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Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Thanks, Jennie.  We'll share your advice when it's time.  They are both very strong Christians, but loss and grief touches everyone.  The funeral is Monday in New Braunfels.

Beau Wann, Jr.

Jimmie Lee, our thoughts and prayers, are certainly with you and your family...so sorry your family is having to go through this...sad that anyone should ever have to suffer this...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the familys that are hurting from one tragedy or another...the Brimberrys, Apostelos, Brawners, and for those that have suffered in silence over the years...
Jennie, you are such a strong and brave person, and such a delight...I hope you have gained at least a modicum of solice after all these years...

We had another, almost trajic event back in 87, a life altering event...My beloved died on the operating table, but miracuously came back...the doctors told me that she had died, and then said out loud, "she is in Gods hands now"...then they said she took a deep breath and her heart started beating again, and pulse came back to normal and she turned rosey pink...this was her 2nd major operation for cancer in less than 8 hours...she had had a complete blood transfusion, twice...

I was at the hospital alone, and I was standing in this long hallway, and just fell with my back against the wall, and slid to the floor...I was sobbing, quietly inside, having been raised in a time and a family that lived by, "your trouble, is just that, your trouble, and dont bother anyone with it"...and the thought came across my mind, "how am I going to get through this alone"...

it seemed that within minutes after that thought, the hallway, which had been empty before, save me, began filling up with my family, her family, our church family and friends, must have been dozens and dozens, and in the middle of the night too...I was absolutely astounded by this show of love and caring...most all my family was there, and in the middle of the night too...they never went anywhere after dark...

This was  love, shown for my beloved, as she has shown for my family...I'm sure we could have made it alone...not as easy, but still, we would have made it...but that night, at the hospital, I experienced something I had never before, a family circling the wagons, coming together for a common cause, LOVE...That night, changed my life forever...I didnt notice it at first, but now, I am what I am because of that night...God does work in mysterious ways...I'm glad I wasnt a widower after only 3 years of marriage to my soul mate...I am who I am because of my wife, she makes me want to be a better person...

I guess my point is, best thing you can do, is circle the wagons with family and friends, and to hug and hold onto the ones you love, and that love you...we out here, in the extended Waltrip family, can hug and love you in our hearts, and the next time we see you...and of course there is always..."Our Father..."

Jennie Anderson '65 (Dylan)

What a beautifully told story Beau.  You are so correct when you say circling the wagons is what gets people through these  sobering times.  

Jimmie Lee, I feel for your pain, also.  My own daughter is expecting her first this week in Austin and I pray all will go well, but know all is in God's hands.  I hope all of you have a beautiful service for her little life in her Mommy's womb.  Now all of you have a little angel with you forever in your hearts and that in itself is a blessing. To keep her close forever.

On another note, I am sitting here praying for this tropical storm to bring us needed rain.  Is there something wrong with me?

Off to have my first oil change....boy do I love my little Elantra!  It cut years off of my life with its little cute speed-like look!

Beau, write a book......please!

My daughter just had a book published.  I will tell you about it when I have more time.

Prayers for a safe good day for everyone of you today!

Jennie

Jimmy Brown '65

 Beau you hit the nail on the head about circling the

wagons,that's what helps us in troubled times ,

God , Family and Friends !

Happy Trails - JB 

Richard Meek '65

Good morning all, my sympathy to all the families that are dealing with grief and illnesses. Beau is correct that families are most important at times like these or just in everyday life. With the shrinking of of family size these days, extended families like this group , churches, etc. become more important. It is important to support and love one another and always pray for each other. I had a moment like Beau's about ten years ago when my cousin Kathy was dying of cancer. Her dad, my Uncle Bruce had a second heart attack. I was visiting Kathy in the hospital one day with the intention of going to cardiac ICU to visit Bruce later. His cardiologist, Randy Morris came up to Kathy's room and pulled me aside. He told me that Bruce was saying he was getting out of bed to come see Kathy. Randy told me that he wasn't sure Bruce was going to live anyway but he was sure that if tried that it would kill him. So Randy asked me if I'd help him push Kathy's bed down to CICU so they could see each other, possibly for the last time. So the doctor and and I did it. That was a sight I will never forget as long as I live. My uncle and cousin in their hospital bed, side by side, holding hands, not knowing if either one would make it through the night. Kathy did pass away shortly thereafter. Bruce got well but had to deal with my aunt Dixie dying of cancer a year later. Life goes on though. Bruce celebrated his 85th birthday last Friday. Still hard headed and still trucking (seems that hard headedness runs in the family). Your all great folks. Prayers to all.

Rich

Paige Talley (Meek)

 Reading your hearts and praying... too much for more words.

