Mardi Gonyea (Nicklin)

Rhonda Berning (Zinn)

Hi there Everyone!!  Jimmy, please change my status to Maybe/Somewhat Doubtfull.  I did check on flights and there  is not a direct flight from S,A, to Roswell, making it really expensive to get there.  I am unable to drive 12 hours to get there as well.  Sorry, was really wanting to be there.  Rhonda

Deborah Pike

Hi gang, I cannot come this year> I have to make my trip to the Mainland in two weeks. If you have fried okra, eat extra for me...that was so wonderful at our last party. I wish some one would send me a good recipe for that. 

Mardi, if you get a chance, give me a call.

Debbie Pike

Margaret W. "Peggy" Ware (Koger)

I think I am going to be in the Maybe/Doubtful category as well. 
I have to have foot surgery which will leave me non-weight bearing and on a knee dolly for 6 weeks and then in a cast for six weeks. Yuk. It's all about the timing and it's looking very doubtful...sadly.   
Pray for Fred! Lol! 

Karen McCarty (Messina)

I have made my flight reservations today. I discovered that American Airlines flies into Roswell by way of Dallas via Skyway air. I live near Tampa Florida and for the low low cost of $365 rountrip (including trip insurance), plus $30 for one bag, courtesy of our government stimulus money, I decided I needed to visit Roswell after being gone 55 years!  I am excited to see a few old friends and make some new ones. Many changes in my personal life have made me think I wanted to make this trip. My second husband of 47 years passed away which also makes you look back to your early high school years. My first husband and father of my only child, also an RHS graduate in 1965, died the same year as my second husband.  We had reconnected in the last few years and were able to forgive each other of early pain and mistakes which goes along with making amends.  Now I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me and in so doing, saying hi again to a few friends. Looking forward to the upcoming visit! 

James A "Jim" White

My email message referring to listening to MIKE HAMMONDS brief introduction was at the "50-Year" reunion (video), NOT the "5-Year," which we did not have. Thanks for overlooking my typo. This is the very first minute of the video on the left side of home page and it shares how your classmates think of you. Thank you for your wisdom, Mike.

James A "Jim" White

Lifelong friendships, such as what Barbara Buzbee and Marla Gibson have, is what growing up as classmates is all about.

Margaret W. "Peggy" Ware (Koger)

Barbara and Marla.....you're gorgeous !!

Julia "Jill" Webster (Reed)

Rhonda Berning (Zinn)

Barbara and Marla........you might not really remember me, but I remember both of you!!!  Y'all are still beautiful!!!

Karen McCarty (Messina)

Barbara and Marla.... two beautiful ladies!  You probably don't remember me as I was pretty shy in high school. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming reunion in October. It will be here before you know it! 

James A "Jim" White

RE: Jill Webster Reed – Karen McCarty Fink – Rick Marcum – Missing Classmates

First, let me thank HAROLD REED for the update on JULIA “JILL” WEBSTER REED and all he does for his sainted wife.  H.D., you would always be welcomed at our reunions.  Jill was and is such a sweetheart. She loved her classmates and worked at reunions to find missing ones. Classmates, if you knew Jill, can you find time to drop her a card? I believe it is fair (and hope it is okay) to give out H.D.’s address so you can send a card to Jill. Yes, H.D., we too hate the SOB that murdered Jill’s father, and possibly both parents (I don’t remember it all but lived in Seattle and was not affected like you and Jill had to be). Okay, classmates, write H.D. and Jill and, if possible, enclose a picture of you back in the day:

H.D. and Jill Reed

225 Brookview Drive

Hurst, TX 76054

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Here is a picture at a birthday party of KAREN McCARTY FINK. I knew Karen back in the day and even better now, but would not have recognized her blowing out the candles. I guess it is Karen. Classmates, this is your assignment: Assuming Karen is the one blowing out the candles, who are the rest in the picture? I know the three on the left very well, but do not have a clue on who is on the right. Can you tell us all their names?

    -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

RICK and JOHNENE MARCUM have lived all over (currently live on the Pacific Beach Coast in Mexico) and traveled all over. Here is a YouTube link to one of their pads as they traveled through Africa. I believe if you like elephants, you will love Exeter Lodge. Their condo type lodge had a watering pool right next to it for wild animals to pay a visit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xOHLGLXKBM

•   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

LINDA MAXWELL VANDEWART has been searching for classmates and found a few. Here is what I just learned. When we input into the class website their correct address, it does NOT take them off the missing list. The only thing that will do that is their signing into the class website. So when you (everyone) finds an address for me, please also find an email address and I can send them the link so they can sign on. OK?

MARIANNE COONS McCULLOUGH “thinks” we know the reunion hotel (sadly, not Sally Port) but are waiting to see how they treat another class reunion happening in June. If all goes well, we will finalize our commitments and let all know by the end of June. When you set reservations, make certain they know you are with the Class of ’66 reunion. That helps us negotiate and helps you pricewise.

