Met and married Jim a year later and have been married for 26 years and have 3 children and 1 granddaughter.  Mark 24, in the Air Force, stationed at Venice, Italy.  (We cannot wait to visit them).  Previously, they were stationed in Japan – loved the county – oh and yes enjoyed seeing the son and daughter-in-law.  They gave us a precious little bundle, Catie, now 17 months and unfortunately, we have only seen her twice.  (Thank goodness for computer, e-mail and the telephone systems).  Next, is Michael, 20, going to San Jacinto Jr College, taking his basics and taking all the auto body classes he can fit into his schedule.  He has an expensive hobby – bagging and shaving vehicles.  Planning to go to Stephen F Austin in the Spring, 2004– we think it has something to do with the fact that San Jac has no more classes in auto body for him and his girlfriend is going there.  Last is my beautiful daughter Sharon, 19, her interest are in photography and guitar, went to UT in San Antonio and partied and played too much (not at all like me) – so now she is back home going to Cy Fair College studying photography and graphic design. 

 

I never had the chance to go to college until late in life and now have two degrees, one in business, and the other in accounting.  Recently I have decided to torture myself by thinking about sitting for the CPA exam, why I have not decided.  I have worked in many different capacities from being a self-employed accountant to VP of Finance for a land developing firm.  I currently work for a light industrial staffing firm handling corporate financials and 30 franchises, it is interesting, and I have an easy work schedule so I have time to try to study.

 

Jim is employed with Coca-Cola, in space management.  And, we enjoy, going to the movies, camping, traveling and reading.

 

Barbara Biondolillo Simmang

After graduation, was going to U of H to major in business, however, life happened!  Married (10 yrs.), carried over my years as a DE student, working at Sears in credit, was offered mgmt. training program,  decided to go into banking - one of my better life decisions.  1982 - married - too young/pleasing others, but blessed to have first son, now 25; remarried in 1985, now that particular choice was a mistake, tried too hard to make it work for 14 yrs.  Divorced in 1999, but was blessed with second son, now 15.   Even through some difficulties, I was so fortunate to have great friends and now going into 30^th yr. in banking w/great opportunities furthering my education, working my way up and having survived the tough banking years of the late 80’s/early 90’s, I am Vice President w/ Enterprise Bank, ironically located in the Oak Forest area and back in our “old stomping grounds”.   In my personal life, never thought I’d be starting over at this time, but besides raising my last teenager, trying to stay active with professional/church social activities/committees, dancing every opportunity I can and getting brave enough to try dating again, I am looking forward to a better second half.

 

Daniel Bissonnet

My own “what ever happened to…”

UT/Austin/Bachelor of Journalism 1977. Worked for 2 years as staff photographer and reporter for a small publication, got fired, freelanced for 5 years for bigger ones. Became corporate computer drone in 1984 or so. Sales for a couple of years, NASA contractors for about 8, progressed from an entry level geek to, intermediate, and semi-advanced geek. Started writing outsourcing proposals, somewhere got enough hours for MS in Occupational Education from UH, a sort of human resources, corporate training and development, adult learning degree. Joined IBM about 10 years ago as information systems management consultant. I get to give lots of opinions and leave before the accountability part starts. Would love to retire to a cabin in the woods, nice stream, vegetable garden, chickens in the yard and goats in the field.  Can’t though, see “Personal Stuff” below.

Personal stuff: Married my soul mate from Buffalo, NY in 1980. You know she has to be tough to put up with me for this long. I love this woman. We have three girls. The oldest graduated from UT in Economics and Math.  Teaches same at a private high school in Monterrey, Mexico. The middle one is in the business school at Northeastern.  The youngest just turned 13. 

Miscellaneous stuff: Latest movie worth seeing: “What We Lost in the Fire” Latest Book: “Walden”  Have never voted Republican in my life, go Obama, but do you think the country is ready for a Hawaiian President?  Write me at

danielbissonnet@comcast.net.

 

 

Debbie Blakely Oller

since walking across the platform to get the sheepskin in ‘ 73... i next walked down the aisle to marry dean wolfer in nov. ‘ 73... was anybody really surprised?!!! first baby, a girl, susan born in’ 75 and now has two children of her own - emma 3 and clara 1.... second baby, a boy, Kyle born in ‘ 77 and daily makes me laugh with his devilish humor (the country song about that’s my baby could have been written about him)... roll on a couple of years (well, acutally 24) and divorced dean in nov. ‘ 97... was everybody really surprised!??? happy to report that we both still smile when we see one another... after dating for 5 years and swearing to always be single, i started the internet dating just to tease with my friends... met steve by email in november ‘ 02 and met him in person in january ‘03 and the next week we were married in house wedding with his son, wayne and my son kyle in attendance... we are currently on assignment in bethel island ca. and should we be back in houston, tx (the grand and glorious state, we most definitely will attend the reunion)... as for the passing of 30 years, i have changed quite a bit, mostly weight gain (definitely now a BBW), but in’ 73 i didn’t know what i wanted to be when i grew up, now in ‘ 03 i am very comfortable with my life and just living out each day as it comes... anyone wishing to write may certainly do so, my email address is goddess24to7@yahoo.com

 

Judy Bobo Hamblen

In light of the 1973 Tribune predictions, I am now compelled to share our biography. Tony and I have been happily married for 28 years. We have two sons Josh (25 and a graduate of UT) and Jeremy (22 and a senior at UT). Tony works for Boston Scientific Corporation and up until a few years ago I worked for the Cy-Fair Independent School District. The men in my family are quite special. Tony gave our youngest son a kidney in 1997, which Jeremy lost in 2000, and just last month Josh gave his brother a kidney. They are all remarkable men. Tony and I have taught four year old Sunday School at Champion Forest Baptist Church for the last 20 years and we are hoping to build the home of our dreams on Lake Conroe within the next year. As interesting side notes our sons have been good friends of Dan and Brenda Ryan’s kids. They have a son at A&M, a son at UT, and a beautiful daughter graduating this year and heading for UT.

Alice Bohlae

Since leaving Waltrip I have repeatedly married and procreated (3 & 5 times respectively…although since my last children are twins, maybe the second number would be 4???) My husband Mike Head (the 3^rd and FINAL) and I have a total of eight children (none together) and we are now the proud grandparents of 1 beautiful granddaughter and three remarkable grandsons. And I must say, this grandparent stuff is all you’ve heard! It is the best! My three daughters all live in Houston (one even lives at my house). My twin sons are actually freshmen (hopefully soon-to-be sophomores) at Waltrip. My stepchildren live all over the country—gives us nice places to stay when we travel!

We live in the Heights, which I absolutely love. It’s a funky eclectic neighborhood, so we fit right in. Mike & I travel a lot. One of our best trips was about 18 months ago when we took a 100+ mile walk in the Cotswolds in England. We walked about 10-15 miles a day. It was an unbelievable adventure.

Other than travel, our time is filled with traditional dance & music and grandchildren. I am a co-leader with our granddaughter’s Brownie troop (my 30^th year as a Girl Scout). And having two 15 year old boys in the house makes it a pretty lively place.. The boys are both in the band at Waltrip---both percussionists. My youngest daughter, Laura is a Junior at UH downtown, majoring in elementary education.

All in all, things just keep getting better and better!

 

Daniel Boone

Graduated from Trinity University, after Waltrip. Shared a room with Kenny Edwards and a phone with Kenny and Karen Forbes (the first year). Started an oil and gas service company with family, married college girlfriend and soon after, divorced (absence does not make the Heart grow fonder!).Remarried in ‘83 and started an oil and gas exploration company in Australia. Traveled extensively to Australia, Yemen, Colombia. Egypt, India, and Bolivia, divorced in ‘96 (absence does not make the Heart grow fonder!).  However, we have two great children; Cody now 12 and Sydney now 11.Remarried, for the last time, in Feb of ‘02, to Marie Ramirez (formerly Garces) a graduate of St. Pias. Now have five children with David 18, Emily 21 (in college) and Anna 23. Life can be a “bowl of cherries”. Recently moved from Cypress to Clear Lake to be closer to Cody and Sydney for middle school and high school. Believe it or not, Marie and I are enjoying the trials and tribulations of raising children ranging from 11 to 23 years of age. We take time off to work, fish and for Marie to sing Karaoke. Look forward to the re-union.

 

Kim Bowman

As some of you might recall, I went out of Waltrip with a splash, skipped my senior year, and graduated early. Nancy West, Mrs. Fisher, B.B., and Ivy were - no doubt - delighted by my early departure. Such a fuss over jumping off a ship! To all Imperial Guard girls: I’m sorry they canceled the senior trip afterwards.

 

I attended classes at SWTSU for 1.5 years until my parents caught on that I was majoring in the river. I tried living near L.A. in California, but came back to Houston to be near my first nephew - family ties. I spent a number of years searching for something - solutions to world problems, the meaning of life, Nirvana. After finding none of the above, I realized my reality account was overdrawn, so I joined A.A. and have been clean and sober for 18+ years.

 

I’ve worked for SBC, formerly Southwestern Bell, for 21 years. My sister, Karen, works for a mortgage company and lives in Dickinson with her husband and youngest son, Tom. My oldest nephew, Jeremy just moved back from Tennessee. His son, Cade, is the sweetest, smartest, cutest, greatest great-nephew in the world. He’s my joy! I’m in a committed relationship with my partner of 7 years. Debbie is very sweet and we have much fun together. We love to travel and enjoy snow skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, motorcycle riding, reading, and sunbathing. (Doug kept harping on hobbies!).

 

This is being resubmitted after the fact. I had a grrrreat time at the reunion! There was a lot of love there. Thank you all for being so wonderful!

 

Eron Brimberry

This will be my 6^th Reunion to attend.  I have attended all the previous ones and really enjoyed getting together with everyone.  So I am really looking forward to going to this one.

In the 70’s I went to Stephen F. Austin State University, graduating in 1977.  I then returned to Houston where I was employed as a Probation Officer.  I am still here - numerous years later and will become eligible to retire in September, 2003.  Note-I said eligible-we are way too young to consider retiring.

In 1980 I married and became an instant mom as my step-son lived with us.  He has grown into a fine young man and I spent the 80’s doing all the mom things. 

In the early 90’s there were major changes with a divorce and my son going off to college.  I became very active in my professional association and began to travel a lot around the State.  In addition my son played basketball for Rice U. and there was lots of travel there also.  Remember the old Southwest Conference Days.  Also in the 90’s I served as an Election Judge (still do) and worked on various political campaigns.  I was fortunate to have an opportunity to attend a Governor and Presidential Inauguration.

I do enjoy traveling and have recently returned from a trip to Italy, Austria, and England with my mother and my three nieces (two are April’s and one is our younger brother Joe’s)  Three teenagers and a Senior Citizen-it was lots of fun.  That is my role as the aunt - to educate and provide cultural experiences for these children.  I have a real passion for Texas History and am a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, San Jacinto Chapter.  Of course my nieces love it when I see a Historical Marker by the side of the road and we have to stop.

My parents still have their Bayhouse in Kemah.  We did survive Hurricane Claudette with minimal damage-we lost 25% of our pier.  So we will be rebuilding.  And no we do not go to the Boardwalk-way too uptown for us.  I do continue to sail-a couple of years ago I was crew member on the Tall Ship Elissa, Galveston and that was a wonderful sailing experience.

As I approach my retirement eligibility, I am trying to decide what to do now that I am all grownup.  It is exciting and scary all at the same time.   I know I want to work in preserving our State’s great heritage-I take great pride in being a Texan.  The more I travel, the more I realize how special and unique Texas is.  What a wealthy State we live in and what a proud heritage to preserve.  Only time will tell what direction I will choose to go in the next few years.

Am looking forward to seeing everyone next month.

 

Bubba Champ

Early one mornin' the sun was shinin', I was lyin' in bed

Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all, if her hair was still red.

Her folks they said our lives together sure was gonna be rough,

They never did like Mama's homemade dress, Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough.

I was standin' on the side of the road, rain fallin' on my shoes,

Heading out for the East Coast, Lord knows I've paid some dues gettin' through,

Tangled up in blue.

 

She was married when we first met, soon to be divorced.

I helped her out of a jam I guess, but I used a little too much force.

We drove that car as far as we could, abandoned it out West.

Split up on a dark sad night, both agreeing it was best.

She turned around to look at me as I was walkin' away,

I heard her say over my shoulder, "We'll meet again someday on the avenue",

Tangled up in blue.

 

I had a job in the great North Woods, working as a cook for a spell,

But I never did like it all that much and one day the axe just fell.

So I drifted down to New Orleans where I happened to be employed.

Workin' for a while on a fishin' boat, right outside of Delacroix.

But all the while I was alone, the past was close behind,

I seen a lot of women, but she never escaped my mind, and I just grew

Tangled up in blue.

 

She was workin' in a topless place, and I stopped in for a beer,

I just kept lookin' at the side of her face in the spotlight so clear.

And later on as the crowd thinned out, I's just about to do the same,

She was standin' there in back of my chair, sayin', "Don't I know your name?"

I muttered somethin' underneath my breath, she studied the lines on my face.

I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe,

Tangled up in blue.

 

She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe.

"I thought you'd never say hello," she said, "You look like the silent type."

I lived with her on Montague Street, in a basement down the stairs,

There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air.

Then I started into dealing with slaves and something inside of me died.

She had to sell everything she owned and then froze up inside.

And when finally the bottom fell out, I became withdrawn,

The only thing I knew to how to do was to keep on keepin' on like a bird that flew,

Tangled up in blue.

 

So now I'm goin' back again, I've got to get to her somehow.

All the people we used to know they're an illusion to me now.

Some are mathematicians, some are carpenter's wives.

Don't know how it all got started, I don't know what they're doin' with their lives.

But me, I'm still on the road, headin' for another joint

We always did feel the same,

We just saw it from a different point of view,

Tangled up in blue.

 

I have four wonderful children:

 Jacob, 12, Picasso

Catherine, 10, Missionary

Annie, 8, Barbie

Seth, 4, Battering Ram

Gary Champ

Graduated from S.W. Texas State in ‘78.

Roomed with Gary Baker because no one else would put up with me. Married Bobbi Bailey, Waltrip graduate ‘75, in ‘82, because she is the only one who will put up with me. Still married, {happily}. Have two daughters, 20 yr old in Nursing School, 15 yr old on the verge of reform school. Worked in Houston for 15 yrs for the same company in Industrial Outside Sales. Moved to Austin, near Lake Travis 9 years ago and love it. Worked for an Explosives Manufacturer as an Outside Salesman and Tech. Rep. for 5 years, which a lot of people found disturbing. About to embark on a new career, where I will hopefully do well, once again as a Sales Rep.

Looking forward to seeing everyone from Waltrip this summer.

 

Roland Chupik

This was the year I was planning on attending the reunion (I was at year 5), but unfortunately, new commitments prevail and I will be unable to attend. However, my thanks to all of you who have worked so hard to make this reunion happen. It is my prayer that you have an awesome time and I hope that you play that song "Color My World" and you play it over and over and over like we did in the cafeteria so many years ago!!! Now on to my bio ...
 

After graduation, I worked full-time as a bank teller for Texas Commerce Bank downtown and went to school at HCC at night. I saved my money and headed full-time to Blinn Jr College in Brenham. I graduated Blinn in December 1975. I then attended Sam Houston State and graduated with a BBA in marketing in December 1977. Shortly thereafter God called me to ministry and I attended Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University and graduated there in August, 1981. I was married in 1979 and pastored in Houston for a total of ten years. In 1991, God led me back to the secular world to minister through a nonprofit organization called Consumer Credit Counseling Service. Although I did some work for them while I pastored in Houston, this new venture called me to work for this organization full-time in Arizona, then New Mexico and eventually back to Texas in Fort-Worth and San Antonio. While in San Antonio, I divorced after 23 years of marriage, moved to Oklahoma City, where I have founded Credit Counseling of Oklahoma and am successfully helping many people resolve financial problems. Although I never had children, I have been blessed with so many wonderful experiences in touching people's lives and their touching mine. The Ronald McDonald House and the Special Olympics have a special place in my heart. And talk about experiences, I even entertained a political career while in New Mexico and was putting together support, but God had other plans and sent me back to Texas and now on to Oklahoma where I have even met a very special lady! So even with its twists and turns, life has been good and I am grateful and I hope life continues to treat each and everyone of you with favor and blessings!

