News By and About The Class of 56

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This section is for the purpose of providing biographical sketches and information about family members, pets, travel, political views, etc. - whatever you would like to share with old friends you haven't seen for years. We would like to have recent photographs that will also be posted on the site. Send photographs to rtmceach@verizon.net. Click on a picture to enlarge it. To add a comment, just click the word "comments" at the bottom of this section. For a list of the names and known addresses of all class member, click on the "Names and Addresses" link at the right of the screen. An asterick in front of a name indicates that the person has registered for the reunion as of the last update.

Yuvonne Frazier Cameron - Email: jcameron000@centurytel.net Retired as medical administrator of Lakeland Orthopaedic Clinic in 1996. Now living in Alabama.

*Margie Morgan Dupont - Email: mmdupont@earthlink.net Widow. Two children, Four Grand children. Semi-retired insurance adjuster. Lived in Las Vegas 40 years.

*Sue Daniels - Email: msuedaniels@earthlink.net Now single. Owner of real estate company in Astor, Florida. Three sons, nine grandchildren, one great grand child.

*Joan Hillery Hollis - Email: tjhollis@aaahawk.com Retired from GM in Kokomo in 1999. Now spends most of her time helping her pastor with his mission, helping the elderly, crocheting baby blankets for new mothers. Two children, two grand children, two great grand children.

*Jeanette Jacoby - Email: gjjacoby@aol.com Husband’s name Gordon. Retired as General Manager of Tampa Cadillac Agency. Loves to travel. Two children, four grand children.


*Carolyn Hardee Manee - Email: cmanee72@aol.com Carolyn wrote: "Life has been good, and it gets better every day. I got very lucky and married a really great guy - Robert “Bobby” Manee. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is great fun to be with. We have two sons, two daughters, and 10 grandchildren. After high school, I spent a year at the University of Florida and later graduated from the University of South Florida. I then taught Business Education at Brandon High and Plant City High. Later I went into the Real Estate Business."


Carolyn and Bobby Manee


*Ray McEachern - Email: rtmceach@verizon.net Wife’s name Pat. Two children, no grand children. Spent 12 years with Federal government before returning to Florida. Have owned three businesses in Tampa area including a vending company purchased two years ago to provide retirement income and activity. Set up nonprofit organization and spent 10 years traveling the state and nation to lobby for change in hospital oversight after Pat was injured by a doctor’s mistake at Tampa General Hospital in 1992. Published a book to help warn the public of danger from hospital acquired injury and infection. We claim some credit for the fact that Florida now has a web site where information on doctor qualifications and hospital quality can be viewed by the public. See the links on the right side of this blog to access this information. Anyone who would like a free copy of the book may contact me by email.




Mary White is shown above with her husband and vintage Mustang,"The Blue Pony." Mary says she is looking forward to coming. At the left is Ray McEachern and his wife, Pat. Click on a photo to enlarge it.

*Mary White Soukup - Email: macner@aol.com Husband’s name Frank. Retired from American Airlines as a Flight Attendant November 2001 after 42 years. Flew MAC trips to Vietnam and the Far East during Vietnam war. Flew CRAF trips during Operation Desert Storm to Middle East.. Worked International flights for the past 30 years. Married to Frank Soukup, a former classmate from Nebraska high school in 1999. Two step children, four grandchildren. Living in beautiful Arizona for last seven years.

*Louise Ahlers Noland - Email: ld_noland@yahoo.com Husband’s name Jack. Two sons, one grand son. Taught school for 23 years in Virginia while Jack worked for CIA. Moved to Ashville, NC in 1996 when husband retired. Now a high school library assistant.

*Jack Wilbur Roberts - Email:roberts3859@aol.com Wife’s name Rosalee. Four sons. Professional engineer since 1969. Resident Construction engineer for Sunshine Skyway after it was knocked down by the Summit Venture in 1980. Since 1994, Senior Vice President for Florida Region of Volkert & Associates, Inc.

*Marvin Spivey - Email: cemaspi@verizon.net wife's name: Lynnette Cotten, married 48 years; one son and two daughters; eight grandchildren; served two years as missionary in Hong Kong and four years in Philippines. Presently, transition pastor and consultant for Southern Baptist Churches. BA Stetson University, Master of Divinity, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

*Myrle Henry - Email: Florida_Opry@yahoo.com Wife’s name Tommie. Two children. No grand children. Owner of Magnolia Pharmacy in Plant City for thirty four years. Now a part time pharmacist with Kash and Karry. Has been active in Plant City civic affairs and a deacon of the First Baptist Church for many years. Past president of P.C. Lions Club, Past President of the East Hillsborough Historical Society. Past President of the Hillsborough County Pharmacy Association, Founder of the Plant City Towers, Founder and MC of the Florida Opry, Trustee of the South Florida Baptist Hospital, Recipient of the 2001 Plant City Citizen of the Year Award. Below is a picture of Myrle and Tommie posing with their Gator Wagon near the new home they are building on Keene Road. They are both rabid Florida Gator Fans.







