FORUM ETIQUETTE:

VHS Forums is an ongoing dialogue between classmates.  There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.  The FORUM IS INTENDED for reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. All of us on the Reunion Committee welcome and encourage your use of these forums to share memories and stories as well as providing updates on your lives since leaving Victoria High School.

Please use good judgment when posting messages. Personal attacks, political and religious messages, as well as inappropriate language will be removed immediately.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful!  Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Welcome to the first installment of a blog series spotlighting cherished classmates. As we journey towards our 50th reunion, let's reconnect and discover 'Where are they now?' If you have any recommendations for individuals you'd like me to interview, kindly forward them to vhsclassof1975@gmail.com. Thank you! Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)"

DON BAIN

Don Bain grew up on Anaqua street in Victoria, Texas. He had fun running with other kids in the neighborhood; Harlan Oehlke, Larry Smith, Ellen Swanson, and Todd Janota. Don attended Shields Elementary, where the iconic Dairy Treet loomed across the street. He then headed to Crain, went to Howell after the split, and on to VHS where we all happily merged back together.

Don has too many Senior Achievements to mention in this space. Suffice it to say he was well involved in the Science Club, National Honor Society, and the Key Club. Fondly remembered by all, Don exhibited not only an easy affability but also a maturity beyond his years, traits that have continued to define him into adulthood. This does not mean he wasn't fun and adventurous!

As we reflect on the passage of fifty years, let's reconnect with this remarkable classmate through shared memories and insights. Below, find a collection of thoughts and answers to questions that will reintroduce you to the exceptional individual Don Bain.

Please share a fun memory from growing up in Victoria.

I had a wonderful/blessed childhood. On a floundering trip with my Dad and Harlan Oehlke circa 6th grade, we lost Harlan in the dark waters and wondered what we would tell his parents. He was eventually found silently stalking some water bird in the marsh.

Who were some of your VHS bestie’s growing up and are you still connected?

Jeff Gregurek, Harlan Oehlke, Pat Beam, and a handful of others who stand by me despite my geographic wanderings. I have particularly enjoyed how VHS former/current/future friends [re]appear regularly as life progresses. One of my favorite episodes from the 1990s: Linda Ulman Parmigiano and I discovered we were both living within a few miles of one another in The Netherlands.

Who from VHS had an impact on your life and how?

Edith Barnhart, our rock star science teacher. She had the most to do with positioning me to win a spot at and scholarship to Stanford, a golden ticket that led to a string of remarkable opportunities. When I received a mention in Scientific American (the magazine), I hoped to share with her this accolade as it was from seeds she planted. She passed in 2023 (daughter Leigh Ann, if you read this, please contact me).

Tell me about your life since VHS.

I left Victoria in 1975 for Stanford University, graduating with an electrical engineering degree. I went to work as a control systems engineer, working in 22 countries, eventually becoming CEO managing 3 software and engineering companies in Europe, and living there for 4 years (The Netherlands).

I managed to convince Susan to marry me in 1985. Daughter Lauren was born in 1996.

I repatriated to the U.S. in 1996 as a management consulting partner at Ernst & Young in the global supply chain practice, based in Philadelphia. I currently live some months of the year in Devon, Pennsylvania, 5 miles from Valley Forge.

For career number 3, I became an expert on sea level rise, a subset of climate science, with a non-profit research organization at Princeton. My climate career apex was a study of the future impact of sea level rise on 50+ million properties and their tax base in the U.S. The study was released in 2022 – on the same day the Queen died. Even in the media fog honoring Elizabeth, it made CBS, PBS, CNBC, Time, USAToday, Fox Weather, the Washington Post, and many local media outlets.

I tell people I suffer from career ADD (with no disrespect to those with ADD diagnoses – as I am one). I have been blessed to have had the opportunity and means to learn and explore multiple careers. Maybe there is time for a couple more.

What’s going on in your life now?

I retired to cattle ranching … although only to the extent to keep a small ranch near Luling, TX, going with my brother.

These days, I travel for adventure while my body permits. I spent most of the month of January 2024 riding motorcycles with my daughter, Lauren, in Vietnam. We rode 1000+ miles on the Ho Chi Minh Trail/Road along the border with Laos, and on the Ha Giang Loop near China. If you want to get to know someone really well, raise them, and then go off-grid as adults together for a few weeks on motorcycles living out of backpacks. Hard-earned advice: when someone says “There’s a shortcut through the jungle,” don’t take it.

This month (April 2024) I paddled a kayak 9 miles from Port O’Connor to Matagorda Island to fish and camp for 3 days. There is a 28 year-old living in my head writing adventure checks that this 66 year-old body is still managing to cash.

Are there any lessons you've learned along the way?

I am in no position to advise others. If you remember me, you know I wore a back brace, a social and mating buzzkill. In retrospect, it was the most positive thing ever – revealing my best buddies and creating the room to concentrate on studies. Numorous other health issues have presented themselves since, making my resolve to enjoy this life even more. We all have very limited time. Make the most of it.

Favorite Motto or words to live by:

Stay curious.

Will you make the 50th Reunion on April 12, 2025?

Planning to attend!

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to add?

We’re not done yet. The most interesting may be yet to come. I wish you all good health, and peace with the wisdom we all have earned. Sprinkle a little adventure on top.

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

LOREE STARKEY CLARK

This Spotlight Stingaree encompases the reminiscences and musings of classmate Loree Starkey Clark, our VHS Senior Class President. During high school Loree was named to the elite list of Who’s Who. She was also a member of Student Council, Anchor Club, FTA and she participated in the Victoriadores Drill Team. She was a BUSY girl in high school! Additionally, Loree received the accolade of ‘Senior Personality Plus’ which was rightfully earned for her warm, open, fun engagement with all.

Today, Loree continues to be involved in VHS as she spearheads a committee for our upcoming 50th reunion. Please enjoy this opportunity to catch up on Loree Starkey Clark's journey, in her own words, and see “Where She is Now”.

“I grew up on Mistletoe which is a few blocks from Shields Elementary. I always walked to school and remember the best times as recess and hanging out with Mrs. McCombs in the library. I think I read every biography the library had. We then moved close to Stanly at the end of 4th grade, so I finished elementary school there. Walking across Navarro (much narrower) with my little brother was not a problem, apparently.

Bus days began in the 6th grade with fun trips to Crain. I do remember a slight bit of bullying from the older boys, mainly Mike Macha. I was glad that I had my big sister there to protect me. I remember having open campus for lunch and going to the Woolworth’s soda counter or Ferguson’s. Then, I would stop at King’s Candy or that little hobby shop across the street from Crain, if there was money left over. All of that freedom ended when we went to Howell for the 8th grade. There weren’t any places to eat nearby.

My best friend, Dana Buehrig, moved at the end of 8th grade and I thought my world had come to an end. High school would find me going from a shy girl to a girl who loved every minute of those next 4 years. Cindy Macha and I tried to stay out of trouble and really, how much trouble could one get into with a bicycle as a means of transportation? I think that my favorite memories were in the classrooms of Ms. Morrow, Mr. Angerstein, and Mr. Dickson. Carol Mueller, Martha Goodwin, and Beth Sampson were my other running buddies. I still keep in close touch with Cindy and Dana. It is amazing to me that reconnecting with Dana after 46 years of no communication was just as if we had seen each other last week!

