Bernard Brady

Finally- good discussions on the Waltrip 65 Forum.  Even as good as the class of 64 material.  Whee doggy this is fun. Roger, you just hit it out of the park.  We have a current President who promised us not only Hope and Change, but that he was "a uniter and not a divider". Personally, I have had about eight years of all the uniting that I can handle. Why not give another party a chance- Republican or probably about ten other party candidates on your ballot.  But please don't sit this one out. All of our grandkids are counting on us. My two are eight and fifteen.  I think that they are paying attention. My daughter and her husband are trying very hard to explain this all to them.  God bless 'em. They are going with Trump. They are both 44 years old.  Been around the block a time or two.  They live in greater Houston, love it and would not live any where else.

Let's please not get into a ground war here. You are all my bestest friends. We lived the dream at Waltrip. Oh, how blessed that we are. There are so many amazing accomplishments among our classmates. SO MANY talented teachers !!  Great businessmen and pastors. Policemen and firemen. We made good choices for our educations and careers. We followed our own dreams. We were free to choose.  Our parents were supportive. There are a ton of marriages among us that have lasted 40-50 years, Now that is incredible. We are now losing our beloved parents (mine are both passed).  But as it occurs we pray for one another. We were all spiritual. My family was Episcopal and we went to church right by Black Jr. High. What a loving group. Alot of our Facebook posts praise our Heavenly Father on a regular basis. I'm so proud of each of you. Linda has done so much with this website in spite of her health issues. Bless her. I love hearing from each of you. I went from Kindergarden at Oak Forest Elem to graduation day with you. We have lost some precious classmates. But I know that they are in a better place. But we are still here.  Let's make the most of our "golden years" !!

Richard Meek

Lindy, apparently you didn't read or didn't comprehend Linda post about freedom of expression on this Forum. She's not in favor of restricting people expressing themselves here. I think the website you're looking for is the DNC. Personally it's ok with me if you want express yourself here. However you seem to have that liberal/progressive attitude that your way is the only way! As to being Patriotic you've got me there. I am and I think all Americans should be. I think you need to tone it down though. I think you frightened our friend Ben! You know I don't think you should refer to Ben and me as good ole boys. Roger that probably fits better! (lol). You know what you say to peole can be hurtful. I may lose sleep over this. . . . . . Nah!

I just want to congratulate you on opening up so we can all get a picture of the true you. Ya'll have a good weekend , ya hear. Me and the dogs are headed down to the creek to catch some fish!

Stay calm, Carry on

Rich

P.S. One of my favorite quotes from Winston Churchill, "Any young man who isn't a liberal doesn't have a heart. Any old man who isn't a conservative doesn't have a brain" (I hope no one will take offense at the use of the word man. I want to be accurate in my quote. Sir Winston didn't have to worry about being all inclusive in his day). Everyone have a great weekend. Bernard you're right this is fun!!!

Robert (Ben) Carbo

I have watched the entire Republican debate this week and this is my take on Donald J. Trump, the candidate.  I see no real evidence in his past or his rhetoric during the campaign that he is as conservative as most conservatives like me would like or as like minded as the Republican establishment would like.  I think he does have some liberal tendencies, but not liberal enough for the most liberal of the liberals in the Democratic Party. 

Conclusion:  It may take this sort of president to get both sides of the aisle to start working together toward the common good of our country.  It is a gamble to elect someone like this, but what do we have to lose.  Neither major party has been successful as of late to bring peace and prosperity back to our country.

Just thinking out loud.

Richard Meek

Sounds like good thinking to me Ben.

Roger Felton

I agree completely, Bernard.  It's kinda like playing Russian Roulette with revolvers and having to choose between the one with 4 bullets in it or the one with 6.  Not great odds, but it might be a good idea to go with whatever gives you at least some chance. 

I was hoping I hadn't come down on Lindy too hard.  I've never used anyone's political leanings as a means of defining their character.  I'll always consider her my friend though we're a universe apart in our political beliefs.

But I must say, I'll never understand the Liberal/Progressive mindset.  Imagine, someone is elected to serve a public office and that guy (or gal) blatantly and inarguably becomes corrupt, violates their oath of office, and damages the safety and wellbeing of their constituents.  How in Hades can half the country become so totally enraged when others even mention the problem?  When others discuss it and look for ways to possibly unravel the crisis it has created, they go berserk.  I really want to know how otherwise intelligent people get that way?

