Freddie DeBlieux

Henry Lee lived around the corner from Mama and Papa Adkins and we were always meeting up in the neighboorhood.  He was just sweet.  There we have a sweet mystery of life...Henry Lee's sweet smile won't be there, but did anyone ever see Henry Lee when he wasn't smiling??  I could never picture him without that big, old, smile. 

Lofton, I surely do remember those places.  There were so many citizens of ethnic backgrounds I didn't even recognize as being unusual.  Sonny Boy knew everyone and everything about everyone.  Jewish meant nothing to me, Assyrian was ordinary, the people just weren't Catholic or Baptist.  I was grown before I recognized the vast differences in our religious beliefs.  Perhaps the lack of knowledge, just plain ignorance, or not paying attention caused me to be so accepting of others.  Sonny Boy's friends were Sonny Boy's friends and I did not know the difference of one from another.  The mercantile stores, the business men, Johnny's grandmother, Mrs. Gongre, were all lumped together to form a melting pot of people from all over the world.

Hearing Jeanette rattle off the names awakens long ago memories.  We were all over the place, weren't we...If anyone thinks I am going over the edge....I did that long ago...Fitting all those people and places into our puzzle brings the sights, sounds, fragances, rushing back like I am again living in that time.  We were all over the place....I saw a picture of a bunch of kids in the picture show and I could name everyone of them if it had been the Cane Theater...Billy Maggio and Howard Neitte were sitting right behind me......

Everybody!! Keep on writing, if you are not responding you are not allowed to read the message forum.  Just say what comes to mind like I do and see if anyone can figure out what you are trying to release.....One thought runs straight into another....who cares if any of this makes sense.  See what someone else remembers in the same situation, same story.  Cane Theater reminds me of Miss Dora's Kindergarten....and all those big, gorgeous homes up on the hill.  There was a yellow house on the corner, with a white picket fence, next to a little, bitty store, next to the Cane???  Coconut Haystacks, that 3 color coconut candy, caramel ? suckers that lasted a long time.....

Bye...gotta go entertain some travel writers..try to interest them in Louisiana so plenty of tourists will drop by.  I don't have time for this....I have a 50th class reunion to get ready for.

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

My mom is 93 and remembers a lot, more than me.  She said Gordon Sandlin had trouble getting an okay to put a station there by First Baptist Church on Second Street.  My brother, Carl (Sonny Boy) bought the Conoco station from him and ran it a few years.  She thinks he sold it to the church.

Also the station that was on Church Street was also owned by Pierre Brossette for a while.  I worked with his wife, Lucille, at Lieber's store for 5 years.  I don't know who Pierre sold it to but he later committed suicide (I think).  I shouldn't have said that if I'm not 100% sure.  I'm just rambling like Freddie talked about doing.  Fun huh, Freddie!

Do any of you remember Scriven Ross that married Lillian Gant, they were older than us.  He has passed awaiy but she lives in Slhreveport.  I went in the Temperpedic mattress store in Bossier City and their son works there.  I mentioned going to my "50 year reunion" in Natchitoches and he said his parents were from there...........small world, huh?  He called his mom right then and we talked a bit.  Talk about memories but it really brought back a lot!!!

Later............Janette

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Hey, it's me again...Janette.  When is there ever anyone on Live Chat?  I've been on several times and have not found anyone........ANYONE ALIVE OUT THERE???

xox.........Janette

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Janette, glad to see your post about Live Chat, I've been on there so many times I just had decided it wasn't working.  I posted several times but evidently once you leave live chat your message(s) disappear if there is no one else active at that time.  I do remember reading in the instructions that if you join in when there is already a conversation going on you will see the last x number of posts so that you can see what the current conversation is about.  That said, there's nothing wrong with bringing up another subject, etc, or just join in the chat already started.  I guess our timing has just been off and we checked in when everyone else was out doing something else.

We may need to set up a time when as many as can sign on just to see if it's working, and then it'll be catch as catch can.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Just received word from Herb Graham about Henry Lee's funeral.  The wake/visitation will be tomorrow, Saturday, May 22 from 4pm to 9pm at Blanchard-St Denis Funeral Home on Kyser Avenue in Natchitoches.

