Greetings Maroon
Devils,
I was sitting and relaxing one night last
week surfing the news channels, MSNBC, CNN and
Fox News paying particular attention to all the interesting
comments made by the news hosts and their guests. After an hour of absorbing all the various twists and slants each commentator
puts on his/her points of view, I began to marvel about the fact we are living in a very interesting time in the history of
our country—a time which from my perspective, we have never before experienced. I do have to think the truth of all
the issues presented to us from the news shows lies somewhere in the middle of all that is said. And as a writer, I should
give examples of what I think are interesting. However, I believe the reality of the political, economical, and social events
that are unfolding before our eyes speak for themselves. Yet, I feel we must still ask ourselves some questions!
What will be the end result of health care? of education? of our individual freedom without government interference as we
have known it? of the right to bear arms? of maintaining our personal identity? of the economic climate? of our tax burden?
of our military strength? what are equal rights when all are not equal—except in the eyes of God? and the list goes
on and on!
We have finally grown up
my friends haven’t we? We have at last arrived! The future we looked forward to for many years and were told about is
here and now! We are living it! We are that future! Yet, what will history record about our generation
when it is written two hundred years from now? I can only imagine! I wonder if we are the last who lived in an age of innocence?
The though of many of the issues facing our society makes me want to bring back the draft so all men can
have equal opportunity to contribute to the freedoms our ancestors fought and died for. Then perhaps a greater appreciation
for what America means can be understood.
Hello Maroon Devils far and wide. Please indulge me as I let off some steam. Today is Friday, 9/11 and if
there is a tea party in Greenville tomorrow, I’m attending for sure.
Many thanks for your prayers and comments with regard to Margaret’s son, Jeff, who suffered a stroke on August 3rd.
Jeff continues with outpatient therapy and is making excellent progress. He is walking without the assistance of a
cane; his speech has just about fully recovered, and he has regained 50% use of his right arm. He is indeed blessed to be
in good shape.
I hope all is well with each of you. As autumn begins to sneak in the back door many of you have been traveling this
summer. Please write to me and let your classmates know about your adventures. For instance, Martha Ann Fuller Hale of Arizona
and Washington State wrote to tell me she and her family have spent the summer boating, crabbing and traveling
the Northwest. She said, It looks as if you have had some fun trips, also. I really enjoy the 'Threads'.
Many thanks for your hard work. Please change my email address to camanokids2@aol.com. Kindest Regards, Martha Ann Fuller Hale
Ronny
and Anne Moore Henderson are heading home to St Petersburg after traveling the outback’s of the wild American West this
summer. They arrived in Asheville Friday, September 4th, to visit with family and friends for a week before heading
home. One highlight of their trip was gathering Thursday, September 10th at the Provoline 620 Restaurant in Asheville to have fellowship and a meal with classmates from WNC and the Upstate. The following classmates—many
with spouses--attended the gathering. Jennie Lazenby Padgett, Jo Ann Chandley Elliott, Elaine McPherson, Tom Tomlin, Tom Hatcher,
Bette Dermid Owens, George Couch, Gary Roby, Gary Scott, Jo Anne Dalton Vaughn, Linda Sluder Tandy, Sally McCanless, Allan
White, Morgan Pritchard, B.L. Coleman, Loretta Jarvis Sanders, Ronny and Anne and Margaret and me. Many thanks to Sally and
Allan who planned and hosted the gathering. We had a great time together as we always do when we gather as a class.
Sally and Allan announced plans for a Holiday gathering sometime in early December. More information to come about
that gathering in the Maroon and Black Threads in October and November.
Following is a note from my cousin Bette Wilson McClain of Charlotte who sends information about classmate
Becky Atkinson Aydlette who lives in Jacksonville Florida.
Hi Cousin Have you talked to Becky A. lately? Did
you know she’s sold her place in FL and is moving to the Outer Banks, NC to live with her son, Jimmy? I talked
to her again today, and she sounds really good--strong voice and happy. Actually, she was keeping two grandchildren who are
just little toddlers, so her energy level is good. She’s not using a cane, walker, etc. It’s kind of amazing that
she’s better than ever since the stroke! My computer is acting crazy, emails, etc. so not
sure you’ll get this …talk to you later. Bette
Bette and Judy Morris Smith were planning a gathering of classmates
for the greater Mecklenburg area of Charlotte where approximately 18 classmates reside. The gathering
was scheduled for September 15 but was postponed until a later date because the majority of classmates had previous commitments.
Future gatherings will be announced in Maroon and Black Threads plus personal invitations will be extended via e-mail
and AT&T.
