Saturday, October 13, 2012

......LHS News......
Originally sent October 13

Paul Grose, '53, says....."Would like to hear from all my old friends. My email is paul_rfcc@yahoo.com Also looking for a copy of 1953 [LHS] yearbook. Best to all, Paul Grose"

Shirley (Ray) Blowers, '53,
and hubby Bob enjoyed a 20 day Mediterranean Cruise this summer and they hope to be in Lawton, America this fall.

'59 classmate Ernest Godlove and wife Jane back recently from an extended tour of Germany.

And, '59 classmate Marilyn (Lewis) and hubby Richard Smith off for a month in Spain...rain mainly on the plain and all that!  Think they may be on FaceBook?

"I have enjoyed all the memories around Don Williams and Gene Zwick.  What most may not know is that Gene Zwick was a dedicated physical fitness addict.  In high school, he had a six-pack set of abs!  His mother accompanied us on speech tournaments, but I do not recall meeting his father."
Allen C. Isbell

Do not try this at home......

1). "Givins Station was the place to go and get a nickel coke in the early 50's.  Mike Wade also showed us how to cash in on the penny peanut machine there.  We would put in a penny and turn the knob slowly until we heard the first click.  Then shake the machine and turn again and after each click shake the machine and so on.  Usually got a nickels worth of peanuts after the last click.  Really skillful stuff."

2). "Johnson's Bakery in the early 60's, probably 62ish, I would go into Johnson's after finishing a night clerk job at a motel. Also had a day job. Was always terribly tired that summer.  Like duh..  Anyway, there was a really cute girl who worked at Johnson's and always wanted to ask her out, but just did not have any time.  But, as tired as I was I made it a point to see her at least every other day."

Lewis Chandler  
 Golden Anniversary 50th - best wishes for '59 classmate Gwen (Wood) and hubby Jerry Phelps, '57.  A wonderful milestone and their two sons and their families hosted a great reception. 

More Happy Birthday celebrations in October: 
Sharon (Weaver) Burgamy; Marvin 'Zeke' Carter...Zeke admits to 74!
Hope to see some of you at the class 1957 reunion this next week-end (19-20th).  If you haven't made reservations - QUICK -  contact Eugenia (Matthews) McClellan grannygmc@verizon.net or call (972) 422-3050.

Appreciate emails from: Gordon Griswold; Ben Melton; Ed Adams; Frankie (Ingraham)Kinderman; Ben Ansley; Richard Densley; Dr. Jack Rhodes; Martha (Darden) Leister; Marilyn Morris; Barbara (Odom) Smith; Jan (Rice) Grogan; Weslwey Best; Sharron Bolt; Ron Hagler - who is 'decorating' his TX yard with OSU (replacing OU) on one side and TCU on the other!!

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Sadly, numerous losses.

Francis Joyce 'Frank' Pruett,
82, passed on October 12. Frank was LHS class 1947.  He is survived by his wife Bettye Sue (Yates); a daughter;  grand and great grand children.  Services will be 2:00pm, Tuesday October 16 at Don Grantham Funeral Home in Duncan with interment to follow at Duncan Cemetery.
Extended obit and guest book at:
www.granthamfuneralhomes.com

Ed Harp's '54 news for October had lots of news. Ed passed along that he just received news that Bill Flahart, '54, passed last April. He was climbing up a ladder, the ladder slipped & Bill fell to the ground.  He is survived by wife Pat and 3 daughters.

Ed's news also had quite some discussion of Tim Guzzle, '54.  Sadly Tim died of cancer back in 1997-98? Some of the discussion was about a dance band that Tim had and Richard Lassetter sent a picture of that group.  (see below).

A Memorial service for Bobby Sunderlund, 75, of Palmetto, GA was held  in his hometown of Hobart  on  October 6.  Bobby passed on September 27.  Bobby is husband of '55  LHS classmate
Wanda Gayle (Smith).Extended obit in Sunday Constitution, September 30, page 8-D. www.swoknews.com

Gladys (Daulton) Vaughan, 95, of Inola, passed on September 29.  She was LHS class 1934.  Grave side services were held October 1 in Lawton. Gladys was mom of '59 classmate Janice (Vaughan) Salisbury and an Aunt of '59 classmate
Larry Hoskins.Extended obit and guest book at:  www.beckerfuneral.com