We were all surrounded by good kids who became hard working, kind, and genuinely nice adults. I wouldn’t trade those years and my privilege of growing up in Victoria for anything. After 4 years at Baylor, I fell in love with a young man from Dallas that I had met after my sophomore year. He wanted a life in a small town and loved Victoria, so we moved there when I was pregnant with our first child. Our 3 kids also loved growing up in Victoria and now live in Dallas and Ft. Worth. Mike and I relocated to Granbury, Texas to be closer to our grown kids and grandchildren.

My most enjoyable job was that of being a high school counselor. What a walk down memory lane to teach and counsel at my alma mater. The bulk of that job was spent in one of the new high schools. Counseling high school students was the perfect fit for me. They understood my sense of humor and it was an honor to work one on one with these kids. I found that high school kids were just as vulnerable as little kids- they just lived in bigger bodies. I also found that they impacted me as much as I impacted them. I thank God for opening that career door for me.

I have traveled all over this nation and a few countries in Europe, but realize that I am the happiest on trips where I can walk through beautiful forests and absorb every bird song. My happiest place is in Door County, Wisconsin. My oldest sister has a summer home there on Green Bay.

In the simplest words, I have found life to be the most fulfilling when I ask people to tell me their story. I find all of my strength through God and there have been some tough times. It was comforting to know that He was always with me and continues to show me His plan is far better than any scheme I can come up with.

I am loving retirement and meeting so many new people from all over the state in this pretty little town built around a lake. I never was an athlete, but love playing Pickleball and have not tripped over myself yet. I hope all of you will plan to attend the 50th VHS Reunion and don’t even think for a second that this will be our last- we are resilient Stingarees. See all of you April, 2025”.

Kathryn Louise (Kay) Klotzman (McCoy)

Enjoyed your story!

Kay Klotzman McCoy

R Kevin Jordan

Loree, thanks for sharing your story. I learned a lot about you that I never knew.  One thing I've always known is what a great person you are.   Happy retirement! 

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

BILL TREVINO

This Spotlight is on our classmate Bill Trevino. You may remember him for his participation in the VHS Band.  Or maybe you remember him like I do, for his vivacious personality at our class reunions over the years!  If you are being introduced to him for the first time, know that he has gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a positive impact on society, a hero in every sense of the word.  Please enjoy this rendition of “Where are They Now” spotlighting the dynamic and vibrant Bill Trevino.

When did your Victoria life begin?  

I was born in Victoria; however, we moved to Port Lavaca when I was 2 years old as my Dad worked at Alcoa Aluminum in Point Comfort.  We returned to Victoria the summer of 1972 for my sophomore year at VHS.

Tell me about your VHS memories.

I connected primarily to members of the VHS Band, and my first adventure and memory is attending Band Camp in August 1972 at Kerrville Junior College – at the time this was the same location as the Houston Oilers training camp! We loaded up on school buses and stopped at Landa Park in New Braunfels for lunch – Church’s Fried Chicken box meals – yum!  Learning to march and meet other band members was a bit of a challenge, yet it all worked out.  The food line for the Oilers was so much more exciting to look at, and man were the football players HUGE! Football game road trips, concerts, and band competitions were lots of fun! 

Who were some of your VHS bestie’s growing up and are you still connected? 

My social network were band members, and mostly other brass instrument players. Robert Marek, Jimmy Baker, Doug Wuest, Jay Stimson, Hollis Huvar, and Jack Hancock, to name a few. I used to visit Jimmy Baker whenever I visited my parents during my Air Force service. However, it’s been a while now. Several of this group served in the Air Force for a couple of decades together, including Robert Marek, Hollis Huvar, and his brother Marty.  I lost contact with Robert about 20 years ago – I’d sure like to reconnect!

Who from VHS had an impact on your life and how? 

Easy call!  Mr. Junkin and Mr. Wassel were demanding, firm, and ran the band like a military unit.  I’ve always attributed my Air Force success to the high expectations (and demands) they placed on band members. You could not slack on their watch. My mischievous conduct got the best of me my senior year, yet I held no grudge. It was part of my journey. 

Tell me about your life since VHS.  

I signed a “Delayed Enlistment” contract with the Air Force on April 30th, 1975 and started basic training June 13th, shortly after High School Graduation.  Like so many others, I expected to serve an initial 4 year enlistment and then “get out” with college education benefits. Basic Training was (and still is) at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio. I chose Security Police as my career field (go figure) and completed technical training also at Lackland AFB.  Air Base Ground Defense training followed my technical training at Camp Bullis in San Antonio, and I was 1 of 7 Honor Graduates for my class.  

My first four assignments took me to Arkansas, Guam, North Dakota, and Kansas over a 14 year period, all with the Strategic Air Command, a Cold War Major Command.  I earned promotion to E-5, Staff Sergeant while stationed on Guam, E-6, Technical Sergeant while stationed in North Dakota, and E-7, Master Sergeant while stationed in Kansas. The summer of 1989 took me to Europe as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) where I spent 21 of the next 23 years serving in various roles and countries.  This included 2 assignments (7 years) in Germany; 2 assignments (4 years) in Turkey; and 1 assignment to Italy (2 years). 

• My 1st tour in Turkey is when I earned promotion to E-8, Senior Master Sergeant; this grade is capped at 2 percent of the enlisted force.
• My 2nd tour at Ramstein Air Base is when I earned promotion to E-9, Chief Master Sergeant – the highest enlisted grade in the Air Force, and this grade is capped at 1 percent of the enlisted force.
• I relocated to my last military duty station of Aviano Air Base, Italy in June 2002; I retired from active duty August 1st, 2004.

Fortunately, I transitioned immediately into Air Force civil service immediately upon my retirement from active duty, and continued serving at Aviano Air Base for another 8.5 years. I was the 31st Fighter Wing Antiterrorism Officer, working for the wing commander, for most of this time, until I returned to the USA in January 2013.

I had many adventures and travels throughout my time in Europe, including visiting every western European country except Portugal.  A few adventures included some with a couple of VHS band members.  I was able to visit with Resa Johnson Pickel in Germany during my 2nd tour as she was in Germany on business in Oct 1999.  We drove to Trier, Germany and enjoyed a pleasant day.  We also connected in 2006 for about 2.5 weeks when Resa came over to Italy with her fun daughter Lisa!  Lots of excursions, food, wine, photos, a festival, etc. – good times!