*Marlene Lang Sloan -- Email: melogs@juno.com Marlene is a widow who has lived in the same house in Plant City for almost 50 years. Here she stands in front of her home.


*Lamar Lockhart - Email: llock@gte.net Wife's name is Cecelia. Three children and three grandchildren. Retired from Tampa Electric Co. after 35 years. Lay Minister, Berea Baptist Church; Past Senior Member-International Right-of-Way Association (SR/WA); Past President-Florida Chapter International Right-of-Way Association; Past Chairman, Southeastern Electric Exchange-Real Estate Section; Past President, Plant City Civitan Club. Worked with the United Way for several years as East Hillsborough Division Director, presently work with Florida Gas Transmission on contract. Enjoy doing nothing at Astor, FL but riding the St. Johns River in our spare time.

*Gail Wilder - Email: Pwilder@alltel.net Husband's name Paul (Class of 54) Two sons.

*Virginia Young Beery - Email: ggmvbeery@aol.com Widow. Two children. One deceased. One granddaughter. Two great granddaughters.

*Sandra Huggins Baier - Email: sandisea1045@aol.com

*Howard Barker - Email: howard@airbornesupport.com

*Craig Turner -- Email: tctur@aol.com

Charlene Hudson Shuman -- Email: billy2charlene@aol.com Husband's name Billy.

*Aileen Cooper Pelham -- Email: teach2711@aol.com

*Avonelle Horne Mackerell -- Email: amackerell@atlantic.net

*Gerald Griffin -- Email: smokeygriffin@aol.com Wife's name Dee.

*Glenda Jarvis Story -- Email: gigi1129@msn.com

*Ray Durrett -- Email: rfdurrett@isp.com Wife's name Faye.

*Billy Enfinger -- Email: enfinger@earthlink.net Wife's name Lillian.

*Ann Fulton Paul -- Emial: sallieannll@peoplepc.com Husband's name Earl.

*Joann Herring Crist -- Email: jcrist2@tampabay.rr.com

*Mary L. Lett Keene -- Email: grndmary@aol.com Husband's name William (Bud).

Katy Brown Meyers -- Email: jkmeyers1@comcast.net Husband's name John.

*Mike Crum -- Wife's name Harriet. Three daughters, eight grandchildren. Retired Air Force LTC. Retired director of Georgia Sheriff's Youth Homes. After several surgeries for melanoma, has recovered and is back enjoying Golf and RVing.

*Betty Brown Dukes -- Husband's name C. W. Two children. One deceased. Four grandchildren. Retired after 28 years at Tomlin Jr. High and Bloomingdale High School in data processing. Betty wrote:"God has truly blessed me with a wonderful life.... I married the love of my life in November 1956 and we have two of the greatest kids, Steve and Tammy, and they have given us four of the grandest children ever, Eric, Crystal, Charity and Christian. I started to work only after our children were in school as a data processing clerk for Tomlin Jr. High and was there for 20 years. I helped open the new Bloomingdale HS and retired there 8 years later at the same time C.W. retired from TECO. Three years later our son, Steve, was tragically killed in a tractor accident and even though our lives were changed forever, God, family and friends helped us through such a difficult time. I now enjoy being hostess of our church, visiting the church's homebound, organizing dinners for our elderly once a month, loving to work in our flowers and our home along with spending much time with our grand children. C.W. and I are so lucky!"

*Barbara Williams Miller -- Husband's name Bill. Two daughters, two grandsons. Retired from banking.

*Julius Hobbs -- Wife's name Shirley. Retired from TECO in 2001 as Director of Corporate Relations and Executive Director of TECO Energy Foundation.

*Louise Cali -- Husband's name Paul.

*Claudia Coleman -- Husband's name Lewis.

*Mattie Parrish Jordan -- Husband's name Billy.

*Ronald Tucker -- Wife's name Emmie Lou. Retired general contractor and mortgage banker. As a member of Optimist International, raised funds and volunteers to build 20 acre park with soccer, baseball and softball fields, and many other facilities. Served as president of the Senior Advisory Board for Santa Rosa Hospital. Served on board of directors for Boys' Ranch for unwanted kids. Restarted Santa Rosa County Fair after a fifty year hiatus.

*Sandra Pemberton Jeffries

*Mary Jane Jackson Parolina -- Husband's name Bill.

*Maureen Crum

*Jim (Buddy) Mayo -- Email jmayo1694@aol.com
Guest's name Norma Hagan

*Clay Durrett -- Email durretts@earthlink.net Wife's name Sandra.

