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Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Reallllllly behind on reading the forum - I'm like Paige too much going on at my office!

Good to hear all the news from everyone and I need to reread later, just scanned quickly.

BroBeau congrats on your grandson getting scholarship to Baylor and good luck on your Antique Mall booth - that should be fun!  If you run out of items - I have plenty!

Remember next Tuesday, March 13 is Fuddrucker's --- cannot wait to see all of you.  And mark your calendars for Saturday, April 14 at Clay's - details on homepage.

Hugs,

J

Gloria Hornick (Walker)

Beau, that Baylor scholarship sounds great for you all.  Our son and his wife went there - got an excellent education and have done well.  One daughter went to A & M and the other to Southwestern.  Darral and I went to UT, so we have lots of great schools to root for (and receive solicitations from).  Hope everyone has a great Spring Break week, but it is no different for us than any other, as no one is connected to school any more.

Scotty Croom

happy birthday,richard...

Beau Wann, Jr.

Happy Boithday Richard the LH...Mellow yellow fellow Cooper, Catahoula Jack, Big Oliver, Katy, Peaches, Lacy, Sammy, and Annie Bob, oh yeah and ol Aunti Que herownself...Diane, all say HI and Happy Boithday too...

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Happy belated birthday, Richard!  I have been visiting my daughter and her family in Birmingham, AL, for 5 days!  Loved every minute of it, but I am pooped!  The 13 year old, Hope, made the all state Alabama choir and she had rehearsals and a performance over the weekend, plus soft ball for the 10 year old, and then there's Katie Jane, the 2 year old!  I don't know how my daughter does it, but she does!  Plus a management position with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, a council person for the town of Alabaster where she lives, and is really involved in church, plus various and sundry other community activities.  Whew!  Guess it sounds like I am bragging, and I guess I am!  How blessed am I!

Beau, I know you are so proud of your grandson!  Baylor is a fine school!  It's amazing what transpires when we just sit back and watch it happen, isn't it!

I was not able to get on the Forum before I left on my trip, so I, like Jackie, had some catching up to do!  Spring is here, "yall'!

I'll miss seeing everyone tomorrow night, but I am really looking forward to April 14!

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Hey Susan,

You wore me out -but I know you enjoyed your visit!!!  What a wonderful family - you have every right to brag!! We had a wonderful, fun time last night at Fudd's and looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, April 14 at Clay's!

Hugs,

J

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Fuddrucker pictures are posted!

Hugs,

J

Teddie Jordan

Fran and I just got back from a few days in South Texas with two of our grandsons. We had a great time. It's a wildflower spring in what for the last year was a parched brown area. How mentally uplifting the green and multi hued wildflowers and growth are. And the birds and wildlife seem to echo that sentiment. I vow to never take rainfall for granted again.

We sure had a good time at Fudd's on Tuesday and look forward to seeing you all at Johnnie's get together on April 14. How lucky our class is to have his spirit and enthusiasm.

Sorry for the full sized pictures. The formatting tool bar has changed and I'll have to relearn how to reduce the size.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Coach Burton has passed away.  Please keep Coach Burton's family in your prayers. Here is the news from Allen Geiser

I just received a call from Don Ellisor Last night

The Coach Passed way after a long hard battle with Cancer (bone).  The last few weeks were very tough on him and the treatments just were not giving him any relief and he held on as long as he could.  I talked to him about 10 days ago and you could tell he was substantially weaker than when we last spoke.  He is in a far better place now and out of the miserable pain he was in.  We are all going to really miss him but we all have many many fond memories of him and the impact he had on so many of our lives.

The funeral is Thursday but the details are unknown at the moment.  As soon as I get the details I will pass them on.  The Coach was 84 yrs old.

Allen #34

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Teddie and Fran - gorgeous pictures -- a beautiful trip.

Hugs,

J

Scotty Croom

rip coach burton...he was the builder of football program at waltrip....a young head coach who rose to victories in such a short time...all of his staff has now passed on ....he was special to our class attending many reunions...

Scotty Croom

found lost classmate--judy riley   on facebook...wating for reply

Wayne Lake

Great pix Teddie, no rattlers this trip?

Spring wild flowers are great, I’ve been meaning to go to Big Bend this time of year or Alaska in June as they say it’s great but have not made either at prime viewing times as of yet. I worked in Aberdeen Scotland over the years and if you like see flowers in the spring, go there anytime between Feb-June as they have seeded the banks of the River Dee that flows through the city with millions of plants of every Northern Hemisphere flowering species you can imagine so that something (usually many colors) is blooming all the time. It is like a sea of colors and in an otherwise drab city with mostly granite houses, the view made the drive to/from work very enjoyable.   

