Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Randy S: You must have downed an extra ounce or two of courage to recall that horrific accident with such clarity. Like other classmates I, too, remember hearing of the accident and feeling shock and concern for my friends. I also recall feeling the sadness over the loss of a young woman I never knew.  I don't think I saw you after the accident until the reunion in July.  I do recall my first couple of encounters with Mark after the accident.  The person looked and sounded a little like Mark but didn't act at all like the old animated Mark we all knew and loved. I was so relieved much later when we met and he was baaaaack!  You both made a miraculous recovery from your respective injuries.  There were many positive vibes and prayers sent to both of you back then and it looks like they paid off well.  I think we all know it could have just as easily been any one of us on that country road on that fateful day.  Thanks for sharing and reminding us all just how precious every day is because your life can change in a heartbeat!

Just curious to know if anyone else is ready for summer to be OVER.  It's about 105 here today with really high humidity so it feels like someone turned on the sauna.  Connie can probably relate since she's in a humid climate. This is the Desert so it's supposed to be dry here!! I think I'm melting . . .

Kay Lee (Culwell)

Randy,

You make me laugh!  Just glad you learned your lesson & got some kisses (LOL). 

Sorry I got the name wrong in previous post, meant Mary Lou, not Emma.....it's that darn short term memory thing again.

Ralph, 

You didn't say, and I'm really curious, did you send the envelope with ALL the money, or did some of not make the flight????  Cause I'm pretty sure no one would have reported it missing, if you know what I mean.

Randy Stephens

KAY..... Thanks. I'm glad I can make you laugh. It's good for the soul and they say the more you laugh the longer you live. So, let's laugh it up and live forever. I'm just glad you don't get mad when I pick at you. It's way more fun when I pick on you and pick back or just laugh.

CINDI...... Thanks for your kind words and thoughts. I down em to forget not to remember. When you close your eyes and dream the same nightmare every night for years it's way to easy to remember. I do really appreciate your thoughts and prayers back when as I do everyone's. And what made my heart smile was when I saw Miller and his old self at the Park, then at Constantago and Sunday morning at El Cameno's, he  was his old big, bad, Intellectual self. You Go Mark, You Bad Dude You.

"Time Keeps On Slipping, Slipping, Slipping Into The Future!"

Randall

Connie Lee (Ash)

Cindi, 

You are right about this heat, it's ridiculous!!!!!!  Everyone here has their own sauna, just walk outside and your in it, it's so humid it takes your breath away. 

I don't have much to input these days, so thought I would post this.

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

Check out the link below for more reunion event photos (taken Friday, July 16th).  This smilebox presentation was prepared by Connie (Lee) Ash.  Great job, Connie, and great photos.  Thanks for sharing!  (the smilebox link is also posted on the home page and under the reunion photo portion of the website).

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d5467314d544d354e544e384d7a6b344d44677a4d54413d0d0a&sb=1

Connie Lee (Ash)

Hi Cindi,

I noticed that we have our high school pictures on our profile pages, that's cool, I like it.

I happen to know that Delia Cooper has probably at least a dozen or so Senior pictures that she would probably let Lloyd scan for you if you want to use the actual Senior pictures.  

I would have told you sooner, but didn't find out until the Friday night before the reunion!

She may have even more, have Lloyd check with her!

Hey Ralph,

I think the following was from when Frankie boy was CEO.......

Randy Stephens

CONNIE, girl...

That was really sweet. Loved the music and pics. There were a couple of ladies that I didn't recognize and I met them at the reunion but can't remember who they are. With you video talent you could win an Oscar at the Cann festival. You can fly in many way girl.

Hell Yew, "Don't You Love This American Ride."

Randall

Connie Lee (Ash)

 Randall,

Thanks, maybe I can help tape the movie for your script! 

I have to say most of the pics were Kay's, my camera wasn't being nice....I have to say that otherwise she might hurt me!

In the last picture the stars were from left to right..... (front) Kathy Whitehead Cole, Debra Cox Johnson, Kay Lee Culwell, Kathy Breitling Carlisle, Vicki Jennings Hayes (back) Sheila Fox McAuley, Jo Hickman Briley, Connie Lee Ash, Delia Cooper Gray, Dallana Carlile Loper   We did have one absent who couldn't be with us, Debbie Nelson Ferriter.

How's that for a star studded line-up!

