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Pat Brantley (Ross)

Thank you Troy.  I sent Charles a text.  He was very kind to me when I was going through this same battle with my daddy during Junior year.  Daddy died over Christmas holidays during senior year.  So many classmates were understanding even though we didn't really understand.  Charles Brawner always had a dumb joke to tell me just to hear me groan about how stupid it was.  He always said the silliest ones were from Tommy.  
different subject entirely - those who went to Black Jr High - does anyone know what happened to Ben VandenBossche?  Someone named Benjamin Franklin VandenBossche can't just fall off the planet.  I know he went to Lee high School.  

Carole Gunter (Snell) (Jenkins)

Thank you Troy for keeping us posted on Charlie.   I had no idea he was sick.  Visited briefly with him and his sweet wife at the 45 year reunion.  He attended the 1961 Celestial Ball with me.  So glad to hear that he is wrapped in the love of his family.  Praying for strength and peace for him and his family.

Lynn Wren (Burkhardt)

Prayers for Charlie and his family. So thankful they were able to take him home. Good bless

Teddie Jordan

Prayers for classmate Charles Erekson and his family at his time. Know that God has his hand on all of your shoulders and will get you through this time. I shared a number of classes with Charles and always admired him. 

Marcie English (Nolan)

Thanks for sharing the sad news about Charles. We were in the same home room every year and I considered him a nice guy and friend. I especially appreciate having an opportunity to send an e-mail. Thanks Jimmy Lee and Troy and classmates. You are all in my prayers. 

Lloyd Pond

More research on Hubert Mewhinney.  He wrote a book in 1957 that still is available from Amazon.. titled, " a Manual for Neanderthals".The book shows how to make flint tools just like they did in the old days. Obsidean rock was one of the favorite choices of the tool makers. So, Bennie, maybe that is why, there was a chunk of obsidean in the Mewhinney front yard. Some summer vacations, I visited my grandparents in the Valley. The town of Sullivan City was just a few miles from the Rio Grande crossing of Los Ebanos. There was a ferry boat that could take a few cars across. Power for the boat was provided by men pulling on a cable strung across the border river banks. The grandparents lived on a few acres of scrub cactus/mesquite land. They had a small chicken/egg business and Grandpa would do maintenance on three oil well pumps.The property provided lots of adventures for my cousins and I. One of our favorites was looking for arrowheads and other stone tools. We picked up quite a few and Grandpa had a large collection as well. Maybe another rock hound trip will be planned later this year. I think that will be fun.

P.S.  In looking up Mewhinney I found a notice that another Post newspaper man, Leon Hale passed away, age 99. 

Johnny Sheffield

Prayers go out for Charlie erekson and his family. 
gods blessings be with him and his family. 
johnny

Beverly Hengst (Allen)

Sadly, we have lost another classmate.  Charles Erekson passed this morning with his wife and daughter holding his hand.  He was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and had requested to be at home for what time he had left. 

Charles personally requested that any gifts in his honor be made to the Los Gatos Rotary Scholorship Fund.  You can make your contribution out to the "Rotary Club of Los Gatos Scholorship Fund:.  Note "in memory of Chalres Erekson" at the bottom of the check.  Mail to P. O. Box 1018, Los Gatos, CA 95030.

If you wish to send flowers, they can be ordered from the local florist: https://rbloomsoswego.com/

The family is planning on having an online service and the details will be coming.

Cards can be sent to 886 Ninth Street, Lake Oswego, OR 9703.

His daughter said Charles cherished all of the messages, cards, videos, texts and prayers from our class.  He truly felt the love and support given from our class.  Please keep his family in your prayers.

Wendy Sherrill (Carter)

So very sorry to hear about Charlie.  I will always remember what a kind and honorable person he was.  So glad that I got to spent some time with him at our reunions.  He was special.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Sorry to lose let another classmate.   condolences to  Charles family.    Yup it's me, still here.  Considering how bad I feel,  I'm surprised, althouth today has been better than it's predecessors.    Had my last radiation treatment Thursday a weel ako.   Docs told me to not do anything for at least 2 weeks.   Been tringin to follow their orders, but I'm not an easychair person, sometimes just hasd to do stuff, paid for it the next day.. 