On another note, remember the famous Olympic skier Picabo Street (pronounced Pee-Ka-Boo)? She is not just an athlete and is now a nurse currently working at an Intensive Care Unit of a large metropolitan hospital. However, she is not permitted to answer the hospital telephones any longer as it caused too much confusion when she would answer the phone and say, "Picabo, I.C.U.".
 

Hope to see ya’ll at Clay’s in April.

wtl, part time painter, plumber, electrician, carpenter, sailor and fisherman but not really very good at any of the above.

Wayne Lake

On a more somber note, may Coach Burton Rest in Peace.

I did not play ball and therefore only knew Coach Burton from gym but I have a high regard for all those who dedicate their lives to public service whether it’s teachers, nurses, firefighters, police, military or similar and therefore I commend him for his life of service to others.

I don’t subscribe to the notion that ‘it takes a village’ but more along the notion that it mostly takes a family to raise a kid. However, you can’t discount the fact that Coach Burton and others like him had a very positive imprint on our lives and for that, I am thankful. I remember one rainy day in gym playing dodge ball when Coach Pridgen noticed Peter Lanning had an over developed right side/lung from pitching baseball too much, too hard, too long and too early and he made sure Pete got a proper diagnosis and treatment.

The fact that folks like Mr. Tusa, Coach Burton, Mrs Kahala and the like not only endured us as irreverent teenagers but also attended our get-to-togethers for some 45-50 years says volumes for their dedication and character. We were shaped by them then and continue to be influenced by them now and for that I am grateful.

Maybe Jackie or Allen could start a fund for donation to charity or flowers from the class of ’64?

wtl

Beau Wann, Jr.

MOTHER NATURE SAYS..."WELCOME TO SPRING"!!!! Cant get rain for 2 years, and get 2 years worth in 2 hours...Oh well, we weathered er just fine...waiting for it to settle down so I can go on my appointed rounds...

Condolences to Coach Burtons family...I never had him for any class, but I certainly knew who he was...a very imposing figure, stern...kinda like my dad, someone you didnt want mad at you...My mind still sees him as he was back in them good ol days...I agree with Wayne about teachers and coaches and the like...hard job that...I dont remember anyone getting in any serious trouble, or even any prank type trouble...cept maybe Victor Mada, but that happened before my time...I would be willing to bet, that the teachers of yesteryear, are thankful they taught in our era, with what is going on now days...

It has been noted that I might harbor some ill feelings towards a teacher or other authority figure from back then...NAY, NOT SO...I have nothing but respect for ALL the teachers and administrators from our schools from elementary to high school...they had a job to do, and they did it as they were trained, or as a situation came up...If I thought I was treated badly, it was my own fault...I had the opportunity to deport myself in good stead, instead of acting like an idiot clown...only reason I went in that direction was boredom...the classes during the regular school year, went soooooo slow..plus I was junked up on codine or other cough/lung medicine, which no one ever mentioned the side effects, like make you sleepy, and irritable...It did, and I caught hell for it...

Whenever I took a course in the 3 week summer school, I made A's, earned A's...cept maybe algebra, I never had the courage to take it in summer school, and I'm glad I didnt, because I might have passed it, and still not have known how to do algebra...sometimes you can fake it and get it right...glad I didnt...woulda been a lie...

I dont know how long Coach Burton "coached", nor what his record was overall, or if he coached anything other than football....I'll bet he was a good athlete...what Town was he from? was he from Texas? what highschool did he graduate from, and what year????  I've heard J. C. Mosier talk about Coach Burton when the coach was head of HISD security...nothing but praise there...

I'd say we were blessed with just the right teachers and administrators back in our school days...couldnt think of a bad teacher or administrator from then...I can think of a bad student though...didnt learn the axiom of ,"you only get one shot at making a good FIRST impression"...boy, aint that the truth...I would hope I would do things differently should the opportunity present itself, but we all know that aint gonna happen...sorry Mrs. Simpson, "aint" aint a woid...but it is effective...sometimes...Now there's a teacher that had a profound GOOD effect on my life, Mrs. Simpson..."thank you"...

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

This is the informaton I emailed to everyone regarding the services for Coach Burton that Glenn Smith sent out. 

To all of Coach Burton’s friends:

For those of you who have not heard the news yet ---- our great coach and teacher passed away yesterday March 18th at his home surrounded by his family.  The service will be held at Champion Forest Baptist Church on Friday March 23rd at 1:00pm with visitation prior to the service beginning at 12:00-noon.

The family is opening the service at the end for those of you that would like to say something about Coach Burton.  There will be a reception from 2:00 – 3:00 at the church.

Thanks,

Glenn Smith '65

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Beau Wann, Jr.