 

Robert Clark

I followed (Waltrip counsellor) Ms. Allgood’s advice and chose Tulane over Rice for college; I think she was really recommending New Orleans over Houston for that “overall college experience”. I was premed from day one, and got my degree in biology. One of my graduating classmates was Neil Bush, and I got a chance to meet and chat with his parents (George and Barbara) after our commencement.

I came back to Texas for medical school, at UT-Southwestern in Dallas; I enjoyed those four years a lot. I still didn’t know what kind of medicine I wanted to practice, but in 1981 I went to Boston to do a residency in internal medicine. Medical school may have been one of the most fun times of my life, but my internship in Boston was definitely the least, even edging out those special three years at Hogg Junior High School. It didn’t take me long to figure out that internal medicine was not the career for me, though I did complete my residency.

In 1984, my girlfriend and I moved to San Francisco, and I started a residency in emergency medicine in Oakland. I completed that in 1986, and soon was board certified in both internal medicine and emergency medicine. I’ve lived in SF ever since, working in various ERs in the Bay Area, for the past eight years in Berkeley near the University of California campus. It’s been an interesting career in an interesting area, and I’ve had contact with a few ‘60’s icons....Black Panthers Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, and Wavy Gravy of Woodstock fame. For the most part, however, I deal with your typical urban ER clientele.

After living together for about 5 years, my girlfiend and I split up, and I think I may be the first to post a biography in the never married/no children category. And, in spite of the fact that I’m a single male living in San Francisco...oh, nevermind.

I still go back to Houston a couple of times a year to visit my family. My parents still live in the same house where I grew up in Timbergrove, and I just happened to be there a couple of years ago during the big flood, so I got to spend my weekend pulling up wet carpet!

The other Waltrip reunion I attended, I got the award for traveling the farthest to attend, so maybe I’ll be in the running again. See you all there.

 

PATTI COLLINS KALLUS

Graduated from Southwest Texas in 1977 with a Bachelors in Business Administration. Worked in Houston for a T-Shirt Wholesaler for a few years, then for an Oil & Gas Investment Company who transferred me to Denver for 2 years. Then back to Houston, back to the Oil & Gas industry, then a promotional products company and now with URS Corporation (Environmental Consulting Company) as the Human Resources/Facilities Administrator.

I married Billy Nunnellee and we had a daughter, Caitlyn, who is now 12. Billy died in a car accident and I dated around for a while then met and fell in love with my present husband, Ronnie Kallus. We’ve been married for a year and it is wonderful. Caitlyn is in 6^th grade and giving me all the ups and downs that I gave to my mom tenfold! She is as tall as me, not much to crow about and is very pretty. She has a wonderful sense of humor and is the Mother Teresa to all of her friends. Ronnie works for URS as well, but in a different division. He is from Flatonia, Texas and is a great guy.

Can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion.

 

Alan Cook

Like many others have suggested in their bio's, it's been really enjoyable hearing all about the lives of everyone over the past two or three decades. You certainly don't realize when you graduate from High School that you really go in a thousand different directions. I am sorry to say that I have been living in the Champions area for the last ten years and I never see or hear from anyone in our graduating class. But it sure makes it fun to catch up on everyone's life prior to the reunion. Thirty years!

 

After graduation in 1973, I attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a Bachelor Of Science in Education in 1977. I proceeded to teach school and coach Jr. High Football and Basketball as well as High School Baseball. I taught one year in Navasota and three years in Waller. I married a girl from Waller in 1980 and was divorced in less than three years with no kids. I did manage to teach/coach ten different athletes that played in the NFL and Major League Baseball. But, In my short tenure in the teaching/coaching profession, I realized this particular profession was going to keep me poor for a long time. In 1978, my salary for the year was under $8,000. Based on the amount of time I spent mentoring our youth, it amounted to about $0.35 an hour. So, the opportunity came to start another career and I am so thankful I made the change. I spent the next 17 years with Tenneco Gas with the latter part in their Marketing Department as an Account Director of their Northeast Region. This allowed me the opportunity to travel to New York City, Boston, Hartford, Pittsburgh, Providence, Vermont and New Hampshire. Racking up those frequent flier miles has really paid off for some nice trips!

 

In 1993, I married my wife Molly and we have two boys seven and five years old. I received the award at the last reunion for having the youngest child. My youngest was six weeks old at the last reunion while some of our classmates already had grandchildren. Both of our kids are active in gymnastics, soccer, swimming and baseball. My oldest, Grant, is entering the second grade and Robert starts kindergarten this year. They are keeping us very busy!

I have been in the energy industry for over 22 years and I find myself for the very first time unemployed. I joined that special club last month. For now, I am enjoying my time with my kids during the summer. The energy industry has taking a beating thanks to Enron, El Paso, Reliant and Dynegy. But, hopefully things will turn around soon. We all know that doors close and others open.

 

Thanks to everyone for their hard work with the reunion. I am participating in the Golf Tournament, Friday nights gathering and Saturday's reunion. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone! See you on the 16th!

Daniel Cooke

1.  Received a B.S. in 1977, M.S. in 1978.

2.  Worked at TAMU for 4 years and met, there, Kathleen Rivera, who I married in 1980.

3.  Had number 1 son in 1981 - William Cooke, who is now 21 and a senior in college.

4.  Returned to school in the summer of 1984, had number 2 son in 1985 - Samuel Cooke, now a senior in High School - I defended dissertation in January, 1986 and received a Ph.D. in May, 1986.

5.  I am happily married and now, in keeping with my tour of Texas Universities, live in Lubbock. My wife and sons have been wonderful to me. My wife is truly good in that her good influences negate my influences to the point that we have raised two extraordinarily great children.

6.  Adding to a point I began in number 5 - I entered college in 1973 and actually never came out - except for working for the Advanced Technology Department at General Dynamics in Fort Worth and for the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.

7.  I like the southwest and hike, hunt fossils, and, at home, I carve totem poles (which are actually found in the Pacific Northwest - not the Southwest - except for my back yard).

 

Dr. Cooke Professional Bio—

Dr. Daniel Cooke serves as Professor and Chair of the Computer Science Department at Texas Tech University and as Director of its Center for Advanced Intelligent Systems. Dr. Cooke has recently completed an 18-month assignment as the Manager of NASA’s Intelligent Systems Program. The program is a 5 year $320M national research initiative in computer science aimed at NASA relevant problems. Cooke led the activities to establish the technical content of the program, took it from formulation to implementation, and helped establish the program office, which he headed at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. Previously, Dr. Cooke served as an Assistant, Associate, and then Professor and Chair of the Computer Science Department at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

Since 1990, Daniel Cooke has published more than 80 technical papers in the areas of computer language design and software engineering. He has served as PI or Co-PI on research grants totaling more than $11 million, edited many journal special issues, published a book on Computer Language Design, edited a book on Computer Aided Software Engineering, and served as chair or vice-chair for 15 international conferences or workshops. He currently serves as the Software Engineering Area Editor for IEEE Computer and the Formal Methods Area Editor of the International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering.

Dr. Cooke serves in a number of advisory positions for NASA, including the Chair of the High Dependability Computing Consortium Review Panel, an organizer of the ALS Controls Workshop to be held in August of 2003, and on the Earth Science Enterprise Advisory Committee’s Technology Subcommittee. Cooke has been an American Electronics Association Fellow, a MacIntosh-Murchison Faculty Fellow, and held the MacIntosh-Murchison Chair in Engineering at U.T. El Paso. In 1996 he was the recipient of the University of Texas at El Paso’s Distinguished Achievement in Research Award. In 2001, Cooke received the NASA Ames Research Center Information Sciences Award for leadership in establishing a Model Strategic Research Initiative for NASA. In 2002, he received the NASA Exceptional Achievement

Medal and the NASA Group Award, for Contributions to the CICT program.

 

Terry Councill
I've missed all of you. High school was such a good time for me and I would love to go back and do it again. I hope this message makes it in time, my daughter had to help me figure out how to get this posted, so you can tell I'm no computer wiz. I left for Lamar University in the fall after high school with the intent of studying Biology in hope of gettin' into dental school. I was motivated by an intense desire to help my fellow man, not really, it was the $$$. I left my sweetheart behind, Kim Hamilton (Waltrip '74), and so I returned to Houston for special events like her Prom. Kim later came to Lamar with me but hated Beaumont and soon left to attended SHSU where she studied Education. I stayed at Lamar and was accepted into UT Dental School @ Houston in 1978. Kim graduated from SHSU in Dec of 1978 and we were married in 1979. Still together, living in Tomball with 2 great kids. I practice in Cypress, near Compaq on Louetta Rd. With God's help the practice has grown and now employs 13 people. I am a general dentist but limit my practice to stuff I like, mostly restorative work and TMJ therapy. Kim has been in and out of teaching (presently out). Our oldest, Jessica, is 20 and attends Texas Tech trying to get into nursing school. Our son, David, will soon be 15 and is quite the athlete. He runs the 40 in 4.7, plays centerfield and pitches; with a fast ball near 80 and a wicked knuckle curve. He also is one of the running backs for Tomball High 9th grade. Reading the other bio's, I can't believe how close some of us are. We should reserve Willy's some Friday nite and continue to reminiscence. We enjoy family stuff mostly; snowskiing, scuba diving, baseball of course and volunteering at our kids schools. I enjoy running, biking, swimming, motorcycling and am very involved with Tomball Little League and the High School Baseball Boosters. Through Salem Lutheran Church, one the rewards I have is to go to Honduras to do missionary dental work once a year. Johnny Barker is one of my closest friends and I get to see Linda See occasionally. If you remember Kenny Kolkhorst, he is my accountant. It's a good life because of my great family and I like my work. I can't wait to see all of you especially Kris Knobles and Penny Gillingham. Does anyone remember the significance of Coach Fawcett's "Bingo" and will Mr. Weygandt be there?
 

Mike Daily

I spent my last year at Waltrip taking Distributive Education, with my other classes, which allowed me to work as sort of an intern, I’d guess you’d say. Got out at around 1 pm every day, & went to work at my family’s record distribution warehouse in the Heights. I was ready to get out of school & had no desire to ever go back to school again.

 After graduating, my only desire was to surf, & play a little music occasionally. (What a bum!) So along with Waltrip surf crew classmates Steve Hurtig,  Ricky Guzman &  a few others , we bailed for Southern California to live the endless summer. We lived a block from the beach in Leucadia, (San Diego) for the summer, & ate, slept & surfed.. I had put my new found music goal of learning the pedal steel guitar on hiatus while in Cal.

 

   I returned home to Timbergrove in the typical late August, (‘73) sweltering heat, to a new life, with no school, and a future I guessed, working in the family record warehouse. Most of the great friends I had gone through school with since Kindergarten, had now scattered about, & gone their own ways to begin real life, as you can now read in so many of the interesting bios. Writing this bio brought back the memory of that feeling of how your entire young life was over & no longer would you see your friends on a daily basis. Some you would never see again. It was, in reality, a kind of sad and empty feeling. I had broken up with high school girlfriend, Marina Musselwhite towards the end of high school, knowing that we were too young & had too much life ahead to consider marriage.

 

    Went back to work in the record warehouse. It wasn’t too bad—it was the music business after all. After a few months, I began to wonder-is this it? This is what I will do from now on. Hmmm? Meanwhile, classmate Paul Mikeska & a few other Timbergrove guys had started collage at Southwest Texas State. Going to visit them on weekends, I couldn’t believe how much fun they were having. And they were actually learning a lot. I was impressed. Plus the fact that the girls to guy ratio was supposedly 4 to 1, it was supposedly the no.1 party school and it was just down the road from Austin—the blossoming new center of outlaw country music. A perfect place to get in a band . Hey mom, dad, I want to go to college!!

 

    I started SWT in Jan. of ‘74. Had no idea of what to major in, except the river. As far as being a die hard but landlocked surfer , I knew the best waves and beaches were now, closer at South Padre.

 

   My first months at SWT I hooked up with a musician (through classmate Greg Reese) & formed a band which went by the wayside. The remaining guitarist & I joined another band.  Played pretty successfully in this band for a year while attending SWT. One day the singer fired us all. It was summer of 75. Took a few summer classes while looking for a new singer. Put up a flier on the student center bulletin board. A guy called one day & came to audition. His name was George Strait. We all continued at SWT , and played our first job as the Ace In The Hole Band, at Cheatham St Warehouse, San Marcos, Oct 13, 1975.

 

    Next 5 years we played every club, wedding, private party, beer joint etc. in this part of Texas, to make a buck, just like any starving musician. Graduated SWT, in 1978 with a B.A. in Geography, Environmental & Resource Studies.  Figured one day the music thing would play out, and I would be back in Houston doing the oil industry thing, so I hung on to the good life in San Marcos as long as possible. I supplemented the night music jobs by working as a rock mason, in Wimberley with Waltrip classmate, former Oak Forest resident, rock mason extraordinaire, James Bond. I remember myself, & James, along with Terri Barton in Mr. Cheneys 10^th grade math class, with Mr. Cheney scolding James for playing his harmonica in class!

 

     Ran into old girlfriend Marina  playing clubs in Houston,  got back together, married in ‘78.  Lasted 3 1/2 years & divorced. No children.  I also began taking my first surf trips into the jungles of Mexico with Rick Guzman about this time.

 

   In 1980, our lead singer, George went to Nashville, recorded some songs, & MCA records gave him a shot. As they say, the rest is history.

 

     Have now been with George and the Ace In The Hole Band for 28 years, come Oct 13, 2003. It’s been an incredible ride & fairytale for sure. Have played every live concert George has done in those 28 years, along with almost every TV show, awards shows, commercials & a couple of movies, most notably, “Pure Country”, which still plays on cable movie channels today. Have played on many million plus selling albums/cds. From the honkytonks in Huntsville & Houston, to 15 years in a row at the Astrodome/Houston Rodeo, to standing next to Madonna backstage at the American Music Awards,to sitting in the front lounge of our bus with Roger Clemens and 3 other World Series New York Yankees, sharing our beer & pizza, to standing behind Johnny Carson’s desk at rehearsals for the “Tonight Show”, to being on stage this past May in Las Vegas, while Alan Jackson presented George with the first ever artist to have 50 number one records, the stories I wouldn’t know where to begin. A career I never could have dreamed.

    All this time, have remained a hardcore surfer, also snowboarding, skateboarding and saltwater fishing. Have made over 40 trips into the jungles of Mexico & Central America to surf world class waves. Can still be found at South Padre most of the summers and during any storm swell, with an occasional trip to Port Aransas.

 

     Have been into fitness  for 25 years now. Still run 5 miles a day, also biking, swimming, weights, and 25 years in the martial arts.

 

       Married Patti Godby, from Bryan Texas, in 1987. A wonderful wife, mom and kindergarten teacher. She is a graduate of Texas A&M and has taught in Fort Bend, Caldwell, & now teaches in Lockhart , commuting from San Marcos.  She is also into fitness and exercise. We have 2 daughters that  I wouldn’t trade for the world, Alyson, 13 ,a sports machine, with anything concerning a ball of any type, & Kelsey 11—a ray of bright sunshine. They both attend school in Lockhart.

  All is well & thanks to the good Lord everyone is healthy.

     My parents unfortunately divorced while I was in college. My dad lives off of 1960 in Houston, mom in New Braunfels, &  brother, in the Woodlands.

    When not touring with Strait, I can be found playing with many bands from Austin to San Antone to Dallas to Houston on the local level. Recently played with the Derailers for the last two years &  have some upcoming shows with country singer Rick Trevino. Also have a music publishing company, do some producing & special music projects.  I still play every Tues night at Nephews on the square here in San Marcos.

    Still trying to achieve the lofty goal I have been studying for all my life, to be a professional beach bum.

   I  was unable to attend the 10 and 15 year reunions due to constant touring, therefore I learned how important it is to attend these reunions after learning how it feels to not be able to attend, even if I wanted.