     Go back for an MRI around may 1st, then consultaion to  whats come next.   They mentiones chemo for a year.   No ones ever mention prognosis yet.   I guess "one more day" is good enough.  My speech has not gotten any better, nor my typings and spelling, handwitting still sub-henscratting. My eyesight and hearing have gotten worse.   Tried to play my guitar,, cant play a lick, even the tunes I use to play in my sleep.   Well, I want really that good anyway.

    Hope all is well with everyone.  

Marcie English (Nolan)

Good morning everyone. I was wondering how long it would take for our friend Beau to “unfollow” doctor’s orders and entertain us with his imaginative musings. Was glad he did, but he was a “bad boy, bad boy.” Take care and God bless.

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Aaahhh, there you are, Beau, coming back from the nighmare of chemo rounds?  Anytime we are fortunate enough to hear from you, makes the day better, brighter.  

 You are our funnyman, comic relief, albeit, nothing funny about the situation you and Diane find yourselves in or all the aggravating  old age maladies, we are all beginning to experience.

I've lived the past five yrs, enduring the pain and limitations of a bad back and sciatica diagnosed by 4 surgeons, yes, TX Brain and Spine, going with Baylor Scott and White and having an MRI Wed.   My diabetes Type 1, remains good.

Still working in Navasota, tx in a small antiques shop and I really enjoy it, as I've collected since my twenties and now get to see the other side by being a vendor. Partime and enjoy the teamwork of the other vendors and public great, we stop to talk about our individual past and such.  Very busy when we have events Groovy Wine Walk 250 visitors last weekend.  and Texas Birthday Bash.

My sis boh made it through and are totally vaccinnated  She in Bayou Vista and me Anderson, TX.  Just had lunch together at our favorite restaurant, La Casita, yesterday, both of us looking older since we'd seen each other and realizing life is too short to stay away from each other til one of us leaves first.  Our twin life has been up and down throughout our lives, but we are through with that.

Beau, just keeping plugging along and make the right choices for yourself and what you can accept.  And keep loving and receiving  the love from all your animals.  I have a partial pit that has sad old eyes, and likes to smell my skin cancer spots.  I told the docl he can spell cancer, Doc agreed some animals can. 

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Marsha and Kay, you are too kind and I thank you.  To say this been tough, is puting it mioudy.   I seen to getting stronger...i hope..   met with a group of bikers this moring for cooffee in bellville.  saw an old friend, and met some new ones.     i chure  needed that.  they didnt mind that i sound like forrest gumps dumber brother, or dat I sidnt rige my bike.

     prolly never get normal agaain, whatever that was.   Food tastes like metal or whatever that taste is..  I can use a large economy size listerine bottle in one week.   I'm suppose to eat lots of proteien,  docs orders, and normally I would complie with that, but nothing tastes good, or likc I remember how it's suppose to taste, my specaltiey,  burnt toast ! ! !  

   I think I'm getting hunger...I tink.   What shall I partake of...hmmm,   metal stew?   metel enchladas?  metal and meatballs?   maybe I'll just goe out out and take a bite out of the bumper on my truck.  I heard in season, they are qeite dellctalbe.   You knoww, evne "two fingering" the keeboard is not good wnough.  Maky I can type with my toes.   Or just maky,  get the dogs or cat to type.   Well maby not together, the cat hates and beagle but tollerates the big dog.

Troy Holiman

Details concerning celebratin Charles Erekson' life from Amy Varga his daughter

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

I like the ice house idea, you will have to welcome locals as well, and motorcycleists , you would be a natual.  You wont make much money, but will have the most loyal real people gathering there everyday.

Carole Gunter (Snell) (Jenkins)

Thanks, Troy, for keeping us updated about Charles's illness and now about his service.   You and he truly had an amazing friendship over these many years.   