Love y'all

Paige

Susan Howard (Bowman)

All of you that have sorrows and are hurting are in my thoughts and prayers.  We are here for each other and that counts for so much!  Please remember Stan Wright who lost his wife, Kathy, to Lou Gehrig's disease a couple of months ago, too.  He doesn't participate in the forum, but we are in touch and I know he would appreciate your prayers. 

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Amen brother Beau, Richard M, Jennie and all for your touching stories.  The greatest news is that we have God's love and each other.  Our LOVE and PRAYERS flow - no one will ever be alone!

And congrats to Barbara Porter Raines she's a grandma!!  Caden Wesley Keyes came into this world yesterday, July 28 at 6:00 p.m. - weighing 7 lbs - 3 oz.  Sommer and Cody are the proud parents - all doing fine.

Hugs,

J

Scotty Croom

just got email from jimmie lee that richard brimberry passed away at 1.15am this morning...asrrangements pending...he fought a good fight, but lost time...

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

From Richard Brimberry's sister, Cherry:

Wayne Lake

On a lighter note, I am sending this as a reminder to some of you “old folks” who may be confused about how y'all should present yourselves. Sometimes when we are unsure about the kind of image we should project, we try to conform to current fashions and as a result we may make errors in our appearance.

Despite what you may have seen around the home, in the mall or on the streets, the following combinations DO NOT go together and should be avoided: 

1. A nose ring and bifocals 
2. Spiked hair/pony tails and bald spots 
3. A pierced tongue and dentures 
4. Miniskirts and support hose 
5. Ankle bracelets and corn pads 
6. Speedo's and cellulite 
7. A belly button ring and a gall bladder surgery scar 
8. Unbuttoned disco shirts and a heart monitor 
9. Midriff shirts/hip hugger jeans and a midriff bulge 
10. Bikinis and liver spots 
11. Short shorts and varicose veins 
12. Inline skates and a walker

13. Sleeveless “muscle shirts” and flabby arms.

14. Tatoos and obese bodies

 
And last, but not least... 
15. Thongs and Depends. 

Please keep these basic guidelines foremost in your mind when you shop.

From Lake Wobegone,

wtl 

Scotty Croom

richard brimberry visitation brookside funeral ,us59n, tues. nite 5-9pm...services 12;30 pm wed.....

Teddie Jordan

My lasting high school memory of Richard is his ever present smile and his laid back personality. He was truly a nice guy.

Rest in peace Richard.

Lloyd Pond

Hello friends

Ferrell and I are still sweating it out here in Austin. We have been working hard getting into the new home. We have not had any luck selling the old one.. very surprised about that, the Austin market has always been strong.

I have been healthy although the Cardiologist said my weight was creeping back up. So , no more Blue Bell   :-(

You guys who solve all the world problems have got to explain debt crisis to me. a trillion her, a trillion there and pretty soon you are talking about some real money.

Need to plan a trip... any ideas? Where have you gone this summer? Did spend a few days with Ferrell and the grandkids at Mo Ranch outside of Kerrville ..love the Guadalupe river. Cheryl Perry Armstrong brought two of her grandkids and we had a good visit

Richard Meek '65

Good afternoon Waltripians, I am writing to you from palatial executive office inside the Loop here in Houston. I can look out my window and get a marvelous view of the Welcome W. Wilson Sr. Community Beautification Project. It is between my building and the BNSF railroad tracks and the electricity transmission substation. I don't know who owns it since HL&P split up. The most interesting thing in the view is a stand of very tall pines where a pair of Red Tail Hawks nest every Spring and Summer. It's probably good so it's not too difficult to pay attention to work unless you're just mesmerized by trains and electrical transmission substations. Although one day it was pretty interesting when one of their transformers ( a really large one ) blew up and caught fire. Other than that once not much happens over there.

Wayne I love your list of fashion don'ts for older folks. However the last one on the list makes me think there might be a market out there for Thong Depends. Even though they might really sell it, doesn't bring pretty mental images to mind.

Lloyd surely you can make some other dietary adjustment than eliminating Blue Bell Ice Cream. It's just not right for a Texan to be denied Blue Bell Ice Cream. Maybe cut out something else or just smaller portions? On the debt delima. I'm not really qualified to explain it. I'm not sure anyone is. To me the real scary part is ,if it is correct, that we would not be able to meet or financial obligations on a timely basis if they don't raise the debt cieling by today no one really knows what will happen. There are lots of possible chain reactions and none of them are good. However the really scary stuff is chain reactions that no one anticipates. Do you have a survival stronghold set up in the Davis or Gudalupe Mountain's? Fort Davis would be a  good vacation spot. I understand the Indian Lodge motel in the Davis Mountain State Park has been totally remodeled and updated.

The current economic crisis and the current list of health difficulties amongst Waltripians is all the more reason to keep on dancing and dancing like no one is watching.