Now here’s a fun and somewhat lengthy story involving my bride of 11.5 years, Sherry (Norfield) Trevino!  This adventure dates back to the 25 year class reunion the summer of 2000.  I sat at a table with mostly band members (go figure), and we all chatted about 25 years of life.  I had a digital camera and had a group photo taken. Sherry asked me to send her a copy, so I noted that in the alumni directory. However, I’m a guy and when I went back to Turkey, I forgot. Before I left that evening I danced with one person – Sherry – a slow 2-step song.  Fast forward to Feb 11th, 2011 at 7:10 AM and I receive a Facebook friend request from Sherry, which of course I accepted right away.  We chatted, messaged with email, text messages, and Facebook, and we essentially were virtually flirting.  I was encouraged by a friend on my end and Sherry was encouraged by a friend on her end, so we agreed I would fly to DFW and we would meet in person.  I came over for 10 days and we spent most of them together, including putting Sherry through a lunch with 2 of my sisters, 2 female cousins, and my sister in law. Talk about pressure!  After all of that, we decided to continue a long-distance relationship and settled on Sherry visiting me in Italy in June 2011.  We had a wonderful time visiting Jesolo Beach near Venice which included a Air Show featuring the USAF Thunderbirds, Rome, Assisi, and various locations in Tuscany over a 3-week visit. I asked Sherry to marry me during her 2nd visit in November 2011 – and she said YES!  Sherry continued to visit every 3 months or so and we ultimately were married in Italy on November 26th, 2012! Sherry had left her position in Arlington and came over for 90 days, since we did not know exactly what was involved with being married in Italy. Sherry was really looking forward to possibly living in Italy!  Me, too!  And then, as luck would have it, the Air Force decided I should relocate to Tyndall AFB (Panama City), Florida.  While we took different paths in life, we ultimately crossed paths and really connected, thanks to a simple Facebook friend request. Thanks Facebook!!!  Sherry is the best person I know, and I’m super excited for all the time and adventures we’ve shared.

Shortly after connecting with Sherry in February 2011, I also connected with Nancy (Nugent) Mascolo on Facebook. I noticed she had gone to university in Klagenfurt, Austria, so I asked her what year she attended the university in Austria. Nancy surprised me and said she lived there with her husband – only 2.5 hours from my home!  When Sherry visited in November 2011, we took a train and bus to Villach, Austria and spent a couple of nights there.  I have always referred to this first visit with Nancy as a mini-band reunion!  We visited Nancy in Villach a 2nd time in November 2012 just before we were married. We enjoyed a Christmas Market, and awesome meal prepared by her husband Enrico, and great company!  We managed to meet Nancy a 3rd time at Aviano in October 2014 when we went on vacation to Italy (after moving to Florida).

After leaving Italy in January 2013, I was assigned as a Threat Information Analyst at HQ First Air Force/Air Forces Northern at Tyndall AFB, Florida.

• The main missions were Homeland Defense, Defense Support of Civil Autthorities (primarily natural disasters), and Defense Security Cooperation (Canada and Mexico). The Force Protection Division develops policy and Force Protection recommendations for all Air Force installations in the Continental United States and Alaska. 

• My boss (the Division Chief) was promoted in the fall of 2015, so I applied for his vacant position as the Chief, Force Protection Division. I was interviewed, selected, and promoted to this position in December 2015.  I remained in this position until I officially retired from Air Force civil service in May 2020, effectively combining my active duty and civil service time for a total of 45 years of service with the Air Force.  That initial 4-year enlistment turned into a lifetime of service.  I am grateful for every opportunity the Air Force gave this simple guy from Victoria, Texas. I always say it was a fun and rewarding life!

• While I was stationed in Florida we traveled to Italy in the summer of 2013, fall of 2014, and spring of 2016. We also traveled to Barcelona and Girona, Spain in the fall of 2017, which included a visit to Lourdes, France.  Hurricane Michael curtailed our travel plans for a couple of years, and then we moved to Texas as retirement approached.

• Whenever we visit Victoria we get together with Alisa Vander Stucken and usually go by Dairy Treat for a yummy burger basket!  We’ve done this several times in the past 10 years or so. Alisa also joined us for a Trevino family Quinceanera a couple of years ago. Good times!

What’s going on in your life now?  

We are both retired and living in Cedar Hill, Texas, just about 25 minutes south of downtown Dallas.  Sherry’s children and our Grandson live about 30 minutes away, and my oldest brother and his wife live in northeast Dallas about 45 minutes away.  We returned to traveling to Europe last year and will do so until we physically cannot (or run out of funds). We went to Italy the spring of 2023 and to the United Kingdom in April-May 2024.  We are planning return trips to Italy and the United Kingdom in 2025. And I will be accompanying my almost 15 year old Godson (his Momma is Texan and his Father is Italian) and his 18 year old brother to Italy the first 2 weeks of July 2024 – yippee!

I hit the gym about 3 times a week and stay busy in the flower garden and trying my hand at very simple and amateur woodworking.  I’ve cultivated a desire to cook, so we host Sherry’s children every week or two, and always set the table as nicely as possible.  They say sharing food is love – and that’s what I love to do!  

Are there any lessons you've learned along the way that you'd like to share?

I’ve got a few which Sherry and I reference regularly. However, we all have learned lessons based on experiences, choices, or circumstances. A few I like to share:

• Everything is temporary in life – short chapters in a longer book.
• 90 percent of my problems are in the mirror – I just don’t like looking there.
• Have reasonable expectations 
• Don’t steal someone’s joy (Sherry’s influence) – don’t take away from someone else’s moment with your own
• Be educated and informed – there is no graduation day for education, training, or awareness.

Favorite Motto or words to live by: 

The bedrock for all relationships is mutual respect and trust.

Will you make the 50th Reunion on April 12, 2025? 

Yes!

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to add?

I am humbled to have been asked to take part in this “Where Are They Now” effort. There are many fellow classmates who have traveled far and wide to very interesting places and accomplished a great deal in their professional lives. I look forward to seeing all of the Spotlight Stingaree interviews.

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE:  WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

• Ryan Midgett (b. 1984) lives outside of Denver and works as a CFO for KODA Resources.  He has a triple bachelor’s degree from Rice University (Economics, Political Science and Managerial Studies) He is married to Kristin and has a stepdaughter, Camryn, (OU 2023) and daughter, Reagan (b. 2013).
   
• Reid Midgett (b. 1986) has a BA in English from the University of Houston. He is a Legal Assistant in The Woodlands and is married to Blaire.  They have 3 sons, Brennan, Maxwell, and Asher. 

Kathy says, “In 1996 Dave and I were blessed with twins, Benjamin and Rachel, 11 months after we were married. Raising twins has been hard at times, but also easy. They have certainly been a joy to watch. They were so very different in some ways, but yet always talked in terms of "we" and wanted to always know where the other one was. To this day they have a close relationship, and since Ben has been married, I call Rachel, Ben, and his wife, Kimberly, my triplets.” 

• Ben is a paramedic for Montgomery County, north of Houston. He and Kimberly married in 2019, had their first son, Grayson in 2023. Their second son, Daniel, was just born in May, 2024. Yes, their boys will be about 14 months apart-not for the faint-hearted! 
   
• Rachel graduated from Texas A&M (whoop) in 2018. She graduated from Northwestern with an MS in Global Health in 2023. She is currently working on an EdD (Doctor of Education) in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University. All this while working full time for Attack Poverty, an international non-profit headquartered in the Houston area.

Bill Trevino

What a nice story, and great adventures!  Antartica - wow!  Enjoy everyday!!!

Cynthia Lynn Macha (Hanson)

what a great story your life has been Kathy!  I loved reading about your adventures.  It sounds like you are living your best life and that makes me smile big time!!

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE:  WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

DARRYL BAILEY

Even if you didn’t follow sports activities, you knew of Darryl Bailey. He was tall, handsome and noticeable as he walked the halls of VHS.  He wasn’t just a sports hero, he was congenial and kind, and mature for his years; a role model then and now.  Thank you, Darryl, for opening up and sharing your story in ‘Where are they now?’