One of my most faithful supporters, Sandra Setzer
Rau, way out in Carlsbad, California sent the following e-mail. Hi Rex! As always,
I thoroughly enjoy hearing about all the class of '58. I do hope Margaret's son, Jeff, continues to heal quickly- Hopefully,
you'll get another vacation squeezed in during the coming months.:) We're busily moving from one home to another that is nearby. It needs lots of fixing up so
I'm busy meeting with contractors, etc. Always a challenge but fun, too! Happy August! Blessings, Sandy :)
A word from Carol Anne Freeman follows:
Dear Rex, I was so sorry to hear about Margaret's son. From what you said, he
seems to be doing much better. A scare like that takes a lot out of you!!! Please tell her that she and her son are
in my prayers. I don't know how you find time to do the newsletter with all your traveling!! A lot of people
are getting enjoyment out of reading about classmates. Thanks for all your hard work.
Fondly, Carol Anne
Linda
Matherson Wilber of Charlotte sent the following e-mail:
Are classmates on Facebook? I am. There can be lots of stuff
there if people want to put in their information. Also you can have a group of us there if you wish. My Facebook address
is: lwilber23@hotmail.com (different from this e-mail account) Linda (Matheson) Wilber Classmates,
if you have a face book site write and let me know and I’ll pass it along in the newsletter.
Next, we hear from Jo Ann Chandley Elliott
of Asheville, via Candler:
Hi Rex, I just thought that I would tell you that Gil was surfing the
channel (tv) and found the Asheville High (Cougar) station. This is channel 16 in our area.
He was looking at the football highlights, and of course, there was some information about the school and their alumni center.
It showed our class picture made at our reunion on the steps in front of the school. I thought this might be of interest
for our newsletter. Jo Ann (Those of you who live in WNC check it out)
Sally McCanless sends notice of a “Birthday
all Girl Gathering” in Asheville this month.
Several of us gals (Elaine McPherson Cole, Linda Sluder
Tandy, Bette Dermid Owen, and myself) who have been at some or all of the local gatherings, have birthdays this month, (69
years old). All are in the same week and in the same year. At the last dinner, we had talked about celebrating together. So,
this week, Linda Sluder made reservations at the Corner Kitchen in Biltmore for next Friday the 18th for us Birthday Girls
to "whoop it up". We have invited other women who had attended the dinners and shown interest in getting together.
Will send more info about who joins us if you might want it and have an empty space in the newsletter.
Update from Sally, Friday September 18, 3:00 p.m.
I just arrived home from our lunch at Corner Kitchen restaurant
in Biltmore. The September birthday gals and friends had such a good time partying, we hope to get out together every month.
Joining us to celebrate were Anne Beckham Ewald and Jo Ann Chandley Elliott. We would like to have other area ladies to join
in with the fun. Linda has the list of Asheville women whom she will
contact each month. The restaurant gave us birthday girls a free dessert. I think Elaine is going to email to you a group
photo. Sally Sally sent photos but they were a little dark and did not reproduce well.
Ron Rice called Thursday, September 17, to pass along some interesting information.
Traditionally, Ron has an
annual Festive Halloween Costume party at his home in Ormond Beach, Florida. Ron’s house is quite large—more on the mansion scale I’ve heard—and he fills his house with
friends from far and wide during the festive Halloween gathering. Ron asked me to notify all LEHS
Class of 58 Alumni each of you have an open invitation to attend his Halloween party this year. You read
correctly! All graduates of the Class of 58 are invited—along with spouses. However, you do need
to RSVP to his assistant, Lara, at 386-672-7577. Your name must be on the guest list or entry is forbidden. The Haloween Costume
partry is Friday, October 30th @ the 6:00 p.m. hour.
In addition,
Ron also extends an invitation for all members of the Class of 58 to attend his annual Christmas Party on December 17th.
His Christmas party is also at 6:00 and is a little dressier than the Halloween bash.
Again, RSVP to Lara if you would like to attend. Ron,
on behalf of all our classmates, we thank you for your generous and considerate invitations. You are kind to include all of
us. Ron also told me the Hendersons stopped by his house for a visit on their way home to
St. Petersburg. Earlier in September Ron said David Rickman and his wife were his house
guests. Ron, David and Kent Lominac have had an ongoing friendship since high school.
Classmate Jerry Sharpe who lives over in Westminster, SC on Lake Hartwell
sent a very nice letter at the end of August.
Jerry is one of my adopted classmates to whom I snail mail the Newsletter as he is without the benefit of e-mail.
