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Steve Puckett '65

Mary Lois Barden, RIP   You were a great English teacher and sunday school teacher.  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=170607328

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

So sorry to hear about Mrs. Barden - she was certainly a wonderful sophicated classy teacher --- just a Waltrip icon.

Beau, cannot wait to sit on your porch in Chappell Hill!  The pictures are so inviting!!!

Teddie, can you see the reunion Countdown Clock?  It's always been there as far as I know - we are down to 186 days, 4 hours 46 minutes until our Big reunion!!

Hugs, J

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Obituary

Guest Book

• "I will always remember Mrs. Barden not only as a teacher..."
  - Curtis Chapline

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Mary Lois Barnes Barden was born in Hondo Texas on January 31, 1915 and in her 100th year began her heavenly eternal life on April 9, 2014. She is predeceased by her husband, John Earle Barden, her parents Theodore and Anna Pluck Barnes, and her granddaughter, Brenda Carol Scruggs.
A beautiful and scholarly young woman, graduating as valedictorian from Hondo High School, she attended the University of Texas where she was a Bluebonnet Belle, and met John Earle. They were married on May 11, 1935 and began their 51 years together in the Aldine community, later moving into Garden Oaks in Houston. Returning to school, she earned both a B.S. and M.A. from the University of Houston.
Mary Lois' passion for teaching and devotion to her students was evident during her twenty plus years of teaching English in Houston at Reagan High School, moving to Waltrip High School when it opened and where she remained the rest of her career. A voracious reader, she was a student of literature and writer of poetry well into her nineties.
Her retirement years were filled with travel throughout the U.S. and the world, first with John Earle and after his death with her sister and friends. She was also an avid Elderhosteler. The scrapbooks of her travels are legendary within the family.
Mary Lois and her family were faithful and active members of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church from its founding years. Always the teacher, she taught the Older Youth Sunday School Class and MYF group for over three decades. And with her lovely alto voice she sang in the church choir. She loved her church family and most of her closest friends came from that fellowship.
Above all, Mary Lois loved her family. At family gatherings, her happiest moments were being surrounded by her "descendants"-children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She thrived on hearing about each and every one and was proud of their lives and the paths they had taken.
Mary Lois is survived by her sister, Evelyn Howard of Ft. Worth Texas; her son Jim and wife Bebe Barden of Hondo Texas; her daughters Sue, and husband Joe Dean Phipps of Houston; and Marianne and husband Ed Scruggs of Utopia Texas. She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Gentry, Jack, Lee and Lisa Barden; Joel and Maryanna Phipps and Emily Phipps Harwell; and Edward and Richard Scruggs. She also leaves thirteen great-grandchildren (with a fourteenth expected in May) and a first great-great-grandchild (due to arrive in July).
Mary Lois lived a full and rich life with no expressed regrets. She will be missed.
A private family burial service will occur at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery where she will be laid to rest next to her husband. A Memorial Service is planned for May 10 at 2:00 PM at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 4300 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, TX 77018. Memorials may be sent to the Barden Scholarship Fund c/o St. Matthew's United Methodist Church. Visit www.DettlingFuneral.com to leave online tributes.

- http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=170607328#sthash.5v6OX4GN.dpuf

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

The inglorious, absurd medical saga of Charles just continues.  Last Wednesday, we drove to MD Anderson to begin a series of regular tests & appointments.  Thursday morning, Charles was having extreme abdominal pain, but we got him to MDA to start @ 6:30am with blood work, then on for a CT.  Afterward we headed to the cafeteria, since he had had to fast for the CT.  He was still in severe pain and drank about a 1/2 cup of coffee.  Headed up for his MRI and got started with that around 9am.  While in the waiting room, I got a call from Mary Lind, our Nurse Practitioner who has guided us through this MDA journey.  She said the CT showed Charles had a pocket of air in his abdomen and he needed to get to the ER immediately to get it checked out.  As soon as Charles completed his MRI, we got to the ER and they started IVs, etc., and ordered another CT, this time of his abdominal area.  Learned that he has a perforation in his colon caused by diverticulitis which allowed air, etc., to leak from his colon.  A colon surgeon visited him and said his condition was serious as infection could easily set in from leakage and there was the possibility of surgery to remove the damaged part of his colon.  After midnight, he got moved to a room and over the past 5 days, he's had continuous IV antibiotics and has had nothing to eat or drink since last Wednesday evening because they need to keep his colon clear.  Yesterday morning, he had another CT and found an abscess in his lower abdomen, so yesterday afternoon he had a procedure to drain the abscess and insert a tube to continue the drainage until it is GONE.   Today, he was put on a clear liquid diet (can't imagine how happy that made him) and they will monitor how he tolerates these liquids.  The colon surgeon told me today that things were looking good, surgery is not in the picture yet, but the perforation isn't completely healed.  But, he said that if and when they feel he can be released, if necessary, he can leave with the drainage tube.  So, we are in a holding pattern (nothing new) waiting for healing.  I have been sooooooo fortunate to be staying with my brother, Ronnie, and his wife, Terri.  They are putting up with me leaving early (over an hour's drive from The Woodlands to MDA) and coming home around 8pm and letting me vent each evening and helping me with just anything I need.  You have all been so faithful in supporting us over the past year with cards, e-Mails, calls and especially prayers.  I've said Charles is "the energizer bunny."  He just keeps going and going and going.  His strength, courage and perseverance has been tested more during this year than in his entire life and he feels so privileged to have had your support and continued friendship.  We both thank you all - you've made us much stronger in our faith in Our Lord.

