Donald Hampton-Jones

Another name to add to the KIA list.  Johnny Meeks.  I think class of 64'   Johnny was a freind of mine from St. Stephens and died in Korea shortly before Nam really heated up.

Mildred Sue (Suzie) May (Cunningham)

Don, check your Message Center on this site.

Jacquie Campbell (Biggs)

Does anyone know how members of our class have done during Harvey? Joyce Barta and Eddie were rescued early on from high water. How have homes in Oak Forest and Garden Oaks and Candlelight done?

Susan (Suzi) Smith (McMillian)

Reports from our former neighbors are that Garden Oaks came through just fine without flooding, only some power outages.  Our son who lives on Bethlehem near Candlelight Park (but east of Oak Forest Drive, had a prolonged power outage, but no flooding.  Our daughter who lives in Oak Forest near 290 had no flooding and never lost power.  It sounded as if the old neighborhood did pretty well.  Hope,your home was spared too. .

Linda Marmion (Linder)

Most, but not all, of the flooding is along bayous and creeks. Now the release of water from Addicks and Barker dams is doing a great deal of damage. White Oak Bayou along Jester did flood in some areas. I'm not sure how those homes fared. I do have a friend a block from White Oak, and her home is dry. 

Susan Carle (Crowley-Wasson)

I live a block and a half off of W TC Jester on Gardenia. Some of the houses in the block by TC Jester flooded but we did not. It got close but did not come up in our yard. Some of the houses on Bethlehem and TC Jester  flooded. It was kind of hit and miss. My church on Watonga did not flood but the apartments next door had water up to the counter tops. 

Patricia Bissonnet (Bissonnet)

I know of one family in Candlelight estates, near Bethlehem and Carleen,that flooded, and I believe that Del Norte in Ella Lee Forest has experenced some flooding.  Most of Oak Forest and Garden Oaks are dry.  

Roger Felton

Great Idea, Jacquie!  We lived on Saxon Dr. in Mangum Manor that had a large gully behind it.  In all those years it never flooded and we had a lot of storms including Carla in '61.  I'd like to know how the Mangum Manor homes fared during Harvey.

I live in Victoria, TX which is about 25 miles inland from Port Lavaca (which was heavily flooded).  Harvey came in just east of Rockport and then parked itself right on top of Victoria for a couple of days.  The wind and rain were intense and we lost water and electricity for a day or so.  A few shingles went to Dallas I think and we lost a couple of one inch tree branches. 

Flooding consisted of about a half inch of water in the street but was gone by the time I could walk out and get an accurate reading.  All totaled, we had about 25 inches of rain. 

I can't imagine ever wanting to move back to a town that calls itself "Bayou City".  But if I did. I'd buy a big house boat.

Carol Lynn Thamer (Hanson)

WE ARE DRY IN BENTWATER EXCEPT FOR SOME HOUSES DIRECTLY ON THE LAKE THAT GOT WATER IN THEIR YARDS.  I FEEL VERY BLESSED.  LOVE--CAROL

Carol Lynn Thamer (Hanson)

WE ARE DRY IN BENTWATER EXCEPT FOR SOME FOLKS DIRECTLY ON THE LAKE HERE IN CONROE.   THEY OPENED UP THE DAM AND WE NEVER EVEN GOT WATER IN OUR YARD WHICH IS ONE BLOCK FROM THE LAKE.  NO HOMES FLOODED AROUND US.  I AM VERY BLESSED. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE DAM OUR WE WOULD BE PART OF LAKE CONROE.  BEST WISHES TO ALL AFFECTED.  LOVE--CAROL

Stephen Ray Puckett

Carolyn Johnson (Blake) was visiting friends in WV so wifey and I popped over for a visit a few days ago.  I had not seen her in almost 50 years.  I brought my senior yearbook - it was fun going through the photos and old memories.  Yep, we look a bit different now...mostly me!

William Jewel Howard, Jr.

I have identified nine Waltrip grads who died while serving in the military:

SGT Robert Allan Johnson - KIA RVN 1967 - WHS Class 1963 

SP5 Johnny Glen Gregg - KIA RVN 1968 - WHS Class 1965 

LCPL Stephen Herman Lewis - KIA RVN 1968 - WHS Class 1965 

PFC Michael David Carroll - KIA RVN 1968 - WHS Class 1967

SP4 Billy Lee Tobias - KIA RVN 1967 - WHS Class 1966

LCPL Troy Orion Coker -KIA RVN 1969 - WHS Class 1968

LCPL Douglas Wayne Hillin - KIA RVN 1968 - WHS Class 1968

CPL Thomas Anthony Sony - KIA RVN 1971 - WHS Class 1969

A1C Terry Joe Reid - Korea 1971 - WHS Class 1969 

Does anyone know Johnny Meeks. I was informed that he died in Korea and might have been Class of '64. If confirmed, I want to add him on the Plaque.

II will be presenting a plaque to the school with their names on it on October 20, 2017 at the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremory.

If you know of any other classmates who died while serving in the military please contact me.

