Laura Anne Knight (Atkins)

I am very sad that Jeanine lost her husband, Jerry Rappaport. He was probably as careful as was possible but it doesn't matter as long as so many people aren't. I am still mounring the loss of Steve Wolf. And I am worried about the high numbers of cases of COVID and deaths in our country. One in one thousand Americans have died from COVID and yet I still run into careless people during the very limited times I am outside. One was a woman we parked next to at a park. I was getting things out of the back when she ran up to her car without a mask. I saw her and ran the other direction. We must be patient a little longer until the vaccine is widely available.

James A "Jim" White

TWO IMPORTANT ITEMS. PLEASE READ. 

It is natuaral that we prefer to keep private our health situation. We are the class of '66 and are proud of our independence. With my begging, LAURA KNIGHT ATKINS allowed me to report her situation. By the way, Laura is doing well. We also know JILL WEBSTER REED is in a struggle with dementia but her husband, Harold, has been terrific. Jill has known this was coming on for several years and she is in an alzheimers home at present and I will give you a report as soon as I hear back from Harold.

Along this line, and with much urging from me, another classmate, TERRY BOONE has stepped up so I could let you know what is going on with him and so Laura would not feel so alone. Bottom line, when one finishes radiation and chemo, they get to ring a Gong as they go out. His daughter, who works in Oncology, asked her dad, "Did you ring the Gong?" Until she explained it, he was not aware (nor was I). Well, here is ole Terry as he rings the Gong after his last treatment. Terry is one of those miracle guys that his blood work is very good and he did not lose his hair or have severe effects of the extensive treatment. We should all handle our treatments as well. He credits positive attitude and faith.

The other important subject is our Class website. For years Mardi Gonyea Nicklin and I have paid to have an ad-free website. The billing - $270 - just came due. They have my credit card on file but it is an old one that I no longer have (my cancellation, not theirs ... ha) and I am not paying it this year. Meaning starting tomorrow, the 11th, our website will start having annoying ads. I know several classmates I could ask and they would be willing to pay the annual fee but I do not want that burden on one person any longer. If it is not important enough to 10 or so classmates to chip in $10-$40, then our website is not important enough to do all the work we do. That is sad, in my opinion, but then everyone knows, like Mardi Gonyea Nicklin, I go overboard on enjoying childhood friends and classmates and learning what has happened to them. We could take money out of the funds a number of you recently sent treasurer PAM BERRY DAVIS for the October 55-year reunion, but Chairperson MARIANNE COONS McCULLOUGH does not have enough money or volunteers to run the slimmed-down reunion as it is. If you are like me and hate - detest - get pissed off at ads popping up when you are trying to see something or get something done on the site or your phone, then write me a short note and let me know what you would donate. Go to my profile, click on "Send Private Message" below my picture (or write me at JWhiteCLU@aol.com), and If enough interest comes in, then I will write you back and give you an address to send the ad-free website money to. Thank you for your assistance and I apologize about always writing negative postings.

Mardi Gonyea Nicklin sends her hugs ... and so do I.     ~Jim White

James A "Jim" White

Laura Anne Knight (Atkins)

I'm so happy that Terry Boone is doing so well. I find that insspiring. I have a ways to go before I can ring the gong but I will get there.

Mardi Gonyea (Nicklin)

Hi Everyone....

Happy 2021.....Ha my Chinese Astrology says this is my year...ha!! I say EVERY year is my year....EVERY day is my day. Some days, however I do hit more speed bumps then other days...right?

I appreciate Jim and Kathy, so much, for helping to stay in the "loop." From the onset of the Covid Pandamic, I have had to use technology to stay in touch with my sizable family, so I haven't gotten on here as often as I would have liked to. Thanks to many of you for following me on Facebook. I so appreciate your participation on there. I have found and re-connected with at least 2 of our Eastside, Edgewood School, grade school friends who didn't graduate with us, but none the less, are still interested in our lives. You all know I didn't graduate, but you have been so kind in keeping up with me over the years, and I thank you. The first one is Janice Belcher Moran Dupree. Janice still lives in Roswell. She is doing really well and is enjoying her life a lot. The 2nd one is Janice Hahn Graham, I hope I got that right. Janice moved to Odessa, TX when we were in 6th grade. I was crushed to see her move because we had grown to be very close. Through Facebook we found each other. Both of the Janice's have shared great pictures of the Grands and caught me up on their lives. I just love it. For those who still live in Roswell, you may have seen over the past few months, where the Daily Times did a full page on a football player named Jake _______. sorry Janice I wasn't sure of his last name, but, he is the Grandson of Janice Dupree. Great article.