Shirley (McKinzey) Graves, 82, of Elgin, passed on September 27. Services were at Ft. Sill National Cemetery on October 2.  Shirley was LHS class 1948. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Jim Graves;  2 daughters; a brother; extended family.
Extended obit and guest book at:
www.fletcherandelginfuneral.com

Jack L. Hall, 78, of OK City passed on October 2.  Believe Jack was LHS class 1952.  Grave side services were October 4 in Lawton. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jo Ann (Holt); 2 sons; grandchildren and extended family.
Extended obit and guest book at: 
www.grayfuneral.com

Jimmy R. Northcutt, 73, of Trafalgar, IN passed on September 29.  Jimmy was LHS class of 1957.
Services were October 5 in Franklin, IN. He is survived by 4 sons; a sister; a brother' extended family.
Extended obit and guest book available at: 
www.jessenfuneralhome.com

Joy (Gowan), 62, of Lawton passed on September 30. Joy was LHS class of 1968.  She is survived by her parents; 2 brothers; a sister Gay Gordon (Larry); extended family.  A Memorial service will be held at a later date.
Extended obit and guest book at: 
www.beckerfuneral.com
Raymond William Moore, 59, of Ardmore passed on September 26.  He was LHS grad but I do not know the year. Services will full military honors were held October 1 at Ft. Sill National Cemetery. He is survived by 2 sons; a daughter; grandchildren and extended family.
Extended obit and guest book at: 
www.whineryhuddleston.com


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Warm regards to all from the home town!    Georgia


Photo (above): Richard says the event was "My Blue Heaven" but he could not remember the event or occasion.
Richard goes on to say..."Pictured from left to right are Jack Reynolds (??) tuba; myself (Richard Lassitter) - trombone; Richard Glenn '55 - trumpet:  in the back Bill Amis '55 - drummer; John Waller '55 - sax; Tim Guzzle '54 - sax;  Mary Wilson '55 -singer: and in the back on the piano is Mrs. Hardy (Eva) Suggs, wife of the music store owner Hardy Suggs
.� 
......LHS News......
Originally sent September 28

Just FYI: Numerous - including self - are receiving letters of  'distress' from classmates saying they are traveling overseas, etc.  Some tragedy has happened (lost money, passport, desperate) and they need YOU to send them money asap.  These are FAKE letters, SCAMS, please delete when you receive them.
Also, numerous receiving emails from someone you know with nothing but a link or maybe a come-on to 'make money'...'look at this'...etc.  This is result of a worm that invades address books on computers and sends these messages to all in book.  Usually harmless, but DO NOT click on link offered.  And, never send money or personal information. I appreciate some back and forth with Nino Martinez on this problem!!!

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Someone asking where-a-bouts of Marilyn Stephens (married name Bruggers), last known to be in Columbus, GA.  Maybe class '55 or '56??  Anyone have info?

"Johnson Bakery.  My dad owned a Conoco station at 11th and gore a few feet from the bakery. I  worked there summers and weekends. Would eat the doughnuts all the time. Mr. Johnson came  to the station every day for a coke. This was from '49 to about '56.  I also met my wife Babs (Yarmuk) at the station because I put air in her tires. She was in the 4th grade. 
Dee Givens, '55."

Note:  Babs and I grew up together.  I am trying to remember what 'wheels' she had that required air!  Sounds like a ploy to me!  ahhaha!  I know I walked through that station many times a week going to the bakery and Humpty Dumpty.

[speaking of last news]..."That is a lot of interesting information. Thank you...
Vreda Corinne Schieman now of Salida, CO, class of 51."

Janey (Johnston) Scott is just home from a week in NYC.  She took in shopping and sights and had opportunity to visit former Lawtonian and LHS grad Dixie (Massad) Sheridan. Janey also attended a Broadway performance of 'Nice Work if you Can Get It' starring Kelli O'Hara.  Kelli is a native of Oklahoma and a cousin of Janeys hubby and our '59 classmate, Bill Scott.

Megan (Gill) and hubby Brian Caudill just home from few days in the Big Easy and a 9 day cruise around the Caribbean! Great food and fun for all!!! 