Lloyd Pond

Oh

Oh well, I guess we are living in an upside down world. Ferrell and I celebrated our 53 anniversary! What a girl to wait on my craziness all these years. I am lucky to have her. Yeah there are times when , you know, things are rough and bumpy... like for example, Ferrell likes lemons. Squeezes them for tea, salads, fish, avocados, etc. So I thought, as an anniversary present, I would buy a big bottle of Real Lemon juice. All you have to do is open the bottle and pour the lemon in. No peels and you never get any juice in your eye. Well, you know, she refuses to use what i bought. Says that the bottle juice doesn't taste like the fresh squeezed juice. You know come to think of it, if thats all I have to worry about after all these years, I am a very, very lucky guy. Don't worry, I also bought a new massage, heated recliner in addition to the bottle lemon juice for the anniversary. I think Ferrell will enjoy using the recliner.

Teddie Jordan

Lloyd and Ferrell, happy anniversary. We are on a crooked number too. And maybe you can plant her a Meyer lemon tree in the backyard. We had one at our previous home and they are productive. And don't "you"

fall asleep in "her" recliner. 

Carole Gunter (Snell) (Jenkins)

Lloyd and Ferrell --  53 years!, Congratulations.   What a blessing to have that many years together.

Teddie Jordan

Pat Brantley, RE your comment about the mystery of what happened to Ben Vanden Bossche after he moved from Waltrip zone to live in West or SW Houston. I have always said that our beloved classmate Jenny Taylor could track down the devil's shadow. Jenny any info on Ben? He was just a nice guy and a lot of personality. I've always said that the only thing worse than losing contact with an old friend is not knowing or being able to know, and honor them!?

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Checking in all, to see what's been happening.  The bluebonnets turned out in beautimous supply along with all the wine cups, buttercups, Indian paintbrushes, etc. here in Grimes county. Really loved seeing them. It's amazing where and when our wildflowers, weeds, dewberries choose to grow.  Seems I see different ones show up each year, and  the dewberries move around also.  berries arn't ready yet, my great grands are waiting to come pick them though and we will make dewberry cobbler this year.

Beau, hope all is going well, prayers and wishes coming your way.

I had surprise visitors at The Bluebonnet Vintage and Collectibles shop a while back:  Jack and his lovely Linda Mersiosky Montgomery visited and I was actually on duty.....So happy to see two of our Waltrip couples and to visit with them.   They were visiting the popular venue as Navasota is being called.  So many customers are from out of town.  The Montgomerys' have been married a similar amount of years as Ferrell and Lloyd Pond  So congrats to them both as well.  They've moved to Brenham, and Beau, I was quick to ask if they had visited the Ant Hotel and the men's room. 

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Doubly blessed, yesterday got a call from Beau and Diane they would be touring the strip of stores in Navasota.  I dropped whatever it was I would be doing and got to town as quickly as I could.

Long story short, it was mezmerizing to actually be in the prescence of Beau and his very wonderful gentle guilding wife. Beau has grown quite the snowwhite beard and now has to keep his head overed at all times. He carries a cane to better manuever with, but quickly informed me it is not a necessary prop, but helps with the uneveness of the streets.  Definately makes him a dramatic looking figure!

Talk overflowing between the three of us, and continued with a good lunch at Classic Rock cafe across the street from the Bluebonnet.  Try the chicken sallad croissant  and fruit, now my favorite. Beau stuck to a hamburger he and Diane shared. Beau checking out the bathrooms discovered the guitars and old records for sale back there and announced he would be returning.  Diane enjoyed the amviance of the cafe.

I'm afraid I took up most of their time and they missed some of the antique stores and will need to come back for another visit......ok by me, maybe we can have some Waltripers come out and visit at the Classic Rock cafe as well.

Beau Wann, Jr.

    Kay, thank you for those kind words,  Talk about blessed,  such a deliget to talk with Kay.   Madee our trip to Navasota such a pleasant one.  Woulda stayed longer, but I was very tired and wimped out and headed homeward bound to CH.   There is a cvery good ACE hardware there,   Lots of great things from A to Z .  looking for a new mailbox, Seems ours was damaged in the last cattle stampede.    

    We not only have cattle up here in cattle country, but now have a covey of Peacocks.   Beautiful birds they are.  Dont know whoe belongs to them. since they were on my palece, they belong to me.  Of corce I'll have to feed them, and worry about them run over by idiots driving buy, like the US postal service.  They drive doen our road at top speed.   Hope they dont wander on over to 290, they die for sure.   

