January 2, 2012 from David Jackson

Email messages from the following have been returned. If you know how to get in touch with any of them please invite them to send their email address through the web site(http://phs1957.net/mail.htm#addresschange).

Or, you can send their email address to webtiger and I will contact them. They will not be added to the list without their permission.

The list:

1. Peggy Basquette
2. Carol Church
3. Bob McHenry
4. Larry Collier
5. Fern Perry
6. Nancy Peters
7. Bill Scott

As always, email addresses on this site are encoded to prevent SPAM.  Thanks for your help. I can be contacted at (217) 921-7608 or (314) 438-5591.

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January 3, 2012 from Pat O'Hair Peck

I live on the computer so save a dime & write e-mail me!

Patty ppeck5@yahoo.com or ppeck51@gmail.

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January 6, 2012 from Tony Cochran

Since David was so kind to develop another page for our website, I guess it is about time to put it to use. An update on my family would reveal the typical health problems most of us are experiencing in our "golden years".

I was working out at the gym trying to lose a whole lot of weight (some of you know what I mean -still haven't lost any) when a machine broke and I ended up breaking my tailbone. Went to the doctor and he wanted to take a picture of my rear end. Said he had never seen such a bruise on a rear end. Looked like two racing stripes - one on each side. Did not let him take the picture- Told him I didn't want it posted on You Tube as a "Take a look at this one." That happened a couple of months ago and am still having a little trouble sitting down.

Had cataract surgery on Dec 29th 2011 and so far everything has gone fine. Was dreading it, the thought of having a blade put to my eye was a little apprehensive to me. However, I checked both the blade and laser method of removal. They both have their pros and cons. Decided to go with the blade. Believe me, all my fears were put to rest after the surgery. The worst part of the whole thing was the pressure cup expanding and contracting to check your blood pressure. Never saw anything the whole time except for a small white light. If any of you are having any reservations about cataract surgery, don't. It has sure improved my sight.

Sarah Lee is going in for a total knee replacement on Jan 11th 2012, She has a problem with her heart and blood pressure so we are quite concerned about that. Please place her on your prayer list. Will let you know how things go.

We have been blessed with another great grandchild - Emma Claire Ridings.  So now, we have two - a boy named River and our latest edition Emma. River is with us quite a bit. In the terrible two's and he sure lets you know how old you are. Tough time to keep up with him.

I'm still working backstage security at the Grand Ole Opry. If you are ever in the Nashville area, please give me a call. You know how to contact me. Had a nice visit with Dick and Sharon Roberts Martin, Joey Roberts and his wife last year. Really nice to spend some time with someone from Paris.

We have a young and upcoming singer from Paris, Bret Eldredge on stage a few times. Real nice family. Some of you will remember his grandfather - Shirley Eldredge.

Guess this is enough for a quick update on myself. If you read this, please provide an update on you and yours and post it on the website.

Thanks - Tony Cochran

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January 7, 2012 from Richard Manton

No news at this time.

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January 7, 2012 from Sandra Findley Muse

As most of you know, David passed away 4 years ago. His health had been not good for about the last 10 years of his life. He certainly gave it a good battle!
I am fine, have done some traveling and probably still play to much golf. I have eight grand children, 2 live in Ohio, and 6 in Nebraska. The boys and wives are fine. So anxious to see as many of us as we can get together for the next reunion.

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January 7, 2012 from Virginia Cunningham

Getting old.. Cataract surgery on both eyes. Nothing going on in my life. Just living one day at a time....

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January 8, 2012 from Anne Tiffin Goss

Not much has changed since our last reunion for me.  I still work about 18 hours for the insurance company that I have worked for for 26 years.  I jog 4 times a week. I only jog about 3 to 4 miles between 4:00 & 5:00 a.m. I solve lots of "world crisis" when I am out there all by myself!  Marshall still works part-time as a landscape director for Indiana University. He has done this since he retired as track coach at IU.  We love to travel and have been to Europe several times. We love ocean and river cruises.  Our children, Christopher and Betsy and their families are doing well and they live close so we see them a lot.  So far my health is good and am able to do as I wish which I am thankful for.  Would love to hear from all of you and look forward to another reunion soon.

Happy New Year in 2012.

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January 8, 2012 from Ina Gosnell Messinger

Alive and well here in Navarre, FL. Looking forward to our class reunion whenever that is. May God bless you all in the new year.

 Ina

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January 8, 2012 from David Jackson

Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

Past:
Since the last reunion, which I did not attend, much time has been spent being aware of the blessings I have.  After cancer surgery in July 2007 and three months of radiation and chemo, I am still here and ready to move on!
In early November 2011 my medical incarceration (isolation) ended which allowed me to again associate with animals and people.  I did receive a visit from a daughter before Thanksgiving.