David Dunn

After graduating, I attended Texas A&M for four years with friends Johnny Barker, Bruno Boffa and Tom Smith. I have stayed in close contact through the years with Tom and he stood up in our wedding. I went to UT Dental School in San Antonio but realized I could'nt carve wax. I worked most summers and then worked for UPS for a year until I started Medical School at San Antonio as well. It was then on to Scott and White for general surgery and lastly Baylor in Houston for vascular surgery. I finally starting making a living at age 36 and married the same year. Melanie was an Obgyn resident at the time. We practiced for 2 years in Kansas City and then moved to Nashville where we started a family at age 41. I have two wonderful children and Melanie and I both still work. I just recently shifted from clinical medicine to working with a friend in a health care start up. We stay busy with the kids ,running,skiing and traveling and really love the Nashville community. I will not be able to make this reunion but surely hope to make the next one and for sure the 50th. Good luck to all

 

Carol Euring La Grone

 

I didn’t have much of a senior year at Waltrip. I was so ready to graduate and get into the “real world,” I took summer credits and was out by January. My first job was for TV Guide Magazine in the Montrose area. I worked as a proofreader for $75.00 a week. Within a couple of months I was promoted to a data processor and my salary went up to a whooping $107.00! Even with this tremendous newfound wealth and independence, I soon discovered the “real world” was filled with 8 to 5 adults that were already in a rut. A very chance phone call in June from Karen Forbes convinced me that I needed to be back with my own kind at that wonderful place in San Marcos called Southwest Texas State University AKA Texas State. I tested and got in by a nose and was on my way in September. I spent four wonderful years there and graduated with a BBA in Marketing in August of 1977. From there I went to Austin and eventually went to work for Southwestern Bell in their business office. I worked there for four years and bought my own house by the age of 27.  The next year, a guy I had dated at Southwest Texas called me and needed a place to stay for awhile. We were married November 1983.  Our daughter, Casey, was born in June 1984 and we decided we wanted to raise her in the country. Since my in laws live on a 300 acre ranch outside of Comfort, we were able to purchase 6 acres from them. I designed the custom built home we live in. It’s what I call a “ Texas style” with the forty foot long porch, a balcony over that and a white metal roof. We enjoy our horses, birds, deer, turkey, and there is not a neighbor in sight. In July 1989, we had a boy named Tanner. Those twenty years of raising kids and working our butts off went by so fast. Casey is now a college graduate, recently married, and will be working as a first grade school teacher next year in Granbury. Talk about a small world. She was in the teacher’s lounge when another teacher mentioned that she went to high school with Patrick Swayze. Since she heard that from me for years, she asked the teacher where she went to school and, of course, she said Waltrip. It turned to be our fellow alum Kerry Kennedy! (Still as sweet as ever!) Tanner graduated from high school last year and is now a Lance Corporal in the Marines. He is going to be an Aviation Crew chief and he is currently in school at Camp Pendleton , CA. I am a very proud parent to say the least. I now work out of the home as an Investment Trader. Gotta love the internet.

 God has blessed us and life is good !

Linda Faubion Sluder

An expert at nothing, with a little knowledge about … well, not quite everything!  No college degree, as the full-time offer from my VOE job was too enticing.  Thanks to Mrs. Trees and my Dad, both expert perfectionists, and a whole lot of common sense, I’ve worked as an executive assistant to Presidents, CFOs and CEOs of public companies for the past 15 years.  Although I’ve regretted not furthering my education the conventional way, the wealth of information I’ve been privileged to during my working career has been extremely rewarding. Hobbies (past and present):  scuba diving, sailing, jewelry making, stained glass work, massage therapy (ex-registered, and yes, I’m quite popular for this one!) and traveling.  Oh, and for those of you who called me ‘Dear Abby’ in school, you may chuckle to know friends made in my ‘adult life’ have pegged me with that name as well. Not proud to say that I have two divorces in my closet (hey, Sheryl Crow stole my question:  Are you strong enough to be my man?), but the upside is that I have two great children:  Rachel, 21, and Shane, 11.

People close to my family have compared us, tragedy-wise, to the Kennedy family, (thank goodness our name isn’t famous), but these experiences have given me a strong spirit and the ability to clearly understand what is to be cherished:  family and friends. With residual wild and crazy, I am so looking forward to THE reunion (my first) and catching up with everyone.

Susan Fleming Simmons

September 1973, I began college at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. My roommates while there included Jean Coppola, Holly Chandler, & Sharon Kendziora (class of '72). I graduated with an accounting degree in May, 1976. (Yes, one year early!) Following graduation, I went to work for New Process Steel Corp. (near NW Mall).

After years of being a "jerk-magnet", I finally met my "prince", David Simmons, at what now seems like the "young" age of 30. We have 2 daughters: Shanna (almost 15) and Kinsey (11). David also has a son, Michael, now 23.

When Shanna turned 3, I "retired" from New Process, after 15 1/2 years, to be a stay-at-home mom. However, I was never "at home" much. When the girls were younger, I did lots of volunteering for their activities. I was a Girl Scout leader, room mother, PTA board member, Sunday school teacher, and served on numerous committees. The past few years have been spent trying to help take care of my mom & clean out my parents' 49 year old house in Timbergrove. It has finally been emptied, however, much of the stuff is now at my house!! I sold the house in June and it seems strange not having it anymore.(My father died 15 years ago, & my mother has been living either with or near us for the past 4 1/2 years.)

Shanna has just started summer practice for the high school drill team.(Brings back old memories for me!) Kinsey takes jazz dance and plays the violin in the school orchestra. Both girls are members of The Woodlands Civic Ballet and each take ballet lessons 3 times a week. This all keeps me constantly on the go & the bank account empty!

For 12 years we lived in Houston in the memorial area. About 5 years ago, we decided to move out of the city and moved to The Woodlands. However, the city seems to have followed us out here!

My husband does information security work for Shell Oil Products, and I do laundry, house cleaning, clutter control (at least I try to!), and everything else! Before kids, my hobbies included snow skiing (my favorite), stained-glass work, and square dancing. Now I don't seem to have the time for hobbies! I still regularly keep in touch with Debbie Telge, Dawna & Diana Renfro, Judy Gleason, Tricia Edwards, and Karen Crick.

I can't make the Saturday night reunion event, but plan to go to the Friday night mixer. Hope to see lots of y'all there.

Penny Gillingham Cronan

After graduation, several of us worked at Astroworld for the summer. Then I was off to Sam Houston where I lived in the dorm with more Waltrip grads. The next summer I returned to Astroworld and won the grand prize at the end of year employee party. They said it was a car but it was actually a ’74 Vega. It was appreciated since my ’62 VW Bug was on its last leg but I missed my VW. Even now, hardly a year goes by without someone reminding me of our many journeys in that bug.

I remained active in that secret organization none of us admitted to after 6^th grade, Girl Scouts. I was working with a Junior High Troop in Huntsville until I ran out of time. My Junior year at SHSU they started up a dance team much like the majorettes we had started while at Waltrip. I had been taking dance most every semester just for fun so I tried out and made the team.

Changing my major almost every semester really slowed down my degree plan but I finally finished up in 1978. I came back and worked at Harris County but always heard people comparing government work to working in industry. So after a couple of years, I started working in the oil industry. Through my professional years I moved from Programmer to Systems Analyst to Systems Programmer. Then, when I had my first child in 1989, I left my last full-time job as Information Security Administrator at Tenneco.

While working at Sonat Offshore I met Ray and in 1981 we married. When I returned to St. Stephens to prepare to be married, the pastor stressed that we should find a church near our home. We immediately started going to The Foundry United Methodist, which at that time was meeting in an elementary school but is now a very large church. Over these 22 years, I have served on most every board, lead an adult Sunday School Class for over 10 years and was in the first group of Stephen Ministers. The last three years, I have created Power Point Presentations for our Contemporary Service.

I have two wonderful children and last year became a single mom. My son, Kyle, is starting High School and is as active in Student Ministries at Foundry as I was in MYF. They seem as bonded as we all were. Wow, those memories of MYF at St. Stephens always warm my heart! I was Kyle’s Cub Scout Den Leader but now I’m a Girl Scout Leader. My daughter, Kaelyn, is starting second grade and is anxious to buy her first horse. We all love being outdoors so I bought a Pop-up camper last year. Now I am attempting to show my kids all of our National Parks before they leave home.

While my kids were young, I taught Computer Lab part-time at Lutheran High North and Shirley Barker Career Institute (both in Oak Forest). Now that I’m single and going back to work full time, I’ve decided to do something completely different. So, I’ve taken a job at Conroe High School teaching Math and we are in the process of starting anew and becoming country folks.

 

Barry Hackney

I never cared for school, but completed 2 years at UH & then trade school while working at HughesTool Co. for several years until the “Reagan recession” hit in the early 80’s

My hobby is collecting antique mechanical items, especially old cars, and I have been in the antique car parts & restoration business for 20 years. (You may recall the ‘56 T-Bird I drove while attending WaItrip) I have long wanted to escape Houston, but with a home , family members & business here, have never made the move. We live on an acre  in the airport/1960 area.  I was a local talk radio host for 3 years in the 90’s during which I co-produced the Collector Car Connection on KENR.I have been  happily married to Pamela, wife #2, for 12 years. She is a native of LA & a graduate of Beverly Hills High & Cal. Lutheran  Col. ,& has been a professional musician & a teacher for many years. No kids or step kids, but several nieces & nephews.  God has been good to us & we thank Him.

Donita Head McCormick

Long time since that class of “73”.  After Waltrip in 1973 got married, big mistake, I guess we all learn the hard way.  I was with T.I. for about 2 years.  Strachan Shipping was my next stop in Admin., it was a great job.  Lasted about 2 years.  Mitsui O.S.K. Ship Lines was my next encounter in the shipping business.  Great learning experience.  Still trying to figure out about college, decided to attend UofH, 1979, studied Purchasing Management.  In 1982 went to work at C.E. Lummus, purchasing was it. Met my current husband, and last, Kevin.  He worked in Accounting.  We married in August 1982.  Still in Houston, Tx. at the time of all these events.  Laid-off at Lummus, July 1982.  Collet Oil Ventures was my first encounter in the oil business, and my last.  Laid-off in 1985.  Goodman Mfg. Co. is where I worked until my husband (in the oil business) received a transfer.  His job took us to Rockport/Corpus Christi area. 

What a switch, culture shock.  Boy, I thought I would never fit in.  On the other hand I started a whole new life.  I had always wanted to teach water aquatics, and regular land aerobics, this is where it all started.  I took classes and taught in the one and only gym there.  It was also a rehab, so I worked with the P.T. patients also.  I was in heaven.  I also took up golf, and my husband already played, so we were able to join RCC.  We were probably the youngest couple there.  What a life!  We meet several younger couples after we were there for awhile.  Lived in Rockport for about 8 years, so we developed quite a few friends there.  Kevin got a new job in the oil business that had him traveling to Albuquerque, where I am now, and he and I have been for 3 years.  Recently, his job sent him to Casper, WY. which is the oil town now.  I’m staying in Albuq. until we see if this co. will pan out in the next 3 to 6 months.  It’s very cold in Casper, and the wind never stops blowing.  Besides all my friends are here, and all my activities, so we agreed. 

Can wait to see all at the reunion.  Although most people don’t remember me I’m sure.

Douglas Holberg

Upon graduation, I headed off to Texas A&M with a Marine Corps scholarship. Soon after arriving, I realized that Brasso and I did not get along so I gave up the scholarship and supported myself through school via the coop program. In 1975, I married Candy Wood whom I had dated in HS (she went to Scarborough). We bought a house in Bryan and she supported me through graduation (with a B.S.E.E.).

TAMU offered an assistantship to continue with the Masters program but, I took a job in Dallas with Mostek Corp. as an integrated-circuit design engineer.

While at Mostek, we began to see fertility specialists because, hard as we tried, we were unable to have a child.

After two+ years at Mostek, I joined an old boss and moved to Austin to start an IC Design consulting company. Candy and I were ecstatic about the move to Austin. We built the company to about six persons and some decent revenue when we were able to get VC funding to become a “real” company. This was the birth of Crystal Semiconductor. Though Crystal was born, we were still unable to birth anything between us (Candy and I, that is). About this same time, we sold our house, bought property outside of Austin (Wimberley), and started planning to build a log home and remain debt free.

One of my old professors at A&M asked me to help him with a book on IC design so, in my spare time, I co-wrote the textbook “CMOS Analog Circuit Design,” HRW (then Saunders, then Oxford). It was published in 1987 and was a big success for the niche book that it was—later translated to Chinese. I remember standing at my locker just after homeroom in the ninth grade at Black Jr High talking with Robert Mahnke. I recall telling him, “My goal is to get a Ph.D. in electrical engineering,” It was 1987 when that locker conversation haunted me to the point that I left Crystal and enrolled at UT Austin. I began working earnestly toward the Ph.D. Riding the notoriety of the book, I started teaching a short course on IC design twice a year in Berlin Germany (West at the time). This was great because we were able to travel on somebody else’s nickel. Finally, in 1992 the windows of heaven were opened. After completely abandoning all hopes of being parents two years prior, God blessed us with a son, Samuel (biblical scholars will appreciate the significance of the name). In August, I received the Ph.D. and in October, Samuel was born. I returned to work at Crystal. Life could not have been better.

From 1992 to 1999 I worked at Crystal (purchased by Cirrus Logic) designing and managing a variety of circuits. It is possible that you have had a hard-disk drive with circuits designed by me and my group at Cirrus. While at Cirrus I also taught at UT Austin as an adjunct professor.

With an entrepreneural itch, I co-founded another IC company in 1999—Cygnal Integrated Products. Around this timeframe, I worked pretty hard to finish the second edition of the CMOS book. At the end of 2003, we sold Cygnal to Silicon Laboratories where I remained as VP of Technology until Jan 3 2008.  On that day I celebrated 30 years in the semiconductor industry and my last day in the corporate world—I retired.  My access badge remains active so I can go visit my corporate friends when I need a fix!  Health ins ain’t cheap so I do a little IP consulting from home for a little cash flow.

Candy and I are celebrating our 33^rd anniversary in August. Samuel is growing up to be a fine boy, and he is getting his education at home (home-school). He has been playing “Texas style” fiddle for over eight years. I play backup guitar for him. We try to play anywhere and everywhere we can!  He is also a Life Scout and will probabley make Eagle before the end of th year.

Waltrip served me well. The vocational electronics training I received there launched a successful and enjoyable career.

I consider myself blessed with a great wife and son and great parents.  My dad departed in Jan but my mom is still with us.

Mark Jenkins Baranosky

I am a Registered, Professional Civil/Structural Engineer (licensed in 6 States .. Texas, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, New Jersey, and most recently .. Alaska) I have traveled the World, mostly for work, spending time in the Mid, and far East, Africa, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia (Siberia) and South America (Brazil). I am Divorced, but my last marriage provided me with a Son. Everett is 12 yrs old this year, and has proven ‘worthy’ of the Baranosky lineage, as he’s in trouble most of the time .. but hey, at least he gets it honestly (haha) I still have my Horses and Motorcycle, so yes, some things never change

I would appreciate and revel over anybody that wishes to email me, as I totally enjoyed my time at Waltrip.

Sherrlyn Johnson Hauser

After graduating in 1973, stayed working at Exxon for 5 years, American General for 3. Moved to country to raise kids.(Should have gone to College) Wanted to be an archeologist. Married in 1976. Have son, Thomas Brandon, age 25 graduated from Baylor, living in Austin and daughter, Shalun Lanae, age 17 graduating HS in Northern CA (unless I can convince her to move back to Tx........good luck, she THINKS shes in love) She wants to go to UCLA and compete in the Miss CA pageant next year. My kids are the best things I’ve ever done. Divorced their dad in 1991 (too much testosterone) Remarried in 2001 to former 49er football player. Divorcing him now. (Too much estrogen) I am a CPht but looking for new career or retirement and looking forward to being single for the rest of my life. Looking at surgery for shoulder injury. Was at Boys basketball game and next thing I knew, I was underneath the basketball team. 35 years ago, I would have loved it! Here I am over 3000 miles from Waltrip and found out Doug Peyton lives about an hour away from me. CA is beautiful but too liberal. Got caught in war demonstration in San Francisco. Never seen anything like it and never will again unless you’ve seen the Bay to the Breakers Marathon. A lot of the runners are nude. San Francisco allows public nudity on special occasions. Everyday is a special occasion there I guess. Nothing hits like reality, until you see the Golden Gate Bridge covered with armed guards when we are on Orange or Red alert..............or driving by Lacy Peterson’s home........................I thought it was interesting you brought up subject of did Waltrip teach us well???? From what Ive seen here in CA.....Texas has them beat 100%. The teachers here dont seem to care about the kids.....just the paycheck. Most of them are stoned during class (Teachers)....some kids too. The school had to change their Zero tolerance drug policy because over ½ the school got kicked out and they lost most of their state funding. NO dress code whatsoever......the girls are half naked even during the winter. Actually, I dont mind the blue or green hair on the boys. My daughter has honors classes with teachers with NO degrees......they were grandfathered in????? Sports are taught by volunteers who dont get paid. They dont have lockers as to keep guns and knives from being hidden........my daughter was teased unmercifully for calling the adults, mam and sir, wearing dresses and having a Texas accent. Her statistics class is taught by a MENSA professor and is so smart that he tells them....”You’ll never understand this so I’ll just give you a A or B or whatever......forget taking the test. Half the Sr. Class either failed or dropped out this year. Yeah, I’d say times have changed......and we were LUCKY..............Waltrip.....did good....(except for typing class.......Loved Ms. Glasper but didnt learn a darn thing.)Will see you at reunion.....Mary Beth Warmke Grisham and I are leaving on a cruise day after reunion................been planning that since High School..............

