Greetings
Maroon Devils,
Hello in particular to the Class
of 58 about whom the majority of the Maroon and Black Threads newsletter is written although readership includes members of the Classes of 56, 57, 59, 60 and 61.
Every month I receive either an e-mail or a phone call from a Maroon Devil located somewhere in the Continental United
States who is not in the Class of 58 asking to be added to our e-mail list. I have close to 300 names and e-mail addresses
who now receive our newsletter via the class website.
I’m a couple of days late publishing the newsletter this month. My apologies! A bedroom painting detail
has occupied my time for several days.
Speaking of news, let’s
rehash some good news from the Tar Heel State! What about those Tar Heels winning the National
Basketball Championship? We have bragging rights for a year at least. I will truly have to say, they could
do no wrong during tournament time could they? What an incredible team! They played team basketball and
yet each team member was capable of leading the team in scoring every night. We certainly have to give
credit to Coach Roy Williams and his staff too.
Ken Cooper and I were discussing Tar Heel Basket Ball recently and
he has a better memory about the Tar Heel players than do I. Of course he is a Carolina grad, but he remembers the Duke/Carolina game in 1975 too. His comments about that particular game follow:
Hi Rex, Just received the newsletter and enjoyed reading it. As we get
older we all need a little help with our memory now and then. That was Walter Davis and not Charlie Scott who made the shot
as he passed the half court line. Not that it matters but just thought I would pass that info to you. You may be remembering
that in the early 70's Charlie Scott made a last second shot to beat St. Bonaventure and big Bob Lanier in the East Regional
(I am not sure about which region). Anyway, hope you and Margaret are ok.
Ken
More good news from the Tar Heel State. This past weekend we saw a North Carolina lassie from Wilmington win the Miss USA Beauty Pageant.
Did you happen to notice the Carolina Blue evening dress she was wearing? She will next compete
in the Miss Universe Pageant.
Sandra “Sandy” Setzer
Rau who lives way out in California sent the following note… Rex I don't
have much news right now so I will just leave it at that........ we'll be off to Seattle in another month or two to see our son
and his family but I'll report on that afterwards:) Thanks Rex, as always, for your time and energy......An early Happy Easter to you......Blessings, Sandy :)
A nice note from Eugenia Burton Mozely of Mablton, Georgia follows. Rex,
I read the newsletter with great joy, as usual. Thanks for all you do!!
If you ever decide to copy your annual and bind it, I would love to have one and I would be very willing to pay for the cost
and your labor. I lost mine years ago in our move. Have a great weekend....we are also glued to the tournaments!!Best regards, Eugenia
Burton Mozley
(Editor’s note: Eugenia was one of our lost classmates who
we were trying to locate before last year’s reunion. Low and behold, she was looking for some news
about her graduating class at the same time and found our Class of 58 web site announcing the 50th Class Reunion. She and
I had a great time catching up last year. However, she was unable to attend the reunion due to illness
in her immediate family.)
The following e-mail is from classmate Sally McCanless, who along with
classmate Allan White, is sponsoring and planning a brunch for the Class of 58 exclusively on May 6th at the Cracker
Barrel on Tunnel Road, at 10:00 a.m.
Rex,
Thanks so VERY much for such a great newsletter in March, plus insertion of the info about May 6 gathering at the Cracker
Barrel in Asheville. I KNEW you would do a super job in a big buildup
for the breakfast. With
all the problems we see in the world, there are still many blessings and we all must recognize them and enjoy each other in
a new and better way while life is still abundantly with us. I most certainly am trying to do so. Also, I was glad to get information about Joan Smith Werhan. Recently,
I talked with Katherine Heaton Andrews. She enjoyed our conversation and is doing OK. She, Jane Harrell Tolley and I earlier
had planned, down the road, to have a quiet dinner together. I do continue to stay in touch with Bette McClain by lovely conversations
in email, along with funny, serious, and inspiring e-mails from many other classmate friends as well, but especially with
Jane Harrell Tolley, Elaine McPherson Cole, and Mary Lou Goforth Schwartz. Plus, there are notes I am writing, one, to
Louise and Marshall Bessinger...Louise was one of my childhood friends we grew up together in our idyllic North View/West
Street neighborhood. Luv and Best wishes to you and Margaret.
Sally
As your Maroon and Black Newsletter editor, I plant to attend the brunch on May 6 at the Cracker Barrel
on Tunnel Road at 10:00 a.m., not only to see classmates again but to support Allan and Sally for their efforts to keep the
Class of 58 connected. I expect to see a lot of familiar faces. Call Allan White at 350-9155 or Sally McCanless at 277-1158
to make your reservation.
I frequently check-in with my distant cousin, Bette Wilson McClain, who lives in Charlotte. The following e-mail is from Bette.