Present:
I am learning to walk without falling, to swallow and to speak.  If we talk on the phone, I will sound like a robot.  Don’t hang up.
I have gotten to know a speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist and physical terrorist quite well and they are making good progress considering what they have to work with.
I plan to visit my mother in Paris and sons/daughters/grandchildren in various locations this month whom I have not seen for years.

Future:
I look forward to attending my first high-school class-reunion.  In 20 years I might start planning for old age.

If someone on the reunion committee can contact me we can set up a page on the web site to gather information about class preferences and to give details about the reunion.  I can be reached by email or (314) 438-5591.

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January 8, 2012 from Jim Beck

Hello Tony and all of our friends,
There seems to have been a lot of medical problems and yes we've lost a few of our friends. There have been great losses and even tragedies with our High School Family. Our prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones, to those who have had tragedies, and to those still struggling to keep going or to recover.
It seems to go along with that big 70 birthday. Little did we know in 1957 that we would be sharing these kinds of information.

Just a few days ago a friend here in Topeka, Ks. sent me an e-mail with songs of the 50's and 60's and oh boy did I listen to a bunch of them. You know Connie Francis, Teresa Brewer and on and on. WHAT GREAT MEMORIES! Oh yes that brings back even more memories of all of you who I count as many, many friends.  It is great to reminisce.

Well up to this day and reality instead of great old memories.
I spent 3 periods of time in the hospital in 2011. First on Jan. 4, 2011 when I had two stents put in my heart. Oh yes they caught it before a heart attack. Then into cardiac rehab for 30 days and then on Super Bowl Sunday went back to emergency room with heart beat of 30. This time they put in pace maker/defibrillator and sent me back to cardiac rebab for a little over a month. It's hard to realize that I can lift weights up to 80 pounds or so, exercise for 45 minutes on the weights and then do the treadmill at 2.5 to 3 mph for 30 minutes or more as well as doing a recumbent bike for 30 minutes at the highest resistance all while being 50 pounds lighter. Oh yes it seems I'm boasting but I'm not. I'm very thankful to realize that I CAN function in an exercise setting and you all know from my previous writings that I was doing a lot of mechanic work. You know. Putting an old rear end in my recliner. Ha! Ha! My last go round was a bout with kidney stones and surgical removal the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Things are going well now. Carol and I spent New Years in Branson, Mo. Going to Silver Dollar City, three great shows and visiting our close friends from our 5 year stay in Chanute, Kansas. They have since moved to Kimberling City just south and west of Branson. We had a great time rehashing old times and great games of Dominos. We had a great Christmas with all 5 of our grandchildren here along with their parents. Oh yes their parents are our two sons and their wives whom sometimes think we don't know they exist when we are having a great time with their kids, our grandchildren.

Carol is well and has done a great job of fixing heart healthy food and keeping me company at the exercise facility. Carol's father passed away early in November at the age of 92 + a couple of weeks. She notes the loss of a very good man and a man who fought for our freedom during World War II. Thank God for her support and that of her Father.

Enough, or perhaps too much about me, I would be glad to hear more about all of you.

Tony, I hope you and your family are having better health and that your living facilities are getting rebuilt or you have something acceptable to you and your family.

Thanks and Best Wishes to all for the New Year.
Jim Beck and Carol

P.S. Thanks, Dave, for making this great web site possible and functional.
Your friend, Jim Beck

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January 9, 2012 from Beverly Boland

I am doing okay. I went in for a routine test in 2010 which sent me into pancreatitis. I was given demerol for pain which sent me into convulsions. I was in the hospital 21 days and had to take a medical leave for that semester. I really praise God that I was able to return to work in 2012 Spring and am still going. It certainly makes one appreciate health. I would like to continue working. I train music people who go out all over the world to serve the Lord. My husband is retired, but was recently hired to be the choir director at Cherry Street Baptist Church--another blessing. As everybody else, we enjoy our children, grand children and great grands, plus one spoiled rotten dog.

Thanks for all you do to keep class news going.

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January 9, 2012 from Anne Ferguson--Judy Shontze

Hi Everyone,

Happy New year! The weather in Florida has really been great this winter.

I am still a practicing realtor. The market is just a little bit better, lately.Maybe things will be more exciting this year.

Anne (Judy)

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January 9, 2012 from Sharon Smith Barbour

Paul Eller and I have rekindled our friendship from H.S. We are living together in Terre Haute, IN. We both lost our mates 6 years ago. After losing my son July 31,2010 I received several e-mails from several of you and I thank you. Your thoughtfulness was appreciated. Looking forward to seeing everyone sometime this year.

Sharon

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January 10, 2012 from Charlie Jones

We continue to love living in Florida, and our daughters & families live nearby.

Our home is in an active 55+ community, and we have made many friends here.

Great life!

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January 11, 2012 from Ronald Hooker

Happy New Year to all, looking forward to class reunion!

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January 16, 2012 from Allen Verchota

Judy and I lost our only son Friday the 13th. His memorial was this morning and part of his ashes will be cast at sea near the Bahamas and the remaining will be buried in Aug. in St. Mary's cemetery in the family plot.