 

 

Debbie Kethan Good

Thirty years is more than a mouthful to tell what has been happening in one’s life.  I have kept in touch with several people from Waltrip, although most of them graduated in 1974.

I waited until I was 40, to get married for the first time, then divorced him 3 years later and then remarried him the next year and divorced him again the next year and we are talking about getting remarried, for the third time.  Life is never dull around him. 

I guess the best thing is that I had a daughter (Miranda) in 1980 whom graduated from A&M,  last year.  She majored in Wild Life & Fisheries and is trying to get a teaching job, teaching Science in a High School.  Her major goal is to be a director of a zoo.

She and her fiance, of three years, bought a house in Bryan and are planning the big day for next summer.  She said I have to wait at least five years before I can be a grandma. 

The things I really enjoy are taking long distance driving vacations.  I love to see the mountains and breathe the fresh air.  Love to snow ski, but have not been able to go in eight years, sure do miss it.  I once went with a group that was sponsored by KENR Radio Station.  If anyone remembers Hal McClain, the DJ.  Right after we got back, Hal went flying in his plane, which crashed.  I also enjoy working on my geneology, which I discovered I am a cousin of Big Foot Wallace.  Ever heard of Big Foot Texas?   Very small town that consists of a post office and a small museum of Big Foot.

I hope everyone is doing well and I am looking forward to this Reunion.  I have started thinking back of the good old days, and it makes me wish I could turn back the clock.

Kris Knobles

My life… or an update:  By, Kris Knobles  (still, even after matrimony).

You never know what the tide will bring.

I was born in Houston, and in Houston I still am, though I have ventured out.

Where to begin, what to include...  The first trip was to Collage.  Sam Houston, and then UT.  Totally unhappy, went to find myself in Oregon.  Learned how to bake bread and had a great view of Mt. St. Helens (pre-eruption) from my kitchen window.  However, not for me.  I am, above all, southern.  Back to Houston, or more specifically, Austin and school.  I then learned the true meaning of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Three years later (and many operations by some very skillful surgeons, the only good thing out of it), I still have my hands and you can hardly even tell.  Still no degree.

While dating a musician, I was introduced into the oil patch.  (I’m not sure why I was resisting; I am third generation oil field trash.)  At any rate, I started, and flourished.  What, is this a career?  (Still no degree).

The 80’s.  What’s to say?  If you were in the oil patch, I don’t need to explain.  If you weren’t, I’m not sure that I can.  Suffice to say, it was a tough time.  Many purchases, mergers, acquisitions, layoffs, bankruptcies, (back room deals, but no one let me in on the know), I somehow survived.  You might say I was passed around, but never discarded.

Late 80’s, I was acquired by a small major.  (More to come).  Did I mention all these years I was called an accountant?  [Still no degree-guess my mother rubbed off with no formal training].  They said, “If you go to Lafayette, you can leave accounting and work with engineers.”  I was all over that one.  I then went and looked it up on a map.  Would you believe Lafayette is only 220 miles east of Houston?  Just the other side of the Sabine River, in La.

Lafayette:  The nicest people on the face of the earth.  These people, if you stop and ask for directions, will tell you about the speed traps along the way and ask you home for dinner, if you have the time.  The two most important cultural aspects, well three, are family, food, and partying.  [In that order, well.. the latter two are sometimes switched, especially during Marti Gras]  Seven years.  An eye blink.  Many life long friends, many memories that make you alive.

But, remember that baby major [oil company for all of you that are not in the vernacular]?  It left Lafayette.  Hence, so did I.  As a side note, the company decided it would be happier being an independent than a major.  [If you don’t know the difference and would like to know, ask me.  If nothing else, an ice breaker.]

Wow, back in Houston.  Wait, I was born here.  Downtown, St Joes.  How do you all deal with people asking you about the fact that you were born here?  Sure, I’ve left.  And to be honest, I have met many more people, in a town with 2 ½% of our population, that moved away and came back for no other reason than that they were drawn.  Lafayette, of course.  Did I have a choice?  Maybe, but this is home.  Much the same way as the Cajuns feel.

Ok, back in Houston, working for the now Independent. Guess what. Got my degree. Yea for me!!! Mom’s proud. For me, well it was just something I had to do. To be honest, it hasn’t affected my life one bit. [However, my school buddy is trying to convince me to get an MBA with her. Do you think I should? ~ another icebreaker]

We are Houstonians. I am proud of my humble beginnings, with each of you, and I say to you all, “who knows what the tide will bring.” Now, lets party!!!!!!!!

P.S. Doug, non of my nonexistent books were translated into any language, and Kim, even though I am oil field trash, hope you still love me. Love you all.

 

Bob Kurzawa

Bounced around Texas for a few years working a variety of jobs. Spent 23 years in the Navy (both enlisted and officer). Navy career included BS and MA degrees; 11 deployments; 7 ships; 6 combat zones; and some fascinating jobs in Washington DC. Married my wife Cindy (Connecticut gal) in 1989, and have two kids (5^th and 8^th grade). Retired from the Navy in 1999 and worked as a technology consultant in the Washington DC IT corridor. I now work for a medium sized company splitting my days between media productions (film, video, animation, graphics, music, PC-Games, et al) and consulting (training/information technology). We currently live in a small town on the New England coast up by New London & Old Mystic Seaport about 1 mi from the beach.

 

HULDA LAWRENCE COSKEY

Well now, this should be fun.  I will keep this short and sweet and try not to bore you with the details.  Here’s my attempt to cram 30 years into 300 words or less…hmm…we’ll see.  Here we go.

Supposed to graduate in 1973, but finished in 1972.  Stayed in Houston and immediately joined banking industry, married high school sweetheart (class of ‘69) in June 1974.  Lost him to Hodgkin’s disease four years later…but found God’s almighty power.  Met the second love of my life, Bill (class of ‘71), later the same year and will celebrate 25 years of marital bliss in December!  Life has been good! 

 

Left the big city in ‘79 for the simpler life in Conroe.  In 1980, decided the big city wasn’t so bad after all.  Returned to the fast lane.  Retired from banking in 1982 upon birth of Michelle, who is now 21 years old (remember those days?) and a Finance/Marketing major (Sr.) at Colorado State University.  Our son, Jeff, came along in 1983 and is now 19 years old and a Finance/Economics major (Soph.) at UT-Austin.  Returned to the slow pace of Conroe in 1991…but have traveled the fast lane of I-45, MANY times, ever since.  Have enjoyed many wonderful family times watching the kids grow into their young adulthood.  Now, gradually adjusting to the “empty nest”…seems very empty because even Bill and I are hardly there much.

 

Formed an engineering company with Bill in 1985.  In the early years, had the best of both worlds; a foot in the business world and a foot in the home.  To make a long story short, the company has grown and now trades on the American Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: ENG).  In June 2003, ENGlobal (our 3^rd child) was ranked #1 in Revenue Growth and #2 in Market Return among the Houston Chronicle’s Top 100 Public Companies!  Have worn many hats along the way…currently involved in senior mgmt, governance, and investor relations, on a daily basis.  Have had many great experiences watching the company grow from its inception.  Now, trying to figure out how to retire soon…haha.

 

WHEW.  So, there you have it.  My last 30 years in 300 words or less, (almost).  Will have to fill in the details in person as we celebrate together next week.  I now CHALLENGE all of you other timid procrastinators to submit YOUR story.  I look forward to reading and learning more about each of you …keep those bios coming!  Gives me something fun to do every night!

Now I’m off to the golf course to fine tune my skills, or should I say try to develop some before FRIDAY’s tournament.  THANKS TO ALL OF YOU HARD WORKING PARTY PLANNERS!!!  Until then, Hulda

 

Vickie Lively Burkins

Sorry I won't be able to attend the Reunion but it has been wonderful reading the bio's of different people. I left Waltrip in the middle of 1972 to move to Conroe. My parents had high hopes that it would help my brother kick a drug addiction. I began my college education at LeTourneau College in Longview. I was a cheerleader for the two years I was there. My brother, unfortunately, died of a drug overdose during my sophmore year. I tried to cram a four year degree into seven years!!!! I finally received my teaching degree from Houston Baptist Univ. During that seven year time period, I got sidetracked by: a college dropping my major, was trained for a year of accounting work and wisely decided that was not the future for me, got married in the summer then went back to another school, left again to have a baby then moved back to Houston to finished my degree. My husband, Ken, is from Pa. He learned to fly at LeTourneau and he flew for Rowan Oil Company at Houston Hobby. He is now a pilot for USAirways. He was a captain at one time but that was pre-9-11. He was flying out of NYC on 9-10.

 
Currently, we are living in Lancaster, Pa. but plan to move to back to the south in two years. I am teaching at a private school. We have been blessed with three daughters.: Heather is a teacher, Julie is a registered nurse and Brianna is a senior (who is not sure what she wants to major in at college besides missions). Our middle daughter played field hockey at Messiah and her team was second in the nation her senior year.
I have learned how to make snow tunnels (it requires a blizzard), but I don't enjoy shoveling 36" of snow out of the driveway! Snow skiing is a lot more fun. I have even become adapt at driving in major snow storms but I can't say I enjoy it. We have Amish neighbors and their lifestyle is truly amazing -no phones, cars, or electricity but they make great neighbors. The movies you see about them are obviously fairly inaccurate. I've done a lot of traveling since high school and I really enjoy seeing different places. I hope you all have a really wonderful time at the reunion.

Jack (Michael) McMahan

The people in the church where I serve as a missionary cannot believe what I was like in High School. I was fairly uninvolved at Waltrip. I was quite directionless those years. I graduated in the bottom 25% - Great Achievement!

I went to Junior college the next year and during that year had a major transformation. My neighbor explained the Gospel to me and I personally put my faith in Jesus Christ.

My girlfriend joined the army and I did as well. It was a good choice for me and gave me three years to figure out what I wanted to do in life. While in Germany, I attended an off-base church with a missionary Bible teacher. I was influenced by his systematic and practical teaching of the Scriptures. He advised me to attend Bible College upon discharge from the military which I did. By the way, my girlfriend became a Mormon and we  parted ways.

I completed a 4 year degree at Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, WV. I went on to earn a master’s degree at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, IN

I married in Aug. 1978. We celebrate our 25^th anniversary this year – My how time flies! We had 5 children. One died in an accident at the age of 13 months. I can say from experience that the Lord is able to hold one up in life’s darkest times. Our eldest daughter was born in 1981. She studied for two years at our alma mater and is presently pursuing a degree in math education which she loves. Our son and two other daughters (ages 20, 15, 12) are living with us in New Zealand.

I went to New Zealand as a missionary in 1985. I work with a team of missionaries to establish Bible churches in this land. Three of our children were born in NZ. My wife and I became NZ citizens a few years ago and still hold US citizenship as well.

I love my family, and the work I am doing. It is all so very rewarding. I will not be in the country for the 30^th reunion. I wish I could come, maybe another one. We do come back to the US every 4 years or so.

Any of you who knew me in High School will probably be surprised with the way life has gone for me. I can only give glory to God. He gave my life meaning and purpose. Those of you who are saved know what I am talking about. For the rest, I trust that you might come to know Him as your Lord and Savior. You too will find the true meaning of life!

 

Linda McReynolds Tsuhlares

The dream to follow in my father’s footsteps to become a doctor fizzled at the end of my freshman year at the University of Houston. Chemistry did me in! But those of you who remember me, remember I didn’t shine in Science class – English yes, but Science never. I promptly changed my major to Architecture. Like so many other females our age I got married at the start of my junior year and I have never gone back to finish. I don’t regret my decision; I have been married to a wonderful man for more than 25 years. We have four wonderful children, two girls, two boys and two grandsons with a granddaughter due in September. We have recently been through two weddings within four months of each other, one in mid December and the other in April. Luckily, it was the two boys, but my husband is first generation Greek so we had our ‘Big Fat Greek Wedding’ in December with over 90 Greek relatives from all over the world. Life has thrown us a few curves but with each we have grown. We left Kingwood in 1986 for the wonders of New Jersey. That lasted barely a year before we moved to Marietta, Georgia where we have lived for over 15 years. All the kids live close except the oldest who still lives in Austin, Texas. We have a wonderful life, but I am kept very busy between a very demanding job as Vice President of Operations at a large insurance company, trying to perfect my golf game and the fun of grand-parenting.

I am slightly apprehensive about this reunion since I only have a chance to reminisce with you every ten years or so but it sounds exciting.

 

Kim Meyer 

Before I start (on what turned out to be a long life story!) I would like to thank the members of the Reunion committee for their hard work and especially to Douglas Holberg for making the Waltrip webpage a place to reminisce.  It’s exciting to see your emails in my inbox.  It’s made me check my yearbook several times to find those who I can’t remember. I enjoy reading the biographies and hope you receive many more…

A week before graduation I was called down to the councilors office and was given  the worst news possible…due to a small mistake in 9^th grade paperwork, I was ½ a credit short from graduating…AHHHH!  After taking an art class that summer I proceeded to join the work force on three fronts to provide for my college education.  After stretching 3 years of college into 6, I found myself heavily involved in commercial construction and Waltrip ‘75 graduate Melody Boone for 5 years.  After she graduated from Trinity University in ’79 we bought our first house in Oak Forest and got married.  In ’82 I started my own commercial construction company and Melody (working all over the world for Gulf Oil as a Mechanical Engineer) found time to also engineer the birth to our first child (Colin, now 21!)  In ’83 I met my grandmother for the first time at her 90^th birthday party in New Zealand. It was the first time I had met my mothers side of the family.  Emotions ran high and low in ’84.  We had our second child (Chelsea, now 19) and a few months later my mother passed away.

In 1985 Gulf Oil was part of a hostile take-over by Chevron. They offered Melody a job in the Bay Area in California for what was thought to be a “two year” assignment that turned out to be 12 yrs.  After flying out,  seeing all the construction and getting over the sticker shock, we accepted the transfer and  I planned to expand my company.  Eventually I realized it was hard to justify the start up of another company if we might be transferred, so I decided to close the business and went to work for Pulte Homes for 8 yrs.  In ’88  we had our 3^rd child (Cameron, now 15) and life was great!  In 1990 Melody was working on a project in Papa New Guinea and I had the opportunity to go and participate in a “First Oil” celebration.  I felt like I had stepped into a National Geographic magazine. The next four years was a new experience for all of us, she accepted a job assignment in Kazakhstan where she spent the next four years on a 28 day rotation (28 in country & 28 home)  This turned out to be a wonderful situation for us because it was like a vacation every other month...of course this was when she was at home!

In the summer of 1996,  Melody had just gotten home from Angola where she was working on rotation and we made a big decision.  Since Colin & Chelsea were going into senior high & middle school, we could basically live anywhere with Melody’s job, so we decided to move to Houston to be closer to our families and better public schools.  We hastily flew in, bought a home in Spring, enrolled the kids in the Klein ISD, flew back, and gave them the news.  Were they happy? Not really, so we decided I would stay home and take care of the kids and take this opportunity to help my father who I felt would soon be in need of a nursing home.  I needed to renovate the home I had grown up in, which took about 2-1/2yrs  years to complete working around the kids’ schedules.  This was good for him, the house and me. I was able to spend a lot of quality time with him while working on the house (he wouldn’t move out.) before he passed away in 2002. As time passed the kids decided Texas isn’t that bad!

