WECATON NEWS REPORT!! - 31 July 2004

---Where ARE all of you? I've got a slug of e-mail to include in here, but it's concentrated on a VERY tiny percentage of you. Now, I just KNOW that all of you have some news to contribute to this bulletin. You're taking trips, you're buying new cars, you're having more grandchildren, you're in the middle of retiring, you're having surgery on some part or other, you've developed a big bunion or corn, you're finally subscribing to Road Runner---SOMETHING!!! C'mon!! You get out of this, only what you put into it, you know. I'm not able to do this all by myself and I'm NOT SuperWoman, contrary to what so many of you keep trying to tell me. With that, let's get going here and see how we do.

From BEVERY J. HAAS, Class of 1960, a request has come to send messages to
( zoe@gfalgraphics.no-ip.com ) Got it? Now, all of you already know that I'm somewhat "techno-challenged," so if you need further info, you're going to need to contact her directly, okay?

From that travelin' pair, WILLIAM O. WALKER, Class of 1960, and his honorary-WC-alumnus spouse, KAREN MURPHY WALKER, came a wonderfully newsy report on their latest ramblings. They left WC only a few days ago, with Bill having played golf with DOUG MAYS and also with RICHARD G. DENNY, Class of 1961, and also with his own two brothers, DENNY WALKER and BUNK WALKER, and visiting with his sister, GERRI WALKER. It seems that Walkers came from everywhere! Karen also made it a point to write about how well the recovery is going for LEONARD F. KUHN, Class of 1958. I know we're all happy about that. Thanks, Karen and Bill, for a great report, and stay safe out there on the road.

MICHAEL S. WEST, Class of 1960, is back at it, full force. He's now monitoring the blogspot, posting photos, and staying in touch with other classmates. Mike and I have now spoken two or three more times, since our last bulletin. He's doing well and has the normal number of aches and pains for those in our age group, right, Mike? We can all exchange stories about our operations and surgeries, come October. Ha!

Checking in with some general material were SALLY L. GILLETTE, class of 1961, STEVEN M. KOKOT, Class of 1960, BARBARA T. O'NEAL, Class of 1962, PAMELA K. SHIPLEY, Class of 1971, SANDRA L. BARSALOU, Class of 1958, RONALD D. "TOM" FEE, Class of 1958, LINDA J. SNELL & LONNIE M. THACKER, Class of 1960, EULA FAYE BAILEY, Class of 1960, SUE E. SOWERS, Class of 1958, and LINDA L. MCAFEE, Class of 1957. We hope to see each and every single one of you in October, folks. Don't let us down, hear?

This morning, I spoke with DEVONA S. TAYLOR, Class of 1960, who's in touch with NINA F. KNISLEY, Class of 1960, and said Nina is doing all right now. She will be with us in October, as will Dee and spouse, GENE COUCH, and also Gene's brother, AARON COUCH. (Aaron, if you're reading this, I'm planning on us having iced tea together, once again, at Frisch's on Friday night, hear?) Besides, we need all the good-looking men we can get, to help spice up the evening, so be there! That goes for you, too, MR. J.!

We were overwhelmed with responses to the request from NANCY J. ERTEL, Class of 1961, about the where- abouts of WCHS former bandleader, HARRY C. HAGGERTY. He lives at 281 Ironwood Drive, right in WC and is doing fine. These reports came from GARY E. BARNES, Class of 1959, THOMAS L. WOLF, JR., Class of 1960, DAVID A BLAIR, Class of 1960, L. EUGENE ZINK, Class of 1960, LINDA L. SHANK, Class of 1960, and MICHAEL S. WEST, Class of 1960. So thanks for all the help, folks, in putting Nancy in contact with Mr. Haggerty again. All of you always come through, if you know one of us is looking for someone. Don't wait, Nancy! Life is just too uncertain.

In the birthday department, cousin JUDITH L. SAMUELS turned 62 on July 20 and we're tyring to figure out how we got so quickly to Social Security age. Judy and husband Bill celebrated her special day in Naples, Florida. Gene Zink turned 62 on July 25 and we all hope you're in great health, Gene, and feeling much better. JOANN K. STEMLEY, Class of 1960, also turned 62, on the very next day. However, I'm not supposed to tell anyone, so keep this very hush-hush, will you please? Jo Ann may get angry with me.

Dave Blair reports that his brother, JIM BLAIR, is doing okay, but still on an oxygen machine. Dave recommends a visit to his brother and the oxygen machine, if you're trying to quit moking. Thanks for the encouragement, Dave, and we all wish your brother well, of course. By the way, folks, I understand Dave recently shot a golf score of 69. What do you think about that, Mr. Golf Club, GARY L. WARLAUMONT? Thanks VERY much, Dave, for your report and nput.