Ralph,

About the Marsha Sharp Freeway., I believe it was Perry that told me he has driven down it several times and he hasn't seen her once there!  What's that about!

I'm never in LBB so I wouldn't know, but at least now I won't look for her there! 

Connie Lee (Ash)

 Please be in prayer for Cindi's brother Danny, he had a stroke this morning (Friday) and the next few days are critical.

Kay saw it on Facebook and told me about it a few minutes ago.

Jan Minchew (Sparks)

MEMORIAL SERVICE for Melanie - October 23, 2010 - First Baptist Church, Dallas, TX

Dallas Morning News (8/22/10) Obits:

Butler, Melanie Passed away Saturday, Aug. 7, in Dallas. Born in Amarillo, TX, Graduated from Tulia. High Sch-ool. Received BSE from Texas Tech and Master's Degree from UNT. Melanie taught English at Crockett M.S. in Irving 33 yrs. Survived by mother Virginia Butler, brother David Butler and many whose lives she touched. Remains donated to UT Southwestern. A memorial service will be held 10a.m. Saturday, October 23, 2010 Heritage Chapel, First Baptist Church Dallas. Donations may be made to: Texas Tech Foundation, PO Box 45025, Lubbock, TX, 79409. Please designate for the "Melanie Butler Memorial Scholarship."

 

Randy Stephens

HEY!!!

AS the sun peeks over the tree tops I find myself back down in Mississippi and up to no good!

Hi Ho. Hi Ho. It's off to work we go.

Randall

Connie Lee (Ash)

Randall,

Good to hear from you, I was gettin a tad worried!

Jan,

Thanks for the information on Melanie.

Connie

Randy Stephens

CONNIE!!!

Been having Tech difficulty. Had Wild Blue, my carrier, out to fix my tame gray, if you know what I mean. Then I've been running system tests on my lap top. All that takes time. But maybe all is back to some kind of normal now. Hope so anyway. High tech is good till it doesn't work right, then it's a big head ache. I'm not very good at high tech.

"But I'm pretty good at drinking beer."

Randall

Randy Stephens

I'm still down in Mississippi and turning them on to Wrigley's new gum. Yum Yum.

Give'm hell

Randall

Kay Lee (Culwell)

Ok Randy,

I got to tell you something that you may find rather amusing, but actually I find a bit embarrasing.....cause it shows how I don't keep up with music & such.   But, you know that saying you kept using, God is Great, Beer is Good & People are Crazy?   Well, I was kinda thinking you were kinda, ya know, well, let's just say silly, then I found out the other day that it was a country western song! 

Me and Connie had a pretty good laugh at ourselves, cause no, she didn't know either....I'm sure she wouldn't mind that I tell on her too.  (I refuse to look silly by myself, that's what God gave me a twin sister for).

Anyway, I thought you might find that a little amusing.

So, just keep it up, Kay

Celinda (Cindi) Ward (Hanna)

More sad news to share.  I am so sorry to report that another classmate, Larry Wells, has passed away. He was found dead in his home of what has been reported as natural causes.  I will post service/memorial plans as soon as the information becomes available.  Please keep his family and friends in your prayers.

Randy Stephens

Kay, Connie

That's funny I don't care who you are. Really, you girls will have to get out more. Stop listening to just Classical music all the time.

Dam Cindi!!!

I can't believe it!

Larry is gone.

I was suppose to have a beer with him in Lubbock the week following the reunion and got so tied up with helping my brother-in-law in Lubbock that I didn't get to have that beer with him. Dam! Now I feel bad even though I sent him an email explaining the situation. I feel robbed. I didn't spend near enough time with him reunion night and now he's gone. SHIT! Excuse my French.

As kids we played a lot together. Larry's condition never seemed to slow him down or get in his way till it knocked him out. My Mom even drilled us on what to do if Larry had an sugar attack. Mom still remembers that. Larry was a trooper even after all the crap life threw at him. I'm so glad he shared the chicken story. I'll never forget that.

Love ya man, see you later, and sorry about that beer friend.

Randy Stephens

Classmates.

For me it's write or cry like a baby. Sense I'm a man and not suppose to cry I had better write. This will not be anything more than babbling but maybe babbling is a good thing some times and maybe you shouldn't read any more of this. For those of you continue you do so at your own risk.