Hobbies:    All the old ones of Scuba, Snow Skiing, Hunting, Stained Glass have been replaced by Computers and Karting…Over the past two years Colin, Cameron and I  have gotten involved in Kart racing.  We’re currently race at the Gulf Coast Karters track outside of Katy, TX.  This is a lot of fun but, getting ready for the races is taking up a lot of my time. We’re hoping to do some national events next year if we’re still in one piece. We also find time to travel around the world as a family…last year we went to Thailand.

Currently, Colin and Chelsea are attending Trinity University where he is a senior majoring in Electrical Engineering and she is a sophomore who is undeclared.  Cameron will start his school year at Klein H.S. and I’ll also be teaching Cameron how to drive this year.   Melody is now the VP of ChevronTexaco’s MidContinent SBU with E&P activities from the Rockies to South Texas, and Alaska.  I’m basically retired from the real work force right now and find myself doing what has to be done around the house.  Life’s very good, we’re very proud of our incredible kids, stay close to our families, and will soon be celebrating our 25^th year of  marriage.

 

Gary Meyers

After graduation from Waltrip , I attended Blinn Jr. College and received a BA associates and a BS (not bachelor of Science) certificates. Transferred to Univ of Houston in '75, got married the first time in 5/77 and graduated 7/77. I received a BA degree with a major in Finance and a minor in Accounting. Somewhere between '73 and '77 I learned to party, I just don't remember when.

I entered the banking profession in 1977 and stayed there for about 18 years. During that time I lived in Houston , Clear Lake , Galveston and Angleton , Tx. In 1995 a joined Woodmen of the World Life Insurance and Financial Services Company. I've been with them ever since.

I divorced my first wife, which some of you met at our 5 yr reunion, in1979 and remarried in 1982. I'm thinking some of you met my second wife at the 15th yr reunion. She had a 3yr son named Dustin which I helped raised. That is probably one of the few things I got right since we graduated. He is now 25 , married and owns a house in Richmond. He also graduated from the U of H with a degree in mathematics. Hopefully soon he will become an actuary.

Unfortunately , in January of 2001, his mom and I divorced. Because I've always disliked the Houston weather , there was no better time than to make a change. So 2 weeks after our divorce was final, I packed my stuff and my dog Sandy , and transferred to Harrisburg , Pa where I still work for Woodmen as a District sales manager for the entire central and eastern part of Pennsylvania.

I have enjoyed a climate that actually has 4 seasons and didn't even mind the close to 6 ft of snow we got this past winter. I have only three hobbies, golf , western novels and the quest to personally know all bartenders in the Harrisburg area, just kiddin'.

Currently I'm still single. But hopefully one day soon I'll meet the right girl , cause livin' single can get old.

Look forward to seein' everyone in a couple of weeks.

Elizabeth Ann Mock Killough

I actually graduated in January of 1973 but came back to participate in the Commencement Exercises. It was great to get out of school early but when I look back on it, I regret it now because I did miss a lot of activities at the end of my senior year. For those of you that knew me, I dated Leonard all through High School. He went to Sam Houston High School and graduated in 1971. We ended up going our separate ways after I got out of High School. I chose not to go to college. I took a 6 week keypunch course at San Jacinto College. I started working for Shell Oil Company in March of 1973 and I am still employed with them. In my career with Shell I have gained a wealth of knowledge and I have worked in departments such as Computer Operations, Data Control, HR, Reservoir Engineering, HSE, and Civil Marine Engineering where I currently work.  I was transferred to New Orleans (actually lived Slidell, La) and lived there from 1982 to 1995. I married twice and divorced. On the bright side, out of these marriages came two beautiful children whom I am very proud of, Mitchell age 23 and Amanda age 16. I married Dan Killough on May 22, 1999. He is a wonderful husband to me and a great step-father to my children. I guess you can say the 3rd time was the charm! We now live in Katy, Texas. We enjoy camping in our spare time. With keeping up with a 16 year old daughter, we don't have too much spare time. When we retire, we hope to move out to the Texas Hill Country. This is the first reunion that I am attending and I am looking forward to seeing everyone!

 

CATHERINE MONDY BOYCE 

(1,195 words – but what a lot of living in each one)

 

Regrettably, the 35^th Reunion does not coincide with our schedule. However, after reading the wonderful life-stories, I am enticed to write.  Therefore, like so many, I must begin with the question, "Where to start?"

 After completing both Stevens Elementary and Black Junior High Schools, I attended Waltrip for 10th grade.  My FAVORITE class was Miss Williford's Major Works English. My first real academic challenge was in Smith's Geometry Class where, after always making A's and B's throughout my school career, I brought home my first and last “D” during the first grading period!  My second favorite classes were equally Miss Fowler's Home Economics and Mrs. Reescano's Biology. 

 Then my parents transferred me to Northwest Academy.  My best chum from 2nd grade forward was Gloria Crider and my boyfriend since the 7th grade was Robert "Rock" Anglin (both Waltrip Class of '73).  Because of them, I hated leaving, but though temporarily heart-broken, my next two years at NWA were a happy experience.   I think I also took some comfort in finding myself, once again, in Williford's class when I arrived at my new school!

 Following graduation, I immediately went into my family's business.  That same July, Robert and I married.  No children. Unfortunately, differences in life goals ended with a divorce three short years later.

 Since that time, I could write an encyclopedia-filled account.  However, just the bare bones will have to do:  Houston until I was 29, Miami for 14 more years, 1 year in San Antonio, and then Jacksonville, FL.  Along the way, I lived, loved, lost, and loved again.  Happily, I became the mother to five in the process. 

In Jacksonville, I met my soul mate and husband, Peter Boyce, on the Internet in 2000.  We married and moved with my three youngest children to southern New Jersey.  Peter has owned Delmont Sawmill for 27 years and I am on board as wife, secretary, bookkeeper, marketer, as well as earning the title of "The Muse of Millville."

At first glance around the mill, Peter appears as a burly, Paul Bunyan-esque man wearing red plaid shirt and overalls.  However, he is also an artist, writer, showman, and inventor especially gifted at writing poetry.  I, too, dabble with writing and still enjoy sketching cartoons.  Peter grew up in "da Bronx" so we are an example of “North meets Southwest.”  Now to make a long story short:  We have an annual tradition of hosting an elaborate Sweetheart Supper for 20 in our 1888 Victorian home on St. Valentine's Day.  (My girls wear period parlor-maid costumes and wait tables as a gift to us.)  Peter and I both write a tribute poem to each other and read it aloud during dessert.  In 2003, I recognized his poem as something superior to his previous ones.  So in 2005, I entered him into a poetry contest in Washington, DC.  Billed as "Da Bobby Burns of da Bronx" and wearing a deliberately flashy suit plus two-toned wingbacks, Peter competed against 1,800 poets worldwide.  After two days of competition, his love poem to me earned 2nd place and $5,000.00!   Since that time, as he writes poetry, I wear the crown of muse.

 We invested the prize money into forming Semper Studiosus Publishing (which loosely translates to "always learning").  In 2006, we published our first co-authored children's book, Tea with the Queen.  So far, it sells in 24 states.  We also book school visits where I teach character education classes in both public and private schools in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and of course, New Jersey.  Book 2, A Royal Tea, should be out in September.

 Peter had two grown children when we married, one in West Virginia and one in Pennsylvania.       As a result, we frequently travel in those directions.  From his children, we are grandparents (Grandpop Peter and Granny Spiffy) to three ... ages five, two, and one.

 

My son Cliff (30), moved up to NJ 5 years ago and works as a machinist.  Daughter Amy Catherine (26) graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT and is now working in Boston.  Stephanie (22) is a nursing student and lives at home.  Rebecca (19) is graduating from Fairton Christian Center Academy on May 22 as Salutatorian.  Laura Anne (16) is a sophomore who seeks a career in acting (NYC is only 2-1/2 hours away and she is chomping at the bit to audition!).

For the past 13 months, we have been raising a 3-year old great-nephew through a kinship/foster program.  If his court case continues on the current track, we will be adopting him before the year is out.  Long term goals did not include raising another little one at 52, however, when you have seven combined, what's one more?  So my nickname is "Mama Spiffy."   

 Nevertheless, enough is enough!  If I write my entire story, it could be pirated and made into a mini-soap opera or grade-B movie.  No one would believe it was a true story.  The twists and turns have spanned the spectrum and often been:  Larger-than-life to humble, lost to deeply spiritual and even miraculous, lonely and abandoned to unbelievably romantic and sentimental, heart-wrenching to a glorious mountaintop experience, uncommitted to actively political, corporate to home-spun, comical and often tragic simultaneously, surreal to concrete, artsy and earthy to elegant and refined by fire, opulent to modest, unsettled to incredibly satisfying, etc., etc., ETC.  Upon reflective review, the journey has been, summed up in one word ... "covered."  The Blood of Jesus has protected and provided for me each step of the way. 

In closing, like Eron Brimberry, I am a true daughter of the South and LOVE Texas.  I miss hearing the “drawl” and welcome visitors at the drop of a Stetson!  Since Bubba Champ’s poetical biography was one motivation to write, let me extend a poem-invitation to our home, “The Pines of Millville.”  (Philadelphia and Atlantic City airports are only one hour away.)

 

Hospitality at “The Pines”

© 2007 Catherine Mondy Boyce

 

Cinnamon and cloves will tickle your nose

When you step through “The Pines” front door

As you reach for a plate of pumpkin cake

A hot cuppa tea will be poured.

 

Now step back through rhyme to a simpler time

As our guest, you’ll be treated in style.

There’s no need to hurry or go on in a flurry.

We hope you’ll stay with us awhile.

 

Light conversation and favorite quotations

Reciting a poem or two ...

The kettle is hot, so let’s steep one more pot

And discuss all that’s wholesome and true.

 

As we share by the fire, igniting a pyre,

Divulging political views

As that draws to an end, we will ask you, dear friend,

“What has our Lord done for you?”

 

We can talk of the healings and of Scripture’s “revealings”

Of His blessings both large and small

We can encourage each other as sister and brother

To stand on our faith lest we fall.

 

It’s the close of the day and yet we still stay;

Content in this circle of Light.

Laughing away over cups of Earl Grey,

We’ll fellowship into the night.

 

Melanie Moran Boyd

Howdy everyone!

You guessed it...I still live in Aggieland.  Since Bobby (my brother and Class of ‘71) was already attending A&M....it was the perfect place to be. (Debbie Rieger and I were roomies.)

I met, dated, then married Eddy( a room mates of Bobby Smith-“Smitty” Class of ‘74)  in August of 76---we chose to stay here in the college community that we had grown to love. He began a construction business and it still makes a living for us 27 years later.

After graduating from A&M, I taught kindergarten for 2 years. We were blessed with a son (Nathan Alan) in 1980. And I was able to stay home for a few years and truly loved that adventure.   Nathan was a good high school athlete and was fortunate to be drafted out of high school by the Chicago White Sox.  He accepted a scholarship to play baseball for John Skeeters at Sam Houston and just finished his 4 years of eligibility. And although he had some exciting moments while pitching for the Bearkats...rotator cuff surgery prevented his advancing to the next level. He is happily married living in the area working for  dad.

Our daughter, Lauren Kelsey,  was born in 1985.  Good student who loves to write. She will be a freshman this fall at A&M—planning to major in Kinesiology and English as her second field of study. Lauren keeps us in stitches and it will be difficult this August when she moves into the dorm.

But  while entering into the “empty nest” stage of our lives we are involved with our Newlywed Sunday School class and are continually thankful that God has blessed us with our family.

I hope this finds you well and unfortunately, I will be unable to share in this great time for our class reunion.

 

Kenneth Naff

I graduated from Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport, La in 1977 with a BS degree in Physical Education. I worked for Exxon for ten years and changed jobs quite suddenly during the gasoline crunch in 1986. It was during this time that I discovered the real meaning of my BS degree. I became a Buyer / Planner for a manufacturing company near Intercontinental Airport where I have been for the last sixteen years. I am now in my second marriage and have a thirteen year old daughter who wants to go to Waltrip, not Scarborough! We acquired a house in Shepard Park Plaza and frequently pass by many of the old haunts. It is really sad to see bare ground where Oak Forest Elementary stood for so many years and no football field at Black. They tell me change makes us all better, right? But some memories are only that with the icons of our past now invisible.

 

Marilyn Olson Pahlavan

After graduation, I decided to work full-time and attend college at night. I got a job working in the medical center for an oculist/optician, and moved into my own apartment three months later. An oculist makes artificial eyes. We also fitted contact lenses at this location. I did receptionist and clerical work, as well as training contact lens patients, etc., and was promoted to bookkeeper overseeing four retail offices and one wholesale company at the corporate office near Greenway Plaza. I married in 1976, and had my first and only child in 1979. I had been taking classes part-time at Houston Community College and University of Houston, but after the birth of my son, I didn't go back! I wanted to spend more time with my son, and was tired of fighting traffic, etc., so I changed jobs six months later---- shorter hours, less stress, closer to home! I worked at Marrs Insurance Agency, Inc. in the Timbergrove area for the next 21 years as a bookkeeper. Marrs sold out to WSB Insurance Agency, Inc. in 2000 and I have been working here at WSB in the same capacity since then. This is a much larger agency, and it seems I am back to the longer hours, more stress, and further from home! Funny how things in life always seem to make a complete circle.......

I moved back to Oak Forest in 1981, divorced in 1989, and bought the house just behind my parent's house in Oak Forest in 1990. My son, Shane, attended Northwest Academy and was very active in sports (mainly basketball and baseball), choir, etc.. I rarely missed any of his games, and I was also active in fund-raising/booster club/etc activities for NWA. I ran into lots of Waltrip people there too. I became good friends with Retta Elam Bravo, who I barely knew in high school! Our sons are good friends, too, and were roommates their first year of college. Shane graduated NWA in 1997, graduated Baylor University (Waco) in 2001, and is currently in medical school at University of Texas Medical Branch- Galveston. I am truly blessed and so very proud of him. I feel raising him is the best accomplishment I have made.

My father passed away five years ago--- still miss him. My mom and oldest sister still live in the house behind me (my childhood home----- where Doug Holberg's band played at my 13th Birthday/Friday the 13th party!!!).

As for hobbies----- there are lots of things I would like to do, but somehow never seem to find the time! I do enjoy swimming, movies, and surfing the net (hmmm, maybe that is why I never have any spare time!) My son and I did some genealogy research when he was in high school, and that was a lot of fun. I especially liked researching the old census records.

I haven't kept up with a lot of old classmates. I'm still in contact with Judy Linkhart Coe, and Retta Elam Bravo. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.

Fred Orrell

 

I was pretty much an obscure student at Waltrip. By today’s definition, I was definitely your classic nerd. Losing my father to a heart attack at the age of 17 definitely didn’t help my social life either. If it wasn’t for Mr. Moffitt in the Vocational Radio and TV class, I might not have even graduated. He was one of my best mentors.

 

Losing my dad put a cramp in going to a real college, so I opted for DeVry Institute of Technology up in Dallas. I finished their 2 year program, but didn’t get a degree out of it.

 

I didn’t know what I really wanted to do with myself after school, so I enlisted in the US Coast Guard. It actually turned out to be a pretty good deal for me as I attended lots of different electronics schools. I spent several years in New York, California, and Hawaii. I also served on a 378 foot cutter patrolling the continental shelf around Alaska.

 

While I was in Hawaii, I met my soon to be first wife. After I left the service, I moved to Toledo, Ohio where we got married. I got a job working for Motorola Communications servicing two way communications systems for police, fire, and commercial systems.

 

I never really cared for Ohio and my wife really seemed to like the western states we visited on our whirlwind honey moon. I wasn’t ready to move back to Texas, especially since my wife didn’t care for it.

 

After visiting a couple of my old Coast Guard buddies in Utah, we decided to pack up and move to Salt Lake City. I found a job at Rockwell Collins working on military communications gear. I only worked there for a couple of years as the lead test technician. They announced that the facility was going to be shut down and moved to El Paso, so I started looking for another job.

 

Although all my education and job experience was in radio communications, I managed to jump on board an obscure high tech computer graphics company named Evans & Sutherland. I started out working on high resolution displays, then advanced graphics workstations, and finally landed into the Digistar group. I’ve been here for 26 years now wearing many hats working in design and field service. Field service work has taken me to every state in the country and about a dozen countries. Although I still travel quite a bit, I’m now a project engineer and will hopefully get to stay home a bit more.