Thanks,

SP5 William J. Howard, Jr.
US Army Security Agency
1967 - 1971 

Class of 1965 

Carrol Johnson

William - 

I have been attempting to research Johnny Meeks and have found this decedent although I think it highly UNLIKELY this is our classmate:

This John Meeks was killed in a jeep accident in Texas and was a (permanent) resident of Gainesville, TX.  He was married and 18 years old at the time of his death and was buried in Gainesville.  He was cared for in his last days at Fort Sam in San Antonio.  The date of birth would seem to be a little late for a 64 grad also.  I would have expected late 1945 or 1946.

Anita Marbury (Marbury)

Thank you for compling the names of the Waltrip boys  who died in the Vietnam  war.

I watched the Vietnam series by Ken Burns and cried constantly for our boys who came home, our boys who died, the awful times, the families, the Vietnamese who were in prison after the Americans left,  the waste to me.

My heart hurts ....for all.

 The Gold Star families of Colorado come to Durango for the yearly get together. It is an  emotional  experience.  I am proud to participate.

Stephen Ray Puckett

We just got back from Flat Rock NC (a little south of Asheville) seeing high school classmates Pat Bissonet & hubby Stan, Talley Hudson & hubby David. We had a fun time Visiting and remembering plus enjoying the Hendersonville/Flat Rock area. Thanks Pat & Stan for the great hospitality. We had a pretty drive back home on the Parkway. It was a fun trip.

    Talley, Steve, Pat, on Pat's back deck

    The ladies - Talley, Pat, my wife Lil

    The whole crew. L-R: David, Talley, Stan, Pat, Steve, Lil

Thanks to the help of David & Stan, I was able to get my camera working on Stan's tripod with the timer. Picture 3 guys in a rush to get equipment to 'do right'!

Jan Barnes (Nimtz)

All of you look fabulous! It's so great when former classmates can get together throughout the years to relive old times and memories.

Jan Barnes (Nimtz)

Carolyn Johnson Blake, are you still living in Romania? I would love to come back there one day.

Carolyn Johnson (Blake)

Hi Jan, Sadly no. The RO immigration office adopted a very stringent policy toward Amiericans living there without being with a company. We all believe it was retaliation for the American Embassy's extremely harsh contitions for Romanians getting  visas, particularly study visas. I am home now, living in Denver. The adjustmanet for me has been long and hard. Life is very frenetic and provincial in America. I miss the quiet and the eclectic culture. But it's also good to be back with the familiar. Liviing abroad can forever leave you with feet rooted in 2 worlds. Thank you for asking. Romania is a wonderful country. Do you plan to go back? I think I have gotten a little bit too old for such a trip.

Jan Barnes (Nimtz)

I am so sorry to hear that, Carolyn. I know you loved that place. We were to be leaving on 10/21 for  Croatia, Albania & Greece but had to cancel out due to my having another broken foot. I have broken both feet and both legs within the past four years and my mobility has suffered greatly. I seriously doubt that we will ever travel internationally again. However I am fortunate that we started traveling when we were young and have seen so much outside the US. Now I will have to be content with extended, domestic road trips and the fond memories of all our travels including Romania. She was a beauty! I'm hoping you are settling back into life in CO. Who knows but that we may bump into you sometime. We have a nephew living in Boulder and have visited with both Robin Trimble & Sweetie Marbury in CO. New Mexico and Colorado are two of our "go to" states anyway. Enjoy your new life.

Hilda Carol Smith (Godell)

Jeanne Spencer (Adams)

Does anyone have up-to-date information on the dedication of the KIA memorial and the renovation of Waltrip?  Is it still on for next weekend?  My husband John and I are planning on coming down for the weekend and want to clarify details.  I'm really excited about coming and seeing everyone.  

I also wanted to let y'all know that you can find Benny Carbo's stories from Vietnam and also the Houston Police Department on John's blog site, www.written4u.com. The search feature isn't working but they are in order of date published.   They are great stories!  "EYEWITNESS TO VIETNAM'S MOST FAMOUS BATTLE" was published 7/14/16 and "ABANDONED AT A JUNGLE AIRSTRIP/ RESCUED BY MARTHA RAYE" published on 7/19/16.  Benny's HPD story is "ATTENTION ALL OFFICERS" and published on 4/13/17.  

Hope to see some of you soon - let me know if you are going!! 

Jeanne and John Adams

Susan Carle (Crowley-Wasson)

Waltrip event is this Friday at 3:00. 

William Jewel Howard, Jr.

The ribbon cutting, plaque presentation and pep rally will start at 2:15 pm on Friday, October 20th. It will be held in the gym. The school changed the time so please help get the word out.

The football game is at 7 pm at DelMar.

If there is enough interest, I was thinking that we, Class of '65, members from other classes, vets, and family members could go to the BBQ Inn or Doyle's after the event to have some extended time to talk and fellowship together.

There are eleven names on the plaque. It contains two from our class. Please come out to honor our fallen classmates.

Jeanne Spencer (Adams)

You're right - the Waltrip site says it is at 2:15 p.m.  It also says you can take a self guided tour after the ceremony and there is an alumni reception.  We plan to be there early.  We are driving from Rockwall so we will leave early and hopefully the traffic will cooperate!  

William, I think meeting afterward at one of the restaurants would be fine.  Let us know where.  We look forward to the day!

Jeanne 

Susan Carle (Crowley-Wasson)

Thanks for the update. I called a few people I know are going and let them know about the time change.