Excerpts from his letter follow:
Hi Rex, I want to let you know how much I have enjoyed the news letter every month. Sorry I
have not responded sooner. Also, I have about worn out the 50th Reunion Bio book. I
have really enjoyed reading it. I can see all of your hard work in both publications― very good job. I was glad to see
high school friends have done so well. God sure has been good to all of us. Also, I pray for the sick classmates—praying
they get well soon.
I retired 5/29 of this year. Sometimes I wished I had worked always. Working was something to do. I am in the process
of building a shop at home. I love to piddle with building furniture and cabinets. I also have enjoyed over the years oil/acrylic
painting, drawing and drafting.
I served in the navy 4 years. Highlights were space shot of John glen where we picked him up at sea along with
the third shot. The ship was the USS Randolph, an aircraft carrier. I was a gunner’s mate.
I did not move to the big city of Westminster, SC until about 21 years ago. We designed and built the house ourselves
on Lake Hartwell. I love to fish and watch the wildlife in our back yard. I’m
sorry I have not been able to enjoy the company of the classmates in the Upstate gatherings but maybe soon. I wish you all
good health and God Bless everyone is my prayer. Jerry P.S. Thanks
again.
Generous Classmates make contributions.
I want to express many thanks to two very generous, but anonymous classmates, who contributed to our web site fund.
One classmate wrote a check for $40.00 and the other check was for $50.00. As of Friday, September
18th we have $627.09 in our bank account. The web site expense is currently $21.09 each month.
That amount is drafted from the account.
Fall
gathering planned for the Upstate
Maroon Devils from the Upstate, (Upstate
SC) including those from the Classes of 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 & 62 plan to gather this fall in Greenville for a mini-gathering
to share a good meal, some socializing and celebrate the arrival of Autumn. Although the autumn equinox is on the afternoon
of September 22nd the Autumn season will be in full swing by the time we gather in late October. Invitations to
the Upstate Maroon Devils will be e-mailed the week of September 20th with a time, date and place enclosed.
Class of 59 Celebrate 50th
Reunion
As I write at this moment (Friday evening, September 18th), the Class
of 59 is gathering to celebrate their 50th Class reunion (4:00 p.m.). Friday evening’s
event, a hamburger/hot dog cookout at the Fireman’s Picnic Shelter on the French Broad River in Arden begins at 4:00
p.m. Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating as it is raining and cold in the mountains. Saturday evening’s event
looks more promising as it will be held indoors at Pack
Place on the Square. Hopefully I will
receive a report from a couple of people who are attending the event before I go to press.
Health Concerns for Classmates
Steering Committee member, Jo Anne Dalton Vaughn is home recuperating from successful knee replacement surgery on Tuesday, September, 15th in Greenville, SC Margaret and I visited with her in the hospital on the 17th and her spirits
were high. She was already walking back and forth to physical therapy despite some pain which is to be expected.
We saw her at home on Saturday and all is going well.
Don Printz sent a message Wednesday Sept 16, that his sweet wife, Debbie, is hospitalized in Atlanta with inoperable colon cancer. An update from Don on the 19th informed me aggressive treatments
of both radiation and chemotherapy will begin in about one month. The goal is to shrink the cancer so surgery can be preformed
at a later time. Don specifically requests prayers for healing. Debbie is resting comfortably in the hospital. Don’s
contact information is 1618 Silver Hill Road, Stone
Mountain, GA 30087 (770-939-9757)
and e-mail printzd@bellsouth.net.
Thanks
to Jim Mutton, Class of 56, who sent the following bit of nostalgia to Dave Roberts, the class of
56 contact person who then forwarded the information to the Classes of 57 and 58.
Do you remember when:
•All
the girls wore ugly gym uniforms
•It
took five minutes for the TV to get warm
•Nearly
everyone’s Mom was at home when the kids got home from school.
•Nobody owned a purebred dog
•When a quarter was a decent allowance•Your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces
•All your male teachers wore neckties and the female teachers had their hair done every
day and wore high heels. •you got full service—including
free air and trading stamps at the local service station
•Laundry
detergent had free drinking glasses, dishes or towels inside
•Kids stayed back if they failed a grade
•When a 57 Chevy was your dream car
•When you left your keys in the ignition in an unlocked car
•being sent to the principal’s office was nothing compared to
the fate that awaited you at home.