*Herman (Red) Coleman -- Wife's name Patsy.

*Carl Brownlee -- Wife's name Geri. Carl has collected many beautiful antiques including the working juke box shown below. He extends an invitation to classmates to stop by his business, The Florida Insurance Center on Alexander Street, to see the antiques on display.


*Nancy Phillips Booher -- Husband's name Gary.

*Jolly Howell Dull -- Husband's name Bert.

*Ray Simmons -- Email: SimmonsRoad@aol.com Wife's name Kay. Ray wrote:"I just wanted to say hello and that I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion. You know, our family has been richly blessed....with my wife Kay, two sons, daughter-in-law, and one grandson (now 11 months old). After graduation from Florida Southern College, I worked in the agriculture industry. I am retired from the Division of Plant Industry and the U. S. Army Reserves. The greatest challenge has been my chronic metabolic and liver disease for many years. In 1991, my doctors advised me that a transplant would be my only hope for survival. Eleven months later, I was fortunate enough to receive a life-saving liver transplant at the University of Pittsburgh. We just give God all the glory for this wonderful medical miracle which has extended my life!! I would encourage each one of you to consider organ and tissue donation since all of you are potential donors. Remember--life is the greatest gift anyone can give!!!!


*Mel Wetherington -- Email: mel@melw.com Wife's name Judy.

*James Martin

*Betty Linton Brown -- Husband's name Ray.

Bob Pinson -- Email: bob@customexpresshomes.com

Charlotte Wilbur Williams

*Ronnie DeShong -- Guest's name Diane Emmons.

*Carolyn Fletcher Gillman -- Email: cgillman@tampabay.rr.com Husband's name Leo.

*Leo Gillman -- Email: lgillman@tampabay.rr.com Wife's name Carolyn.

*Amelia Polk Skolnik -- Husband's name Richard.

Gene McQueen -- Email: bullseyemc@earthlink.net

Roy C. McGowan -- Wife's name Diane.

*L. J. Harvill -- Attending on Saturday night only.

*Rex Ballenger --Email: rexballballr@aol.com

*Billy Davis -- Email: mrbilld01@aol.com Wife's name Shelba.

*Browning Hill - Email: RBH1826@yahoo.com

Betty Jean Sears Durrance - Email: BJDurrance@aol.com Husband's name, Gene. Betty and Gene are coming to the church and lunch on Sunday only.

News for RVers

This year our reunion will be on a ten acre spread with 18 spots for RV hook up. Plan to bring your pets and stay for three days at the site provided by Carl Brownlee. First come first served for the 18 water and electric sites. There will be a charge of $10.00 per day for each site.
The following classmembers plan to bring their RV's: Sandra Huggins Baier, Mike Crum,
Sue Daniels, Billy Enfinger, Ray McEachern, Sandra Pemberton Jeffries, Craig Turner, and Clay Durrett.

Please Note: To avoid the sharp turn on to Berry Patch road, plan to turn instead from Turkey Creek road onto Connell Road. Then go straight across Jerry Smith Road onto Berry Patch Road.

A Prayer

Joanne Hillery Hollis sent us a prayer which was used by Minister Joe Wright to open the new session of the Kansas legislature.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to
seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those
who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost
our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self
esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it
freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called
it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin
and set us free. Amen!"

Looking Forward to Seeing "Old Friends"

The following song expresses the feeling of many of us toward our class members:

OLD FRIENDS


Old friends, after all of these years, just old friends,
Through the laughter and tears, old friends, what a find,
What a priceless treasure.

Old friends, like a rare piece of gold
My old friends, make it great to grow old,
Old friend, through it all I will hold to old friends.

Now God must have known, that some days on our own
We would lose our will to go on,
And that is why he sent a friend like you along.

Old friends, guess you’ve always been there, my old friends
We’ve had more than our share of old friends
I’m a rich millionaire in old friends.

A phone call, a letter, or a pat on the back, or hey, I just
Dropped by to say, a hand when you’re down, or a loan when
We just couldn’t pay.

A song or a story, a rose from the florist, or that little note
That you just happened to send out of the blue, just to tell
Me that you’re still my friend.

Perhaps the greatest treasure on this earth and one of the
Only things that will survive this life is
Human relationships--Old friends.
We are indeed rich if we have friends.
Friends who have loved us through problems,
Heartaches and reversibles of life.
Deep, true, joyful friendships.
Life is just too short and eternity too long
To live without God and Old friends.

Well Said -- But Not Politically Correct

Could not have said this any better myself! The lady who wrote this letter is Pam Foster of Pamela Foster and Associates in Atlanta. She's been in business since 1980 doing interior design and home planning. She recently wrote a letter to a family member serving in Iraq....... Read it!