Thanks Jackie...I guess that answers all my questions...I knew a man that was on that same UH team with Coach Burton, an Ivis Rister...Ivis and his wife Sissy passed away a few years ago...Sissy was My mother-in-laws cousin...small whirld sometimes...I remember a James Winborn in the class of 63...he's my wifes cousin...we get together from time to time...he and his wife are good folks...

One of the groomsmen, a friend of mine in our wedding, use to work for "Doc Cunningham" at the pharmacy on yale street back in the 50's...Henry Meskat a few doors down from us, was a B26 pilot in WWII, and worked for Ma Bell in the heights, and went to Reagan with Dianes Uncle Bill, and also had coffee at the Elder Cunninghams drugstore on Yale st...it's amazing how our lives cross and intermingle...I believe Burge said it best, "the fabric of the tapestry of our lives..." I hope I quoted that correctly...well you get the idear...

Untill the last reunion, I had not seen many of our classmates  from highschool since highschool...I ran across Bill Trail in San Diego back in the Navy...he was going one direction and I was going another...but we got to talk a few minutes...Saw Tommy Warren in the 70's, and David David one day in 79 or 80. He still lives in Oklahoma, I think!!! I've probably already covered this ground before...oh well...

Been at the Aunti Que empire just raking in the money...Hmmm, lessee, made eleven cents and some small change...rolling right along...wont be long and I should get a promotion and a raise...I'm vice president in charge of...coffee and lunch and fetchin and totin...gonna double my salary too...0 times 2 is what??? Lets put my algebraicaly challenged grey nomatter  to work shall we...that would be 0...of course...

Anyone need a 16ft lowboy trailer, almost brand new???? Only has about 300 miles on it...once we sell the ranch, and remove all the personal items, we wont have a place to store it...SOOOOO, if anyone is in the market for one, let me know...

Hey Teddie, all those wildflawrs are just icing on the cake down there...your place is a small piece of paradise, with or without flawrs, but they are beautiful...and so is Gus...

One of my sons went to spend a week with friends in surfside, and left his German Short Hair pointer, Carly, with his brother and his Chesapeake Bay Retriever Rox and two cats, Emmy and Porkchop...So Bill decided to go surfing today, and asked me to check on them...so I did...Rox the Chessie who is 12, and Carly the GSHP who is 5, just donot know the meaning of the word stationary...knowing as I do, that my rotator cuff on my right shoulder is not in real good shape, decided to throw the umpteenmillion tennis balls, umpteenmillion times with my LEFT arm, whose rotator cuff was slightly better than the right...now, I dont know which is worse...switched to my right, and finally herded em into the house...OMG, perpetual motion thy name is DOG...

One of Bills cats, Pork Chop, is an indoor only cat, and Emmy is an outdoor only cat...Pork Chops name should be psycho...that cat has the most unearthly scream I have ever heard in a domestic cat...raises the hair up on my head...well, it would if I had any...Plus He smacks at you with razor sharp claws when you stray to close to his emminence...Emmy the outside cat, is probably the fastest animal on earth...Carly and Rox were chasing the tennis balls, when one of my throws went askew, and hit Emmy right between the eyes...It bounced up and Carly caught it in mid bounce...Emmy thinking that Carly was the offending party,  smacked her in the nose as Carly came back down from her leap, and ran away, which prompted Carly to give chase to the offending nose smacker...Carly was closing fast, and I was in fear for Emmys safety...

Emmy was just toying with the "idiot dog"...Emmys afterburners kicked in, and whoosh, she just disappeared, leaving Carly all alone to ponder her own slowness...Now, Carly is about the fastest dog I have ever seen in my life...when she goes to the dog parks, there is always a pack of dogs chasing her, and they can never catch her...she can turn 90 degrees on a dime and never a dog comes close...But Emmy is by far twice as fast as Carly...Emmy turned up behind us sitting on the deck as if nothing happened, staring at us "idiot mortals"...she wasnt even breathing hard...Critters are sure funny, entertaining...and beautiful...

Guess it's time to repair to the sleep chamber...Not really sleepy, got a 2 hour nap in today...I just love naps...Bob Hope said that was the secret to his longevity, taking naps...regardless, it feels good anyhow...

Happy trails yall...DOD

Lloyd Pond

Good comments about teachers and coaches, We had a good time, which is important as well as a good educational base, Then at college I learned what good study habits were really all about.