•Nancy
Drew, Howdy Dowdy, The Peanut Gallery, The Lone Ranger, Sergeant Preston and King, Nellie Belle, Roy and Dale,
Trigger, Buttermilk and Champion
•Miniature
Wax Coke bottles with sweet liquid filler, candy cigarettes, Blackjack, Clove and Teabery chewing gum,
•Soda machines that dispensed glass bottles
•tableside jukeboxes in your favorite soda shop
•Home delivered milk in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
•Cartoons, serials, and news reels before the main attraction
•PF Flyers
•Telephone
numbers with word prefixes Alpine 21751
•Mimeograph
paper, green stamps, Hi Fi’s, 45 & 78 rpms•
choosing sides meant eeny-meeny-miney-mo
•red
rover, drop the handkerchief, hide-and-seek
•race
issue was arguing about who ran the fastest
•having
a weapon at school was carrying your sling shot to school•Saturday morning cartoons were not thirty minute commercials
•Drugs were orange flavored baby aspirins
If you remember the majority of the above
mementos from the time of our youth, then you have really lived. Sometimes while writing your newsletter I realize
I need more material or information to pass along to you. Yet, this month the news about classmates is very sparse and
slow arriving.
News Flash!!! I have received another update from Sally McCanless of Asheville with regard to the birthday girl gathering Friday the 18th. Sally tells me she and Linda
Sluder Tandy are planning to host a monthly luncheon for female classmates in the Asheville area.
This is good news for the lady classmates in Asheville providing enough want to participate to make the gatherings worthwhile.
These gatherings should not interfere with the quarterly gatherings that many of you seem to enjoy attending.
I did receive communication from classmate Joan Smith Werhan of Asheville
I will pass along. Joan apologized for not attending the latest class gathering held in Asheville on the 15th of
September. Joan had last minute change of plans which prevented her from attending the gathering as did
Malcolm Sorrells and his wife Carole. Becky Denton Lawrence also had to cancel at the last minute. Malcolm called several
days later to apologize and we talked for close to an hour. He did tell me he had lunch with Mickey Hoyle recently and Mickey’s
pancreatic and liver cancer has shrunk as a result of chemo therapy and he will travel again to M. B. Anderson Hospital in Houston soon for reevaluation.
Joan Smith Werhan did include a recent photo which I hope
to reproduce and forward with the newsletter announcement. She was unable to attend the class reunion last year because she
was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. She is now in remission and wants to become involved with the gatherings in Asheville. I remarked to her how great she looks—won’t you agree? Joan’s e-mail address is lillgojo@aol.com.
Reflections of the last year Speaking of last year’s reunion, yes, one full year has passed
since the Lee H. Edwards High School Class of 1958 returned to the Blue Ridge Mountains and our Alma Mater to celebrate
graduation from High School 50 years ago. If time continues to fly like it is has the past year our reunion
committee will be reassembling soon to discuss plans for the 55th. The past year has been a grand
year for me. I have been greatly blessed to have the privilege to communicate with the greatest people in the country—you,
my former high school classmates. We came together last year with a common bond to reunite physically and since that time
we have stayed connected spiritually through the internet media. It is a good thing I enjoy writing and
also enjoy keeping our people connected—lest we drift apart again. Never again, in the pages of our lives, will we have
the opportunity to establish relationships with our former classmates like we have established in the past year. How good
it is to see you at the mini-gatherings and to receive your e-mails and phone calls. You are special people who came this
way but once—lets continue to make the best of it by letting me hear from all of you so I can pass your news on to other
Maroon Devils who read the newsletter.
And speaking of other Maroon Devils, Glenda
Suttle Southern, website keeper for the LEHS Class of 57 asked me to invite each of you to check out the Class of 57 website
and enter a blog is you wish. Glenda is still in the process of building her site and would appreciate
your comments. The Class of 57 site is at
Http://leeedwardsclassof57.com
Also check the websites of the Classes of 56 and 60.
I
want to express my appreciation to each of you who looking in at the Class of 58 Website. I reviewed the hits today, Monday,
Sept 21, and we have 11,243 hits since the site was published less than two years ago. I
usually publish the newsletter on the 20th of each month so please pardon my tardiness this month. There is much
to do and so little time to do it. Sometimes I only find enough time to write a paragraph to the newsletter
each day. That is why I need your help. Let
me know what is going on in your life folks. Your classmates enjoy reading about you.
In closing, I want to quote some lines by the poet, Javan, from Footprints in the Mind.
It starts at a time called birth
And
continues till a time called death
It is called LIFE
It comes with no guarantees“Of 60 years or 60 thousand miles whichever comes first”
And somehow they’ve even left the instructions out
Yes,all we
get is LIFE itself
And it is up to
us to do the living.
Peace and Shalom,
Rex