I'm sorry but I'm angry and hurt. I get reconnected with my classmates after 40 years and they start dropping like flies. That's just not right. Yea I know that my fault for being so busy with my own life which didn't deserve that much time, energy or focus. I mean hell, look where it got me. Not very far. Just a lot older and more broken down. OK! That's enough of that shit.

You ask why I cuss so much. Well, I come by it honestly. You should have heard my Grandpa Stephens. WOW! So it's in the genes. But they say it expressive. A release of emotional energy. Sense I need a release right now, here it comes, #!?":><,./)(*&^%. That fells better.

I'm thinking of Larry right now and Kenny C. is on the radio singing about the boys of Fall. For those of you who don't know that Football talk. Larry was a hell of a Football player. He played even though he sometimes passed out from that sugar shit. He played even though Rulie kicked him in the cods at practice. Me, I would have taken the rest of the day off. But not Larry. We played in the back yard till he would pass out scaring us all to death falling out from his sugar which none of us had seen before. Larry road his motorcycle, laughed, worked, loved, failed, won, struggled like all of us. Sometimes life is kind and sometimes it's shit. We swim on the good days and slap the waters struggling for breath on other days. I'm glad Larry had a good friend in Pope and Hall. We all need friends, good friends and those only come from our passed. Passed school experiences, passed working experiences, passed life experiences, passed experiences like the chicken in the bank thing.

I'm thankful that I remember Larry smiling and laughing at the reunion. The old fart was having fun and that's the way I choose to remember him. And tonight I'll drink several hundred, not really hell I have to work tomorrow, to his memory. I would freely give my own life for Larry, Van, Melanie and all the others so they could continue to live and laugh. I miss um all.

Melanie. How sad girl. I remember you as a happy go lucky beautiful girl with lot's of friends in THS. Then 22 years of moulding young minds in school. I never thought that you would be an English teacher. "You grew up good, steady as a preacher, free as a weed.... an American honey." That's the song playing now on my radio. I miss you both. I miss your memories, your presence, your essence. This world is less of a place without ya'll. I'm sad, so sorry and so helpless. I know all the stuff that people say about afterlife ect. But what I feel now is life hurt, robed of your essence, presence ect.

"If I Knew What I Was Doing I'd Be Doing It Right Now." But I don't. I'm just rambling so I won't kick the window out of my Best Western motel room.

Randall 

PS

I called my super and told her that I was taking tomorrow off and getting drunk tonight.

So here's to Larry and Melanie. MY FRIENDS! Give em hell on the other side. 

Deltah Roberts (Henard)

I am also sad for my friends. I am glad Larry was at our reunion. I never thought it would be the last time I saw him.

Connie Lee (Ash)

This is just getting to be too much, I know we are approaching our 60's but that's young, or at least I want it to be!

I was upset when I found out how many classmates were gone when the site was set up, but that is FOUR good classmates and friends that I / we have lost this year!

Larry was a very good friend and I will miss him so much, I am so glad that he did come to the reunion, I wish he had been there longer, all I got to do was give him a hug and tell him hi.  Blank, I am so distraught over this, I just can't believe it.

Heads up to everyone out there, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES!  I don't mean that the ones that are gone didn't, but really, take care of yourselves, physically, emotionally, spritually. 

When I tell people that we have lost the number / percentage of classmates that we have they are floored, it is way to high.

I'm kinda going on and on like Randy because I am upset and trying not to cry because I am at work, but the not crying part is not working.

Please, everyone out there, do what you can and need to do to take care of yourselves.

Connie

P.S.  Cindi, thanks, and again, I am so sorry that you have to be the bearer of the bad news, you are very special, please take care of yourself, and your brother is in my prayers.

Kay Lee (Culwell)

So So sad to hear of Larry's passing.....we have lost too many classmates this year.   I am glad I got to see Larry at the reunion, and makes me so thankful that I attended, getting to see everyone again.  I just wish that others who have gone on could have been there too.  You just never know what life is going to bring from one day to the next.  So treasure every minute.

Deborah Nelson (Ferriter)

I can't believe that Larry is gone.  We have been emailing each other, and I haven't heard from him in a couple of weeks and was beginning to worry.  So sad my thoughts are with his children and family.

Katrina Donnell (Kimble)

Deborah Nelson (Ferriter)

Well put Katrina,  he did put a smile on many faces...and he will be miss by many.....

Deborah Nelson (Ferriter)

Met Kozmo, my dog, much prettier than I... thanks Connie!!