TLC logo TLC #113:  November 15, 2008


Dear Hearts & Gentle People:
 
First, we begin with a correction, courtesy of Mary Pat Gueguen '58 Miller:
 
The Gueguen Reunion 2008 was held at a Marriott in suburban St. Louis in July.
 
The picture of "Four Queens & a Jack" was sort of a spoof on the title our Daddy gave us years ago.  He would always call us that when introducing us to someone and  then say, "Beats a full house" (poker language, I guess).  We thought "Well, we have a FULL HOUSE, too, most of the time. 
 
Anyway, my siblings did not want a picture taken with those white T-shirts with stars on them much less the silly crowns.  Only me.  Anyway, when Sharon's daughter put the crown on her head, it broke and you can see the side of the crown sort of just laying on the side of Sharon's head.  We were all hysterical, (at poor Sharon's expense), as you can tell.  And Jack just looks like Jack, used to our hysteria.
 
The back row of that picture, standing, is Joyce on the left and Loretta on the right. The hippy ones in front are Sharon and I.
 
Webmaster Ball, also '58, has corrected the entry in the TLC archives for TLC issue #112.
 
Also on the TLC webpages for this issue are photos of interest. Sad to say, the Douglass School burned down this week. It had been converted to apartments. Everyone got out safely, but the building is a total loss. The brick shell remains but will come down soon.
 
For those of you who may not know, Douglass School is a bittersweet memory in Lexington. It was the "colored school" until we integrated in 1955. Those who attended there, of course, have many good memories of growing up in Lexington. On the other hand, Douglass School was a symbol of a time when we were not so enlightened.
 
My classmate Earlene Hancock '57 Edwards  wrote:
 
Thanks for the info about Douglass. My daughter had called to let me know.  That is very sad.  Douglass held fond memories for some of us. You know that students were bussed from other towns such as Higginsville, Richmond, Mayview, Henrietta, Dover, etc. so I made a lot of friends.  When we integrated in 1955 (my Junior Year), Douglass was closed.  We had some phenomenal teachers.  We all had a very good girls' basketball team, and we kicked butt (smile).  We traveled to Liberty, Booneville, Moberly, and won most of the games.

This is the second Douglass School that has burned.  Douglass No. 1 which was located down near 8th St. and Franklin or South St. (I believe) burned down also.  This school was the one that my brother and sister attended which was a little bit before I was born I believe.

This is news to me, and I wonder if there are any photos of the original Douglass School?

Also on the website is a photo from 1955 (is there a theme this issue?) taken at the Wentworth Military Ball. It is of interest particularly because it features our local U.S. Congressman Ike Skelton, who was just re-elected to his 17th term in Congress!!!

Also shown is a Lexington favorite, Ronny Sowers '56, a very successful lawyer, who recently died in Indiana.

Last but not least: Lexington resident Bob Eckhoff made a surprising archeological discovery just last week. It is featured on the website, but I won't tell you more because Ann Fiora '56 Coen has promised to submit memories for the next TLC. Some of you may have your own, and we'd like to read them.

Duncan Lee (late 50s - cannot remember exact year!) wrote the following:

Keep up the good work. The stories of 50th reunions makes me wish my class had an energetic soul to organize the class of '60. Maybe someone from '59 could do a joint reunion.

(That's a hint, folks.)

Sorry I missed the Krazy Kats.....what memories!
 
My only news is that I finally made my fiancée of 8 years an honest woman on August 8th. We were married in Lovelock, NV, Kathy's birthplace, a town slightly smaller (yes!) than Lexington. We had a reception at our house a week later and it was all a great time. We spent a few days after that with Barbara and Bill in San Francisco. Yeah, I know, we took my sister on our honeymoon! Another former Lexingtonian in attendance was Art Whitney and his wife Martha. They have a new granddaughter whom they baby-sit in SF five days a week. Art is retired from Lockheed, but still works part-time. They were celebrating their anniversary, 37th or 38th, can't remember exactly.
 
Took his sister on his honeymoon! Anyone have a story to beat that?
 
I know many of you will remember Pierre Collobert, LHS early 50s, and his wife Billie. Pierre died quite a few years ago, and Billie now lives in California with her new husband Joe. Billie brought us up to date of this phase of her life:
 
Thanks so much-I truly enjoyed all the info!!  CA weather remains wonderful and  we are still going and going.  Good sign that we are well and healthy.
 
Don't know about news, but my husband -Joseph - just completed 2 years as Worshipful Master of local Masonic lodge. We are both very active in the community, church, Red cross, Community Food Pantry, Reach out Morongo -this a volunteer program  of people helping the elderly, handicapped etc.  who kinda fall thru the cracks of other assistive programs.  I took a computer  class at local community college,  Made me decide that more knowledge of this "monster" is dangerous. Just  finished  training for registered counselor for Medicare.  This is really a challenge!!  I hear more soap opera stories.
 
Cortney (her son) lives there in Lexington with his 2 teenage girls and they attend high school there. Katie the oldest was working at McDonalds. Terrie (daughter) and her husband have a business of making hummingbird feeders and other copper and glass items.  They now have wholesale  in 13 states and do lots of shows all over the US. She is happy!
 
Joe and I travel a lot and are getting ready to go to Mexico for 2 weeks in January. Joe will celebrate his 82 birthday 12-7 and I was 76 (!) last April. We are both healthy with no known problems.  What Blessings!!
 
People, I wish more of you would write about where you are and what you're doing. You have no idea how much people enjoy reading your stories!
 
Harry Dunford checked in:

Interesting how the Krazy Kats story keeps on and on. You probably didn't know that in their recent appearance here, my daughter, Nancy Kirby and her dancing pal, Lyle Williams got second place. Nancy graduated in 1972. She and Lyle love to dance and follow the Kats just about everywhere. You might
want to mention this in next issue.
 
Nancy was not recognized; she came up to Don Coen '55 and asked if he was her high school biology teacher, and he didn't
remember her until she told him her maiden name.
 
Shirley Briggle '53 Miller reads The Lexington News. We all love the Looking Backward column. She pointed out the following:
 
From 1988:  "George Bush, Jr., (that's "W") was in Lafayette County and made stops in Lexington and Higginsville while campaigning for his father."
 
From 1948:  "Lexington High School football player, John Jenkins, quarterback, suffered a broken bone in his hand.  The team plays Higginsville Friday night and either Bennie McAlister or Don Olds will be the quarterback."  (All graduated in '50.)
 
And that's the mail. As to what is happening in Lexington today, we had a lovely early Fall, but now it is overcast and chilly. Some of the early Fall beauty is on the ground, awaiting the rake. Just as it should be. The Christmas wreaths went up on our vintage streetlights this week, and the next big events are the Parade of Lights - to usher in the season - and the Christmas Homes Tour.
 
We have a new BBQ restaurant - the Hawg Shed - and a shop downtown (Enigma Rarities) has begun serving a light lunch. Across the street (I believe the old Harry Smith Mens Clothing location) is Somerset Cottage, a popular tearoom. We have wonderful shops, including two women's boutiques, which can hold their own with anything in larger cities. Lexington is a great place to shop for Christmas - so come visit the ol' hometown for a walk down Memory Lane and to find unique gifts.
 
Your devoted Scribe,
Susan
 






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