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling! , slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and ---- you guessed it, I could not have said this any better myself!

The Crisis in Medicare Health Insurance:

The phone rings and the lady of the house
answers, "Hello."

"Mrs. Ward, please."

"Speaking."

"Mrs. Ward, this is Doctor Jones at the Medical
Testing Laboratory. When your doctor sent your
husband's biopsy to the lab yesterday, a biopsy
from another Mr. Ward arrived as well, and we
are now uncertain which one is your husband's.
Frankly the results are either bad or terrible."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Ward asks nervously.

"Well, one of the specimens tested positive for
Alzheimer's and the other one tested positive for
AIDS. We can't tell which is your husband's."

"That's dreadful! Can't you do the test again?"
questioned Mrs. Ward.

"Normally we can, but Medicare will only pay for
these expensive tests one time."

"Well, what am I supposed to do now?"

"The people at Medicare recommend that you drop
your husband off somewhere in the middle of town.
If he finds his way home, don't sleep with him."

Good for Laughs

If you remember the Original Hollywood Squares and its comics, this may
bring a tear to your eyes. These great questions and answers are from
the days when "Hollywood Squares" game show responses were spontaneous and
clever not scripted and (often) dull, as they are now. Peter Marshall
was the host asking the questions, of course.

Q. Do female frogs croak?
A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.


Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should
you be?
A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.


Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years.
A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.


Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or
a woman?
A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake.


Q. According to Cosmopolitain, if you meet a stranger at a party and you

think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's
married?
A. Rose Marie: No; wait until morning.


Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?
A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.


Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I Love You"?
A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.


Q. What are "Do It," "I Can Help," and "I Can't Get Enough"?
A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment.


Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your
hands while talking?
A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question Peter, and I'll
give you a gesture you'll never forget.


Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.


Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to
get any during the first year?
A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries.


Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score?
A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.


Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist
camps. One is politics, what is the other?
A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.


Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?
A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom.


Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls?
A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out.


Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a
goose do?
A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?


Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.


Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into
the habit of kissing a lot of people?
A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.


Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it?
A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn't neglected.


Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head,

what was he trying to do?
A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.


Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your
elephant?
A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?


Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?
A. Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up to him.


Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and
has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?
A. Charley Weaver: His feet.


Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in
bed?
A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh.

Required Reading for the Reunion

As class president (I peaked early), a former English teacher (that didn’t last long) and web master, it is my prerogative to assign the books pictured here for each of us to read before our next get together. There will be a pop quiz, so please be prepared.
Bernard Goldberg’s book “100 People Who are Screwing Up America and Al Franken is #37" is a seminal read for anyone who thinks the country we grew up in was a better place than the country our grand children are inheriting. While many of us may disagree with some of the names on the list - Michael Moore is number 1, Ted Kennedy is number 3, Jimmy Carter is number 6 - there are also many people I’ve never heard of such as Jonathan Kozol, who at number 9 Goldberg says is responsible for our school system teaching children to hate America. If anyone has heard of Kozol or read his influential book “On Being a Teacher,” please be prepared to give a book report. You are guaranteed a failing grade if you are a Kozol supporter.
“The Fairtax Book” was written by a Georgia congressman and talk show host, Neal Boortz, to drum up support for a bill now before congress that will completely overhaul our tax system. No more income tax returns, no more IRS, no more tax accountants!! Sorry, Leo, but I know Carolyn can support you in the style to which you’ve become accustomed! The book makes a convincing case that getting rid of the corporate and personal income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax will be revenue neutral, price inflation neutral, and lead to a major economic upturn as corporations and individuals no longer have to make decisions on the basis of the tax consequences. An interesting feature of the plan is that every head of household would receive a “prebate” or monthly check from Uncle Sam to refund the tax paid on basic necessities up to the poverty level for the family size of the household. What a deal - we keep every penny we earn, don’t pay a tax if we don’t buy anything, and we get a check in the mail every month! Talk to your congressman and senators. The time is ripe for change, and I’m damned tired of doing my taxes after 50 years.
These books are listed as number one and number two on the New York Times list of best sellers at the end of August 2005.

Another current issue that is generating a lot of stomach churning is euthanasia. Many will recall the Terry Schiavo case where a court had ordered the death by starvation of a disabled woman in Clearwater. In that case last March, a judge sided with the woman's husband who wanted her feeding tube removed even though he had won a 1.5 million dollar medical malpractice settlement to keep her alive and give her rehablitation. Most of the money from the settlement was used to pay the legal fees that led to the court order to remove her feeding tube.
A somewhat similar case is going on now in South Carolina. In the South Carolina case, a woman is trying to get her husband's ventilator removed(which would lead to death) even though the husband and their children want him to stay alive. Read that story at http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46938