......LHS News......
Originally sent July 13/14
Please note: I continue to have computer issues. It has made for difficulties in getting the news out. You should check the blog from time to time to see if you missed any 'news'. And, due to difficulities, there is a LOT of news and some is little older. www.thewolvernet.blogspot.com/
btw....ALL the details about the upcoming August 2-3 reunion of '52- '53- '54 classes, is posted on the blog. Deadline is coming up quick - July 15.
Numerous responses about the terrible [May] storms in Oklahoma.............
"LHS grad Charles Woodward, probably '60 or '61, has a daughter, Karen Maranelli, who is the teacher injured so badly in the first Moore tornado. She was covering some of her students, and I believe something fell on her. She is doing pretty well.. and should be discharged from the hospital soon, if not already. My brother lives in Moore also (Bill Stark, LHS 66, I think), and was at work at Tinker. However, his wife, Linda (Pierson) Stark, also an LHS grad, was at home in Moore, in their shelter in the floor of the garage.
I remember being at a Latin Club convention or something like that in Norman, and we were outside of the building on a break, and watched a tornado coming our way. It veered off, I guess, since it didn't come any further toward us. Like the crazy teenagers that we were, we just stood there and watched it. I wonder if anyone else remembers this?" Elaine Stark Paine, '58"We live just south of 19th street in Moore (one mile South on SW 169th). 19th street looks like the devastation in Vietnam after the B52 bombing."
Robert Winstead
Correction: Jan (Mitchell) Irwin lives in her own home. Daughters is just short distance from her & it is daughters home that was destroyed in the tornado.
Correction: Jan (Mitchell) Irwin lives in her own home. Daughters is just short distance from her & it is daughters home that was destroyed in the tornado.
John Waller also lives very close to where the tornado hit. Fortunately no damage and he wasn't even in the state/country! He was in Paris.....that's France, not Texas!
John also posted this recollection about previous news item....
"It was good to see a story about Fred Burch. I didn't know about his baseball prowess. For the past several years we've seen Fred and his bride (my LHS classmate, Claudette), at the annual, premier social event of Cotton County. That event is a calf fry. (I was required to explain to our fifty-one year old daughter that they don't fry the entire calf � just carefully selected parts.)"
Possibly gonna have the most fun this summer award goes to...Lewis Chandler who emails........
"Summer plans begin this weekend [June 22nd] trip to St. Louis to watch the Cardinals and play golf each day. Home for two days and then off to the North Rim of The Grand Canyon. Will tent camp. Will then travel up to Glacier Natl. Park and just fly fish and camp along the way.
In late July will be off to Madrid for 6 days, then take a train to Paris for 6 days, on to Rome via train for 3 days, then home. Excited to say the least."
I'd say!
'59 grad Larry Watson writes that he is still working in DC area but hopes to be in Charleston, SC this summer to visit with his daughter and her family.
Salas's Restaurant proved to be a chance meeting place for LHS grads. Jerry Phelps, '57 and wife Gwen (Wood), '59, along with Doyce Grayson, '56 and Perry Brown, '57. My Bill & I joined in conversation that covered many topics!!!
LHS Golden Wolverine Juanita (Bowman) Perkins who celebrated her 102 bday in April was recently honored as a 50 year member in the [local] League of Women Voters. Juanita is the nicest, perkiest little lady. Her mind is sharp as a tack, only trouble she has is with her legs. She lives at a local retirement center and you'd never think she was a day over 75. Sweet person.
'96 classmate Rep. TW Shannon - who is currently Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives - was member of a panel that was featured and interviewed by Sean Hannity (FOX) on Friday evening - June 21.
Former LHS and Cameron football standout - Keith Lavender - was subject of Herb Jacobs column on Sunday. (June 23, pg 7-C). Keith - who should be class '62-'63? - was "always known as one of the toughest players pound-for-pound". Herb's weekly 'Where Are They Now?' discusses how Lavender ended up in Lawton after growing up in Wichita Falls. Good read!
LHS grads Keith Jackson and wife Alex (Roth) recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary. Lifelong Lawtonians, Keith is a businessman and currently serving on the Lawton City Council. Alex has helped in the family businesses and raising 3 children. Major congrats guys!