Donald May

Charles, you and your family are definitely in my prayers.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Amen to that...also Gloria Hornicks father passed away this week...Just saw it in the paper last night...We had spoken at fudds about her dads decline in health. Well, I brought up the subject of my moms decline in health and mental dementia...what other kind is there...I broached the subject about my mom...she barely knows who I am anymore ! She does remember some, and when a vein of memory comes winging in, she still thinks I'm in the Navy...of course I dont challenge her about that! I just say yes ma am, it's a good job....Then we touched on Gloria's father...forgetting to eat, and forgetting to breathe ...

     I know this scenario is and has happened a zillion times over...some have already gone through it and have healed, as well as you can I suppose, or in the process of healing...I remember a man that lived to be almost a hundred...lived in river oaks, had all the money in the world...I knew him personally. His wife died some 7 or 8 years back...she was in great health, fell and broke a hip, went to rehab, and that was all she wrote...Virgil gave up after Helen passed away...He exclaimed one time that "no one should have to live past 92" ! ! !  He died about 5 years ago...give or take...

    One of the best memories my mom seems to conjure up is when she and her family lived on the farm up in arkansas during the depression...she talks about the farm all the time and her weighing about 73 pounds and picking 93 pounds of cotton...she just beams at having picked more than her weight in cotton...She speaks of aunt Ossi and uncle Kurgi (dont know if spelling is correct, cause I have never seen their names written down) , and walking barefoot in the rich bottom land dirt and how it was so cool on her feet! 

     She exclaimed they were one of the lucky families that had enough to eat because of the produce of that rich bottom land dirt. Yeah, one of the lucky families...not enough money to put shoes on their feet, but at least they got to eat...besides, who looks under the dining room table for shoes anyhow???

     Cant say just which river the farm was on, cause I only visited it between birth and 5 years old! I do remember picking cotton, or trying to pick cotton...those bolls were sharp, and would cut your fingers, especially that of a childs!  I remember this large family of giants sitting down to supper...well, to a 4 or 5 year old, everyone was a giant, and more than 3 people was a large gathering! 

    Wait a minuit, I think I remember the town my grandparents were buried in, Bald Knob, Ark...that maybe where the farm was...gotta find a map...

     The smells were incredible...fried chicken, green beans laced with ham hocks and bacon,  corn, fried green tomatos and fried okra, mustard or collard greens, turnips and greens all just fresh picked from behind the house...The banter and small talk hovering around the huge round oak clawfoot table...I remember that table because I use to hide under it when it thundered...it looked so huge back then...in later years I saw it at my grandmothers new house, or new to her, and it looked so small...could this actually have been that same table? She says it was...and grandmothers dont lie!

    I remember one of the last really lucid conversations with my mom when she said, if God was merciful,  she wished he would take her now, so she could move on tto the other side...all her family was gone, her friends, she can barely see and hear, has to travel in a wheel chair etc, and she longed to go back to her farm, how she loved that farm...just maybe she can get back to that old farm someday soon...I'm looking forward myself,  to someday running barefoot down that old black earth road towards that old farm house, seeing my mom standing in the doorway waving at me...

      If God is merciful...yeah, thats what I was thinking! ! !

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Amen BroBeau --- how beautiful!!!

Sorry to hear about Gloria's dad!  Growing up in Oak Forest the Hornicks were our backyard neighbors for years!  Just a wonderful family!  Gloria's brother and my brother ran around together and they  were also our churchmates at St. Stephen's Methodist Church. 

I had appointments yesterday at M.D. Anderson so afterwards visited with Charles and Jimmie Lee.  What a relief to see Charles so alert and feeling better!  He has been through so much pain but looked great and it certainly made my day to see him giving it his best!  Keep on dancing, Charles!!!!

Happy Easter and God Bless everyone!

