......LHS News......
Originally sent September 14

Correction: In last news, I mistyped 1700 block Cherry....it was/is 1300 block on Cherry. And add to the list of classmates who lived in that 'block'.....the House kids - Judy, Robert, Martha, Anna Beth and Dennis;Joe's Scott's sister Shirley (Scott) Pace;  Karelin Cole and sister Nancy Cole (deceased) and Susan Sanders (deceased) also lived on Cherry. Judy (House) says she remembers the great sledding on Elm Hill.

Class 1947 IS indeed having a reunion. September 21, 22, 23. Events planned for 3 days.  Absolute deadline is September 18 and for details and info you can call Jack Bost (618)397-1217; Jeneanne (Johnston) Lawson (580)510-0516; or Herb Bridges (580)536-1269.

Wishing a happy 60th anniversary to James David and Mary Ida (Conner) Via.  James is LHS class 1951.
Major congrats guys!

MEMORIES: couple fairly long, I usually edit, but too good.  Enjoy! "Speaking of Johnson's Bakery, when Sears was on the corner of 11th and Gore, our custodian would go to the bakery and buy an assortment of sweets for the employees, a favorite of mine and a lot of the employees, were the thin, round cinnamon crisps we all nicknamed "cowchips".  Yum yum."
Frankie (Kurtz) Browning

"Another Doe Doe Park memory. When I moved to Lawton as a sophomore I did not know how to swim so some of my friends, Phoebe Burnett for one, made me get in the deep end of the pool and swim diagonally across a very small area until I had the confidence to get further out each time  and swim across the entire pool,  I will forever be grateful for their encouragement.  That was 63 years ago."
Dolores (Warner) Mueller, '52

"My parents were renting a house at the SW end of the 1100 block of Maple when Bill & I were in junior high or early high school...we had such a deep snowfall that the city bus couldn't drive down through Fields & Dunning....I had to walk the entire block...and it was long...up to Ft. Sill Blvd. to catch a city bus that would get downtown to what was then Lawton Jr/Sr High school."
Marcille (Burns) Covey, '52

"Re: Don Williams. Does anyone remember the comedy team of Don Williams and Eugene Zwick? It was a Martin and Lewis parity on stage at LHS.  Gene's dad opened a New York deli on "C" ave and sang opera when making the sandwiches."
Sam Hamra, '55


"Interesting that Johnson's Bakery is still in business. It might be the only store I'd remember. Johnson sold his bakery on C street to Mead's, but then opened a smaller place mainly for cakes and goodies. Dad worked for Mead's Fine Bread from the 40s till he retired. They made and baked the bread in those days. Last time we were back, Mead's Bread was being brought in from Midland, Texas, in semitrailers.
Bianco's opened when I was working nights at KSWO-TV. Lasagna and Italian salad were exotic in those days. Sorry it's gone. We always called it Be OHN co's, but sitting near the phone one evening I heard one of the managers answer: "Be ANK a's."
Murdoch Matthew, '49

"Not trying to one-up John Waller, but his info about Biancos hit home. My first taste of pizza pie was at Biancos.  I don't remember who was with me that time, but I am sure two of  my companions over the years included Gene Zwick and Charles Levendosky. 
I have tried several times to find Zwick. No luck there.  If anyone knows his whereabouts or fate, I would like to know.
The last time I saw Levendosky was a few years back when he came to The Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver to read from, I think, his last book.  After moving to Denver, I was reading a Newsweek Magazine and a Charles Levendosky was quoted.  He was the editorial page editor for the Casper (WY) Star Tribune.  I called, and with the first syllable out of his mouth, I knew it was Charles.
He was fighting tooth and nail to protect the First Amendment to the Constitution with his editorials and a web site he hosted.  I would really like to have him here for the 2012 national election.
Charles Leonard Levendosky III, aka Wop his junior year at LHS, passed a few years back from a battle with cancer.
I lost two lobes of my right lung to cancer July, 2011.  I now drag around a little, long green tube to augment my oxygen flow. Other than that and my typing and spelling skills, I am doing well."
Elden Taylor, 1954



"John Waller's mention of Gene Zwick sparked a memory.  Gene was the master of "put down" comments.  John was good too, but his wit was so dry it took a few days to realize you had been had.
With Gene it was immediate.
I was the dance chairman for an organization to which Gene didn't belong.  He asked me if he could attend.  Being my smart-ass self, I replied that he could attend but could only dance every other dance.  He  could dance the odd but not the even.  He asked if I would be dancing every dance.
"Yes," I said.     He replied, "Then they will all be odd." 
What became of that delightful  character ? "
Ron Hall, '55
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I rarely do 'plugs' for anything for obvious reasons, but this one IS worthwhile and I will pass along in event you might like to be a part of something for the home-town.
The Museum of the Great Plains here in Lawton has opportunity to receive major monies for expansion and improvements of the facility.
This particular opportunity is exceptional because of the multiplier. The Museum will get $4,000,000.00 if they can generate $800,000.00 (of which McMahon Foundation has already pledged $500,000.00). The problem is time crunch as only have until Oct 6 to come up with the pledges. 
If someone wants to pledge, they can contact Mary Owensby at the museum 580-581-3460 or send in their commitment to Museum of the Great Plains, 601 NW Ferris Ave., Lawton, OK 73507.
As mentioned, they already have a large grant (pledged) from the McMahon Foundation IF they can raise the rest.  They are needing to raise some $300,000 dollars (pledges at this point) by October 6.
If amount or deadline is not met, any pledges become null/void.

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We have been asked to remember our '59 classmate Jerry (Sasser) Childs, husband Ron, and their family who are missionaries in Niger, Africa.  They could be in harms way due to the widespread protests in that region of the world. Two churches have been attacked and burned in Zinda, the 3rd largest city in Niger.  Keep them in your prayers.

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I know Sue (Otis) Wigington has had some serious health issues the past year/year and half and has recently suffered a heart attack as stated by her daughter on Facebook.  I have no other information.

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James D. "Jimmy" Dean, 69, passed on September 12 after a long battle with diabetes and heart disease. Jimmy was LHS class 1962.  He was winning pitcher for the Lawton High School 1962 state championship baseball team. He is survived by his wife Karen Ann (Wright); a daughter Melissa; brothers Paul and Kenneth; granddaughter Michaela Ann and numerous extended family.
Services will be 10:00am, Saturday September 15 at Smith and Kernke Funeral Home Chapel, 14624 N. May - OK City.
Grave side services and burial will be 3:00pm, Saturday afternoon September 15 at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Lawton. Extended obit and guest book at:  http://www.smithandkernke.com/sitemaker/sites/SmithK1/obit.cgi?user=704751Dean

Our thoughts and prayers remain with those who have lost loved ones and those who experiencing health problems.

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Regards to all........Georgia