Rich LH

Stay Calm, Carry On

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Wow, don't know where to begin...guess with a prayer for all who are having these troubles and heartaches......there, done.  "circling the wagons....is right, beginning to wonder which one of us will be left standing.  It is such a troubling world for all of us right now.  If it isn't the heat, politics, our own personal tragedies, TV announcements of heinous acts by humans against humanity....and everyone needing a handout to eat to live and our animals as well....hard to sometimes rejoice in the good things as well.

Vacation never happened for this girl, and school will start in 2 wks.  Another long year ahead, and new computer software and devices I' m learning (uggh), and then having to build student information into before that day.  May be able to get to Galveston.  Even that would be cooler, I think.  Oops, just heard the news in the other room, my school superintendent said we were rated unacceptable along with Snook and Somerville.  Ut ohh.  vacation may turn into a longer route. Signing off to hear more.  Take care, loved all the love from ya'll regarding these events.

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Lloyd,

A trip?  Anywhere but Texas right now - 107 here today.  Try New Mexico or Colorado - closest "cool" places I know of.

Lloyd Pond

I know! Hotter than it ever was.

Beau Wann, Jr.

Greetings Waltripmoanians, Gummi Bear here,
    Thought I was gonna get my new chompers today, but all Doc Holliday did, was take more measurements, vectorings, cognitions, imprints etc...now, Ol Doc says he better take out another tooth, lest it give me any grief...grief???? Yeah, guess you better...dont want no stinkin grief now, do I!!!!!

Hey Rich LH, isnt it great to watch that Redtail Hawk family??? I cant get enough of em...would like to see some owls...Had a huge owl family of huge owls, out at our house in Hearthstone long about 20 year ago...beautiful creatures those raptors...

Hey Lloyd, my beloved and grandkids just got back from Loveland Colorado, and also western colorado, played in the snow up around 8 thousand feets or round about thereof...Thats so unique to my brain, SNOW IN JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!  So, if youre looking for cool, head for the mountains of the continental divide...wouldnt mind headin up there mine ownself...but then, who would feed all my critters???? Who would do the yard, vacuum the fershlerginer house, walk the dogs, clean the pool...and throw stuff in the pool???? Hmmmm, I ax you, WHO????? Me of course...I visit those places in my mind though...

Talked to mine brother Robbie Boswell, Sunday...he's getting ready for the National barefoot skiing tournament in two weeks...that boy is almost 70, and still waterskis...that is the best thing for not growing old, keep on keeping on...water skiiing, motorcycle riding, dancing, staying in touch with old friends...yeah, thats the ticket...Robbie is the NUMBER ONE BAREFOOT SKIER IN THE WHIRLD, IN THE SENIOR CLASS, AND NUMBER TWO OVER ALL...if you ever see me walkin on water, Jesus will probably be holdin my hand...hopefully...

Hey...yay kay...youall need me to bring Cooper up to Anderson to help in your reading program???? He also works well with autistic kids...I'm a good example of that...
Cooper loves Navasota, and Anderson...he likes the donuts at the Donut Palace by the Navasota High School...of course,  I dont like them, I just buy them for him...yeah right!!!!
I dont ever in all my born days, ever remember heat like this...kinda makes you not care about much, except airconditioning...

your frien and brother...TOOTHLESS IN OAK FOREST...

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Ha, ha.....math and science, no respectin dog would want to know all that, don't know how those kids got around those teachers, but, as the Super explained, we are such a small school that a few can really lower our points faster than the big schools.  Oh well, here I am today working at school, just got here, as I work at my own hours.

Oh we are so smokin hot up here....should be 105 easily today, but a good bit of news on the local radio today, says the high pressure should be moving by the end of the month and we will get relief....only 28 days to go!  This morning I lined up all my water hoses to see if I could get some water to my pond, think my fish are still hangin in there, don't want to burn up my well pump though....desperate measures for desperate times.

Wayne Lake

Lloyd,

If you haven’t visited our Western National Parks as a adult, give ‘em a try, and try to stay in the lodges (book in advance) – the rooms/facilities/food are not 5 star but the lodges/fireplaces (morning coffee) are incredible . The best time to go is in September after the crowds are back to the grind and typically the weather is great. I spent my career working and vacationing outside of the USA and did not visit many of our parks during those years. About 7 years ago we started in the North East (Acadia), worked our way West visiting the  parks, staying  in the lodges roughly tracking the Lewis and Clark expedition from South Dakato to the Oregon coast and then last year went to Alaska to see the greatest treasures of all, Denali and SE Alaska.