The funeral service will be at 2 pm on Sunday at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home.

No information of interment location at this time.

Anna Swafford (Bernard)

Billy...Thanks for telling us about Henry Lee....so sad!

I have checked the weather report for next weekend....HOT, HOT, HOT!  Thursday 95 and Friday 96.

Better dress for comfort and cool.....

Anna

Raymond Thomason

Freddie's right can't remember Henry without a smile. I can't remember to turn the water off in my barn but I can remember Henry's smile.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

And who can forget Henry Lee's slow talking drawl.........

Once upon a time when we were still living in Texas and the boys were young we were visiting in Natchitoches and I decided to drive down to Flora to see Henry Lee.  After our visit, as soon as we got into our car, the boys immediately asked me "Daddy, does he talk like that all the time?"

After Chester Martin received the word of Henry's death he emailed me and told of a time when Henry had chewing tobacco in class at NHS.  The teacher took it away from him and threw it into the trash.  Chester remembers as soon as class was over Henry went straight to the trash can, retrieved his chewing tobacco and skedaddled out of there.

Have driven past Henry's house several times in the past couple of months intending to go back and visit with him, now it's too late.  I think there is a lesson for each of us in that.

Kenneth Hatcher

Who can remember Georges grill under the oak tree by the cane theater?Who remembers Tommy Joseph took up tickets at the cane theater And Minnie Haire worked the concession? Who remembers Tommy Stephens and Earnest Jones took up tickets at Don theater? Who remembers the mom & pop store Economy Grocery on Jefferson? After baseball in the summer several would stop by and we would drink two are three drinks in a row. Some body help me here.......there was a grocery store just up from Mason Salters on 2nd st. They delivered groceries on bicycles. The front tires where small and the bikes had BIG BASKETS. It was just before the sharp curve. I remember it but cannot pull up the name                              

Kenneth Hatcher

Good memories of Henry.......was there not a younger sister named Sandra? You could never mistake that voice.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Yes, Ken, Henry's younger sister was Sandra, she married Mike Hudson, they were both a couple of years behind us.  I've posted Henry's obituary from Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home on the class website at the In Memory page for Henry.

Hopefully some of you can make it to the visitation at Blanchard Funeral Home tonight, it'll let Carolyn and the kids know we still remember Henry with a lot of good growing up memories.

Dianne Mayeaux (Christopher)

I just checked out the past few months of messages. How fun!  Does anybody remember the Circle Cafe?  It was at the foot of Hill Street by the"statue".  Speaking of the statue, anybody up to "liberating" it?   As to Chief Eddie's (sic) Triangle, I can remember as a small child, going there with my parents to join a crowd  to cheer on  the caravan of fans leaving for an LSU football game.  Anybody else do that?  Polly, FYI, in the early to mid 60's, BJ and Dan Whitehurst had a very serious thing going.  At that time, he had graduated to a white (something) convertible and was super gorgeous!   "Couse, I'm sure he would  now pale in comparisom to our great classmates.  See Ya'll in a few days.  Di  PS..  Hope you can come to my show on Saturday afternoon!

Polly St. Andre (Holly)

Oh my goodness, Dianne, I just have to respond to this!!

Dan Whitehurst!!!  No, I didn't know that he and BJ dated.  I knew Dan through his brother James, who dated Anna Von Leach...and remember, Selby and I ran around together in grammar school and early high school, so that is how all of that ties together.  Anyway, during college (don't remember when, how or why!) Dan came by the house on his motorcycle and took me for a ride.  "Made my day"!!!!  I was told that I was the envy of NSC girls...because they were not allowed to go riding on motorcycles...and that's probably how I got to go! 

Dan was very good looking then, and I want you to know that he is still a very good looking man.  Bill and I saw him at Charles' funeral (another brother).   We met Dan's wife and daughter...beautiful people and sweet as they come.  Truly enjoyed our visit with Dan.  By the way, Bill grew up with the Whitehurst boys!  They go back to childhood days.  Small world, huh!

We were with Ben Kirk and his wife Billie last night and thoroughly enjoyed our visit with them, even though it was under sad circumstances...Henry LaCour's visitation.  Funeral is today.  Ben is excited about the reunions, also.  It's really gonna be a great time visiting with everyone...