    We also have two red foxes that come out in the daytime and nighht , and one grey fox only seems to come out at night, so the game camera records.  I put dog and cat food doen st the creek for any critter that will eat it.  Peakcocks like fruits and other sunch delicacys like bugs and the like.   I put fruit out for tem, teyll have to catch their own bugs and stufff.

    Any of yall that like classical music,  found many piano players on you tube, especally one in particular,  Alice Sara Ott.    Watched her play Beethovens piano concerto no 3   not my favorite piece, but watching Alice Sara Ott play anything is now my favorite piece.. not only is she a delight to hear play, but a delightto watch her play.  Looks likes she's in a trance and souls is possesed by God and Beethoven.  When she is playing and the orchestra is not,  they look upon her as if she IS  God.  And her gaze towards them is about the same.

     Never have I seen such passion before as Alice Sara Ott carresses the black and white keys.   The look on her face is that of an angel and that of a childs that have happened upon the most wonderful "thing", the piano.  Like my face would look disceringy a box of fresh hot shipleys donuts in the kitchen in the morning, or a left over cream puff or chocolate elcaire, or discovering that I could piano like Alice Sara Otts.   

     She is 32 now, and sadly she was dianosed with MS two years ago. Dont have to tell anyone what a horrible disease that it, I knnown  one that has lived and died from MS.   Not a pretty picture that. 

     Time to depane...tireder than I want to admit.  Go my follow up Mri and lab work tomorrow, then off to see the wizard,...Got eye appiontments and hearing appiontmentsw comeing up and GP appnt .  Too bad they dont make houce calles any londer.   Been seeing double and blury even with myg lasses on, and not cant hearssdddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

whoa, fell asleep and put about 10 pages of the above d's.  Nap time, gabye....

Lloyd Pond

What a wonderful world! Spring is my favorite time of year. The rebirth of all the plants and spring colors make me happy. The ice storm did some damage, but most everything has come back. A giant pecan tree reigns over our back yard and has deposited tons of those green katkins over the patio and in the gutters. I hope that their abundance portends a pecan crop in the fall. Another tree that sprouts up everywhere is the Texas Ligustrum. The purple berries are their distinctive feature. So many berries spreading the tree everywhere. I think that if left to themselves the grass in the yard would be replaced with the tree. Thankfully, three or four suffered major damge from the ice and snow. 

The birds have been visiting our patio this last week.Many tiny sparrows patrol the area looking for bugs? I don't see anything  edible out there, but the sparrows are diligently searching. A pair of blue jays are building a nest in the pecan tree above the patio. Such a pretty bird. And some woodpeckers ar nearby. I hear them but do not see them. I wish they had a call like Woody Wood Pecker, but I will settle for their shrill whistles.

Wayne Lake

Pat B, I look forward to seeing pics of the GG Baby.

Kay, I love your positive attitude and share your enthusiasm for things that are old.

Beau, I envy your courage, keep it up, you give us all hope.

Lloyd, I’ll have whatever you’r having. I’m still trying to understand how you acquired the necessary skill sets for repairing acoustical instruments for (I would assume) demanding Austin classical musicians.     

Teddie, where are you?

Troy, thanks for keeping us informed about the passing of Charlie Erickson, may he RIP.

Bennie, keep on keepin’ on about happenings in Wharton, especially Mike Blakely, love his down home TX music, it’s close to home for me as my Mom was born and raised in Matagorda Co.

Susan, hope you are doing ok, sorry for your loss.    

Johnny, when do we party in person again?

Willie, Happy 88^th B-day – you keep on writing and singing songs and I’ll keep on listening .

All, stay well.

Been making bird houses for summer birthday gifts for friends and family in MN (lot’s of song birds), maybe going to start a new company and call it ‘Free Housing for Economically Challenged Birds’ by Bird Brained Wayne, A Non-Profit Entity.

Findin’ some trout and dancin’ with dolphins in Aransas for one more month, then heading North to fish for small mouth bass in Northern MN until September, wtl