It's a mystery I can never even begin to understand.  I'm sorry but it reminds me of that movie we all saw as a kid called, "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers".   In next week's Democratic Convention, be sure to look around for those bigass seedpods.  Gotta be there someplace.

I hope Lindy has a sense of humor.  I hope that she begins to question the terrible damage that loyalty to a flawed ideology can  cause.  Nazi Germany did.  And I hope Lindy (or any other Liberal/Progressive Democrat) will take the time to calmly and logically explain how anyone can be so radically devoted to an ideology that has never worked anywhere it has ever been tried.  America for the last 7+ years is a good example. 

P.S.  I just checked the news and there's a massive manhunt riight at this moment for three shooters who just killed 8 people in a Munich mall.  It's almost 4:30pm so the daily mass killings are running a bit late today.  Seriously, I want to learn how anyone can possibly believe that our country and the world is safer than it was 7 and a half years ago.  Explain how the president's socialist agenda has made us better off by any measure you choose to use. 

As we all know, the FBI has labeled Hillary "careless" with our nation's most sensitive secrets, admitted after a yearlong investigation that she's a liar and, by definition, could not possibly pass a background check for any level of security clearance.  A president without security clearance to know what's happening is going to solve this miserable mess we're in???  Please tell me....and if you can't explain it, then at least tell me where Hillary hid my seedpod.

Mary Holland

I haven't wanted to say anything here about politics because most of the politically based posts are from conservatives and I'm not one of those. I have clinical depression and anxiety disorder and have had those since early childhood;  I just didn't know it back then. I thought that I'd better keep quiet here because I'm not a conservative. I was scared that people would jump to tell me all of the stuff they think is wrong with the way I think.  

My family of me, my good guy and our daughter never have had much money although we've gotten by just fine. We have lived in the same 1,000sq. ft. house for over forty years. It was built during the Great Depression. Our daughter grew up knowing that we couldn't send her to college which was OK with her. She's a Paramedic and a good one. She got her first job two days after she turneed sixteen, as a night shift high-rise security guard. When she went to apply, the person at American Protective Services said they didn't hire people as young as she was. She said, "Since I'm here, could I just take the test to see what it's like?" They let her take it and she scored higher than anyone they'd ever tested & they hired her. So since then she's always made her own way with just a bit of help from us now and then. Our income bracket makes us lean much more to the liberal side even though none of us has ever taken any handout from the government.

I don't trust the super-wealthy few in this nation who own most of the money. They can fund all of the political things that keep them rich while I may give ten bucks to somebody I want to back for an office.  As far as the names we hang on ourselves and others, I liked President Reagan and even though I sometimes didn't agree with some stuff he wanted I knew that he was a gentleman and an honest man. That's a looonng way from Trump who is crude, self-centered and who doesn't have the respect for women that I'd like to see in a President. We good ol' girls (like the good ol' boys) do make up half of this nation. 

As for Hillary, I greatly dislike her and I do not trust her. I didn't always agree with her husband Bill but even though he could talk around the truth at times he was much more honest than his Weasel Wife. I remember that it was on the news after he got elected that her plan was that he'd be the President and then she'd be the next one. I truly believe that when Bill Clinton first ran for office she thought that she would be "the power behind the throne." Then he didn't let her! I think she's had her panties in a twist ever since and, by golly, she finally thinks she has a chance to be the Boss in the White House. 

I almost wish the ballots had "None of the above" as a choice. I'm fairly savvy and I keep up with what's going on but I have not seen all the terrible things that are said about Obama. That doesn't mean that I agree with everything he has done. I know that a President who has a Congress of the opposite party will try to do what they can to get some of their own agenda in place. It seems as if history goes in cycles and the time between the high points and the low ones has become shorter and shorter with all of the instant communications about every little thing that any office-holder does. If we had to wait for the horseman to arrive at our village and tack a notice up on the wall we'd never know anything except wars being declared or won or lost, the President dying or some other huge thing. Now we know what color socks the President wears because we see him on TV! We know roughly how long it's been since Trump re-dyed his hair because we can see it going from yellow to paler yellow to almost silver and back to yellow again, like the leaves turning color in the Fall and green in the Spring. I used to dye my hair so I know how it feels when it needs to be done, except that my hair stayed the color it was dyed, just getting silver roots beneath my red mane! (Now it's white or actually pale yellowish and while I love that it grows much longer than it used to do it's thinner so my pink scalp sometimes shows through. Fooey!!)