"Just discovered your site while browsing the web this morning and I must say it brought back a flood of LHS memories as well as those from Whittier Grade School.  Those years made us into who we became and time nor distance have diminished my recall of the great times enjoyed with best "buds" Jimmy Reynolds, Mike Wilkerson, Buddy Fullerton, Don Williams and Alton Esterbrook, plus the older "hero's" who influenced my life like Jack Shanklin (the "best dressed"), Bob Mansell (my athletic cousin), and Clarence Avery (another great athlete who gave time to the "little guys"), and I must add Bill Williams to that list because he lit up the crowd every time he showed up!
I could fill a book with all the great guys and gals who made those young Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn years a rich and pleasant memory, and as I journey through my seventieth-eighth year I find myself reflecting on all of them more often with each passing day.  Thanks for providing a place to look in on them."
Bob Keiningham

"I would like to make some additions to the Elm Street Hill, Bobby Lacy, Tommy Mansell, Hank Sabine, Bob Knowles, myself, and many others.  What a good time we had, there was a lot of hooky-bobbing on the rear bumpers of cars when we got older. We have snow on the mountains."
Bruce Knowles, class of '62

SNOW! fyi....Bruce lives in Alaska!

[My name is] "Jean (Rawlings) Wheatly. Graduated LHS 1961.  Have lived many places since then. On June 2, 2012 on Hilton Head Island, I married my high school sweetheart Dr. Gary Kent Wheatly after 51 years of being apart and now live in Lawton part time.
We connected through a letter I wrote to the 50th class reunion last August. Both of our spouses had passed away. We are so blessed to be together again.
Gary was also LHS 1961. He practiced as a dentist in Lawton until he retired when we married.  God totally did this."

Isn't this romantic!!!!   Major congratulations guys!

Speaking of Williams and Zwick...... 
"....please thank dear Sam Hamra for remembering Gene Zwick and me as a comedy team.  Sam was a classmate of my sister Janet ('55).
In 1953, Gene and I went to Ok City to audition for the Ted Mack Amateur Hour with a sketch written for us by Gene's dad.  We made it through a full day's auditions, all the way to the final round, at which time we were cut, so didn't make the TV broadcast. Before moving to Lawton, Gene's parents were both in show business in the NY/NJ area - so Gene came by his talent genetically.  He was the Jerry Lewis half of our team. I don't know what became of him, but I can report that during my 22 years of Army service I performed in community theatre all over the country, and since retirement from the Army I've been a film and television actor for over 30 years."
Donald R. Williams, '53

"I remember Don Williams and Eugene Zwick and their Martin and Lewis routine very well. Zwick did a better Jerry Lewis than Jerry Lewis did.
Doe Doe Park swimming pool had a small row boat hanging upside down above the exit to the mens' dressing area. Coming out the dressing area one day carrying my clothes basket with my glasses in it along with my clothes (I was extremely near-sighted) I walked right into the bow of the boat. I was in some pain when I stepped up to turn in my basket in at the window when the attendant looked at me and panicked. Seems I had blood streaming down my face. It is the only time in my life I have had stitches from something other than surgery."
Mike Keeran, '56

"I last saw Gene Zwick sometime around 1957.  He was passing through Norman recruiting people to go with him to become beach combers in Mexico."
John Waller Gene Zwick seems to be a very interesting former classmate.   Hope he turns up some where!!!!!

Sing HAPPY [October] BIRTHDAY to classmates: 
Richard Neptune; Suzanne (Jones) Crawford; Marilyn (Lewis) Smith; Princess (Gill) Turner; Tom Dillon.

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REMINDER: 55th reunion of LHS Class 1957 - October 19-20, Best Western, Lawton.  Co$t is $40. per person for one or both nights!  DEADLINE is September 29. Sending registration form and money ahead of time will save last minute rush at the door and a required name tag will be waiting!
Make reservation and/or get form from Eugenia (Matthews) McClellan <grannygmc@verizon.net> or call (972) 422-3050. Do IT NOW!  They need head-count!  Other than class '57 that would like to attend are most welcome.  Price and procedure is same.

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Mary Ruth (Bishop) Champiomont, 79, Ocean Springs, MS, passed September 20 at her home after short illness.  Ruth is wife of Gale Champioment, class 1949. Ruth, originally from TN, met Gale when he was at the Air Force base in Wichita Falls, TX. She is survived by Gale; daughter Karen; a son Michael; a granddaughter; a brother-in-law Don Champiomont.
Services Wednesday September 26 in MS.
Extended obit and guest book at: 
www.bradfordokeefe.com

Faye Louise 'Lou' (Ingle) Hodges Hamblin, 71, of Lawton passed on September 12. Services were September 18. She attended LHS but do not know if she graduated?
Extended obit and guest book at: 
www.grayfuneral.com

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