Rex, Good to hear from you; and thanks so much for
writing! We’ve been busy keeping grandchildren! I will never complain about that—all six, count
them, six, are loads of fun.
We are looking forward to a trip to the Dominican Republic. We’ll be with one of our daughters, her husband and
our three grandchildren! It sounds like fun already, and I haven’t even packed my bags! I’ll send
you a report after we get home on April 14th. (It is the 20th and I have not heard from her yet)
I continue to postpone the huge back surgery! God just continues
to ” bless me all to pieces.”Thank you
for the newsletter--you’re doing a great job. I promise to be better about writing to you. Perhaps when
summer gets here, and Henry uncovers the pool, I’ll give thought to having an area function. Or, there is a really
nice state park just down the road from us. It has covered areas, picnic tables, hiking trails, and a lake.Take care of yourself, and say hello to Margaret.
Have a
Blessed Easter. Your
Cuz, Bette
The next note is from Betty Ward Hewitt who lives at Conway, SC—on the way to Myrtle Beach.
Hi
Rex, Too bad the weather was not good while you were down here. It has been raining for a few days--but
today is beautiful, sunny and warm.
Buddy (her husband) continues
to improve. He still goes to physical and speech therapy three times a week. They have him walking without his
walker a little while he is there but he continues to use it at home. We went to Charleston last week to an eye doctor who in turn is sending him to another
one that specializes in low vision. He sees only out of the right side of both eyes. Good news is he has lost 85 lbs.
Hope you and Margaret are fine and in good health. Beverly Ward
Hewitt
Sarita Krickhen DeRamus,
who lives in Selma Alabama, wants to notify everyone her e-mail address has changed. She also sends the following note in
response to our upcoming visit with Sarita on May 17th when we are traveling to Mobile, Alabama.
Rex, As you probably
have found out by now, my hotmail account has been compromised. I have been getting unusual calls from all over the
US concerning my request for cash. (?????)
For now, and until this issue is resolved, please delete my email address from the class list. I am no longer going
to use that e-mail account. Tell my classmates not to respond to anything from that hotmail account. Let
them all know that I am sorry about someone getting my contact list. I will stay in touch with you since you will be visiting
in Alabama in May.
I am looking forward to seeing you and Margaret. The Carrabas in Montgomery is on the eastern bypass and should be no problem to find. I am still planning to visit with
you on the 17th. Sarita Krickhan DeRamus
(Editor’s note: Sarita’s new e-mail address can be obtained
through Rex with Sarita’s permission).
Shirley McDonald Hedrick, who recently visited Asheville to spend time with her daughter, sent the following e-mail.
Hi Rex!
I just wanted to check in and tell you about my trip to Asheville. The weather was great and we had a really fun time. Everywhere I went it reminded me of something or someone.
I guess there will always be a part of my heart there. I need to go sometime without anyone else so I can visit with some
of my old and dear friends. Debbie and I had brunch at Grove Park Inn on Saturday.
We sat by a window that looked out over the golf course and I was reminded of the times that a bunch of us went sleigh riding
on the course. Were you a part of that? I can't remember who all went but I remember the bonfire and how much fun we had.
I'd love to hear of some of the things others remember. I'm sure everyone remembers different things.
I am soooooooo looking forward
to seeing you, Margaret, Sidney and Vera on May 13th. We will finalize the plans a little closer to time.
Love, Shirley
Who else remembers sleigh riding on the Country
Club Golf Course in the late 50s? I was there too and remember the bon fire was built using old automobile
tires. School was closed and the snow stayed on the ground for several days. The weather became so cold the snow on the ground
turned to ice and sleighing down the hill in a straight line became impossible. Let us hear about your particular memory of
the good times we had sleigh riding on the golf course.
Shirley’s reminiscence reminds me of major
undertaking by students at David Millard Jr. High when our class was in Junior High School. Who remembers selling magazine
subscriptions when we were attended Junior High? Do you remember the purpose of the magazine subscription
drive? We were trying to raise enough money to purchase a new school activity bus! After the initial sales
rally in the school auditorium we were sent out into our respective neighborhoods in the afternoons after school to sell magazines.
Every morning in the auditorium we had assembly much on the order of a Pep Rally. However, instead
of cheering for our athletic teams, the rally was designed to motivate us to sell more subscriptions. Prizes such s boxes
of chocolate candy were awarded to those who sold the most subscriptions every day. As I recall, Bob Sevier
and Don Printz should still have a hoard of chocolate candy—enough to last a life time. Oh! Yes!
The school did purchase a very nice and quite large activity bus which we badly needed. However, the heating system on the bus lacked a lot to be desired.