 

My marriage was on the rocks for many years and our divorce was final in 2003. I have a 23 year old son named Jeff and he lives nearby with his mom. Jeff and I have a really good relationship. He’s working in sales support for Cisco Systems.

 

I met Michele in early 2005. We immediately hit it off and married that summer. She has a daughter and son from a previous marriage. Her 22 year old son lives with his dad in Las Vegas and her 16 year old daughter lives with us. It’s trying to raise another teenage at times, especially a daughter. OMG! In fact, she’s a really great kid.

 

Michele is a software analyst for the state of Utah. She comes originally from southern California, but moved to Las Vegas after she graduated from high school. She attended college in Las Vegas and worked as a financial consultant in the casino industry. As a young mom, she moved her family to Utah to escape the pressures of Vegas.

 

We have a nice home near the Wasatch Mountains. Sandy is about 20 miles from Salt Lake City and is about 15 minutes from Snowbird ski resort. We have two dogs, Angel and Moose.

 

I have never attended any of the Waltrip reunions. I’m hoping this 35^th year reunion can be the first. Funny, how when we get older, we reach out to make contact with old places, family, and friends. I still have family in Houston. Although I don’t make it down there too often, I need to see my sisters and aging parents as much as possible these days. You never know how long you have to be with them.

 

Danny Paul Jatzlau

First off, I told Doug Holberg, that putting a picture and article about me giving the graduation speech on our Reunion Web Site was not a good idea. I’m sure many people would remember me better by the picture on page 312 of the 1973-year book. It showed me at a Pep Rally probably giving some speech. The funny part is, included in the picture is the Ram Mascot at my backside with the caption. “Our ram in the middle of a mighty BUTT.” I know they did not intend the word butt to be a verb, rather a noun. Probably would have said “Ass” if Miss Andrew’s (Aries Advisory) would have let them. I went to University of Houston in 1974, Texas A & M in 1975 and the University of Texas in 1976 to 1977. When I went to A & M, I lived with Kelvin Adams and Mike Schlinke on Kelvin’s parents farm. I graduated number 21 (this is only important if you know I failed 1^st grade at Oak Forest Elementary) with a BBA with Highest Honors in Accounting. Wanted to go to law school, but was tired of being broke and seeing all my friends who did not go to college driving NEW cars. I went to work for “Arthur Young” at that time one of the Big Eight Public Accounting Firms. Made manager in five years, but left and went to work for a start up company in Tomball. It grew by acquisitions and being acquired. I held positions from Controller to President then back to Controller and Vice President of Finance. After 18 years, it sold one to many times and I lost my job in Aug. 2000. I have worked several contract jobs since then, but I am looking for a permanent full time job. I do not want to be retired. I love to work. I dated Karla Torregrossa through college and we lived together for several years in the same apartment complex with Bobby and Debbie Elsenbrook. I have known Bobby, since the first grade. He is my best friend and more like my brother, than my real brother. I have been in over 18 wedding, the best man in around 5, and none of the people are still married. Therefore, I took my time, and did not get married until I was 37. We got divorced when I was 48. She took the Porsche (Alan Melson will get a laugh out of that) and MONEY; luckily, we did not have children. I am single, but would prefer being with the “right person”. I am a member of “Great Expectations” (a dating service) or you can check out my profile on Classmates.com.

My passion for boats and water skiing lead me to buy a NEW boat and USED car when I graduated from college. You could find me in Austin camping every three-day weekend and on some river around Houston every regular weekend. I took many friends from high school like Bobby, Karla, David Gandin, Greg Moore, Mike McDaniels and Trudy Brandt. Unfortunately, in 1991, I hurt my back barefoot water skiing, which caused me to sell my boat in 1995. I have had three back surgeries (herniated discs) and a total hip replacement (in Dec. 2002). Fortunately, this last operation got me back in the gym in March 2003 and I have been going almost every day (working out 3 to 5 hours). I feel great and I am losing weight, again. I am close to being in the “Best Shape Ever”.

I have had many hobbies but I am always open to something new. One of my favorite things is to get a two-hour massage every other week (once a moth since I have been off work). I have been lucky enough to go on vacations to tropical islands and other exciting places. I have enjoyed sightseeing, eating and meeting new people in Aruba, Cancun, Puerto Verta, Hawaii, St. Martin and St. Thomas. I love to fish for Marlins or Tuna in Cabo San Lucas. I really enjoyed creating a tropical paradise in my back yard. I have two Koi (fish) ponds. I also enjoyed redecorating my house over the last two years. I like to landscape and decorate, but I leave the weekly upkeep to others. Occasionally, I like to ride my custom red, white, and blue Harley motorcycle on weekends. I ride a lot with Mike McDaniels. Yes, boys will have their toys.

People say, I am a big “Huggy Bear”. I think, “The best thing about a hug, is that as soon as you give one; you get one right back”. I am a fun loving playful person with a good heart. I have a good sense of humor and can laugh at myself. I like to think I am the “nice guy” who did not finish last. People say I am intelligent, but I believe that I just work harder than most. I was blessed with common sense Friends and family are two of the most important aspects of my life. For those who remember how great my parents were: Mom died in 1993 of cancer (right before the 20 year reunion). I still miss her. Dad is still going strong and we are closer than ever. We have been going to Vegas, once a year, almost every year, since I turned 21. I still have many of my high school friends. I tend to develop long lasting friendships. Although I never had children, I like to visit my friends and their families. Most of their kids think of me as “Uncle Danny. I am not impressed by what people do or own. What is important to me is a person’s character. I am honest to a fault. I like people and do not understand why someone would not come to their class reunion. This reminds me, I never could understand why I was voted “Most Likely to Succeed”. After reading this and reading some of the other people’s bios you can change your vote, I have (but of course I did not vote for me in the first place). However, at one time in my life, I almost felt like, maybe, people where not so wrong. Nevertheless, the last few years have been somewhat tough. I am not complaining, just reflecting. Having the right attitude is half the battle. I have been extremely blessed in many ways, for most of my life, and I am thankful. Look forward to seeing everyone.

Jon Paulk

After graduation ‘73 I went to Memphis, Tenn. with Alan Melson kicked around there for the summer and enjoyed being free from school ran out of money and came back to Houston. Worked a few odd jobs, quite a few actually, and decided to join the Navy, to the tune of 9 years. Went to boot in Oct. ‘74 Orlando Fla...Got first set of orders to my aviation structural school in Memphis. Came in pretty handy knowing the lay of the land already. Got my first set of orders to Marine Corp Air Station Yuma Ariz. where I spent four and a half years as an aviation welder. Doesn’t seem right does it. I met the love of my life there, Shelley and we have been married for 26 years. We have two sons; Jonathon( 24 ) a fireman with The Port Authority and James ( 20 ) working on being a fireman now. I used my full G. I. bill for schooling and got a degree in Business, but have stayed in the Oil industry as a welder. Guess I enjoy it. Shelley and I live in Cypress and enjoy being just outside of Houston...This will be my first reunion since graduating and I‘m looking forward to seeing the class.

 

Donna K. Payne

Wow! This all seems so surreal to me. Of course, I spent a fair amount of junior high in an altered state of consciousness anyway which scared the @$#%^$% out of me once I finally realized what I was doing (around 10th grade) so ........ I transferred to Northwest Academy and graduated from there in '73. Seriously though, it has been enlightening to read all the bios and to see that despite the years and the different paths, I still feel connected to everyone. Thanks to Sue Scott and Kim Bowman for talking me into going to the Reunion! Sounds like it's going to be a blast and I am really excited (?) ..... curious (?) ....... a little nervous (?)

My "path" during the last 30 years has been far too .... uh, what's the word, circuitous in a tangential sort of way. I'll give you the highlights (and it still won't be brief) and if you want to know how it all connects (and it does), you'll just have to track me down at the Reunion and we'll swap stories. Let me say first that, my "path" has been and continues to be, a complete surprise to me:

• Started out getting a BS in Horticulture from Texas A&M, 1979 ..........
• Moved to back to Houston in 1980 (never planned to), worked 3 years in the "Green" industry, 2 years as partner in a landscape design/build firm then..........
• In 1985 - got another BS - in Psychology from University of Houston and ........
• Moved to Austin, spent 7 years at Austin State Hospital (ASH), trying to decide which career move to make next and .....
• Went to Nursing School, this time got a Masters in Nursing from University of Texas - 1996.
• Spent 2 years at the County Jail & then, 5 more years at the State Hospital and a total of 14 years .........
• Finally decided that I had spent enough time doing society's dirty work (after all, who contributes less to society than crazy people and inmates) and have been working as a Public Health Nurse for the Austin Health Dept (8-5, Mon-Fri, weekends off, nobody tries to hit me)

Now, I never intended not to get married and have kids ...... I've had my share of serious relationships through the years but never married (never been divorced, either). Spent most of my 20's working all the time so during my 30s, I made up for it and did all the things I didn't get to do earlier - took up windsurfing, biking, hiking locally, backpacking on vacation, roller blading and having a great time - Austin is good for all of that. I bought a house just before going to graduate school in 1992 which between that & graduate school, kept me pretty preoccupied. I considered adopting a child after graduate school but by that time (age 41), I realized that I wasn't prepared to take on raising a child by myself. But God has blessed me with friends and neighbors and relatives with many children so if you drive by my house, you would never know that children don't live there. My role is more like an aunt, and I seem to be perfectly suited to it.

On a spiritual level, I spent many years exploring, searching may be a better term - many Christian denominations, practiced Yoga, sat with a Zen Buddhist group here in Austin, and finally ended up, much to my surprise again, becoming an Orthodox Christian (think Russian or Greek Orthodox). I found in Orthodoxy those aspects of Buddhist philosophy that appealed to me, plus the Orthodox Church has retained the mysticism that Christianity has lost (or discarded) through the years.

So, now I spend a good deal of time gardening and keeping up my house, which is small, old and is a fixer-upper. Most of the time, there are kids, friends, family or neighbors over. I like theatre and performing arts (and, don't say anything, but I'm really into Rap music), and I still like roller blading & biking. San Francisco is my second home as my brother, Brian, lives there and I visit as often as I can. Sounds a bit boring but that's ok with me 'cuz like I said ....... I never know what will happen next ....... except that I will be at the Reunion on the 16th and I look forward to getting reaquainted with everyone!

 

Doug Peyton

Now for something really boring! Went to Cougar High after grad. majoring in Biology, switched to business my junior year, and then quit for a good job offer(so I thought) selling construction and oilfield equipment. Like so many others, reality set in with oil patch and struggled a little bit. Moved to Austin in '85,got my first real job in a few years as a Regional Sales Mgr. for a construction equip. mfr. out of Japan. Met the girl of dreams on 6th St and she convinced me it was time to settle down. Married me in '88, had Cameron later that year, got transferred to Dallas, had Stephen there in '89, got transferred to Sacramento area a year later, and had my little Valley girl, Ashley in '92. What can I say, I married a good Catholic girl! After I finally figured out what was causing these creatures, we stopped at 3. Susan, my bride, was a stay at home mom until last year when she got her teaching credential and started with 5 grade. She's at the same school as Ashley so it works out well, especially with my traveling all over the west coast. My boys, now 14 and 15, and I have a great time together hunting, fishing, and camping ,which the girls join us on occasion. We live in a little country town northwest of Sac. about 25 miles and Susan and Ashley ride their horses and do other girlie stuff together so it works out nicely. Can't make it to the reunion, Cameron has a big swim meet that weekend and wouldn't dream of missing it. Like everyone else, it's a kick seeing what everyone’s up to with these bios. Bubba, I liked yours, but now I got that damn song stuck in my head! Doug, great job on the web site, Ya'll take care and drop me a line sometime. dcpeyton1@aol Bye!

Melinda Reagor Flannery

After graduating in ‘73, I got the h-ll out of Dodge and attended Wellesley College, finding myself majoring in religion (perhaps unaccountably, for those of you who knew me when).  I then did a Masters in Divinity at Yale, focusing mostly on Hebrew Bible and followed by a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  Returning to Austin, TX, I completed a library school degree in ‘82.  I decided at the time that using my education to do something practical was more appealing than going on for a doctorate.  At

26, I had still never paid bills or owned a colander.  Following library positions at Duke (‘82-88) and Rutgers (‘88-92), I returned to Houston as Head of Cataloging at Rice, becoming Asstistant Director for Technical Services in ‘97.  I came back to live near my widowed mom (83 now and still a powerhouse).  Helping the right person meet the right book (er, resource) seems a noble enough service, as jobs go.  And I find that personnel responsibilities have been among the most rewarding, if often draining, aspects of that work.

Still single in ‘93, I met my future husband Patrick at a librarians’ conference, over creme brulee in the duckpress room at Antoine’s in New Orleans.  I lured him to TX and discovered that Pennsylvanians make excellent transplants.  A computer guy for money, he also works in genealogy, writes fiction, plays a mean guitar, and sings.  I introduced him to Renee Fleming, he introduced me to Bruce Springsteen, and our pooled dowry of a complete collection of Emmylou Harris LPs kicked off the marriage nine months after we first met.  Our son Benjamin came along in ‘98.  Like the personnel work, parenting is immensely rewarding (did I mention draining?).

I’ve been a lay preacher in the Episcopal Church for over 20 years now.  I guess that’s a hobby!  I also love to cook and sing and read, though my reading sessions are much shorter with an almost five-year-old around. Recipes and poems are about the right length.

Back in high school, Patti Bernard and I used to fantasize about coming to a future reunion bearing multiple cases of champagne along with rented Hollywood-looks husbands and children.  I wonder how others are balancing the curiosity and apprehensions I gather go hand in hand with attending a reunion.  Me, I’m dieting.  Despite the complexities, I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing everyone.

 

Gregg Reese

I went off to UT in ‘73 with no real idea what I wanted to do. I roomed with Mike and Garry Mithcham my first year. I considered majoring in classical guitar and taking an oath of poverty. Went into Architecture school instead. My folks divorced in 1975 and I had no money so I quit school and moved to Houston.I worked odd jobs, including a stint as a singing waiter at a Dinner Theatre, for 6 months and then got a job at a big engineering firm as a pipe draftsman. I did that for 2 ½ years and went to night school at U of H. I figured I’d make a mediocre architect so I opted for Structural Engineering instead. I went to Saudi Arabia (for work) for a couple of months, traveled alone in Europe before getting back to Houston, quitting my job and heading back to UT in fall of ‘78.I had $5000 in the bank and two years to finish before the money ran out. Got a job as a draftsman and made it through in two years. My grades were good and I was offered a Research Assistantship at the Phil Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory, my lowest job offer. I took it and spent the next 3 years in graduate school. I enjoyed some of the best years of my life and played softball and water skied a lot with fellow Rams, Jon McMahon, Blake Johnson and Mike McArthur. I did full scale testing of concrete bridge beams and graduated in 83.

I took a job in Austin at a small architectural engineering firm. I hated it and took a job with an international bridge firm and moved to Tallahassee, FL. I immediately started working on design of the double decking of I35/I10 in downtown San Antonio. Moved there two years later to be on the job site and spent the next five years living in New Braunfels and working in SA. Spent a lot of time on the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers. I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven. I met my first wife Nancy on a bike trip in Vermont with some friends from Florida. Started long distance courtship with her (she lived in Denver) and we got married July ‘89. We took off 4 months and we bicycled across the US from Seattle to Maine for a honeymoon. We moved to San Diego for a year and then to Denver where I now live (actually Littleton) and had two wonderful kids, Sara (11) and Ryan (10).I joined a one man company as a partner then started my own firm 8 years ago. Found out I like being a small businessman even though I never took a business class in my life. I worked out of the basement of the house for 8 years and now have a small office nearby. Business is brisk. I am currently working on bridges at the DFW airport, around Colorado, the new Galveston Causeway (soon to go under construction) and the SF/Oakland Bay Bridge. I also worked on the new Surfside and Quintana Beach Bridges in Freeport. It’s funny, I live in Colorado but more than half of my business comes from Texas. I have been working on the construction of large bridges for twenty years and love working with Contractors. I divorced six years ago and was a single parent/business owner/ single guy for a five years. (Tough way to live) I have been a Cub Scout den leader for the last four years and boy am I ready to retire from that as soon as Ryan crosses over to Boy Scouts. I have my kids half of the time and have a great relationship with my ex who just lives down the hill.