My Victoria Life began after my father graduated from college and moved the family from Wharton, Texas to Victoria in 1964. I attended Juan Linn and then Crain before going to good old Victoria High School. I encountered a lot of characters along the way, some of whom I credit with my love of athletics to this day. One of my fondest memories was seeing Chico Myers getting face-masked during a VHS football practice and leaving him running down the field with his helmet on backwards before getting tackled. 

I truly enjoyed playing football with David Garcia, Lionel Franklin, Louis Edwards, Chico Meyers and others who wound up being the folks I spent the most time with while in high school. They were real characters (in their own way) and I am sure I must have been one too. After being moved up from the sophomore squad to play varsity football,  I was in the company of upper class men like Joseph (Joe) Sanders, Mitchell Thompson and my older brother Leroy Bailey. The life lessons I learned through interaction with some of these guys really helped me know what NOT to do in life if I expected to live.

Literally the day after graduation my father moved the family to St. Croix U.S.V.I. where as a Civil Engineer he took on a significant role with an aluminum company. Before joining the family in St. Croix my eldest brother and I attended Southwest Texas State University (Texas State) in San Marcos where we both graduated. I met my wife of 38 years, Archie Marie at S.W.T. and now have two sons Jeremiah and Gabriel. While at Southwest I joined Kappa Alpha Psi where I serve as Polemarch (or president) for 3 years.  I gained life long meaningful associations from this experience which helped shape my thoughts and career path. My family left the island before I finished college and they now reside in Huntsville Texas. My dad passed about 20 years back and boy do I miss that guy. I now have my mom and three siblings that I see on a regular basis.

After getting my master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from Texas Southern University, I attended the College of Biblical Studies before serving as a therapist and a senior pastor of a small church in Texas City, Texas. I recently retired from Ben Taub Hospital in Houston where I was employed as a Mental Health Professional for nearly 20 years. Presently, I am self employed as a master’s level psychotherapist in Houston. 

Now I enjoy morning devotion and exercise with the wife, playing computer dominoes and juggling guardianship of my aunt while also maintaining my practice (Thank God for Zoom).  My favorite quote comes from Forrest Gump: "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get".

I plan to attend the 50th VHS reunion if God says the same.

James Montgomery (Monty) Erben

Darryl,

What a great read.  Couldn't help but smile as I relived some of your stories and remembered a few others.  I have always looked upon our friendship as a blessing.

All the Best,

Monty Erben

PS. Colleen, what a great job you are doing with this part of the website.  Well Done.

Tom Kovach

Haha!  I was there that day when Corky got his helmet knocked around.  I had forgotten all about that.

You have a great story, Darryl.  God gave you a blessed life.

----------------

Hey, Monty!  I remember you.  We were in some classes together.

Bill Trevino

A great story! My compliments for "all" you have achieved and accomplished. 

Warmest regards,

Bill

Cynthia Lynn Macha (Hanson)

Loved reading about your life Daryl!  What a fine list of accomplishments your ltime on this earth  has scored !  Thanks to Colleen who started these forums - I so look forward to seeing where we all landed at this stage of our lives!

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE:  WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

MARIE PICHERY-DURAN

I’m sure we all remember the beautiful and friendly French girl who came to spend a year at VHS.  Marie Pichery (Duran) was delighted to catch up with us through the Spotlight Stingaree Series.  She said it was a pleasure to participate this way without traveling all the way to Texas!  Enjoy reading about Marie’s journey in “Where Are They Now”.

“In 1974-75, I was an AFS student or foreign exchange student from France and I was hosted by Dorothy and Frank Ryan (VHS counselor) along with their children: Ellen, Pam and Paula.

It was a very important year for me.  I experienced discovery, open-mindedness, autonomy, tolerance and adaptation which were all qualities crucial to building a fully-fledged adult. The hardest part of this experience was the 22 pounds that I gained, which I fortunately lost as soon as I got back to France. 

While at VHS, I remember meeting another foreign student, Ilona Bittersmann. I don't remember where she was coming from, but I think some Eastern European country. She moved to Victoria from Brazil with her parents.  I also made friends with Karla Bierman.  We had great times.  I found her on Facebook a few years ago and then lost contact again. I also remember developing friendships with Denise Alexander, Susan Brooks, Carolyn Buttram, Michele Krier, Carol Mueller, Mary Jane Quitta, Katherine Sampson and Paul Adams. And I often went to Port Lavaca to stay with the Coleman family, who used to welcome me so kindly every time I needed to recharge my batteries. 

I triggered a LOL, at my own expense, when I mentioned me being a "cowgirl" when I was given a gift-belt at the end of the year. I still have my ruby senior ring and occasionally look at the “75’ yearbook”. 

In July 1975, I returned home to the Pyrenees in France. The following month Patricia Prader arrived from Indiana to live with us.  She was also an AFS student. She went on to marry my brother and she is still my sister-in-law.

I studied in Paris, then Bordeaux, and worked as a psychologist for 40 years, until 2021. I married Francis Duran in 1982. (He was already my boyfriend when I was at Victoria High School.) He served as the head of a school for deaf children until 2018. We are both retired now. 

We worked in Burgundy for 10 years. We then moved to the Alps, where we still live today.  We have had three sons: Jean-Loup (Head of Sales), Nicolas (a carpenter who lives in our town) and Emmanuel (an engineer who lives in Geneva, Switzerland).  Our eldest son, Jean-Loup, lived in northern California as an AFS student in 2001.  We also have four grandsons whose ages range from 9 months to 5 years.  Two of our grandsons live in our town and we see them often. The other two grandsons live in Geneva, Switzerland. 

My husband and I have always been (and still are) keen mountain hikers and cyclists.  We are both active in our community network.  I am active in my Catholic parish.  I lead liturgical singing and Bible-reading groups and since 2022 I help in welcoming refugees who are mostly Ukrainians, but not exclusively. Francis is president of a vacation village called "Lou Riou" in Saint Tropez, Riviera, France.

The things that keep us going are friends, family, outdoor sports and giving of ourselves to others.”

R Kevin Jordan

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your story of a life well lived.

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

MICHAEL MCKINNEY

Vivacious, vulnerable and courageous - that’s how I remember Michael McKinney.  He walked the halls in a happy mood and always uplifted our spirits by just being himself.  It was so fun to catch up with him for this series.  I know you’ll all enjoy hearing from him as well for the Spotlight Series.  Here is Michael in his own words telling us “Where he is now.”

Thank you again for reaching out to me to write for the Spotlight Stingaree. Subsequent to reading the stories posted to date, I am amazed and humbled by the accomplishments of others. I had no idea I was surrounded by greatness on such a grand scale.

The theme song to represent my life would be Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man”. My Victoria life began in 1967 when my brother and sisters and I returned home from the South Texas Children’s Home in Pettus, Texas. It would be my first year in a Victoria school. I am the oldest of a family of four raised by a single mother. We lived on Melrose Drive in the Crestwood Apartments, an easy walk to Shields Elementary. That’s where I first met Thomas Null. I remember those kickball games at recess where I marveled at how fast Thomas was at running around the bases. He had to be the fastest kid in school. Then there were the few students who were chosen to be school crossing guards. Safety vests, flags, and our very own whistle to stop traffic on Laurent Street. You don't see that in 2024!