I made an attempt today to post a video on Facebook, and after I posted it, I discovered that my volume becaume muted....guess I hit the wrong button...good grief!! Try as I may, my fingers have a mind of their own when it comes to technology, so I am challenged!! Thank you so much to the classmates and FB family and friends who have responded back to me and I have had a blast doing video calls with you.  I do have to laugh at myself, however, because the mind is a dangerous thing for some of us to have....ha!!

As I read your updates on your health progresses, I have to say....Wow, I am so proud of your progress. I tell you, we have some pretty tough cookies in this group. For the ones struggling, please know that I truely mean it when I hold you up in my prayers. Feel free to call me anytime if you need a prayer warrior, I am here for you. I know, I know, we are supposed to talk aboug religion....well guess what....I did...and I do, that's who I am. 

Even though I am not financally able to make a monetary contribution to keep our site going ad free, if it happens that through contributions we can stay afloat, I am very appreciative. I am aware that there are several that post things but there are many, many that do read the posts that do not make comments. And, that is all good.

Over the last year I have had the privilige(sp?....grrr tried 5 times!!) of having phone calls with several classmates and it is a hoot! We have commented on how those phone calls have not only been a mini-reunion but a party.....I LOVE it!! So, if you want to do that you can ask Jim White for my phone number.....you can private message me on FB's/Messenger....and you can send me an email.

Okay, I have jammered on enough...and maybe worn our my welcome as they say....I have a question ..who is they?? Let me know that you alive and breathing. Stay safe, stay warm over the Winter months.

Luv, Hugs and Blessings

Mardi Gonyea Nicklin

James A "Jim" White

I am a lucky guy. In my travels pulling a 5th Wheel, I get to see classmates I have not seen in a long while. Sadly, some I will never see again, like CHIP KING, CLIFF SANDERS and DAN DANIEL, but I did visit with them before their deaths. A short while ago I got to see RODNEY WESTENBARGER in Idaho. He is a lucky man as he died twice on the table in the past year but is doing well at present. MYRA (class of '67) also says "Hi."

When one passes through Roswell, you have to stop by and see DICKIE DAVIS at his business. You will often see other classmates there to talk with.

MARIANNE COONS McCULLOUGH (Chairperson of the 55-year reunion in October this year - 2021), CRAIG SUTHERLAND, JIM and KATHY WHITE. Craig's hat says, "My Governor Is An Idiot." I wonder how Craig really feels?

Sweet LAURIE SHUEY ANDERSEN risked her reputation posing with this bow legged, chunky cowboy.

Jim with some of the nicest and most generous people around, BOB REAM, KAREN HARRINGTON REAM and HERKY VEACH.

Some of these pictures I have posted before, and I left out others because they are not handy at the moment (LOUIS BAGWELL, BARBY MITCHELL STAGNER, TERRY BOONE and others I cannot find pics of at this time. We will try to get a few people together in Rockport, Texas in February if you are interested. Next week Kathy and I will be racing (a couple 12-hour driving days) from far South Texas to Colorado on business and racing back. Sorry, JUDI ADAMS MORRIS and ELIZABETH GWARTNEY LOWNEY, we will not be coming as far north as Denver. :-(  PEGGY WARE McPHILIMY-KOGER, LOUISE YABARRA CHRISTENSEN, BARARA BUZBEE, LINDA HENRY, KAREN PATTERSON NICHOLS, LABAN STEWART, BRENDA STEWART and MARLA GIBSON FREY are people that I have visited and they would welcome you ... Covid free ....to visit them too.

James A "Jim" White

AD-FREE CLASS WEBSITE - we do have enough offers to help pay the extra $270 so our website will be ad-free. It will take me a few days to get it figure out but watch for announcements.

How good is your memory? Can you tell us who lived in this house?

Michaele Austin (Kelly)

Ginette Richardson lived there.

Margaret W. "Peggy" Ware (Koger)

Ginette Richardson

James A "Jim" White

James A "Jim" White

Mardi Gonyea Nicklin and I (both administrators) talked about posting for MARTIN LUTHER KING JR Day on our website before the day got here, but with my WiFi problems and traveling in a hurry to Colorado for a few days business, it did not get done. We, really me, apologize for not posting recognition of one of the greatest Americans of all times as his day was approaching and passing. The best we can do is all be civil and always "judge people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin."

James A "Jim" White

What has that crazy JIM BROWN been up to? That is a question BOYCE McFARLAND was also curious about a few months ago so we went to check. It seem old Jim is working all day long, six days a week to create a museum in Tulerosa. There was this kind of unusual, large home on the Main highway through Tulerosa so Jim bought it and started fixing it up for a museum.

Jim White - Boyce McFarland - Jim Brown

This is the back side of museum. All roofing, walls and adobe is new, put on by Jim; that is an old church bell Jim installed; several of the thick wooden doors are from Mexico and over 200 years old; amazing tile from Mexico and much, much more. Now if you ask Jim, "Why are you building this museum?" Jim will answer he has 'no idea'.  Now, why don't you write and let us know what our classmate friends have been up to?