So until then,...and thanks for the memories!

Polly

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Bill, another dry haul - just went to live chat again and noone there.  We'll have to tweak this and see if anyone else will go on..........JUST 3 MORE DAYS------------Janette

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

By the way, there will be a new page added to the website on which classmates can post photos of the reunion.

Jackie Lane Brantley, M. S. + 30 (Glass)

Does anybody else remember working at American Dept Store with "Mr. Tom" and "Ms. Mary" Williams?  And "coffee" breaks at the drug store across from Exchange Bank?

Jeannette--you worked at Lieber's, right?

Jackie

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Hey Jackie, Geneva worked at American Dept. Store and then Todd's Dept. Store.  Yes, I worked at Leiber's with Ann Bernard, Delores Mayeaux and Willie Pearl Sibley.  Good times and great memories.  I didn't remember you worked at Amer. Dept.

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

No one on live chat, maybe someday................................Janette

Kenneth Hatcher

I had not thought of the drug store across from the exchange bank. It was owned by Bill Fortenberry.

William Henry Hyams, Ph. D.

Hey, I worked at American Dept Store when I was 14 because Kerney had some pull.   Mr. Tom paid me $.15/hr minus $.01/hr for Social Security for a net of $.14/hr.  The deductions show on my SocSec records.   I think retirement withholding was optional!  I worked for a few hours on Friday afternoons and Saturdays till about 2pm.  I thought it was great in that a movie was 9 cents.

Rosalie Lott (Ewing)

Hi All FROM SYLVIA DURHAM HENDERSON!

TODAY IS THE DAY.  I HAVE ARRIVED IN BEAUTIFUL LOUISIANA AND AM SO EXCITED TO SEE ALL OF YOU!

I'm not sure what login this message is coming from.  I'm staying with Rosalie and using her computer and have just now (after hours and hours reading) have read all the Message Forum entries.  What fun!  I'm so looking forward to seeing all of you.

Thank you to each of you who sent condolences after the loss of my husband.  I have exchanged a couple of e-mails with Leo Lewis, who is also living in Colorado, as well.

My regret is that I didn't keep in touch with all as well as many of you have.  50 years is a lot of life and it sounds like our class of '60 as done it well!

Thanks to all who have worked hard to make this day happen and I'll see you shortly!!!

Love from Sylvia

Rosalie Lott (Ewing)

OH!  I FORGOT ONE MORE IMPORTANT ITEM:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, POLLY!!

(JUST ONE DAY LATE!)

LOVE FROM SYLVIA AND ROSALIE

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Wow!  What a great evening we had yesterday!  Yesterday was just visiting time, no structure.

We just cannot express enough to Sarah Jo how much we appreciate her opening her home for us to meet and visit.  And what a beautiful home she has, on the banks of the Cane River.  She was presented with the book published a few years ago about Natchitoches and the Cane River as a small token of our appreciation.

I would bet that there are others who later realized they did not get to see everyone.  It was fun watching folks come down the driveway and trying to figure out, "now which one of those two is our classmate and which one is the spouse?".  Some we were able to immediately recognize, Herbert Graham and Ronald Dee Canerday, haven't changed a bit, others, "now who did you say you are?"  :)

Classmates traveled from Sarah Jo's zero miles to Kayla Bernard and husband, Harvey Carruth's, 2,400 miles to be here.  We appreciate the effort and expense that each has made to share this special time with all of us.

We missed those who were not able to be here and hope the few who had intended to be here but didn't show last night are able to make it today.

Gotta run, last minute things to do..............

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Just got in from the reunion, it's midnight, we're "tard", but what a great time today has been.  Will tell more about it in next day or so.  Hopefully those with photos will post them on the "Reunion Photos" page.  Be sure to identify those in your photos!  It's bedtime!

Louis O'Quinn

For a picture of the 1955 East Natch. elementary 7th grade class trip to New Orleans, go to Louie O'Quinn's profile.  Thanks to Joan Edwards for allowing us to copy the picture.

Can anyone help identify these classmates?

Picture taken 1955, May 19 at Court of Two Sisters in New Orleans