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Last weekend, a group of mainly Lakeside Elementary cronies got together at Tom and Cynthia Stone's house on Lake Hamilton. I was invited as an honorary member, having never been to Lakeside. Others in attendance included Sandy Meador Cornish, Wayne Matthews, Hames Ware, Tom Bellhouse, Roy Murtishaw, Dick Dewoody, Tommy Clayton and his wife, Tom Barton, Penny Purdue Burdeno, Alan Blackwell, Bob Jones and his wife, and Bun Deweese & his wife. Jean Rankin also put in a cameo appearance. In addition, Ralph Rouse and his wife, Marilyn, came for a brief visit. Ralph is still the baby-faced, handsome guy he was in high school.
Tom and Cynthia Railsback Stone provided their expansive lake house for the occasion, and fed everyone sumptuously. However, they were merely practicing their liberal political ideals of the rich feeding the poor. Somehow, Wayne Matthews didn't seem to have a problem with that concept while being fed. Tom Stone also provided the water taxi and lake tour service in his beautiful Cobalt Runabout Boat. Dick Dewoody had his party barge out on the lake for transport duty as well, assisted by first mate Jazz, his black Lab.
The favorite topics of discussion included who has had the most back surgeries and the weakest back, when to begin taking Social Security benefits, and the decline of the Democratic Party. But mainly we reminisced about school days, and recounted stories of humor, tragedy and pathos. Hames and Roy were outstanding in their impressions of teachers and classmates. One theme that recurred throughout function was the subject of motorcycles--who had what in high school--Harleys, Triumphs, Eagles, etc. and who currently owns or has owned other two-wheeled death machines. It is amazing that so many people survived all those rides.
I have sent you a separate e-mail with a link to the photos I took at the gathering. If you have not received it, or you are unable to view the photos, please let me know. Jim Crane has already responded to that message with positive I.D.'s of just about everyone who was there. Furthermore, Jerry Cathcart has said he will post the photos on the class website at:
http://www.classof61.net/
You should be able to click on the link above and go directly to the home page. It is a great place to find photos, both old and new, and lots of information about our classmates. Check it out if you haven't done so lately.
Finally, our class reunion honcho, Tom Barton, says there is a 45th reunion potentially in the works for next year. We need to have the whole group together again, because we are, after all, "just penciled in." Send Barton your encouragement at
tomrobie@sbcglobal.net.
One last item. I only have a limited list of e-mail addresses, which is a year old. If you have addresses for others that are not shown in the "To:" box above, will you please share them with me, so I can clutter up their inboxes too? As always, I welcome your responses and comments.
Eternally Red & White,
J. Marvin Blackwell
Zebra Band and Scrubby's Favorite
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