Allen

(Obituary on Paris Beacon News web site)

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January 19, 2012 from Norma Bruce Shewmake

I enjoy reading the status of everyone and to see all the places that everyone lives. It seems like several of us have had health issues but I think everyone is counting their blessings too. I took a medicine in 2008 that immediately took out both kidneys. In 2009 I had a kidney transplant with my 21 year old grandson donating a kidney because he wanted to be the one to do it. It was a very trying time. We are both doing good. I hope we are an example that live kidney donations is a good thing and saves lives.

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January 19, 2012 from Janice Barker Lang

 It has been a hard summer for us. We are now in Florida for the winter for my husband's health. In New Mexico we live at 7,000 feet and the oxygen is very thin and then in the winter it is even worse. Miss my home and family in New Mexico. We have two sons living there and our youngest son has the 5 youngest grandchildren.

First my husband was in the hospital in part of Aug. and into Sept. for 11 days and I stayed there with him in Albuq. 200 miles from home. He was then put in Rehab for 13 days and I was able to come home. He was only home a week and a half or so and our two year old precious grand daughter was run over. She is fine, praise the Lord. It is a long story but she was flown out to Tucson and only had a little liver damage and cartilage damage in her chest area. She was run over from head to foot. The car was stopped and took off fast on another EMT run. Her father was in the car as he was one of the EMT's going to the ambulance. He said his training kicked in, don't ask how as I would have gone to pieces. He said when he picked her up she was limp, eyes rolled back in her head and lifeless. He called for ambulance to meet them instead and called for helicopter to take her. It was truly a miracle that she lived as it went from bottom to top over the side of her head. She got home on Monday evening and Thur. night we had to fly my husband out back to Albuq. We are 125 miles from the nearest hospital and for severe problems our hospitals are not equipped. They put two stents in his heart. We had to fly him here to Florida and one of our sons from here, flew to NM and we put my husband on the plane and my son started driving me, the dogs and our belongings here. It has been nothing but hospital trips and doctor's offices since we got here. On Dec. 28th they put a 3 in 1 pacemaker, defib. and third wire in. We are sure anxious for him to start feeling better. They say he will. It wouldn't be so bad but I had some kind of flu during this time and felt rotten myself. I feel much better now except for a bad case of the "lazy's".

Thanks to David for this website that we can keep in touch with one another.

Janice Barker Lang

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January 22, 2012 from Phyllis Kemper Sutton

Hi, everyone. Nothing much has changed in my life. Harold and I are well and trying to keep up with the price of things. Harold loves Nascar and baseball, so winter is a little slow for him, but there is always Matt Dillon. I spend my time tracing my ancestors and it is very difficult when you have one who died fairly young and didn't leave a paper trail. In warm weather I walk cemeteries and take pictures of stones that are wanted by people on Find a Grave web site. I get some exercise that way also. Last year, we took Amtrak to Lacrosse, WI to visit our son and his family. I enjoyed the train ride so much and I would love to do it again.

Congrats to Pixie. I'm jealous. Yea Tony!

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February 2, 2012 from Irma "Pixie" Ullrich

Hello 1957 Graduates:

Hope this finds everyone that has been ill on the mend! It has been flu time here and even though I had the flu shot, I got the flu! Feeling better now and hope to be out driving the Tony Stewart Camamo soon. Have to wait until there is no snow on the streets! I did take it out for a spin the other day just to check it out. Of course I had the top down and got lots of stares. Don't know if they were looking at the car or if they were wondering why in the world that "LITTLE OLD LADY" was driving a Camaro with the top down in such weather!

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February 4, 2012 from Irma Jeanne "Pixie" Staley Ullrich

Just a PS to my earlier notes! I am snowed in!!!!! I have close to 18" of snow in my back yard now (and of course on my driveway and sidewalks). How I envy all of you that live in Florida! Wish that I still had the condo in Vegas, but that went when I was having trouble with water on the brain! Oh for some sunshine and warm weather!!!!!

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February 7, 2012 from Margaret Shutzbaugh Jones

Hi, to everyone from PHS57. My husband and I, both children, and all grandchildren doing well. I'm planning a trip to Wash. D. C. in late October for the 50th reunion of the group I was in the Peace Corps with. Should be a blast!

Best wishes to all,
Margaret Shutzbaugh Jones

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February 19, 2012 from Janice Jones Scott

It was great reading news from everyone. I'm looking forward to our reunion coming up. Reading all of the news & seeing our lives reminds me of the song, "The Class of '57 Has Its Dreams". We all have gone to many places. Last summer my sister & I went to Eastern Europe. I had only been to Poland previously, so this was my first time in Eastern Europe--Budapest, Hungary; Prague, Czech Republic; and then to Vienna, Austria and finally to Munich. Loved the buildings in Prague, the culture in Vienna, and unique character of Budapest. Loved the free days of the tour.

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