Hugs,

J

Beau Wann, Jr.

   Hey, anyone remember J.B. Jozwiak? I think he was from the class of 63...I'd like to say that I remembered him, but I just dont remember him or his name!  Also saw the name Kujawa who was 61. No other information on him. I know there was a Kujawa in our class or roundabouts thereof, that passed away this year methinks...brothers?

   Kitchen and bathroom cabinets are now in...wont be long now...we hopes! ! !

Teddie Jordan

Beau, I knew J.B. and saw his obituary yesterday too. He was a member of our class. Due to alphabetical seating he was always right behind me in classes. Great guy, fun loving, good sense of humor, always smiling. May he rest in peace.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Our dear classmate, JB Jozwiak

J.B. (Jerome Billy) Jozwiak, 68, of Houston, TX passed away April 14, 2014.He was born in Houston, TX to Stanley and Martha Jozwiak.  JB attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, St. Pius X High School and Waltrip High School before joining the U.S. Navy in 1964, proudly serving his country during the Vietnam War.  

JB worked most of his life as a truck driver along with being an entrepreneur, owning several businesses throughout his life. He was a life member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) and served on several committees for many years. He also rode on several trail rides throughout the years. He had a passion for BBQ cook off contests, John Wayne and NASCAR.

He is preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his sister JoAnn Hill (Doug), his brother Mark Jozwiak (Sally), nephews, nieces and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins. He also leaves behind his lifelong friend, Sharon Douglas and her children Daniel Musgraves, Amanda Zahn (Phillip), DeAna Williams, and Christina Douglas as well as 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A visitation will be held on Monday, April 21 from 5pm - 8pm, with a prayer vigil at 7pm.A funeral Mass will be on Tuesday, April 22 at 10am at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.Burial follows at 1pm at St. Stanislaus Cemetery in Chappell Hill, TX.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to HLSR - Education Fund (Attn. Katelyn Scates) at PO Box 20070 Houston, TX 77225 or the charity of your choice.

Scotty Croom

what a surprise to see jb  passed away....i sent him a message after his reunion info was returned..never heard back...never knew as anything but jb...never jerome or billy...another vietnam vet gone...

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Hi All!  This time I am asking for prayers for Noah Rose.  He is the grandson of my oldest step son.  Noah was born three weeks early on April 18.  His lungs are not developed enough for him to breathe on his own as yet, so today they are moving him to Texas Children's Hospital.  I feel he will be fine, but, as you can imagine, this is a difficult time especially for his parents, Jason and Michelle Rose, as well as the rest of the family.  I am asking for prayers for Noah to continue to improve until he can breathe on his own and for strength and comfort, especially for his parents.

We are so fortunate to have each other as a caring and praying group!  Thank you for prayers for Noah.

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Saying prayers for Noah's lung improvement and for comfort of his parents and whole family.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Prayers for precious little baby boy, Noah Rose and your family!  Keep us posted.

Hugs,

J

Teddie Jordan

Susan, TCH is the place for him to be, and their neo-natal ICU is world renowned. Obviously it's been 41 years but our youngest, Nicole, was born 7 weeks early and only 3 pounds and of course scared us to death. She was born in nearby Methodist and I knew it was serious when the two nurses pushing her in an incubator started jogging with it as we went through the tunnel from Methodist to rush her to TCH. She spent 5 weeks in ICU there, but you'd never know it today.

My nephew Kendall was born very early at Hermann and was even smaller and had much more serious lung problems, but survived as well and is a big strapping 41 year old man today. So it will work out.

Prayers going up for Noah Rose.

Pat Brantley (Ross)

I will be praying for Noah.

 My son-in-law and youngest grandchild are walking through Spain now on the camino pilgrimage.  Kristina's blog address is kaycamino.blogspot.com.  They started in a French village so they could walk across the Pyrenees mountains.  My grandson and other granddaughter (Elizabeth) will be joining them on May 11th and then my daughter will join them for the last eighty miles.  I don't hike.  I don't even want to dream about hiking.  Elizabeth has to have a bunch of abdominal tests before she can go anywhere.  Right now she is extremely anemic and they don't know why.  I am so thankful for the great medical care we have in this area.  I'm sure Jimmie lee would like a guest room with a masseuse.  Maybe we can work on that.

Jenny Taylor (Williams)

Hello everyone,

I was looking on our website today and looked under the “In Memory” tab and noticed that there were 7 classmates who passed away but we do not know the year they died.  So I did some research and this is what I found

Linda Carol Byrd Prouse (not Pose as listed). Born May 17, 1946.   Linda  married Lee Wayne Prouse 23 August 1968.  Her death certificate says she died in a head –on collision January 18, 1980 at age 33 and was DOA at Orange Memorial Hospital in Pinehurst, Orange County, Texas.  She was a chemist and Process Engineer with Temple-Easter Company.