Anyway, I'm more middle of the road than a lot of you seem to be. I always was an Independent and not a cheerleader exclusively for either liberal or conservative viewpoints. Sometimes I vote for one party's guy, sometimes the other, depending on a lot of factors. I think we need a mixture of both to keep this nation strong because then we have to listen to the opposing viewpoint and really think for ourselves. I'm glad we've got that!!

I'm also glad that I finally have a horse again and right now I'd trade all the politicians of both parties for another horse...or two.....or three!! Horses are much more honest than many politicians. 

Richard Meek

Mary very perceptive observations. Don't be reluctant in the future to post your thoughts. You have good insight I could be mistaken, I know that's hard to believe but it has happened but I don't remmeber anyone saying Hillary shouldn't be Ptesident because she's a woman or that Trump should be President because he's a man. The Donald probably made those types remarks but I don't think he left hardly any one un- insulted. Despite what Lindy thinks I don't think Roger, Ben or I fit  the description of a red neck. So I hope you and all my fellow Waltripians have a good Sunday.

Keep on dancing like no one is watching,

Rich

Teddie Jordan ' 64

Mary, thank you for your comments.  I have always liked Real People, not trying to agree or disagree or seek approval, just commenting on their perspective. I like hearing  your comments and I totally respect you for them. Your comments on Reagan are similar to my feelings about Jimmy Carter. When he was in office I disagreed with most of his positions, but when it was all said and done I respected him for doing what he thought was the right thing to do. And I respect him even more for the way he has lived his life since leaving office. He is a good man, just sees the world from a different perspective than I do. 

And I share your love of horses. What I would give to have my boyhood horse Buddy back. As far as I'm concerned dogs, and cats, and horses and chickens are some of God's special gifts to us His children.

Roger Felton

Mary, my sister was diagnosed with clinical depression over a decade ago so I'm fairly familiar with it.  Doctors prescribed medications for her but they did little and actually caused her to faint.  She broke her wrist and then later her leg before tossing those pills and just trying to cope.  It's tough.

Richard offered great advice.  Every comment, every post is just someone's opinion and we all have a right to our own but we don't have a right to attack someone personally or advocate their opinion is not worthy of being heard and should be removed.  I, and many here, will speak out against that in a heartbeat. 

From what I read Mary, your thoughts don't really differ much from mine.  But even if they did, you have just as much right to speak your mind as anyone.  For what it's worth, I have found that people who are a good judge of horses are usually a good judge of people.  So you keep on keeping on because I, for one, really enjoy hearing what you have to say.

Roger Felton

By the way, Richard, I owe you a big "thanks".  I just learned that I'm a Waltripian.  For all these years I thought I was a Waltripionianite! 

Mary Holland

And if it was back in time when everyone was supposed to go to San Francisco and wear some flowers in their hair I suppose we'd have been called Waltrippers....even though probably very few of us really "tripped!" I must confess that I really liked some of the good music that came out of that time and as a young woman who still had a fairly good figure, I loved some of those colorful clothes!

By the way, my neck probably would have been red from all of the horseback riding, except for my long hair. Whew!! It saved me from being a redneck!! :-)

Jacquie Campbell (Biggs)

This is Kindergarten class 1953 from Oak Forest EE that met in Presbyterian Church.  Look closely for Waltrip HS 1965 grads.  I can find Gary Clark, Mary Ann Faigle, Connie Mahnke, Bill Holder, Nancy Lindsey, John Leidiker, Candy McCloud, Tim Alexander, me, Tim Cox, Vickie Cozart, Pam Landes (moved to Memorial after elementary), Joe Eddie Forrester, and Ivan Jones.  There are others I recognize but cannot remember names.  Can you help me out?  Mrs. Wilky was teacher.

Jacquie Campbell (Biggs)

First grade class at Stevens EE.  Can you find someone you know? Jim Bob, Benny, Pam Landes, Pat Williford, Karen, Donna, Doug Parks, David George, Gary Clark, Richard Meeks, me, Vickie Cozart, Nancy (had red hair).  Mrs. Engberg was teacher and also wrote Stevens school song.

