| 08/29/09 09:01 AM |
#277
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Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)
Good morning all!
Well, it's certainly been a couple of weeks of ups and downs. My grandfather said "It's all through life" and that is so true.
We're still tickled for Jimmy and his newest tractor song at the top of the charts. I sent some info to the Sentinel and they ran a story with my by-line, however some of the facts they added were incorrect. Oh well....
School has started and I know those of you who teach are just thrilled. Really I always looked forward to it as a student and even felt a real sadness when my youngest graduated and we didn't have to go find light blue folders anymore! I guess I should have been a teacher....maybe my next career. Actually taking pix I get the best of the kids at their special events and don't even have to make lesson plans or see them everyday!!
I know I sent most of these out but I will recap here the losses of late---
First Jill Beasley Low who collapsed in her classroom in Hot Springs, Ark as she was preparing for the start of school. I'm told 'massive heart attack.' She was married to Robert, whose sister is Regina Low in our class. She and Teddy Chaney and Penny Peacock had remained lifelong friends and had just had a girls weekend in Hot Springs and were planning to hang out in Nac for Labor Day.
Then at my work a co-worker who had battled cancer last year, bounced back after intensive chemo and was on the mend, cancer-free, just seemed to be doing great. She suddenly began having trouble breathing, then passed out at the office. The paramedics were called and she was taken to the hospital, where it was discovered her cancer had returned in many places. She coded before they could get her air-lifted to Dallas. So our entire office has just been in shock over that.
And then the email last Saturday that Krecia Birdwell Morris had passed away after a 2 year long battle with cancer. I had emailed her about our reunion and she had really wanted to come, but told me she probably would not be feeling up to it. That was my only indication that she was ill. She always seemed so upbeat in her postings on Facebook and her emails. Wonderful sweet beautiful spirit now enjoying her eternal reward as are Jill and LaTonya.
And then Sunday I got several emails telling me that Bit's 18 year old stepson had passed away in Waxahachie. Always so sad for a family to lose a child at that age.
And another co-worker got word on Monday that her 30-year-old stepson had passed away. So at this point I'm just reeling.
Then my mom called to tell me that my brother's sister-in-law (his wife's sister) had passed away. She too had been battling cancer and had been given just a few weeks to live when it was determined to have come back. Barbara graduated from Cushing in 1973, I believe. Gary posted a few pix on Facebook. Her funeral was Wednesday in Georgia, where they moved after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home in New Orleans. Her original diagnosis of cancer came on the heels of the hurricane. She kept a positive attitude until the end--very inspiring.
As I looked online at the Sentinel Obits I saw 2 other names I recognized. Mike Greer's Uncle Jimmy had passed away and Mike was to be a pallbearer. And Karen Cloudy Benton's Uncle Nelson Cloudy also passed away. Nelson and my mom are cousins, so I called to tell her. And she was lifelong friends with Mike's mom. I believe Jimmy and Nelson both had cancer also.
Then finally yesterday I heard from a friend from the NHS Class of 68 that their sweet classmate Rhonda Bobo Barnes had passed away. I was at their reunion last fall and enjoyed visiting with her and being reminded of how sweet and nice a person she was.
Gosh, so many lives on this earth ended, but enjoying their heavenly reward now.
In lighter news, Ron Raines is going to be at the Daytime Emmy's tomorrow night. They are doing a tribute to his long-running soap Guiding Light, which has been cancelled by CBS and being replaced with a new version of Let's Make a Deal. Go figure! The Daytime Emmy's will be broadcast tomorrow night on the CW Network. Tune in to see the wonderful Ronnie--he cleans up good in that tux!!!
Some of us are having a great time on Facebook. I hesitated to join until I kept getting invites. I thought it might be a way to find some of our lost classmates, so I joined last spring. I've really had fun out there. For those of you who are members -- go look at the picture on Jimmy's profile of him in a PINK BUNNY SUIT! Better hurry, he will probably take it down after I send this. I can't believe he was worried about pix I might have of him!!
I did find Tony's brother Trace again thru FB, along with several of our classmates, and children or siblings of our classmates. The hunt for the 'missing' for the 40th reunion is on!! Brad Roberts has already promised me that he will be there. Y'all give him a shout on FB if you're on there.
I got my second ballot for the CMA voting last week. Jimmy's Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven was on the list for video and event. Several artists with 'Jimmy cuts' on their albums were all on the short list. We'll hope they make it to the final ballot. (oh gosh hope this doesn't jinx it!) His Craig Morgan song God Must Really Love Me was on the top 10 ballot for the Christian Country Music Awards also. The DJ who lives in Nac named Robby won their DJ of the year last year and was on the top ten ballot again. He emceed the Songwriters in the Round at the Hotel last fall for those of you who attended that.
Football has started in East TX!! I believe Nac won last night, Lufkin beat Robert E Lee (big surprise--they played in Lufkin and Lee had like 50 thousand penalties), John Tyler won handily, and Longview won. Homecoming Oct 2 and 3--can't wait.
And finally--our party at the Peppard's will be next Saturday. We have the time starting at 2, but we won't eat until about 6. Bob has a ski boat, skiis, big screen TV's, and is providing the meat, paper plates, cups, knives and forks. Bob wants everyone to come and STAY!! Don't just plan to come and eat and then leave. Hang with us. Stay until the wee hours. See who can hang the longest. There is a list of hotels in the Tyler area on the Links page. No excuses for cutting out early!
We are to just show up with our friends and family, BYOB, and bring a sidedish! From those of you who responded on your page it looks like we have the perfect variety of sidedishes.
Suzie and Dan's sons have a band and they are supposed to play. Our favorite ABC soap actor and 7th Heaven star Brad Maule is also going to come and sing with the band. Bob was also looking into karaoke -- Carol if you can help there give Bob a shout please!!
Okay, so we are on GO for a party. Can't wait to see you all.
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