During the summer between elementary and junior high school, I was diagnosed with a serious heart defect and had open-heart surgery. The doctors told me that I would not have made it to my sophomore year without the corrective surgery. After some time for recovery, I was able to report for classes at Crain Junior High later that fall. Once again, I am amazed to remember the freedoms we enjoyed as pre- and early teens. Off-campus lunch. So much time for so many shenanigans! Crain was where I met one of my first best friends, Daniel J. Franklin. We both transferred to Howell when that campus opened. Daniel and I raised and lowered the American flag every day (we were Boy Scouts) of that school year. We made lots of friends out by that flagpole while raising, lowering, and folding the flag. One of those was Karen Cyphers. Sadly, for me, Daniel and his family moved to Houston that summer after eighth grade.

I am sure we all have some significant memory from our first day of high school. I remember wanting to make the best impression possible when I entered those doors as a freshman. I had been planning for this day all summer, I had saved my money, and had (I thought) the perfect outfit for my first day. It was a pair of lavender polyester bell-bottoms, a lavender button-down shirt with the long-pointed collar, accented by a wide, white belt and white platform shoes! Man, was I gonna be FLY! You talk about an epic fail! And nowhere to hide. It seemed like the longest day of my life. That's when I discovered the power of the upperclassmen. Talk about humiliation! Those purple polyester bell-bottoms disappeared never to be seen again. I kept the lavender shirt... it looked good with a faded pair of Levi's and Dingo boots. LOL!

That is also the same day Karen Cyphers walked into our homeroom class and turned heads with everyone wondering, who is that? In one summer, she had transformed from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly and was now totally out of my league! Oh well, onward and upward, right? We're in high school. Once again, the freedom of the open campus for lunch. The mad dash to the Pizza Hut to beat the rush and get the first song on the jukebox. "Alright Now" by Free. Then, when we became mobile, OMG. Game changer! I remember going to lunch with David Long, Stuart Green, and Ben Livingston in David's Ford Pinto. Stuart and Ben would always fuss over the front seat. Stuart always won because he was the bigger of the two... until we were underway, at which time, Ben would flip the seat latch and leg press the back of seat pushing Stuart into the windshield. The interior of that little Ford Pinto would erupt into chaos! Oh, there would be hell to pay when we came to a stop, but we laughed until we cried.

I met J.R. Raines sometime after our freshman year. We became great friends. Kurt Jentsch, Glen Wimberly, Sandy Golden, Cindy Decker, Jeff Grimsley. There are so many other people (too many to name here) that I know, and I counted as friends and who left lasting impressions on my life. Unfortunately, we have not stayed in touch. My junior year, I had moved out of my home and was living on my own in a garage apartment in downtown Victoria. I was also free from the physical restrictions of my surgery five years previous, so I decided to try out for a spot on the Victoria Stingaree cheerleading squad for our senior year. Under the patient and careful tutelage of Donna Duplantis, I prepared a cheer for the tryouts. Then, the day came to perform that cheer in front of the entire student body. It was in front of the largest crowd I had ever stood in my life! I was petrified. But I did it. Was it perfect? No, but the whole gymnasium erupted in a loud cheer! Unfortunately, it was short-lived. A couple of days after the tryouts, I was called to the office where I met with the assistant principal and the head of the cheerleading team and was informed that I had secured a spot on the team, but that the school was not prepared to integrate a male into a traditionally all-girl team. Logistics, propriety, and all that stuff. So 1974.

That same year, I had enlisted in the Marine Corps on the buddy system with Jeff Grimsley. That never happened. In my senior year, I had second thoughts about joining the military. I had already passed the physical exam and been sworn in, in a ceremony in San Antonio. I believed the only way out of that commitment was to drop out of high school before the end of our senior year as my enlistment was contingent on graduating from high school. My decision to do so was met with chagrin from the school counselor who reminded me I still had all the credits required to graduate. Lesson learned. Turning point.

That brings us to real life. Faced with the reality of being a high school dropout and with the opportunity for college unobtainable, meant I had to get a job. I did a number of things over the next couple of years. Construction. Inside sales. In 1977, I married a lady from the class of 1969. Shortly after that, I was fortunate enough to land a position with Victoria Machine Works as a purchasing agent. However, I was the first victim of a reduction in force from a fifty-year-old company who had boasted of never having a layoff in the fifty-year history of the organization. It was the early eighties; unemployment was at an all-time high.

I had no choice but to go into business for myself. I started a small transportation company named ASI Delivery Service. Over the next few years, the company grew exponentially. I was able to live the dream. Golf. Slow-pitch softball (sponsored my own team). Playing with my cars and motorcycles. Travel. It was fun while it lasted. My first marriage ended in 1989. I left that relationship with nothing but the clothes on my back. Nobody to blame but myself. The next few years were dark and painful.

Ultimately, I decided to leave Victoria for a fresh start and to rebuild my life. I loaded everything I owned in the back of my 1976 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight and headed for Dallas, Texas, in January of 1993. From the moment I arrived at the city limits, I instinctively knew life would be okay. My first job on arrival was managing a courier service. This opened many doors for the future. One of those was the opportunity to work for Burlington Northern Railroad. I started as a switchman and became the director of safety and training over the next several years. It provided the resources to begin to put my life back on track. That same year (May), I remarried. Shuree' Davis, the love of my life and my best friend ever. She is a transplant from Oregon. I had met her prior to leaving Victoria. We have been together for 31 years. She was a packaged deal. She had a one-year-old son with whom I immediately bonded. I am a proud father and grandfather today. Sophia Michael (pronounced Mee-kay-el) is an amazing child.

Jump to 1997, I was director of Safety and Training for Burlington Northern when we merged with Santa Fe Railroad. The director of safety and training with Santa Fe had seniority so, once again, I became a victim of a reduction in force - laid off! Are you kidding me? Last time that happened, I started a small business. The phrase, necessity is the mother of invention, holds true. Maximum Enterprises was born. My second foray into the world of small business. At that time, the telecom industry was booming in north Texas and companies were relocating their employees into and out of the area at an incredible rate. Maximum Enterprises provided third-party services to the relocation industry. Again, our small company grew exponentially until the telecom bubble burst. In the year 2000, the bottom dropped out of the relocation market and my revenues all but disappeared.

Time to find a real job again. I responded to a classified ad for installation work at a company named Dallas Gates. I was turned down for the installer position but hired to be in direct sales to the public. I thrived and learned a new skill - automated entry systems and access controls. We did very well over the next few years and were purchased by a larger company. The year was 2006, and the change in owners was not for me. Time to move on. I had become good friends with a gentleman who owned a small fence installation company in the Dallas area that he wanted to grow but lacked the experience and the knowledge to do so. Crown Fence Company is now one of the premier fence contractors in the Dallas metroplex.

In 2012, I had the opportunity to lend my skills and abilities to another fresh startup company. Binford Supply supplied building materials to the fence industry. Over the next decade, we proceeded to build a company that grew, here it comes, exponentially. Our sales skyrocketed from five million in 2012 to over one hundred million by 2022. What an experience! I was surrounded by some of the most dynamic people in the nation. This is not an exaggeration, I assure you. But this story has a familiar theme. Our company caught the attention of a large investor group, and we were purchased by a large corporation. So, what time is it today? Time for me to move on. I am not ready to retire. I am still having fun in my career, and I already have an offer from another small company with dreams to grow. I will keep you posted on how that goes. I am looking forward to the next chapter in my career.