Also, I left out names of other volunteers, such as MARY HUSEMOLLER, TINY DUNLAP and LAURIE SHUEY ANDERSEN and others. Please forgive me. PETE GARTON and PEGGY WARE KOGER know I am a traveling RV’er … I am lucky if I know what day of the week it is.

In regards to our class website, we lost an administrator recently. When one leaves the site or cancels their profile off the site, what goes with him or her are pictures related to their profile … but in this case, an administrator who has help with numerous files and directories, apparently they go too. Thus, we have lost a number of prior reunion directories along with our class annuals. We are lucky to have the one 40-Year Reunion picture and the 50-Year Reunion video. Sorry, but that is one reason we are crippling along on the website. We often cannot pull up pictures we want and are looking for. Many prior reunion directories are blank. Thanks for understanding. Remember, OCTOBER 15-16, 2021 on your calendars.

James A "Jim" White

DENNIS HUNTER will be coming to his first reunion. So will RODNEY WESTENBARGER (and wife, MYRA, Class of '67). See, it is never too late to come to your reunion, even if you think no one will be there to connect with. It will surprise you.

Richard Marcum

All

I must thank Jim for tossing out my Africa elephant clip, I hadn't seen it in a long time.  It is so strange that elephants have so much strength and power, but as you could see, they are nervous critters.  If you like to travel, I have some great clips to look at.  You can go to:

  https://www.youtube.com/user/rmarcum1948/videos

or my Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/rickmarcum8/

I have read that many of my classmates love to travel as well.  Johnene and I are really enjoying living down here in Rosarito, Mexico.  But almost every Wednesday we cross the border into Chula Vista, California.

My Africa videos include videos on lions, leapords, night time drives.  Leapords and lions love hunting at night.  Wild dogs are fun to watch as well.  So there are hippos, zebras, giraffes, ...and many other critters to observe.  I hope to be healthy enough in a couple of years to take another trip to Africa again.  But with COVID19, most operators are suspending most of their safaries.  My next trip I hope to make will be Tibet, the country and its people are very intriquing to me.

I also have many South American clips, Peru, Ecuador (lived there for 15 months), Chile, Argentina (live there for three months), Uruaquay, Columbia, and Galapagas are amazing places to see.

Europe w've been to Spain, Italy, Belgium, England, France, Malta, Greece and Germany.  Also we made two amazing trips to China and to Russia.  So, if any of those places appear interesting to you, there are clips of them as well.  I take all the picture and videos.  It is what keeps me going.  As Mark Twain once said, "travel is deadly to prejudice and bigotry".  And once you rub elbows with people from foreighn countries, the more open you get to change.  As for me, I am addicted to change.  All except my sweet wife, Johnene.  She and I will be celebrating 32 years of marriage this June 2.  If you have any questions about any of these destinations, feel free to email me at marcum8@gmail.com. 

I have also moved here because it is 3hour drive to L.A.  I have three scripts that I am hoping to sell.  You can see more about them at www.StoryRocket.com.  It is a website designed by a EMME award winning producer meant to connect authors with producers.  And if you would like to read any or all of them, email me and I wll email you back the pdf version of them.

I want to wish all of you attending this upcoming reunion a good time...and please think of Laura Knight Atkins while there.  I know she was very excited about it.  She was a very kind and beautiful person.  Jesse was a very lucky guy to be married to her.

Take care,  Rick

Karen McCarty (Messina)

This is the photo that JIM WHITE uploaded earlier on this page. Unfortunately the three people on the right were cut off so I am attempting to reload this picture and clarify a few things for those of you who don't know me. 
 

This was my 16th birthday party; I was born February 14, 1948. The party was held at my house. The three people on the right are my second sister, DEBBIE MCCARTY BRIGADIER, RHS '67. She is 15 months younger than me. The tall young man next to her is my future husband CONNIE MACK SHAFER, RHS '65 who was to become my husband in August 1965.  Since my mother insisted on me attending summer school every year (to keep me busy I assume), I actually graduated in summer of 1965 which since we were both graduated from high school, allowed us to get married. Mack quickly joined the Navy and we moved to Jacksonville FL where our only child was born, ROWENA KAY.  Unfortunately this young struggling marriage was not to last and I moved back home with a baby and moved with the family to Biloxi. This could be one reason a lot of you don't know me. I missed my senior year entirely including being in the 1966 yearbook!  But, as you all know, life has had many twists and turns and I don't regret a second of it!    
 

 The two little girls further to the right (and the back of their heads) are my two younger sisters, Patty and Cindy.  The AF base closed in 1967 and the family all moved to Biloxi MS to Keesler AFB.  One interesting side note about the times .... notice the class ring around my neck?  Yes, that was Mack's ring and we were going "steady" at the time.  One year later we would be preparing to graduate and get married.  We were married in the Presbyterian church in Roswell and it was a lovely wedding.  
 