Met Jan Eyer and we dated for three years before we were married last August. She has two boys, Joey (9) and Brett (12). I bought a bigger house, then Jan and the boys moved in April 2002 and we became a mini Brady Bunch with kids in 4^th through 7^th grades. Blending families is hard work but Jan is the finest person I have ever known and we are fumbling our way along. Everybody gets along and we have a lot of fun together.

We live on a hill overlooking a valley at the foothills of the Rockies. It is beautiful here and life is good even though it is way too busy. I am planning on attending the reunion so I hope to see you there.

 

Diana Renfro Taylor

It has been enjoyable to read the biographies so far. I decided to send mine, even though it may not be as impressive or original as others. I attended Stephen F. Austin State University after high school and roomed with a complete stranger. I had a great time! I met my husband there and decided to attend business school instead. Then the fun began (or I thought it would be) - earning a living! My husband, Mark, and I have just celebrated our 28th anniversary and we have a 15 year old son, David. I was a claims adjuster for 6 years and then an office manager for a dental office for 7 years before becoming a parent. My husband has been with the Houston Fire Dept. 28 years. In addition, we owned our own business for 18 years and sold it almost two years ago, thankfully. I have returned to full time work and am adjusting. I loved being home to raise our son and felt very blessed to have had that opportunity. I work now at my son's school - I'm the school secretary for 6th - 12th grades. I get to hear all the same excuses about being tardy, etc. that we tried. My twin sister, Dawna, lives three minutes away from me and we see each other as often as possible - hopefully every day. I'm trying to think of hobbies - my son competitively speed skates and that keeps us busy. That's his hobby, isn't it? Not much time for hobbies for me these days, I'm afraid to say. I still stay in touch with Judy Gleason Rundell (remember the prom?), Polly Raborn Boe (she now works for Robert Redford's company), Susan Spencer White (fun trips to the beach!), Debbie Telge Straube (smarter than me!), Susan Fleming Simmons (also smarter than me!!) and Tricia Edwards King (just returned from Holland), which I enjoy. Life has been good, full and fun. I am thankful!

Dawna Renfro Cronin

Life has definitely not been boring since graduation! It's been both good and not so good, but looking back I know I have been blessed. I attended Houston Baptist University for one year and then decided to join the work force. I worked for an insurance company for almost 16 years progressing from receptionist to Sr. Underwriter. I was able to quit that job and work at home as a homemaker / mom about 12 years ago. My husband, Michael, sold his business about five years ago and has been retired so he is at home also. We have a son, Robert, who is 21 years old and a daughter, Amanda, who is 11 years old. We have a nice life. I've recently began taking piano lessons (again) and love it. I volunteer at my daughters school and at church which keeps me very busy - do these qualify as a hobby? I think of school with happy memories. I hope everyone can remember the good times, the laughs and the friendships we all had. I plan to see everyone at the Friday night get together.

Clay and Ginny Rich

After our wonderful years at Waltrip, yes wonderful, Clay and I remained love birds as Mr Johnson so eloquently put it.  We married in 1974 and moved to Fayetteville Arkansas where Clay has a swimming scholarship.  I worked on campus as Clay went to school.  Believe me he had more fund than I did, but that is neither here or there.  As it turned out, we ended up with two children Mindy 28 years old and Josh 23 years old.  Mindy is our attorney and she is with Fulbright Jaworski here in Houston.  This is our opportunity to for bragging rights, right?  Here are mine anyway.  She is married and has a grandson that we so dearly love and spoil at every opportunity.  Now, my Josh who is more like his mom, an athlete and well, school is social time.  He is still in college working on the old college degree, so that tells you something right there. 

I have been a banker since the 1984 and have worked for 4 banks in that time.  I am currently a Loan Operations Supervisor with Sterling Bank. They have not kicked me out the door even after 8 years of employment and by now they surely know me, so hopefully that means that they still like me and my work ethics.

Clay received his degree from the University of Arkansas, tried his hand at Law School, but it didn’t suit him.  He is self employed and has been for the last several years.  He has taken great pride in the achievements of both Mindy and Josh.  He is a good grandfather to Coleman.

As so many of our fellow former classmates times have not always been good. We have had our ups and downs. Heck, we even divorced for a year after 5 ½ years of marriage and remarried.  We have been separated for over a year. Life goes on.  I am not complaining about life and its ups and downs because I love life and all my friends, new and old alike.  I keep in contact with Janet Landry Lane May, Chuck Lane, Tracey Doescher Vordokas, Mary Beth Warneke Grisham and Sherlynn Johnson (just recently) and see Ann Sony Gordon and her husband Nathan.  I ran into Gloria Garces Danley just recently and can you believe, she and I have been living in the same apartment complex for over a year.  Small world. 

So much for keeping it down.  I am eager to attend the reunion.  Thanks to all of you that have put out so much effort to make this happen.

 

Ginger Roberts Borski Mullins

Well, here it is the Bio I reluctantly promised!!!!! Not sure what I've been doing for the last 30 years, but I know I have been very busy doing something... I married in Dec 1972 before we graduated in 1973; so I did not attend all the fun stuff like the prom & senior trip; since I was married I was way too cool for that kid stuff!!!!! I did graduate though; didn't go to college; worked and stayed married for 7 years ( to Borski ) until I decided he looked better in my pantyhose than I did (major transvestite). Remarried in 1981 (to Mullins); worked for an oil company that went under; sold insurance for 8 years; moved to Conroe where I flooded and lost everything in 1994. I then moved on to Lake Conroe because I figured the San Jacinto River Authority wouldn't let the half million dollar houses flood only the ones below the damn, so I remain in a condo on the Lake. Never had any kids but helped raise my only two nieces, Belinda now age 30 and Julie now age 27; they both graduated from Tomball High School. Started working for North Harris Montgomery College District in Dec. 1999 as a special grants counselor. I travel to Kingwood College, Montgomery College, Tomball College, North Harris College and Cy-Fair Colleges to work with students. It is allot of fun and very rewarding!!!! For fun I watch all the boats go by on Lake Conroe from my back porch and enjoy the sound of the waves hitting the dock.

I enjoyed my time and friends at Waltrip. But allot of the friends I had left when they opened Northwest Academy, hope someone has invited those guys to come to our party too!!!! See you at the mixer!!!!
 

Dan Ryan

Well, if Dee Strickland can write one, so can I. After graduation went to SW Texas and had a large time for one semester (much like Dee Strickland). Visited James Othold at Texas A&M and liked it so much I transferred there in the spring. (Couldn't meet the academic requirements today.) Changed majors numerous times, lost interest in pre-med, partied a lot. Roomed with Johnny Barker for a awhile (can't remember if it was a year or a semester). Finally after 5 years of higher (in more ways than one) education I graduated with a BS in Chemistry.

 

Didn't really want to be a "lab rat" for a typical chemical company. The oil boom was just heating up (funny how many of our classmates were affected by that mixed blessing). Went to work for an oilfield service company (Dowell Division of Dow Chem). Married Brenda Bolian - Waltrip class of 74. We moved around in the classic vagabond oil field manner - Tulsa, Farmington, New Mexico, McAllen, San Antonio. Changed companies at the peak of the boom late 1982. Thought I had cut a real fat hog. Moved up to Oklahoma City, made great money for 9 months and got laid off. (Everyone should be laid off once in life, it's good for you). Went to work for BJ Services (then part of Hughes Tool - you know Howard Hughes Jr is buried in a cemetery over on Washington Ave, near Studewood). Worked for BJ in Bryan, Victoria, Tomball and Houston. Worked one year in their International group. Still lived here but rotated to their boat in the North Sea. Quit BJ in 2002 to work with a consulting company - Ely and Associates. Now doing a lot of wellsite work - stimulation supervision. If you need some stimulation I'm your man.

 

As I said earlier I married Brenda Bolian in 1979. She gave up a career in the fashion world (Joske's) and moved with me to all those glorious oilfield towns. We had our first son J.C. in McAllen. He will graduate from A&M this Dec with an Electrical Engineering degree. Our second son, Zachary, was born in San Antonio, 17 months after J.C. (we thought if we were in S. Texas we should act like natives and breed prodigiously). Zach is currently enrolled at UT as a Civil Engineering student. We think he will graduate some day. His hair is blonder and curlier than mine was. He went to high school and is rooming with Tony and Judy Hamblen's son, Jeremy. My youngest is Megan. She was born in College Station, where I worked for BJ. She just graduated from Cypress Creek high school and will be attending UT next month. She has her mother's good looks and the boys are always hanging around. It's a good thing her older brother will still be at UT to watch over her.

 

Am constantly running into Waltrip grads out here in Cy-Fair area. See Greg Moore occasionally (never have seen his band perform though) and I've run across Danny Jatzlau at the Laffspot. Tried to get back into competitive swimming with Susan Holland (Kleinhenz), but the new job keeps me on the road too much.

 

Look forward to see you all. If I don't recognize you at the reunion, I'm sorry, but like I said, I partied a lot.

 

Randy Schulze

Here is another biography from the class of 1973:

After graduating Waltrip I started a career in the oil & gas industry in Houston. I moved to New Orleans in 1980 where I met my wife, Wendy. We married in 1981, and our first daughter Alisse, was born in 1983. We moved to London in 1984 and on to Scotland in 1985. Our second daughter, Kirstin was born the winter of 1988 in Scotland and in 1990 we moved to Houston. The following year I moved to Russia, commuting every few weeks while the wife and kids stayed in Houston. In 1994 our third daughter Katrina was born and in 1996 we moved to Singapore. A couple of years later Wendy took a job as the principal of an International School in Singapore and I took a severance package so we could stay in Singapore for another year or two. In 2001, after two years of the golf and Mr.Mom routine, I headed out for Houston to find work and in 2002 Wendy and the kids made their way to Houston to join me. Hopefully we’ve settled here for a few years. Looking forward to hearing about you all at the reunion,

Linda See Gray

I’m so bummed (for some strange reason, I chose a word I probably haven’t used since Waltrip days!) that I’ll miss the reunion.  Congratulations to all of you who are working hard to plan a great event.  I am moving to Atlanta and we close on our house on 8-15, move in is 8-16!  Please keep me on the e-mail list and I’ll get my new information to you when I have it all.  My new address is 3947 Tuxedo Road, Atlanta, GA 30342.  (That’s if closing goes as planned). You all know I married Tom Fehrle in 1976 and we divorced in 1980.  Just found out he died of a heart attack this spring.  We didn’t have any children, so I had lost contact with him and his family. I married again in 1983, so will celebrate 20 years this year.  My husband has a son, Jason, who is 26 and has two children, so I’m a grandmother!  Rod and I also have two boys, Alex, 14, and Carson, 11.  We’ve been in Houston all these years and are actually moving the end of July. I have a mortgage business, but it seems to be part-time compared to my volunteer work—serve on a lot of boards in town and involved in city politics (West University) and of course, my kids’ activities.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, and have been cancer free following surgeries, chemo, etc. for seven years!  We have a farm outside Houston in Bellville that we love and since Rod is from Wyoming, we spend time at his family ranch as well there.  God has blessed us with a fabulous life, friends, and opportunities—wish I could see all of you at the reunion—have a great time!

Terri Sewell Allen

I graduated in '72 and moved to Arlington. Went to school at North Texas State for a semester, partied too much and then transferred to U.T. at Arlington. Graduated in Dec. '75, then went to medical school in San Antonio. Started my surgery residency there, then fell in love with my 4th year resident, switched to Radiology and we got married in '82. Moved back to Arlington where my husband, Scott, began his practice. I finished my residency at Baylor in Dallas and began my practice in '86. We have been married 21 years. We have a daughter, Ashley, who's a senior this year and aspires to go to Harvard and be a writer. Our son, Michael is a sophomore, plays ice hockey, and wants to be a professional fly fisherman. You can see they are real impressed with medicine! I can't make it to the reunion but I wish I could be there, it sounds like a great party!! Would love to hear from all my long lost friends out there...my e-mail is allensc41@comcast.net. Have a great reunion!!

 

Britton Shotts

After graduation from TAMU in 1977, I went to work with Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company.  Worked with B&W for 6 years.  After B&W I have worked for Coca-Cola for the past 18.  Spent time in Shreveport, La, Knoxville, Tn, Charlotte, NC and now Atlanta, Ga at the corporate headquarters.  I am currently the VP of Sales for our Wal-Mart and Club Store business.

After graduation I married Kim Currie from Baytown and we celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary last year. We have one daughter, Brittany, who will be a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, Tn this fall.

 

Jane Smith Thomas

Well, I guess I'm really going to do this. All you very successful and well-traveled people have definitely intimidated me, but when I saw that my old friend Kris Knobles (and no, I don't mean you are old, Kris) had submitted her bio, I figured what the heck!

I, also, would like to give a big "thanks" to all the folks who have worked hard to make the reunion happen. The first person I heard from on this was Gary Champ, who asked me to help. At the time, Bryan's mother was dying and I couldn't get there. Sorry, Gary, I would have loved to help. The second person I heard from was Doug Holberg who I always loved a lot and have thought of only about two million times since school. It was so great to hear from those guys.

It looks to me that there have been some awesome accomplishments by all you guys. I've only been married once and even though I have traveled to some extent, I'm definitely not in the league of some of you. I don't hold any doctorates and I must say, my life seems rather "plain-Jane" compared to many of yours. I've never seen so much prolific writing! Your English teachers would be proud!

I was at Sam Houston with Kay Kethan, Kris Knobles, Penny Gillingham and many others. I was doing the piano thing, as always, and did well there. I spent a lot of time between there and A&M. After two years I became bored with Huntsville and transferred to UT Austin. Austin was awesome for me. Troy Lenert and some other good friends were close by, which was really great. I got an education there that had nothing to do with music but was awfully fun. After graduation from UT, Bryan (Thomas) and I got married and my parents got divorced. We lived in Houston and I taught in Spring Branch ISD - elementary music. We had our first child, David, in 1981 and moved out to Columbus, Texas. There we thought we could get away from the big city and raise our kids in a small town atmosphere. That would have been great, except we were in business. We found out that the buying mentality of small town folks is way different than big city folks. Making money is not always easy in a small town. We bought a historical building on the square, which we later came to describe as our "hysterical" building. We were in the mechanical contracting business and ran an antique store on the side. Life there was extremely busy (Don't ever make the mistake of thinking that moving to a small town will give you more leisure time.) I taught school, taught the children's choir at the local Methodist church, was a cub scout leader, and did some catering and lots of volunteer work, including some major fund-raising for the local hospital. We enjoyed it, but missed the city. We had a second son there in 1985, Ross, who was named after my brother. In 1992 I finally came to grips with the fact that I AM A CITY GIRL!!! and we moved back to Houston.

Our third and last son was born in 1992. Taylor was my "SURPRISE!!! You're 36 and PREGNANT!!!" baby. We had just moved back to Houston, Bryan unexpectedly lost his job and I found out I was pregnant, not a good combination. I thought to myself, "If one more person tells me what a blessing this baby is gonna be, I'm gonna smack 'em." Well, actually he WAS a blessing but it sure didn't feel that way at the time. After he was born, I decided I wanted to find my birth mother (I am adopted) and I found her quickly after the judge opened my adoption records. here in Houston. It was an interesting experience, to say the least...

I've taught public school, private piano, and I have sold residential real estate for the last ten years. Bryan and I live in Spring and our kids go to Klein Schools. I see Waltrip people all the time and I've even seen Brenda Jolly Govach around here. I am active in my church and in my kids' schools. I think about my Waltrip friends very, very often. It's hard for me to believe that I have a three year old grandson and my oldest son, David, is about to enter medical school. I can't possibly be this old! I guess for someone who used to be so crazy about boys, it's appropriate that I have so many boys in my life now. Even my dog is a male. My boys are hockey players and I even ran into Jan Childers recently because her son plays ice hockey with mine. My friends won't be surprised to know that all my kids also play the piano.

Bryan and I have been married 25 years last January. We're finding it a full time job to be involved with our kids and to keep them from (hopefully) repeating too many of our mistakes. We've spent quite a bit of time taking care of our parents in the last few years. I guess that's a common experience!

Bryan is looking forward to seeing his buddies. He feels like Waltrip is his school, too, even though he attended Northwest Academy. Remember Northwest Academy?

I'm coming to this reunion because I'd really like to see everyone again, so if you're wavering about whether or not to come, I hope you'll decide to be there!