Shuree' (the love of my life) has retired after forty-plus years behind a chair as a cosmetologist and color specialist, although we do have a small salon set-up in our home for the ladies that refuse to let anyone else touch their hair. For fun, we love fishing, junking (antiquing), road trips with no destination in mind, hunting for Bigfoot, metal detecting, and spending time with family and friends. We have a Bigfoot hunting trip planned for Labor Day weekend in northwest Arkansas. I will finally get to try our night vision camera. Whoohoo! I may be the first person in the world to have actual proof Bigfoot exists. No, probably not.

You ask, "are there any lessons I've learned in life"? Far too many to elaborate on here. However, there are a few that have helped me to achieve some of my dreams in life. One is a quote from Paul J. Meyer, "Whatever we vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass." I came across this statement in my early twenties and it provided me with a formula for my success over the next four decades. I also live by another affirmation which says, if you help enough other people in life become successful then you will become successful. I have made this a practice in my daily walk and can recount many stories of the success of others I have helped along the way of my life journey.

Finally, this has been the most difficult lesson for me to learn, 1st Peter 5:5,6 says to believers, "...and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because he cares for you." I have learned that most, if not all, of my failures in life were a result of my pride. I also have learned that when I surrender my will to Him, I am blessed beyond my vivid imagination.

See you in the spring of 2025, good Lord willing.

Tom Kovach

Great story!!  Well-written, too!  Glory to God for a blessed life!

I remember that pep rally in the gym.  That took a lot of guts!

Bill Trevino

What an adventure!!!  You definitely have a positive focus and strong will...a good combo.

Enjoy your continuing adventures! ✌️✌️

Marie May (Myers)

I remember Daniel Franklin. He was cute with his wire rimmed glasses and blond hair. At least that''s the way I remember him!!

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Thea Metoyer Vidale

One of our most famous classmates from 1975 is, of course, Thea Metoyer Vidale: humble, genuine, and real. She was funny then and she is still making people laugh today. Thea took a break from her busy life so I could interview her for an hour over the phone. I hope you like hearing from Thea as much as I did. Enjoy this “Spotlight Stingaree: Where are they now?” on Thea!

When did your Victoria life begin?
I was born in Washington DC. My dad was in the military, and he retired from the military. We lived in many places, including Japan for 3 1/2 years. I did a USO show there once, and I told them my daddy was stationed there. They started screaming! I said, “I went to Solar System Elementary.” They were not expecting that. So, that was a fun destination to perform.

My father’s last tour was in Big Springs, Texas. Since my mother is from Victoria, he wanted us to be around family, so my family moved to Victoria.

I started at Patti Welder in 6th grade and then spent all four years at VHS.

What do you remember from VHS years?
I remember the guy coming down the hall on the motorcycle.

I remember being bullied and witnessing others being bullied. It may not have looked like it to certain people, but VHS was very segregated. I had the feeling like I didn’t fit in. I ate with the white kids, and my bully had a fit about it. He went and embarrassed me in front of everybody, saying, “Eat with your own kind.”  With my own kind?! That didn’t make me feel wanted. I went where I was wanted. It was Victoria. I had fun sometimes, but really, it wasn't fun the way it should have been.

I also remember being set up for having drugs and getting expelled. “The Narcs” were harassing students and asking if we knew who was selling drugs. They tried to pull me out of class one day. I said, “That ain't our job. See, our job is to come to school and pretend to learn something. And your job is to get out there and find them drugs.” I had an idea who was selling, but I didn’t want to say. The next day I was set up and expelled from school. My mother and grandmother were my saving grace, vouching for me.

Who were some of your VHS besties growing up, and are you still connected?
Lee Ann Mathias, Suzanne Bauch, Jeanette Desmond, Beth Sampson, and Geraldine Perez. I still catch up with some of them now and then.

Who from VHS had an impact on your life, and how?
The drama teacher Bonnie Hatton impacted me the most. She was a good drama teacher! I got to be in To Kill a Mockingbird my sophomore year where I played the role of Calpurnia. It was the best feeling when people got excited as I would come out on stage!

I always said I was going to be an actress. I wanted to be an actress. Geraldine Perez, God rest her soul, told me, “We all knew you would be (an actress) because you always said, ‘I'm gonna be a star’.” That word is heavy. Bring a Star is heavy. When you are young, you don't realize it can be very heavy.

How did your career get started?

Summarized from Wikipedia, online interviews and from my conversation with Thea.

 After high school, Thea worked as a waitress in Pasadena, Texas, before her friends encouraged her to become a comedian. She began her career in 1986, performing at amateur stand-up comedy nights in Houston and then quickly progressing to comedy clubs in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles. Thanks to exposure through Rodney Dangerfield, it all led to her sitcom Thea, which ran for several years on ABC and subsequently on BET. Thea has been on many other shows as a guest star, including Ellen, Letterman, Ugly Betty, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and WWE Raw. Thea also did a Showtime Special called Women of a Certain Age. She was even featured on a Rice Krispy commercial! Thea regaled me with tales of her touring in places like Iraq, Kosovo, England, and Korea. Look her up on Wikipedia and on IMDb for more details.

Thea is renowned for being the first woman of color to headline her own show on a major network. There are talks about making a movie of her life. If anyone in Victoria is interested in being interviewed to share memories of Thea, please let me know at vhsclassof1975@gmail.com. 

How did you deal with your fame?
This is the weird thing. I was not prepared. It's so funny. One time, I was in Gelson's grocery story in California, and this lady was staring at me and following me, and I said, “What in the hell are you staring at?” And she said, “Aren't you the lady that's on TV?” And I started laughing, and I said, “You know what, I forgot!”  I always was just a normal person. My mother always said, “Be humble Thea, be humble.”

But this business is very tricky. Don't trust nobody. Everyone has their own agenda. Because people “ain't” made the way they used to be. They're not. It's very, very tricky because people will say yes because they want to keep their job and, they are looking at you as a check. There's no love loss with them. So, you must be careful.

Tell me about your life.
Now I mostly work for Carnival Cruise Line. I just got back from Alaska. I love Alaska, but I would love it more if it were warm. I love the ‘first’ snowfall in colder climates. It's very romantic. It's beautiful. I'm an incurable romantic. The one thing no one ever thought about me. But it is annoying to be an incurable romantic. It’s an annoying trait! I still close my eyes and cover my face when people are kissing on a film.

I know it's goofy, but I just think that there ought to still be some beauty left and some magic, especially for children. I want them to have a little bit of magic. You know, when we were young, my mother would hide Easter eggs, so I still believe in magic and love and all the wonderful things that can still be had in the world. If we could just treat each other better.

What’s going on in your life now, are you retired?
I am not retired. I still love to perform. And some people don't get that. I love making people laugh. In fact, if I don't work, I get “stuck”, if that makes sense. I still enjoy getting on stage. The sad part of it is that when I don't get on stage, I feel discombobulated. It's just innate in me to perform.