Linda Marmion (Linder)

Dear friends and classmates,

     I've recently learned that Robby Colmenares is battling cancer. I know many of you are friends of Robby, and all of you know who he is. Robby always walked the halls with a big smile, greeting everyone; he was everyone's buddy.  He was diagnosed in 2013 and after treatment was in remission.  Unfortunately, as his wife Debbe said, "It's raised its ugly head again." Fortunately, it's in very early stages, and the doctors have an optimistic plan. 

     Robby has begun radiation and will soon begin chemo. Both Robby and Debbe need our prayers and support. Specifically, pray for healing, strength, and that Robby will keep his weight up.  Cancer has touched most of our lives in some way, and we know how much the support of others helps. I feel sure that Robby won't feel like visitors during treatment, but cards and notes would be well received.

Robby Colmenares

1727 Waterview Drive

Kingwood, Tx  77339

     After fifty-one years, it is a tribute to our class that we still care about one another and that we can bring comfort to friends we occasionally see or email. Let's continue to support one another. Robby needs us now!

Warmly,

Linda Marmion Linder

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Praying for Robby, a great guy with a most uplifiting personality.  Always ready with a warm smile.

Ah yes. Mrs. Engberg's 1st grade class.  "We love you Lulu Stevens School, the grandest school we know and everyday in work and play, we'll study learn and grow".  She woke up in the middle of the night and put  these timeless lyrics down on paper.  Then the next day, she had us sing the song over and over again adnaseum until she was satisfied that we were ready to present it to the whole school in the lunch room/auditorium.  Our principle. Mrs O'Conner was so impressed it was adopted as our official school song. 

I never will forget the day a hummingbird flew into our classroom.  These were the days before air conditioning and the screenless windows and doors were always open during the spring.  Mrs. Engberg was so excited that she had us observe the hummingbirld and read to us about the species from the encyclopedia. 

Mrs Engberg was a gifted teacher. The year the picture was taken she taught a mixed class of Low First and HIgh First Grade.

Tom Britton

My card to Robby went out in today's mail. You are so right Linda....Robby always had a smile on his face. He and his family are at the top of my daily prayer list. 3 Cheers for our 1965 Waltrip "family!!!"

Larry Cooper

Thanks Linda for the message regarding Robby . I was at his house last week visiting with him and Debra. With all he has gone through the last few years he has always kept his great positive attitude . We have been friends since the second grade and I have never known a person with a more positive and outgoing personality than him. Please everyone , have Robby in your thoughts and prayers    He is a fighter and has Debra by his side every minute.

Talley Hudson

Thank you, Linda, for posting about Robby.  When I think of him, I think of his ever-present big smile!  I was right behind his foursome at one of the reunion golf tournaments when he got a hole-in-one.  He was thrilled as were all of us!  Will definitely keep him and his wife in my prayers.

Joanna Hinton (Garrett)

Thank you Linda for the heads up on Robby.  I'll get my husband to get a card for me to send out as I am recovering from major spine surgery and am wheelchair bound.  Without you and others keeping us updated on each other, we certainly would be missing out in sending out our "gett well" prayers and wishes.

Linda Marmion (Linder)

I'm thinking of my good friend Ed Cearley today; it's his birthday!  Sadly he left this world much too early. We became friends our senior year at WHS and then spent college together at UT.  We were in each other's weddings and remained close friends until his death. Ed was a great guy. I know that many of you also enjoyed his friendship!

Joanna Hinton (Garrett)

I found myself going through the list of all that we have lost over the years.  I found myself remembering each in some form or fashion in our comings and goings at WHS.  Ed had to have been one of everyone's favorites.  His smile was one I will never forget and he treated everyone equally as his friend.  Thank you Linda for reminding us of his birthday.

Hilda Carol Smith (Godell)

Richard Meek

Ed really was a great guy. He is one of the people I went from elementary school through high school with. I will always remember the good times we experienced together. I really felt sorry for his parents because his younger brother, Steve, had died a few years before Ed. They were all really great folks.

I received an email from Dr. Jon. The goal for buying new uniforms for the Waltrip Football team was met. The Rams will be on the field this year in brand new uniforms! Thanks to all who contributed!

Keep on  dancing,

Rich

Arletta Parnell (Glankler)

I think they were all well written, and so true.  But then I am just a woman, conservative at that, so I don't matter much.  Good job guys.  And BTW, why limit political stuff in the forum?  If you don't agree, skip over it. We are Americans with the freedom of speech after all!!!!  Just saying....

Joanna Hinton (Garrett)

Well posted. Arletta.