More Happy June Birthdays.......Jack Rhodes, '59; Dorothy (Dawson) DeMoro, '52; Ruth Ann Williams-Reeder, '52. And VERY SPECIAL Birthday Wishes to Ed Cagle who will be 90 years young on July 22. Ed is LHS class 1941. All the best Ed!
btw....Dorothy and Ruth Ann were born one day apart (June 7 and 8), same doctor, same nurse....Ruth Ann called Dorothy to wish her happy bday & to tell her she was going through an old box of Blue Bird and Camp Fire clippings and other precious memories of their childhood!
Appreciate emails from classmates: Stella (Price) Naifeh; Larry Ray; Jan (Rice) Grogan; Kay (Kimball) Scott; Bettie (Mowry) Vail; Chuck Holcomb; Wayne Kniffin.
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Bruce Knowles emails that he and wife Shirley have been in CA [June] visiting kids/grandkids and had opportunity to visit with '62 grad Steve Thomas. Steve has been receiving proton treatment for a brain tumor. Bruce says he "looks good, appears 100%" and is happy chemo treatments have not been too harsh.
Had contact from Tom Burroughs, class 1956. He wrote that he lost his wife of 48 years last November. A difficult time. Tom is still in Bigfork, MT.
A snail mail from Glenda (Doan) Stanton informs that she is "through with radiation and trying to get back to normal."
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Since last news, sadly, numerous losses among our classmates:
Yvonne Coombs, '56 emailed on July 8th that Larry Hargett has passed. No details. Larry was class 1956.
Jerry W. Pursley, 73, of Waco, TX passed on June 26 after long bout with cancer. Jerry was LHS class 1957.
Services were July 9 in Lawton. Jerry is survived by a son and daughter and their families; a sister; large extended family.
Very nice obit and guest book at: www.beckerfuneral.com
Monta (Sanders) Burt, 101, of Lawton, passed on July 3. Monta is LHS grad but I am unsure of the year. Graveside service was July 9th. Monta is survived by son R.A. Burt and family; daughter Janet (Burt) Terry and family; daughter Jo (Burt) Cook; a daughter Wanda is deceased. Also surviving is Montas best friend for 88 years - Juanita (Bowman) Perkins.
Extended obit and guestbook at: www.beckerfuneral.com
Zelma Mae (Wilson) Vaughan, 80, of Fletcher, passed on May 27. Services were May 30. She was LHS class 1951. She is survived by her husband John D. (Don); a son and his family; extended family.
Extended obit and guest book at: www.grayfuneral.com
Clente Bevitori, 75, of Altamonte Springs, FL, passed on June 6 following heart surgery. Services were June 11. Clint was LHS Class 1957. He is survived by his wife Mary; 2 children; 5 grandchildren. He worked as a benefits consultant for Univers Workplace Solutions in Altamonte Springs.
Hopefully this link will work:
Bill Anderson passed on June 21 in Trinity, TX. Services were in Huntsville, TX. Bill was LHS class 1957. Bill is survived by wife Barbara (Kemp); 4 sons and their families; 9 grandchildren. Also a sister Ruby (Anderson) Kirkes, sister Ardela (Anderson) Schmidt; a sister Wanda (Anderson) Varline is deceased.
Jesse James Harper, 82, of Lawton passed on June 5. Services were June 11. Jesse was born in Lawton and grew up here. He should have been an LHS grad but I do not know the year. He is survived by wife Helen; 2 daughters and families; large extended family.
Extended obit and guest book at: www.grayfuneral.com
G. Russell John, 82, of Lawton, passed on June 30 after long fight with cancer. Russell was LHS class 1948. Services were July 3. Russell is survived by his wife Bennie (Wilson); 2 sons and their families; large extended family including a brother Ramon John.
Extended obit and guest book at: www.beckerfuneral.com
By chance I caught an obit in the Oklahoman: Benjamin T. Lampkin, Jr., 84, of OKCity. He passed on July 6. He was LHS class 1945. Memorial service on July 11. He is survived by wife Toni; 6 daughters and their families; a brother Charles. Career in the military but outstanding career in law.
Extended obit at: www.smithandkernke.com
Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and those undergoing treatment for illness.
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Summer is here! Stay cool! Georgia