Went to an Austin High School yesterday and just walked right in, no security or anything. I wandered around until I found the office presented my ID and got my Visitor Name Tag. then I wandered around somemore until i found the room I was supposed to go to. So much for security. I went into the auditorium, I was early, so the Drama class was hanging around. They were taking "Head Shot" photographs. I'm sure that is a life lesson they will use in the future. Then I wandered around to the music class and heard some fantastic guitar playing. One student sitting in the hall playing a professional piece that was incredible and then a quartet of students knocking out a Bach Brandenburg Concerto. In the Band room students played an ensemble of Jamiacan steel Drums . Good Times.

Hope to see you all in April!

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Teaching school was a wonderful experience for me!  I am sure I received as much from my students as I gave.  Every now and then one of my students (especially the boys) would come back to see me, or write, or call, or invite me to a graduation or a wedding and it would make all of the hard work worth while - that always seemed to happen when I needed it most, when I was frustrated or disappointed or had had a run in with a parent, etc.  The only reason I ever became a teacher was to make a difference in the lives of children.  I think to be a good teacher you have to have a passion for the profession - you have to love it!  Especially today!  But even when we were in school.  I am sure all of us, if we think back to our teachers, would recognize the ones who had a passion for teaching and the ones for whom it was "just a job".  Coach Burton would be one of those with passion.  He has left a wonderful legacy!
 

Beau Wann, Jr.

Susan, sounds like you had the passion, and left a wonderful legacy as well...how gratifying it must be to actually see the product of your labor and passion in the form of former students...

Looks like you accomplished your goal...YOU REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE...

Paige Talley (Meek)

This is piriate paige here... I've been out on Adventure, if one can call this ship all that exciting... come to think of it,  this IS an adventure every day. 

It was nice to take a tiny break and skim the forum for tibits of life. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

I must get to swabbing the deck and catching all those "loose cannons" ... wouldn't want these guys to think they can get along without me 

Hugs

Pirate Paige

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Judy Pike and I were fortunate to teach @ Waltrip 1969/1970.  Very unique experience working among those who taught us.  Much different perspective on who those teachers "really" were.  We were still "scared" to make a wrong move because of our respect for those who had taught us and then were mentoring us.  Mr. Cotton was still there and kept Waltrip continuing on it's great course.  I taught @ Wheatley the next 1/2 year (teacher cross-over program in HISD) and then retired when my first child was born in 1971.  Taught at Waltrip again several years later, after Mr. Cotton and our former teachers were gone - what a different experience.  The "politics" of  education at that time made me give up and quit.  We were so fortunate to have had the leaders we did.  All you football guys continuing your friendships with each other and Coach Burton through the years is a very special bond to be treasured.

Susan Howard (Bowman)

 Jimmie Lee and Judy Pike - I am in awe of you!  How special to get to teach at Waltrip under the umbrella of our former teachers and Mr. Cotton!  I can only imagine how much care you took in every little thing you did!  Even more so than in a normal situation like mine!  You had our teachers mentoring you.  Personal best continuously required!  I didn't start teaching until you had already temporarily retired.  My first year was in 1983 and we lived in El Paso.  Teaching in those years was a whole different ball game than it is today!!

And thank you, Beau, for the compliment.  For any one who teaches, especially those who love it, if we can just make a difference for one child...... .    

Richard Meek '65

Jimmie Lee it is a different experience to get to know your previous teachers and coaches on a personal basis isn't it? Most of the teachers I had at Waltrip were truly dedicated people. We really hit a rare opportunity there. When we had our first football banquet ,that Glenn organized, I walked in and Coach Burton and Glenn were talking. Coach Burton looked at me and in a jovial voice said "Well hello Richard . How are you?". Not an unusual greeting but I didn't know that he knew I had a first name. At Waltrip he always addressed me by my last name. Which wasn't;t unusual in the athletic dept.

Just to show you how dedication never stops, Mr. Tusa recently agreed to serve on the Advisory Board of the Waltrip Alumni Association. Which is nice but after the board meeting he told Jon Enloe that he would really prefer to be active and do things to help us accomplish our goals. Pretty impressive I'd say. For those of you who haven't kept up or aren't even aware that there is a Waltrip Alumni Association we are making progress. we are in the process of evaluating applications for our first two scholarships.  For those of you who fondly remember the help we got is what the Alumni Association is all about. The explicit goal is to provide schloarships, teacher stipends and capital improvements. That's it. If you haven't joined please go to the website and join, www.waltripalumni.org  now! We already have over 200 members in one year. We need all of you to join and help us give the kids at Waltrip now all the assistance we can. I have met some of them and there are some really first class kids there. Are you up to the challenge of duplicating what you received? Jon Enloe (Mr. Waltrip) is spearheading this effort and Joe Stuessy (Mr Waltrip) is on the Advisory Board. They got the ball rolling when Waltrip was starting. Now 50 years later they're still making a difference. Please join us in this effort.

Thanks,

Rich