I remember the basketball team nearly froze to death one cold winter night on a trip home from playing Wray Junior
High in Gastonia.
Also, which
ninth grade basketball player put hot sauce instead of Bar-B-Que Sauce on his Bar-B-Que in Shelby and could not eat it and was ridiculed by the rest of the team? Was it Sydney
Mitchell, Bill Martin, Bob Sevier, Charles Beaman, Lee Maney, James Davis or yours truly?
Gary Scott
of Charlotte is counting the days until his retirement in May. Then he is headed
back to the hills of the Blue Ridge. He says he is a “short-timer”
to the corporate world of banking. He is so short in fact; he is sleeping in a match box. (An old Army statement).
I chat with Bob Gamble of Monroe, NC occasionally via
IM. Bob sends greetings to all his classmates and regrets he had to miss the reunion last year. He continues to do battle
with diabetes which sometimes gives him some health concerns. His spirit is high and his sense of humor is the Bob Gamble
we all remember from high school.
Classmate Pat Smith Werhan recently sent a package containing newspaper
articles her brother, Charles Smith, (Class o 56) wrote while he worked for the Asheville Citizen Times
as a sports writer. The articles were written about the Lee Edwards football, basketball and baseball teams of 1957. I was
a little embarrassed to read some of the articles, especially the basketball and baseball articles. Some of sports teams were
not great winners in 1957. I am going to copy the articles then donate them to the LEHS Alumni Museum at Asheville High School.
Classmate Malcolm Sorrells called one evening last week and we had a great phone conversation for
over an hour. Malcolm is still recuperating some from back surgery two of years ago but his spirits are high. He sends his
regards to all his friends and classmates from the Class of 58 and requests a phone call if any of you are ever in town. He
is in the phone book so no excuses. Margaret and I are heading to Asheville
soon and plan to have lunch with Malcolm and Carol.
CARES
AND CONCERNS FROM THE CLASS OF 56
Thank you to Mrs. Elaine McPherson Cole of the Class
of 1958 for sending this information on the death of Class of 1956 member Eddie Spurling. I cannot explain the difference
in the spelling of Spurlin/Spurling. In the 1955 and 1956 LEHS HILLBILLY annuals, Eddie Spurlin, rather than Spurling,
was listed on the Not Pictured page. If anyone knows more about this spelling difference, please let me know.
Eddie's picture may be in one of these annuals on a miscellaneous photo page and if you can identify him please let me
know that page so I can let everyone else know. Other information below came from the Internet.
Regards, Dave
(Editor’s note: Dave Roberts handles correspondence for the Class of 56 and is brother
to Brian Roberts, Class of 58. If you wish to respond to Dave let me know and I’ll forward
his e-mail address.
NEWS FROM THE CLASS OF 57
Members of the LEHS Class of 57
gathered at TGI Fridays in Biltmore Tuesday, March 31st for dinner and fellowship. Fifty-Seven Classmate Cliff
Mashburn sponsors the event and the following members of the Class of 57 attended the dinner. Charlie Pfaff, Diane Chambers
Pemberton, Deanne Smith, Rusty Herman, Evelyn Tilson Herman, Nancy Johnson Weaver, Jaimie
Cornwell Melvey, Keith Nelon, Bill Clark, Dawn Early Vaughn, Betty Burnette Collins and Elaine McKenzie
Parker. Although members of the Class of 58, who also live in Western North Carolina, are invited to join the group, the Class of 58 has made themselves scarce during the events. Attending
this particular dinner were Jo Ann Chandley Elliott, Elaine McPherson Cole and her spouse, Cliff, plus Margaret and me.
I would like to encourage other Class of 58 members who live in
Asheville to attend the dinners which are held about every six weeks. It
is a great way to stay connected to former friends and Alumni from LEHS. At the present time a dinner is not planned for May
yet. I will let everyone know by e-mail when the next dinner is scheduled.
UPDATES ON THE ILLNESS OF MICKEY HOYLE.
The following e-mail is from Pat Alexander Masters, spouse of classmate Allan Masters. Pat sent the e-mail to Mac Anders,
(my contemporary with the Class of 57, who forwarded the message to everyone on his mailing list.)
Dear Mac,
You may want to forward this. I just talked to Mickey Hoyle. This is what he relayed to me regarding his health: The
oncologists in Asheville have been in touch with the oncologists in Houston, MD
Anderson, which is the best cancer center in the US. They have suggested a regimen consisting of new medications, being the
newest and best for treatment of liver cancer. He will be moved to the 10th floor at St. Josephs to start this medication
soon and will probably stay there two weeks. From what he has said, he does not know whether the tumor on the pancreas is
malignant or not, but surgery will probably done on it in the future. The tumor is at the very end of the pancreas and can
be removed fairly easily. The doctors seem to be more concerned about the
malignancy in the liver. He is getting the best of care and has a wonderful attitude. Friends have rallied around him and
even the Baptist ministers have visited him, although he no longer goes there. I think he is still on the membership role.