I sometimes do talks to kids about God and being bullied. But I have the most fun doing the adult show. It's really what I do. That is my cup of tea.

I did a show in Victoria once at the community center, and it was the best show. It was amazing to see all my classmates that came. And I mean everybody. One guy asked me, do you remember me? I said, “Ishmael, I know you and all the guys.” I remember their faces. I would like to do another one-woman show. I wish I could do it in Victoria.

Tell me about your family.
I have four children but have only been pregnant three times! I have two boys and twin girls – I’m an overachiever! Magdeline and Middin, Adam and Sergio are their names. And I have nine grandchildren. Some adopted, but I love them all. Most of them live in the Houston area.

My youngest son, Sergio, was in a benzine plant explosion which led to him having a rare strain of leukemia. He died at 36 years old in 2019.

Are there any lessons you've learned along the way that you'd like to share with others?
Don't be so quick to write family members off because they are not what you think they should be.

Favorite motto or words to live by:
No matter what you do or what you think you want to do, ask God to direct your footsteps. And remember to teach your children about God.

Will you make the 50th Reunion on April 12, 2025?
Oh, Jesus. When is that? Oh, God. I might be able to make that one. I do think I will make an effort to come to the reunion.

STAND-UP
https://youtu.be/EgvP2bsbOLE?si=ays-48uwf8MHYthL

SITCOM
https://youtu.be/F2ax5YyXxJY?si=wNEkF2abzKsJzpNl

IMDB
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0896422/

WIKIPEDIA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thea_Vidale

Tom Kovach

Congratulations on living out your dream!  That is quite a story, and you told it well.  I had forgotten all about the motorcycle in the hallway.  What a hoot that was!

Did you know that country-music singer Cowboy Troy is also from Victoria?  (He moved to Dallas at age eight, and so he does not remember a lot about his time "with us".)  I met him once in downtown Nashville, and we are friends on Twitter.  Hopefully, you will be able to join us at the reunion next April.

Michele Louise Krier

WOW THEA !!!  What an exciting life you have! Congratulations on your many accomplishments. Loved reading your interview and look forward to seeing you  at the reunion!   Best,Michele Krier

Colleen Dorney (Klingseisen)

SPOTLIGHT STINGAREE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW:

JOHN RENDON

VHS sports hero John Rendon tells us what’s been happening in his life.  He was involved in Football, Track, Baseball, and Key Club.  John was voted in as Beau for the Future Homemakers of America and was also our VHS Senior Personality Plus! Still engrained in the Victoria Community, we appreciate John taking time to catch us up on Where he is now.

When did your Victoria life begin?  I was born in Victoria as the middle child of Mary & Lupe Rendon Jr.  For most of my formative years, we lived at 1605 E. Mistletoe, a few blocks from Our Lady of Victory (OLV). I attended OLV from the 1^st through the 8^th Grade, except for the 6^th grade when I attended St. Joseph (when it was an all-boy school).  That was quite an experience for a small, underdeveloped kid. I know, I know, not much has changed.  

The kids at OLV and I grew up together. They were and still are some of the kindest, smartest and good-hearted people I have ever known. Kenneth Brosch, Linda Ulman, Tommy Seerden and Mike Gohlke to name a few. The fondest memory I have of OLV was in the 8^th grade when Sister Emily told us we had no football coach and asked if any of our dads would like to coach the team. A flurry of hands went up to volunteer our dads.  “Great! Just have them here Monday at 2:00.”  Monday came and Dad was the only one to show up. Undaunted, he coached us to the district title in football and took on track and softball coaching duties as well (eventually basketball). He stayed on as OLV’s volunteer coach for 9 more years until my brother Lupe III graduated. When it came to coaching Dad had a gift. He went on to win several local baseball championships and finally a State Championship in 1982, but as a young boy, to see your Dad’s smiling face at school every day…PRICELESS!

Growing up I loved biking to Dicks, settling into the magazine section and reading comic books. I’d save my pennies to get the sherbet flavor of the day at Dairy Treet or go to the Town Plaza Mall to get an Orange Julius.  Summers meant playing baseball and it was also time for the “Coke Show” at the Playhouse Theater. The kids from my neighborhood would hop on our bikes with 3 Coke bottles in tow and excitedly parade to the Playhouse for our “free” movie.

I’d love a couple of fun memory from growing up in Victoria.  Like Darryl Bailey mentioned, the Chico Meyers backwards helmet incident is indelibly etched in my mind as well!  To Chico’s credit, he had to have the strongest neck muscles on the team to survive the torque on his neck from that facemask pull. YOU GO CHICO!!

Classmate Steve Barre and I worked together a couple of summers during college as engineer assistants, taking field notes and measurements for Southwestern Bell in Victoria.  One day Steve (6’6”) and I (5’6”) both wearing identical rugby shirts, and each sporting mustaches, were having lunch at a diner in Cuero. We make our way to the cash register to pay our tab and the lady looks up at us, pauses and remarkably asks, “Are ya’ll twins??” …. I replied, “Well we used to be triplets, but he ate the other one.”  I think that just confused her even more. LOL!

Who were some of your VHS besties growing up and are you still connected?

Like a lot of us, I primarily keep in touch with my VHS classmates through Facebook. I’ve seen Kevin Mobley, David Garcia and John Gill a time or two when I’m back in town, but I’m so busy taking care of my family’s affairs when I’m in town that I rarely have time to see old friends. I will make time on future trips to town.

Tell me about your life since VHS.  What has been happening between 1975 and 2024? 

Interests and Passions - The loves of my life are my wife Debbie, daughters Brittney and Heather and our grandchildren. Heather lives in Denver with her boyfriend Savoye. She’s a Private Event Sales Manager and is very adamant about helping me cross things off my bucket list whenever I visit them. White water rafting, Red Rocks concert (Loverboy/Sammy Hagar), Casa Bonita and Meow Wolf to name a few. Ok the last two weren’t on my list, but they sure were fun!

Brittney and her husband Landon live in Grapevine, TX with my 3 grandchildren. She’s a schoolteacher, wife and mother so her hands are full 24/7. As most of you know, you love your children, but grandkids take your heart to another level.  My Grandpa name is “Patty Cake”.  I sang Patty Cake to my first grandchild so much that it stuck.  

We have an extended family with Debbie’s beautiful daughters, Shea in Tennessee, Krissi in California, and Savannah close to us in San Angelo. Krissi has blessed us with 5 grandkids, the most recent gift in June.  Needless to say, the majority of our traveling is directed at seeing them. Grandchildren are God’s gift to us old people.

My knees won’t allow me to run anymore, but I LOVE jumping on my bike and pounding out a 20-30 miler. I still have the NEED FOR SPEED and my bike helps me satisfy that part of my personality. With a little training I can still push through a 50 miler like the one I did in Victoria this past March with an old track buddy of mine.

With my network of college and Verizon buddies, I love being the designated event coordinator for my friends. My ASU brothers and I meet several times a year: at a summer event we call FAC, at the state high school track meet in Austin, and the ASU Blue & Gold Banquet. My Verizon buddies and I have been participating in a live NCAA Basketball tournament players draft every March in the DFW area since 2001. It makes the NCAA Tournament way more fun! Most recently, my Verizon running buddies, and I just got back from the Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR. We have made it to the last 4 Trials in Eugene. Cheers to the family we are born with and to the family we make along the way.