Yvonne Francis Florian Stubbs  - Yvonne was born Dec. 2, 1945.She married William L. Stubbs June 7, 1991.  She passed away in January 1997 in Texas (according to Social Security records)

H. L. Fry  - Harmon Louis Fry  - Born October 19, 1945.  Death certificate and SS record list death date as September 17, 1993 in Rockwall, Texas  

Janie Hartman - Edith Jane Hartman, born March 12, 1945.  Married a Schmidt. Died May 13, 2000.  I believe she was a psychiatrist.  She passed away in Houston (according to SS record)

Jeanne Marie Sevier – Passed away November 29, 1991. Buried in Forest Park Cemetery.   She was in the army.

Kerisha Ann Whitaker – Born August 8, 1944.  Died August 4, 1979 in Harris County, Texas.

Eddie Roberts.  The only one I haven’t found is Eddie Roberts.  I have found 4 different Eddies. -  John Eddie Roberts born Jan. 10 , 1945 in Harris County,  Eddie Roberts born March 2, 1946 in Harris County, and Norman Edward Roberts born Sept. 16, 1945 in Harris County and James Edward Roberts born Nov. 13, 1946 in Harris County,  

I am not sure yet which one is Eddie.  I have a feeling he might be the Eddie born March 2,  1946 that passed away in Las Vegas, NV March 16, 2001.  Did anyone ever hear of Eddie living in Vegas?

If you have any additional information on these folks, let us know.

At least now we know what happened to these fellow classmates.  R.I.P.

See you all at the reunion!!

Jenny Taylor Williams

David Blankenship

Jenny,

Thanks for all your research. Great job!

Your guess on Eddie Roberts is accurate; I know for a fact that he lived many years in Vegas and passed away there, in fact, his sister Marilyn also lived there.

Dave

Jenny Taylor (Williams)

Mystery Solved - Thanks David.  

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Did Eddie Roberts live in Vegas?  You bet he did.  He was Pit Boss for Holiday Inn Casino back in the day when it was a big deal.   Eddie had a son, whom I assume is still in Vegas.  His brother Gary joined him in Vegas and he was a dealer.  His sister, Marilyn Roberts Tannen was Marketing Head for several Vegas casinos and last time we met up with her, she was Head of Marketing for a casino in Shreveport.  But, she and her husband have retired and are  now living in Henderson, NV.  She found us on FB and keeps up with Charles' medical escapades.

 I knew Jeanne Sevier died a long time ago, but would never have figured she would have been in the service, since she always marched to her own drummer.  I was in her homeroom.

Brantley, I think I'm more ready for a padded room than a room with a masseuse.  Charles has been hospitalized @ MD Anderson since April 10 after his colon perforated from diverticulits and he's developed several types of infection (including e-coli) and has had a drain tube in.  Just today, we learned his white count is NORMAL and we may get to leave on Monday, but there are lots of "ifs" included with that.  They are working on where he will continue his IV antibiotics for a few weeks, LTAC or through his Oncologist @ Baylor McKinney.

Jenny Taylor (Williams)

Hope all those ifs work out!  Keeping you guys in my prayers!

Gloria Hornick (Walker)

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Thank you, Gloria.  So sorry to hear of your father's passing.  Still praying for Noah,

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Hi all!  Thank you so much for your prayers for Noah.  As of yesterday he had still not been moved to Texas Children's Hospital because he had improved a little.  Instantaneous answer to prayers!!!  He is in a sleep mode to give his lungs time to rest and grow.  A trip to TCH may still be in the picture, but for now he is holding his own!  Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers. Please keep him in your prayers.

Gloria, I am so sorry to hear about your father.  It is difficult to lose a parent, even when they have lived a long and fruitful life and you know they are at peace.  For others in our group who have experienced recent loss and for those who are experiencing illness, my prayers are with you, also.  As Gloria said, we are so fortunate to be a close group and to care about each other.

Johnny Sheffield

Here it is Sunday morning and Iam just getting caught up on

all the updated news on the web site. Becky and I swore up that we

would never move again, but here we go. 

We are in the process of moving from

fayetteville Texas to new ulm Texas. 

My new address will be 6327 fm 109 new ulm texas

78950 my new phone number is  979 203-7209. 

Any way  just want to let Gloria know our prayers are with her and her

family on the passing of your dad. 

Also Susan our prayers are with Noah that he will become stronger each day. 

Jimmielee, thanks for keeping me inform on Charles.  Becky and I have Charles in our prayers  

johnny