Of course our classmates on the left are pretty easily identifiable:  CHAROLETTE RUFFIN MCKAY, PAT SOLEMAN, SHARRON CLARK.  All great friends of mine.  Correct me if I've spelled names wrong.  I don't remember Sharon's married name unfortunately.  I am sad that I never saw her again and now she has passed.  We had many fun times dragging main and going to parties (especially the keg parties on the river! )
 

I am looking forward to seeing and meeting each of you at the reunion.  It will be a fun time of catching up on memories and making new ones.  My second husband of 47 years passed away 2 1/2 years ago and I still miss him tremendously and I would have enjoyed showing him all the highlights of my adopted hometown of Roswell.  But I am happy that I can spend more time reconnecting with classmates and build new memories! 
See you all there! 

James A "Jim" White

With yesterday being Memorial Day, I failed to mention our single Gold-Star Widow, LAURIE SHUEY ANDERSEN. Laurie lost her first husband in the Vietnam War so Memorial Day has to be a real gut shot to her. In addition, LAURIE recently lost her 2nd husband, due to Agent Orange. She lost him twice: once when the nursing home would not let her visit with him for last year and a half due to Covid, and then his final passing. Fortunately, the hospital was more open so she got to sit by Andy's bed and stroke his arm while whispering her love to him and all we hope to do with our spouses.

Speaking of LAURIE, I also think of KAREN McCARTY FINK and WALLY REYNOLDS. The three were married to their spouses for 150 years combined (I am certain others have lost their spouse recently also). If you are in a bad situation with death or sickness and would like to talk, any of the three would be glad to discuss this sad topic with you so you know what difficulties to expect.

Karen McCarty (Messina)

Thank you Jim for your kind words.  I would like to reiterate that although I am not happy to have now joined a club I never wanted to be in (the widows/widowers club), I have learned a lot about grief and starting over in my 70's. I would be very happy to share my journey with anyone who may be struggling as well. We are in this life together and I believe it's much better shared with others who may also be struggling. I like to think we are here to help each other through our journey.  Anyone can send me a private message through this site and I would be happy to share my experience.  Looking forward to my trip to Roswell and the 55th reunion! 
 

Paul and Karen Fink

James A "Jim" White

LYNN HARRIS is having a birthday today, and MARILYN MILLER MICHAEL has hers in a couple days. We love these two ladies and wish them years of good health and prosperity. Not only because they were great classmates back in the day, but they have matured into wonderful, accomplished women and are sooooo much fun at reunions. Sadly, Lynn will have to miss this year and I do not recall if we have heard from Marilyn. I bet you cannot find a single picture of either one at the 50-year reunion where they were not smiling and laughing.

Can you name the below dancers? Yes, they were dancing to BOBBY ALLISON playing and singing "New York, New York". They are (Ron admiring from the left side) Judi, Marilyn, Doreen, Barbara and Mary. Years have passed so probably no high-stepping this reunion, but there will be fun to have and friendships to rekindle. If you have not yet responded to the Reunion Survey on the left side of the home page, please do so now. The reunion will be October 15 and 16. 

Karen McCarty (Messina)

This is a great picture!  I'm looking forward to having just as much fun as these gals had!  

James A "Jim" White

James A "Jim" White

Mardi Gonyea (Nicklin)

James A "Jim" White

James A "Jim" White

MARIANNE COONS McCULLOUGH is working hard to finalize a reunion hotel within the coming week. We will notify everyone as soon as the decision is made. Hotels and Covid keeps changing on us. Thank you for your patience. Also, Marianne will report more activities that are happening around Roswell the weekend of or near October 15-16. Some are pretty exciting.

DENNY HUNTER has been a blessing for this class website administration. He not only is a computer guru knowing 50-fold what I do about computers and systems, he is always willing to help. Everyone thanks you, Denny … especially me.

BIRTHDAYS are something we all appreciate because, nowadays, we never know how many, if any, we have left. It has been on my mind because Kathy and I arrived here to the Seattle area July 1. During the month of July alone, I emceed two memorials. Last week, Kathy and I were out with a group that we seem to end up dancing at VFW or other places with. We were attending a jazz event and sitting at a table for 8 with a couple chairs pulled up on the ends. I suddenly realized a lady to my left, one across from me on the right, and one to my right were all in the midst of Chemo treatments. That is shocking considering how few people were at our table, to have 30% in the midst of cancer treatments? Our class is that way and it just does not hit us like the three ladies bravery hit me that night last week. If you would like to see a short clip of one of the amazing, brave ladies, then Google one of our local TV stories and watch a short clip … to the end. You will LOVE this story because it is inspirational and this is how we all should be. It will mean something to you although you do not know them or and are friends with Dennis and Linda as Kathy and I are.

KOMO TV + ERIC’S HEROS + Dennis + Linda + BLU WATER dancers

 Below are upcoming birthdays. Why don’t you send a greeting to your friends?

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

James A "Jim" White