Career – With my lifelong passion for sports, I just knew coaching was my destiny, but in life you learn to be confident in God’s plan. In 1981, I was attending graduate school when I tore my ACL playing intramural football. While I was rehabbing, I applied for a job with GTE Southwest, headquartered in San Angelo, just to help pay the bills since I had previous telecommunications experience with Southwestern Bell in Victoria. They hired me and that began a 41-year career in the telecom industry that has tested and challenged me, allowed me to work with some brilliant people and develop many friendships I cherish to this day. 

With GTE Southwest, I joined the Land & Building group and at 24, after my boss was “separated” from the company, I was solely responsible for all the company’s operational real estate acquisitions and dispositions in TX, OK, AR & NM.  I was promoted to GTE World Headquarters in Las Colinas, TX in 1989 and joined the Corporate Real Estate Group.

My assignments included the DFW Space Planning Team and the Project Team Lead for the relocation of 800 employees from our Hidden Ridge facility in Las Colinas to the Twin Tower Complex in Dallas. I was responsible for the relocation of all executive offices, modular workspaces, intraoffice and electrical connectivity, phones lines and personal effects. I was proud of my team for completing the move on schedule and under budget.

My primary responsibility was the team lead for the Collocation Core Team responsible for the development of the GTE guidelines for our compliance with requirements mandated by the Telecommunications Act, (the FCCs First Report and Order 99-48 on Expanded Interconnection), and subsequently filing those guidelines in the Federal and applicable state tariffs. Upon its full implementation, GTE’s Collocation product earned approximately $230 million annually for the company. It was very satisfying for the team to see all its hard work come to fruition.

After my stint with the Real Estate Team, GTE was now known as Verizon and I accepted a position as Senior Product Manager for Directory Listings and the Collocation service I had just developed a few years prior. My responsibilities included FCC Compliance, contract negotiations, Account Management support, and Legal and Regulatory support. I learned so much in this phase of my career and loved working with our Legal and Account teams, boardroom contract negotiations with the likes of AT&T and testifying on the company’s behalf defending our Collocation rates and services.

After 25 years in the DFW area, I decided to end my career where it all started, back in San Angelo. I took a position with Verizon’s Wholesale Accounts Collection Team. It was like coming home again and I finally retired in 2022.

Fulfilling Moments - With the move the DFW area my daugthers Brittney, Heather and I made our home in Grapevine, TX.  We loved our time there as the community and downtown still had a small town feel to it back then. I really enjoyed coaching my girls’ soccer teams there for 9 years. 

Some of the most rewarding experiences of my life were the 15 years I volunteered as a Meet Official for Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) at its DFW Region and Texas State Track Meets at Maverick Stadium in Arlington, TX.  SOTX annually hosts the two-day events, complete with Opening Ceremony parade of teams, for over 2,000 amazing and gifted athletes of all ages. 

I have laughed and cried with the athletes and their parents.  Some I had to disqualify for missing cones in the wheelchair slalom. I know that sounds terrible!! That was when I first started and went home and cried that night. I returned the next day and my now good friend and meet director explained to me that all the athletes spend months training for the events, and they understand the rules.  It wouldn't be fair to have an athlete win an event that missed two cones and the one that didn't miss any come in second. That put everything into perspective for me.

At one meet I remember seeing an Hispanic family standing by the fence near the finish line, wearing very nice dress clothes, waiting for their child to race.  You could tell this was a very special and proud moment for them. Finally, the gun goes off and they start cheering their child on.  The child ends up winning the race and they celebrate, then the mom and dad hug each other and start crying.  My thought was that a parent with a special needs child may have never imaged when their child was growing up that they would experience an event as grand and rewarding as this and it would be memory of a lifetime for them to share. I was just happy to be part of something so amazing for those families. To be honest, I probably learned more life lessons from that experience than I helped them.

The pictures below are me and the Shining Stars team from Victoria and the other is me and a visually impaired athlete, Michael, who I served as race guide for on the track for a couple years. 

Turning Point – Angelo State University sent me a promotional catalog in 1975. It boasted of its stellar academic reputation, new twin 10 story men’s and women’s high-rise dorms, outstanding athletic programs touting one of the best track programs in the state and I was sold. The numerous pictures in the catalog of girls in bikinis at the local lakes and ASU pool had almost no impact on my decision. 

I ran track & cross country for ASU and lived in the Men’s High-Rise all four years. Most students couldn’t wait to get out of the dorm, but for me and most of the other track guys, with our morning runs, classes, afternoon track workouts, the cafeteria next door for 3 square meals a day (a necessity when running 70 miles a week), it was the best decision to stay in the dorm. My last 2 years I lived on the 10^th floor “penthouse” with my teammate and still best friend, Rick “The Brick” Marquez, more crazy runners and some other fun-loving students. We became each other’s family and took part in the normal college hijinks of the times, but the streaking during each Final’s week was just a “rumor”. 

Our track team won the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Championship in 1977 and won back-to-back Cross Country championships in 1978 & 1979. I came to ASU as a high school quarter-miler, but my Texas Hall of Fame coach David Noble saw my potential as a distance runner. He was right. I ended up earning Cross Country LSC All-Conference honors (Top 10) twice. In 1979, the ASU boys from Texas qualified for the National Cross-Country meet in Kenosha, WI. We braved the cold November weather and finished the year as one of the top 20 teams in the country.

My years in San Angelo and at ASU played a huge part in my life’s direction and happiness. I met my best friend Rick there along with many other lifelong friends. The “Boys’ still get together every summer, play some bad golf, laugh at the same old stories, and appreciate our blessings. 

I also started my telecommunications career with GTE Southwest in San Angelo, but the best part was when I met my beautiful wife Debbie at ASU. She was captain of ASU’s amazing Angelette drill team. The Angelettes put on a Spring Dance Concert each year. My senior year Debbie choreographed a couple of dances and convinced me and the guys to perform them. We danced to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and Steve Martin’s “King Tut”. Oh, the costumes we wore. It was crazy and fun! The best part was I got to know her a little better and saw how funny and smart she was. We even taught country western dance together after that.  

After college we went our separate ways until 2010 when we saw each other again for the first time in decades at an ASU reunion. We started dating in 2012. As the story goes, the happiest time in my life started when I was 55. We are both retired and live happily ever after in San Angelo. Debbie works part-time for the San Angelo Ballet and volunteers extensively in the community.

Challenges – Currently my challenges are managing my father’s business and his estate, but it’s also a blessing because it allows me to continue the legacy of his business, Security Loan Company (which he started in 1962) and it’s a reason to go home to Victoria, see my family and enjoy a burger and sherbet at Dairy Treet.

Everyone’s life has its challenges and mine has been no exception. I’ve been blessed to have family and friends there to see me through mine and always knowing God had a path for me. I just needed to persist and stay positive, and he would show me the way.  By the grace of God, I smile every day and thank Him for all my blessings.  

Favorite Motto or words to live by: 1) Golden Rule – “Treat others as you would like to be treated.”  2) From my running days and now cycling, “Pain is mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn't matter.” 

Take care Fighting Stings Class of 1975!! See you in April!