He has had numerous visitors as well as calls and e-mails. He certainly is loved by many people. We have contacted him regularly,
but haven't visited him since Sunday because Allen has a cold. I think it is wonderful that Dianne is taking fresh vegetables
to him. He has had an outpouring of love from the classes of 56, 57, and 58.
We all love him dearly and are praying for him
and that is what he is asking for, our prayers, God
can do miracles and Mickey seems to have a lot of faith. I don't know of anyone else who has kept up with the classes
of Asheville High as Mickey has. He seems to know everyone.
Hope to see everyone next
Saturday although Allen is playing in a memorial golf tournament in honor of our brother-in-law and won't be able
to go.
Sincerely, Pat Alexander Masters
Dr. Mac Anders (Class of 57) forwarded the following report on Mickey’s condition two days after Pat’s
report.
I spoke with Mickey by phone
this evening. The first thing he wanted to talk about was the visits, calls, and cards from many of you and other friends.
He said that he can't express how much he appreciates the support and outpouring of love he has received. He said you
have helped him draw on his competitive spirit, acquired from athletic activities at David Millard and Lee Edwards,
and he is determined to beat this thing. He solicits your continued support and prayers.
He first experienced symptoms (fatigue
and faintness) on the golf course about a month ago. He had several subsequent episodes over the next couple of
weeks which he thought might be indicative of a stroke. He was seen by his physician who ordered a CAT scan. It
was negative for a cardiovascular event. A CAT scan in September 2008 was also read as negative for any pathology.
Symptoms recurred following the recent CAT scan, and on Saturday last week at his mother's home he began vomiting and
lost consciousness. EMT's were called, and he was transported to the emergency room at St. Joseph's Hospital. He was admitted to the hospital from the ER. Work-up over
the next day or two lead to a diagnosis of hyperinsulinemia, an abnormally large concentration of insulin in the blood which
causes an abnormally low concentration of glucose in the blood (hypoglycemia). Mickey was started on drug treatment
and an intravenous glucose drip to regulate blood sugar. As you may know, a normally functioning pancreas
produces insulin which is used to regulate sugar that is pumped by the liver through the circulatory system. The
converse of hypoglycemia is hyperglycemia, or diabetes, where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin (insulin insufficiency)
or cells do not absorb insulin that is produced (insulin resistance) resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels.
Diagnostic work-up also
revealed tumors in the liver and pancreas. In all likelihood, Mickey's hyperinsulinemia is a manifestation of the
tumors, and the objective now is to treat the tumors. This is a relatively rare condition which the doctors in Asheville apparently have had little experience. Hence, they have consulted
with M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, one of the leading cancer research
and treatment centers in the U.S. Doctors there have recommended an initial
round of an oral chemotherapeutic agent which is relatively new but has been found to be effective in the treatment of liver
cancer. Mickey will start this regimen tomorrow. In
all probability, once stabilized, he will go to Houston for further
evaluation and treatment at M.D. Anderson.
FYI, St. Joseph's is now part of the Mission Hospital System. The telephone number I gave for St. Joseph's earlier (828-255-3100) is no longer working. The switchboard
number is 828-213-1111. Mickey is now on the oncology floor in room 1024. The direct line to his room is 828-213-3024. Keep those cards, calls, visits, and prayers going.
--HMA
PS To Mickey: Mick,
as you are on our e-mail list, I’m sure you will eventually read this newsletter. Let me pass on to you the Class of 58 is pulling
for you. You are dear to all of us and our prayers and heart felt thoughts are with you as you undertake
this very scary journey.
While Mickey is fighting his battle with
cancer, let me remind you we have many other Classmates and LEHS alumni who have health concerns—some serious-- but
wish to remain anonymous. Yet, each person will appreciate your prayers. Please remember a classmate who recently experienced
a blood clot in his/her leg that moved to their lungs but did not cause serious damage—only scary hours. That classmate
is convalescing at home and is doing well. Another classmate is undergoing treatments for skin cancer on his/her face, while
another has carotid artery disease and is having difficulty regulating his/her blood pressure which goes up and down like
a YO YO.
Friends, although we hate to admit it, we are at an age and are on a precarious journey in our lives where infirmary
or a doctor’s office can be a constant companion. Take care of yourselves. Do not wait until the
last minute to seek help for an ailment. Practice good health care by having regular checkups.
Until next month, enjoy your lives and send us some news and let your classmates know what is going
on in your life.
Cheers, Rex
