......LHS News......

Originally sent August 28

"Surfin USA" by the Beach Boys was voted most popular summer song of all time on a Google poll!  The VERY popular group formed in about 1961.  Fantastic sound. 

"We'll all be gone for the summer
We're on safari to stay
Tell the teacher we're surfin'
Surfin' U.S.A."

New format...sadly...NEW NAME!  The Lawton High Tattler will cease publishing in paper form this year and will move to an on-line format only!  It was also announced that the on-line newspaper will have a NEW name chosen by the staff! First edition should be available first week of October and in the beginning will probably be a monthly. Not sure where to access as yet!  Change....inevitable, but sad. The Tattler really kept us informed back in the day! 

Norman Cantrell, Lawton, has been elected as President of The Piano Technicians Guild and as such will represent the Guilds US interest in October when he attends the International meeting of such guilds in Hangzou, China.  Cantrell operates a Piano Clinic in Lawton specializing in tuning, repair, and restoration of pianos, organs, and other similar music instruments.  Norman is LHS class 1978. 

From the eMail bag:

Ed Harp would like to have any pictures taken at the Friday night reunion event at Ramon Johns....if any of you have Friday night photos, please share with Ed.  

"I'm nearing the end of my quest to see all the national parks out west (I'm saving California for later).  I bought a jeep and headed west -- all by myself -- to prove I could do it.  I started in the BadLands, then Black Hills, on to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Bryce Canyon, Dead Horse Point, CanyonLands, Red Canyon, Mesa Verde, Zion, Grand Canyon.... and on the way home stopped off in Santa Fe, NM, to have lunch with Rex Givens. He loves it in Santa Fe .... almost convinced me that it is the place to live. I'm enclosing a picture of me at Mt. Rushmore.  This was an absolutely wonderful trip -- a once-in-a-lifetime adventure." 
Beverly (Spradlin) Raley, '59

"Bev [wife] and I are preparing for a hike into the Grand Canyon this fall.  To get in shape, we are hiking (6 miles rt)  Mount Scott in the early AM.  To finish another four miles, we then hike to the Panther Creek arrastra.  If one wishes to find it, take Ellenbrook's article with you and use it as carefully as a map.  The first time we looked, Bev and I lucked out and found it.  Then we failed twice to find it again.  The fourth time we used his GPS location and went right to it.
Even if you don't find it, the whole point is "the chase", and being out in the refuge."
Don Wooley, '64

"Charles Ellenbrook gave a guided tour to an Arrastra (don't know if it was Panther Creek but it may have been) many years ago.  I really enjoyed the tour."
Frankie (Kurtz) Browning

Tempe Brown (Tip Cockrell), '57, now has her childrens book in print! "The Little Dirt People". If you have interest you can visit her website:  tempebrown.com or tempebrown.org. Click on books and cd's.

"We are in Colorado for the summer.  Had to evacuate because of the fires out here.  We spent 12 days in Santa Fe before we could get back in to our RV."
Sandra (Austin) Smith and Glen

'59 classmate Larry Joe Thompson - traveling on the West coast - tangled with a deer and his car lost!  He was stalled in Spokane for a while getting repairs but headed home.

Sending Happy Anniversary wishes to Luther and Barbara (Petty) Green celebrating 57 glorious years together on August 30. Luther is class '57 and Barbara is same year but attended St. Marys.  Luther said they started dating their Junior year and "raised each other". Major congrats guys!!!

And a Happy (Golden) 50th to '59 classmate Peggy (Stockton) Cravens and hubby Jim on August 25!  Great milestone.  Congrats guys!

More August Birthday wishes....Carlana (Fitch) Murray; Fray Palmer.

******************

Tom Bateman, 70, Lawton, passed on August 25.  Tom was LHS class 1960. He is survived by a son Shaun; friend Chebe Jones.  Tom was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Johnny Bateman, '59. Friends may visit or view at the funeral home [today] Wednesday from 8:00am ~ 9:00pm.  There was no mention of a service.
Extended obit and guest book at: <www.beckerfuneral.com>

Loewen Lee Howard, 72, of Lawton passed on August 10.  Memorial service was August 14.  Loewen was LHS class 1960.  He is survived by a son; 2 daughters; grandchildren; brothers Col. James D and Gary Bob.
Extended obit and guest book at:  <www.grayfuneral.com>

 Evelyn (Hankins) Schneider, 88, of Lawton passed on August 6. Interment was at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Lawton. She attended Lincoln and Hillside Elementary and was LHS class 1941. She is survived by a daughter and large extended family.  She is a cousin somewhat removed (according to Susan) of Susan (Hankins) Ellington and also Frank Hankins. Evelyn was a very pretty lady.
Extended and interesting obit and guest book at:  <www.grayfuneral.com>

Elmer Ray Hobbs, 82, passed on August 20 from injuries (passenger) in an auto crash in Lawton.  Ray was cremated with no service as per his wishes. Ray had also been fighting cancer for several years.
Ray is survived by wife Tommye (Boudreaux) - they just celebrated their 61st anniversary; a daughter Mikel in CA and a son Kelly Ray in NC.

Note:  Ray & Tommye were in Lawton (from CA) for the reunion Aug. 2-3 and announced they were leaving CA for good, purchasing a house and moving home to Lawton. It was a busy few days with the reunion, the purchase of a house, sale of their house in CA, and a great interview with Ray and story by Herb Jacobs for his column:  Sunday August 11, page 3-C.  Ray had a very distinguished career in sports at LHS, receiving award as Lawton Highs Outstanding Athlete in 1952. Great read.
**There will be a celebration of life for Ray at the home in Chowchilla, CA (9020 Hunters Creek) on  Sunday September 22 at 2:00pm; then a celebration of life for Ray at their new Lawton home on Saturday November 30, 2:00pm - 4105 NW Meadowbrook.  Tommye says "there will be no special services....it's a chance for our families and friends to get together and reminisce.  We'd love to have you at either one or both."

Our sympathies and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones.

*******************

Summer winding down......regards to all.....Georgia