Just recently, BRUCE E. CHENOWETH, Class of 1958, and his companion, PATTY WHEELBARGER, Class of 1971, went winging down to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for a little weekend visit with Mike and Sally West. They called from Mike's house, while there, and I got to talk with all 4 of them. I'm SO excited at the possibility that Patty just may wind up on, "Survivor." I'm going to send her my TV Guide for an autograph, if she makes it. Wow, there can be NO ONE who is more suited for that than Patty!

But anyway, the four of them had a wonderful visit and Mike said he and Bruce bored Sally and Patty to death, with all their old war stories. Mike and Bruce lived near each other, for much of their misspent youth.

Calling WILLIAM R. HOWARD, Class of 1958!! Are you okay, Bill? It's unusual for me to hear nothing from you, for such a long time. Send me a line or two, please, so that I know you're okay. Also, I want to extend thanks, once again, for the great and newsy report which came in from Tom Wolf. I've already shared that with all of you, so I won't repeat it. But I will say this. I don't hear from Tom very often, but when I do, it's always accurate, it's always newsy, it's always interesting, and it's always worth sharing. Thanks, Tom, I appreciate that.

Hey, is anyone going to be around Sandusky, on August 14? If so, be sure to look up our published author, CAROL A. MUMMA, Class of 1961, who will be at Bellevue Senior High School from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with her book. Go, Carol!

Let's all pull hard for our girl, EULA FAYE BAILEY, who is still having trouble with that pesky shoulder. We have to get her well and happy again, or else we can't even HAVE the alumni gig, if she's not there. We also need to keep in our good thoughts and prayers, the son of AARON COUCH, who has been stricken with a devastating illness.

Several of you responded, about TOM MELZONI. This gets more confusing as we go, though. Thank you, Gary Barnes, Linda Shank, Pam Shipley, and EDNA L. GRAY, Class of 1961. But get this one, folks. We had a Tom Melzoni in 1963, another one in 1971, and it looks like there's a third one, class year as yet unknown. I keep trying to contact the guy who wants to be on the list, but he won't respond, for whatever reason. This is a classic example of why I just HAVE to have complete, legal names, and grad years. But I'll solve this mystery, sooner or later. Gary was able to contact the 1963 Tom and it's not him, so that narrows it down a bit. Gary also located BARBARA TURNINGTON, Class of 1961, and she's going to get a computer, we think, at which time, she'll be joining us. IN the meantime, we welcome aboard JAMES E. KECKLER, Class of 1958, and another Barnes recruit. Word has it that Jim is leaving for Florida on October 1 and can't be with us at the alumni gig. C'mon, Jim! You can leave a few days later, can't you? You have no idea what you're missing, believe me!

From HARRIETTE E. DOGGETT, Class of 1958, comes a message which I didn't want. Harriette says she can't be with us this year. She has taken on the fulltime care of her mother, who is about 81, and has Alzheimer's. She is caring for her in her Vilonia, Arkansas, home. We'll sure miss you, Harriette. We all hope something will happen which may allow you to attend. Let us know if there is any little thing any of US could do, in order to enable you to do that. I know we'd happy to do it. LINDA SHANK reports a marvelous vacation in South Carolina. Great, Linda! You can tell us more about it in October.

PAMELA K. SHIPLEY and I have had yet another rousing round of fun exchanges and have found we know even MORE of the same people. The world has become WAY too small. I look so forward to meeting you, Pam.

We lost KAREN L. THROCKMORTON to technology, but I've figured out a way to keep her in the loop. I refuse to give up our very first, genetic Throckmorton! Linda McAfee sent the last newsletter to her mother, who has also been enjoying them. How nice! I hope to see Linda during Biketoberfest, after we all return from the alumni gig. Right, Linda?

Is there a MAYS out there somewhere, from whom we could get some news? Come on, Mayses! We all want to hear about your family and your lives! We consider you to be our "local royalty," the "WC Kennedy Clan," if you will. So let us know what's up with you, okay?

With that, I close this edition of the WeCaTon News Report and I would remind all of you, since it's nearly the first of August, that if you are reading this, then you are all booked up for the weekend of October 8, 9, and 10. Let's not forget that! For each of you, I convey my usual wish for glowing health, great happiness, peaceful serenity, and boundless prosperity. Ciao!

---And there you have it! More at 11--- B

- posted by Mikey @ 12:01 AM