Margaret W. "Peggy" Ware (Koger)

After having had he pleasure of being in Jim's home in Ruidoso, I can't think of a better person to start a museum. Hope to see it one day soon., 

James A "Jim" White

Yes, PEGGY, Jim's Ruidoso home is incredible and he still has it, but he lives in Tulerosa now. I like both places but I favor the Ruidoso cabin 10-feet from the Ruidoso Creek. Then, again, I have both high school and pre-reunion memories. My lips are zipped.  :-)

James A "Jim" White

OUR CLASS MONEY:  Those that would like to donate so (1) our class website will become ad-free once again, and (2) any excess will go towards our 55-year reunion, please send your check ($10 to $50 at present, although several have sent larger sums in the recent past and extra will not be refunded) payable to "RHS Class of 1966" or payable to "Pam Davis". Either way it will get into our Class account. Roswell banks are still a small and trusting, as we are as a Class.

Thank you very much. We were very pleased with your offers to help.

Laura Anne Knight (Atkins)

I also need the address. Laura

James A "Jim" White

RHS-GHS'66 donations go to our treasurer:

Pam Berry Davis -- 3795 Cedarvale -- Roswell, New Mexico 88203

My apologies for not including the mailing address in my prior announcement. Like many people these days, if you no longer write checks, then send cash. Pam has promised to split the cash with me. :-)

James A "Jim" White

James A "Jim" White

Carol Norman (Conaway)

Hey Jim, how do I change my name to Carol Norman (Conaway). I don't know what I did but my name is not right. HELP!!!!!!!

James A "Jim" White

THANK YOU to the contributors (and super contributors) that sent money so we could remove all the ads on our class website. I apologize for being so slow on getting it done but it is appreciated. When I get time, I will set it up so we can utilize our credit or debit cards directly on the site.

I notice that BETTY BACON PETKOVICH birthday is tomorrow. It was great speaking with Betty by phone when HERKY VEACH, BOB REAM, KAREN HARRINGTON REAM and I got togther. BETTY had not been involved with the class website for years, nor been to the last couple of reunions so it must have been a surprise to receive a call from your past friends. 

Hooray for CAROL NORMAN CONAWAY and a couple others (I have forgotten) who updated their contact information on our website. Many of you have not updated us in the past dacade. Please go look and update your address, spouse, email and phone numbers. The final thing to do is inform your children, spouse or close friend to notify us in the event of your death. We want to honor our classmates that have passed, and I hope you will go to our memorial page and tell a story about your friends that have passed.

Finally, let me close with a story I told my grandchildren. "Your grandma said I was acting immature so I told her to get out of my fort."

Bobby, Kathy and I hope to see you and Ernie in March or April, if we come that direction.

James A "Jim" White

Bill Martin

OK - this is for EVERYBODY - and FAST....not much time left......
I sent this around to my family - and Hank, I HOPE I got most of it right....

The USA is LANDING ON MARS tomorrow, Thursday, 18 Feb about 3:55 EST. Watch it live !!!

www.nasa.gov/nasalive

Hank Garrett, my classmate in Roswell schools from 7th grade thru 12th, and an ardent chaser of my little sister, Betty, back then, and with his PhD in Astro-Physics, USAF Colonel (retired) and a NASA Engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, for 40 yrs who was involved with designing the Hubble Telescope, and the first two Rovers we put onto Mars - among many other things I can't even comprehend, told me about this. Watch it live! 

Here's some tidbits: My 'Alexxa' says Mars is currently 125.4 million miles from Earth, today. Tomorrow...+/- a few miles different, but not significant, as we are rounding some astronomically big numbers, anyway. Light - and radio waves - travel at 186,282 miles per second in the vacuum of space. That means it will take 674.2 seconds - or about 11.24 minutes for those radio waves bringing the pictures to us from Mars. So....as we are watching it land - or not - it will have landed - or not - 11 minutes ago. So don't be surprised by anything you see. It happened 11 minutes ago........????

( Do NOT take any of those numbers to the bank......the only Engineer label I ever got was Flight Engineer....)

Enjoy!  

Bill Martin

Margaret W. "Peggy" Ware (Koger)

Thank you, Bill! 

Bill Martin

CONGRATS, HANK !!!!!  Another one of your 'babies' will be soon driving around Mars.....

You would make our RHS Science and Physics teachers PROUD!! I don't remember their names.

I liked Biology and remembwer Dorothy and Otto Eachus very well, according.  I don't remember the Physics guy - as he was the guy who gave me the only 'D' I ever got ......Thank you very much Mr......forgetable...??????