I have not been to one that I would not go back to and of course Grand Canyon, Yosimite, Yellowstone and the Tetons are probably highest on most folks list but some other great lodges/hikes/wildlife etc are:

Glacier Mountain (Canada and Montana) - especially the two Eastern Lodges in Montana – only about 20 glaciers remain from over 80 about 120 years ago and those remaining will reportedly disappear by 2020 – this is real - not fear mongering by Al Gore. Beware of the brown bears.

Rainier – spectacular - hiking/vistas and the lodge are great

Crater Lake (Oregon) – this lake/lodge is typically overlooked but fantastic

A time/cost effective way to see them is to fly/rent a car and drive, however you can take the AmTrack train directly to Glacier Mountain.

Good hiking shoes and telescoping walking sticks are essential.

From Lake Wobegone,

wtl

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Hey Lloyd!  Head for Colorado!  It's not that far, beautiful, and COOL.  We were heading there Sunday and yesterday when we got an offer on our house.  We drove to Lawrence, KS, (Jackie knows where that is) spent the night on Sunday, had just started driving to Topeka when we got an offer, which looks like a good one (although we are still negotiating) .  So we turned around and came home.  Keep your fingers crossed and say alot of prayers that this works!  If it does we will be heading for Georgetown, TX, in a few days to buy a house! 

We always go to Lake City - a beautiful little town on the Western Slope where my mom and dad built a log cabin many years ago.  It's 8500 feet above sea level and our cabin is 9200.  The air is a little thin, but it is beautiful and so much cooler than any place else right now.  There are cabins and motels there to take care of hot Texans.  There is also a lake a few miles out of town.  It is definitely a little bit of heaven.  I guess we won't make it this year!  But that's okay if we get our house sold and get moved before winter!

It's even hot in Indianapolis and we really need rain, too!

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Wayne/Lloyd,

PBS had the best series on how the National Parks got started, how and when the lodges were built, transportation to the parks in those days - trains and some cool old, old cars - head of the park systems and just a really great history and fantastic old photos.  My parents drove us all over the US and to a lot of those great parks.

Lloyd Pond

We love the parks as well. I did a river trip in Big Bend in 1966? and would love ot do that again. I have my own ghost story from a park in oregon. I probably already told it, but if you would like to hear it again or didn't read it the first time let me  know.

Lots of folks rave about Denali/Alaska cruise that one sounds good. September sounds good to me. Of course, I miss seeing my grand daughter in Portland Oregon. Did I tell you that she is the smartest child ever? 3 1/2 and already reading and spelling! Of course sometimes it is in her own language that needs my son Luke to translate.

Remember the Kingston Trio singing:

There's hurricanes in Florida...(whistling)...... and Texas needs rain!

Still true, still true. It is soooo hot, a hackberry tree in the backyard is shrivling up. I did not think any thing killed those trees.

Susan, glad your offer came in and Texas is on your horizon! I think we may make a deal selling our house tomorrow, a little less than I had hoped for but hey with this economy, I guess I will be happy. Shoot, I know I will be happy! Anybody else out there want to join in with me? S glad to be alive and healthy with  so many blessings I can't count them all.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Great guy --- prayers for Richard and his family --

Subject: Richard Brimberry - Saturday, July 30 (from his sister, Cherry)

Dear Friends,

 

Richard's battle is over with cancer! He is completely healed. He walking and rejoicing with our Saviour and King - Jesus Christ.
He left the dying world at 1:30 am this morning to the living world- HEAVEN.

Dale and I were there and I spoke my love to him and then sang in his ear - The Old Rugged Cross. When I finished his soul left to be with his Lord!

 

It was peaceful and everyone who worked with him said what a kind person he always was there!

As King David said when he lost his son in the Bible - He will not come to me but one day I will go to him.

He will be buried by Norma, his mother at Brookside Memorial Cemetery in Houston. Arrangements will be made later today.
Thanks for all your prayers. We felt everyone of them!
Continue to pray for his daughter in ICU - Christina.
Love, Cherry & Dale

 

 

  

Dear Friends,
The arrangements for Richard Brimberry have been made. The notice will be in Monday's Chronicle.

 

Brookside Memorial Cemetery on Hwy 59
Viewing - Tuesday, August 2 from 5pm - 8 pm
Funeral - Wednesday, August 3 at 12:30 pm at their chapel

 

Graveside - Following in the same place (He was a fireman for 20 years and a fire truck will carry him to the graveside by his mother).

 

Brookside Funeral Home
13401 Eastex Fwy, Houston, TX 77039 | 281-449-6511
**He loved bright flowers.**

 

After the funeral those who want to come to my house are welcomed!

 

911 Pine Breeze Drive
Friendswood, Texas 77546
281-731-4039
We go to celebrate the gift Richard was to each one of us! There will be slides showing as we watched his life touch ours!
Hope you can join us.
Love, Cherry & Dale Williams & the rest of the family