 

 

Dee Strickland

Well I'm not much on writing(Becky R. can attest to that from my English classes) but here it is and thanks to all who put this reunion together. I missed the last 2 because they ended up being the same week we were at my wife's family reunion in North Carolina. Planning on being at this one though. Did I see on the website that this is it until 2013? Geesh most of us will be 58 then, just 4 years from collecting SS if there is any left to collect.

What did I do after graduation? I ended up going to SHSU and thought I should major in partying, hunting and fishing. After all that was the year they dropped the drinking age to 18 and Hunstville went wet. Seems like I spent more time on Lake Livingston and in the National Forest than I did in class. Also spent a lot of time in Wimberley on the river and in San Marcos and College Station going to concerts and clubs. I had a good excuse for checking out bands and clubs since I worked at a club in Huntsville. I also spent a lot of time in Crested Butte, CO skiing and of course fishing. After all my parents had a place there. Needless to say in five years I left Sam with no degree but it sure was a lot of fun.

Came back to Houston and went to work for the family business until the oil business went sour in the early 80s and we sold out while the gettin was good. Took a 2 year vacation fishing, playing golf and skiing. I Finally got married in 82. In 84 I finally decided it was time to grow up so I decided to go back to Sam and finish college. Again it was great, stayed on the lake during the week and came home on the weekends since we did'nt have class on Fridays. I graduated Summer of 84 and got a job that fall working for the City of Houston doing food inspections. Shortly after that in 86 and 89 we had our 2 sons TD and Tyler. I really had to grow up then. During that time I also moved over to Harris County as a Supervisor in the Consumer Health Section doing Food inspections. We also bought a house back in the old neighborhood, Timbergrove in 85. In 92 the wife and I parted ways after 10 years. I met my new wife Cindy Gray, who graduated from Waltrip I believe in 79. We are still in Timbergrove where we both grew up. The boys live in Magnolia but we still see them quiet frequently and Cindy has been a blessing helping me raise them. We just sold the house on Wynnwood and moved into my Mothers house where I grew up at on Lindyann. I am still with the County as a supervisor after 16 years and I am still in Houston after 48 years.

We spend a lot of time at little place in the Hill Country close to the town of Kendalia. Cindy can take it or leave it, but the boys and I love it there. There's plenty to do and of course it includes hunting, fishing, 4 wheelers and tubing the river. There is also nothing better than being able just to get out there in the middle of no where and enjoy life. After all life is good even though sometimes things don't go the way we want it to, but there's a reason, and it will change if given the chance. I think they call it living life on life's terms...

See yall at the reunion, and for those of you that have to travel here, have a safe trip.

 

Debbie Telge Straube

After graduation, I attended SWTSU for two years, then married my

husband, Bruce in 1976.  We have two terrific children, Kristel Allison (28), who is married and a Baylor graduate, and Kevin Christopher (25), an engineering graduate of UT in Austin.  Kristel and her husband, Mike (an engineer, also!), enjoy living in their home with their weimeraner, Sophie, in southwest Austin.  Kevin is currently living and working back in Cypress, TX after experiencing life in the snow country while working in Milwaukee, WI for a year. 

 

After college and before having children, I worked in downtown Houston for five years at Dresser Industries, Inc.  I went back to work at Cy-Fair ISD in 1993 and have been there for 16 years.  I have worked at two different senior high schools and am now the Principal’s Secretary at one of the middle schools.   I truly love my job and enjoy going to work every day!

 

After becoming empty-nesters, Bruce and I built a new home in Cypress, TX two years ago.  Our house is on a ¾ acre lot, so it feels almost like living in the country!  We enjoy the quietness of the neighborhood and the wide open spaces between the homes.  We have a group of neighbors (all empty nesters!) who we enjoy getting together with frequently for dinner, playing cards, or just having a glass of wine!  I still see my closest friends from Sinclair/Black/Waltrip (Susan, Dawna, Diana, Tricia, Judy and Melissa) very frequently too!  

 

It’s fun and important to keep in touch with friends from the past!  I am looking forward to seeing everyone next weekend.  I will only be able to attend the Friday night function, however.  Hope to see many of you there!

 

Rick Terry

After graduating from Waltrip I completed my basics at the University of Houston and then headed out to beautiful Santa Barbara, California to attend Brooks Institute. While at Brooks  I put to use my love of scuba diving and photography and earned a degree in Industrial Photography. During this time I married.

After a brief stint in Guam as a photographer I moved back to Houston to work for an advertising agency. The most exciting experience of my life happened when I went to work for Geosource, a Houston oil company. I traveled the far corners of the earth for several years as their corporate photographer. During this time my daughter, Laura was born.

At one point I was laid-off by Geosource and worked as a freelance photographer for the next several years - once again traveling all over the globe. In the mid-80’s I started my own Houston-based computer graphics business - Terry Productions. My second child Elizabeth was born during thistime.

Years later I divorced and married my current wife Betty Jean who hails from the small town of Moulton, Texas.

We have been blessed with a lovely family. Betty Jean has two daughters from a previous marriage, Jessica 22 and Jenna 16, while I have Laura 21 and Elizabeth 17. We have one son together - Richard. All the children get along- in fact step-sisters Laura and Jessica live together in Austin while

attending college and Jessica will be Laura’s maid-of-honor at her upcoming wedding in 2004.

In 1995 I sold Terry Productions and moved to Moulton where my wife and I purchased 70 acres of land and built a log cabin complete with two huge barns and several tractors. We worked a pecan and peach tree orchard and grew vegetables. We also grew, cut, baled and sold hay. What fun! All the kids were involved and we had great times together.

Unfortunately, after 5 years, reality called and I went back to work in Houston as a consultant. I am currently working full time at Terry Productions for the new owner. I commute back to Moulton on weekends.

The last few years my hobbies have included being an avid fan of my children’s activities. Four of them play basketball and I attend just about every game. I’ve also been involved in coaching their teams. We enjoy traveling having become cruise junkies.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the reunion this year, but I remember the great times I had at Waltrip.

 

Jennifer Walker Walker

OK…I give in.  Initially I had told myself I was not going to submit a bio; and became more convinced of my decision as I continued to read all of the well written bios about my classmates who had gone on to “better themselves” and make successful marks in the world.   But after reading Jane Smith’s confession of intimidation I decided that I could use this exercise as another ‘growth opportunity’!   So, here it goes……..

I do NOT have a stuttering problem or learning disability as suggested by my name.  I just kept looking for someone with the same last name so I could continue using all of my monogrammed items from childhood!  I finally got my maiden name back after trying out 2 other last names. The first one was for 2 years shortly after high school.  The second name I claimed for 14 years and is shared by my son, Brad, born in 1985 and my daughter Katherine, born in 1987.  It is unfortunate that I didn’t have a Ward & June Cleaver type family that supported and inspired me to get my act together and use my smarts to continue my formal education during those years preceding my first born.  However, I have furthered my education immensely in less visible areas such personal & spiritual growth.  And it has been invaluable knowledge with which I could raise my children and HOPEFULLY pass on to them.  Perhaps, at some point in my life I will return to college to continue/resume training for a furthered career in the medical and/or mental health fields which are my loves.  Then again, I might become a combination Annie Oakley and Old MacDonald’s wife as I truly love the outdoors and enjoy my horses and sheep, my border collie and herding and yardwork on my rocky acres and fishing.  Read that as NOT Susie Homemaker!

But for now, I live in Georgetown, ( a suburb of sorts) just north of Austin and am a working mom of a highly intelligent (tho’ less motivated!) high school senior, varsity golf team member guy and an Honor Society, volleyball, outdoorsy (aka Tomboy like her mom) sophomore girl.  In my “spare time” I am involved with our church MYF group.  My parents, all of them!, are still living but no longer in Houston. My best friend and my step-sister (Class ’75) are the only ones still in Houston.  I married my husband, Weldon, in 1999 after meeting him the high-tech way, an internet dating service !!!!!!!   While it has not been a cakewalk doing the blended –family thing, I do know that he is my soul mate by divine coincidence.

Wish I could truthfully say that I have warm-fuzzies about the upcoming reunion.  I can say that I am looking forward to it with mixed emotions and that I truly hope to make new connections with “old” friends as well as those I did not know.

I still have that babbling mouth!

 

Barbara (NECIE WATTS) Meyer

 

Hi Everyone!

I was a little reluctant to attempt to “splatter” my life, since high school on a sheet of paper.  In some respects it is probably a good mental exercise, but it’s funny, I feel as if it’s judgment day and I find myself wondering how I will “measure up.”

For most people, the day of graduation is the first day of the rest of your life, but for me, my life didn’t really begin until age 31, after divorce.  During my thirteen years of marriage, I had two children, Brad, now 26 and Lesley 23.  Besides being a Mother, I personally enjoyed being involved in dance classes, serving as a Board Member of a local Dance Company, playing softball, Directing a Mother’s Day Out Program and holding odd jobs.  I have been a very disciplined, self –motivated person all of my life and these attributes helped me enjoy many accomplishments.

 

I have faced many challenges throughout the past seventeen years as a single mom, as I was faced with having to begin a career, without a college education.  Although tough at times, I most certainly was up for the challenge and have spent much time and effort building a life for my children and myself.  The time spent on this challenge has proven to be my life’s greatest accomplishment.  Today I enjoy my work as a “seasoned” Contract Bond Underwriter in my role as Senior Underwriter for CNA Surety in Houston.  I have been in the industry for fifteen years and this work has allowed my family many opportunities.

Throughout my life as being a “single” woman, I have enjoyed “some” dating, teaching aerobics, golf, travel, marathon training, continued education and gardening.  I am 48 years of age and for the first time, believe it or not, have the nest all to myself.  The children are successful adults and living on their own and I have a “new found” freedom.  I LOVE IT! 

You could say that I am beginning a new chapter in my life, and this time around, I will be focusing more on myself, which of course means, looking up old friends and making new ones.   Life is more fun when you have someone to share it with!!

I am really looking forward to the reunion and visiting with those of you that I remember, and making new acquaintances.   

I’ll be the one with the short blonde hair (use to have long brunette hair), blue eyes and the big smile on her face.

See ya!

Jackie Weir Childress

I am living dangerously at the moment. I write this bio while I entrust my life to my 17 year old daughter who is driving us home from a pre-college trip to SCAD in Savannah....but that's a story for another day.

 

While attending high school I had never made any plans for my future..I was having too much fun with the present. After graduation, I followed my friend Ann Dorsey to University of Houston. Carpooled to classes with Doug Peyton and sometimes Sylvia Munoz. After attending for a semester, I decided to get serious about college and transferred to UT(Austin), leaving my old high school BF, Kim , in Houston. In Austin I ran into Barbara Martindale. After reading everyone's bio, I am surprised how many of us where at UT but never crossed paths.

I decided that I liked the college life and stayed until I became a psychologist. At that time my parents felt that it was time for this bird to fly, so I had to join the ranks of the working.

The first job was hard to find. I wanted to stay in Austin but the closest I got was Fort Hood, where I lived with 30,000 lonely military guys...I found one single girlfriend there and we escaped town whenever possible. The following year I moved back to Houston. I met my future husband on a trip to visit my mother's family in New Orleans. We are cousins by marriage. ( Kris Knobles knows that those Cajun roots run deep. ) We were married in ''79 and continue to live in New Orleans. I find that the attitude of the "City that Care Forgot" fit me well.

 

Joe and my (yep we are still married) hobbies are boating and fishing. We had plenty of warnings to drop our interests but like any good Cajun, we continue to push against all obstacles. Our second boat was stolen and stripped, our third boat had Formosan termites (which managed to eat the support stringers thereby totaling the boat in less than a year.) Last summer we lost one of the boat shafts 30 miles out in the gulf while pursuing 200 pound tuna. My husband held the rifle to keep the sharks off of our friend while he repaired the shaft hole so we would not sink.

Its hard to believe that 30 years have passed. It seems like five years since we were in high school, hanging out at Jack in the Box, racing cars down Ella, speeding to the beach and raising hell on Westheimer. But all I have to do is look in the mirror to see that yes, at least 30 years have passed and now my two daughters are in high school. (Luckily they follow their father's footsteps in academic areas.) Both of the girls are incredible athletes. One is the drummer and guitarist in a puck rock band! I just got back from taking them through the Texas Universities, hoping that they may return to my roots. But the real motivation behind their cooperation in driving to Texas was to attend the warped tour concerts in Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston!

 

I still live in New Orleans, 5-10 minutes from the quarter. I still work as a psychologist, although I have cut down to part-time work and am always looking for something else that I would like to do. I am the Union Rep. for psychologist in my company, which has about 30 psychologist on staff. (This is an interesting combination because Joe has his own company.)

 

I thank everyone who has helped with the reunion committee. Unfortunately I will not be able to come to town that weekend. It's been great reading everyone's bios. Would love to hear from anyone who comes to my neck of the woods. My e-mail is jmwc@bellsouth.net

 

Mary Wenzel

Hobbies: dancing (many kinds of social dancing, C & W, whip, jitterbug, salsa), art, especially  watercolor painting, genealogy, reading, swimming & other sports when I get the chance. I am active in my church singles’ group.

My story thus far:

I was majoring in physical education (with a dance emphasis) at Sam Houston State and minoring in art when I became unsure that teaching was for me. I looked into the field of occupational therapy and decided that it was a better choice for me. I completed my bachelor’s degree in P.E. and then entered the occupational therapy dept. at Texas Woman’s University in the Texas Medical Center. I received my Master of O. T. degree in 1981. After 7 years of college, you bet I was ready to be out and on my own!

Getting into the work force at that time in Houston was hard for a new grad, and I stayed at my first job as a therapist at Hughen School for the Handicapped in Port Arthur, TX for 3 years. I had a great time with the staff and kids, and I got to shake Bob Hope’s hand (He came for a golf tournament benefit when he was spokesman for Texaco). In 1984 I moved back to Houston where my fiancé lived.

We settled in Oak Forest and had our first son, Paul, in 1986. In 1992, we had our second son, Patrick, and I quit my job with Harris Co. Dept. of Education after 8 years. Being a full-time mom for 2 years was great, but my marriage was not.

I re-entered the work force by working my own hours for Texas Children’s Hospital home health. It was an adventure going to homes which had a very different culture. At one Vietnamese-American home, I saw a raccoon cooking in a pot! After I tired of the driving, I was able to come to work for an out-patient rehabilitation center for nine months, before being laid off. Soon after, I was accepted on the staff at a temporary health service agency with a good reputation. For them I worked in a variety of settings, including community mental health centers. After a short-term assignment in Fort Bend I.S.D., I realized that I liked working with special needs children best, and in a school setting. I have worked for Klein I.S.D. for 3 years now, and I love the district and the 8 weeks off in the summer!

My boys are now 10 and 16, and we are blessed to be happy and healthy. I look forward to the reunion events.

 

Bonnie Yezak

After graduating from Waltrip, I remained working at the job I had in VOE - I figured I did not need a college degree to make money when I already had a job. I did attend a few classes at HCC which is where I met Jim, who became my 2nd husband. I worked for the FBI (fascinating work and job security but no money) then left there in '77 when I married my 1st husband and moved to the Woodlands. That union lasted one year and I moved back to Houston with my sister, Susan, and immediately got back with Jim. This is when I entered the oil business and have worked in just about all the departments with small companies since then. Jim and I married in 1981 and had 3 beautiful children: Kelli, 19, U of H Sophmore; Ryan, 16, St Pius Jr. and Kyle, 15 St Pius Freshman. I have 3 beautiful nieces who are attending Waltrip so I have the opportunity to attend their activities at Waltrip and reminisce. I have worked for a Geologist and Geophysicist for the past 16 years in 2 one-girl offices, which I have really enjoyed - the work and the hours. However, the year 2002 has been a tough one - Jim passed away from a massive heart attack while walking in T C Jester Park. It was quite a  shock and has been tough on all of us but we are slowly adjusting. He had just retired in January after 30 years with DPS and started a new career in insurance adjusting. I am now staying busy remodeling my home - I still live in the house I grew up in on Libbey (and my sister, Susan, lives 3 doors down). I've had an active broker's license for 20 years (but have never worked in that field) and I have several rental properties in the Oak Forest area and a small auto body fastener business that I am trying to keep going - these all keep me quite busy. For the past 10 years, I have walked the park every weekday morning at 5:30 and also have been going to the NW Y. We enjoy snow skiing and I would like to do some traveling in the future. I look forward to making this reunion (since I missed the last one) and visiting with old schoolmates and hopefully meeting new ones.