Martie Cope Buzzard

Martin Tyson and I married in 1962 and had two sons, Toby and Troy. In 1966, the marriage over, I came back to Austin where I met and married, in 1968, Charlie Buzzard, from Oklahoma. Four years later, in Denver, our daughter Erika was born. Norman, Oklahoma became our home in 1973 and I tell people I'm a Texan by birth and an Okie by choice!

During 40-plus years of work, I was fortunate to hold some interesting jobs, despite never having earned a formal education. Some of my worst and most boring experiences in high school, typing and shorthand, became skills that later enabled me to work as an "executive secretary." In the early '80's, I prayed for a management job where I could help others ... and in 1982, started as a part-time executive director for United Cerebral Palsy, and stayed in the disability field until I retired in 2005.

Our son, Troy, died in a car accident the summer after his high school graduation, in 1982. Losing a child (at any age) is so painful, yet it taught me how to cherish life and appreciate God's grace.

Reconnecting with friends from Lamar and McCallum has been one of my greatest pleasures, and I've taken several trips and regularly spend time with Niki Bohn Sanders, Jackie Llewallen Ball, Connie LaBounty Lowry and Dorothy Warren Gantt. Old friends are the best!

My husband and I have hosted in our home numerous high school exchange students, many of whom now have children -- so we have a large international extended family. This has given us opportunities to regularly visit their home countries (Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Belgium). I've enjoyed traveling to all parts of Mexico, Central America, Europe, Canada and Scandinavia ... but we prefer the "lower 48" and take road long trips 3-4 times a year. I love this country!

Retirement is bliss and I pinch myself daily in amazement that life can be so good. Each day brings joy: playing with a toddler grandson, telling a 13-year old granddaughter about growing up in Austin in the fifties; swimming and yoga; knitting and reading; fishing, watercolor painting, gardening; lots of time and opportunities to help others and give back to the community. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

Growing up in Austin in the '50's was a treasure that I wish our kids and grandchildren could know, if just for awhile.

Beginning in the 5th grade until we could drive, Saturday meant riding the bus to downtown Austin, shopping at Woolworth's and Scarbrough's, a movie at the State or Paramount, a soda and rock candy from Walgreen's on the corner.

Friday Mountain Camp: Pulling taffy and worrying if you would fall off the top bunk.

Lazy lovely summers, ahhh! Baseball games, Deep Eddy, Ramsey Park, Barton Springs, Lake Austin, Northwest Park and Pool.

Drive-in movies at the Chief or Burnet, Jack'n Jill after school and "riding around" on weekends.

Meandering down Spicewood Creek, far away from "civilization" to skinny dip with girlfriends and later discovering we were only 50 feet from the road.

Canoeing on Bull Creek, sneaking out at night to be with friends, "come as you are" breakfasts with girlfriends in our pj's.

Making out on Mt. Bonnell; playing hide-n-seek with flashlights in McNeil cavern and no way to get out if the ladder were to break; playing hooky and eating Mexican food at El Mat; slumber parties at Niki's, dancing and pretend weddings (just the ceremony, nothing else).

Hormones and passion: just thinking about a boy, hearing his voice on the phone, fantasizing about having a date with Elvis. Tank Lindsay was my first "parent-sanctioned" car date and Tommy Powell delivered my first real kiss (what I wouldn't give to have just an ounce of those hormones now!)

My McCallum homeroom teacher was frustrated because we wouldn't stop talking, so he left the room with the admonition, "when I return, I want total silence!" As soon as he shut the door, we all bailed out the windows (no screens or A/C back then).

Leaving Mrs. Johnson's geometry class, I said "See you later, alligator" and she replied, "After class, jack-ass!"

Our production of "Oklahoma" with Tommy and Sue and Pat Swaner's dancing! Carol Raybun's flips, Suzanne's broken leg, Martin's prowess on the football field and dance floor; the "sleeping Knights" football team that went 0-26. Donna Smoot's beautiful blond hair, Charlyne's pony tail, senior parties and Henry during study hall. Finals where we had long lunch breaks at Holiday House or Pig Stand in south Austin.

The car crash at the bottom of Spicewood Road during Christmas holidays (Niki, Jackie, Barry, Ronnie, Cheryl?)

Cheryl's mom called her "Cherry"... Niki's parents spoke German and had a gravel backyard with chickens. Jo's mom took her to Mexico every summer. Connie and I went swimming at Northwest two or three times a day and in between we ate mayonaisse or tuna sandwiches and played Canasta. Peroxided orange hair.

Driving on Lamar to football games around curves so slick with crunched crickets you could lose control of the car.

Petticoats stiff with starch, loose at the waist, falling down. Bobby-sox with loafers or flats with no sox. "two-piece" bathing suits? no way! Este Lauder, Chanel No. 5, dyed-to-match sweaters and tight skirts. Stockings held up by girdles.

Flat-tops, Old Spice, turned up collars and rolled up sleeves. Camels and Lucky Strikes.

Girlfriends, boyfriends, best friends ... memories for a lifetime.