June 2009 Newsletter

News Flash

We have just found TWO "Lost Classmates!"

Jerry Meeks is hanging out in Arkansas. You can contact him at:

1504 Aggie Road
Jonesboro, AR 72401
870-931-4313

Hoping Jerry will send in a personal profile, so we can see what has kept him busy these last 53 years! I remember Jerry more than a lot of you, 'cause he pinned me on the wrestling mat. Probably still could…

Janis Pendergrass Kagiyama will soon be moving from North Mississippi to Georgia, according to her husband, Ken.

Ken and Janis moved around the country (world?) for many years since Ken was with the U.S. Air Force. No wonder we lost her! Janis does not have an Email address, but we are hoping one of her daughters will provide us with some additional information on Janis.

WELCOME BACK JERRY AND JANIS !!!!

BillyJune“addendum” issue with more news

June 10, 2009

A week or so ago you should have received our CHS '56 newsletter. Usually, I send one out quarterly (or thereabouts), but TWO matters prompted me to act now:

ONE
Get a load of this "good news" email received today from Pete Summers:

Good News! We’ve found them.... Pete and Maria Emma Summers

Hi Billy,

What a welcome surprise to hear from you after so many years have gone by. I have been married for 24 years and we are living in Colombia South America and South Beach in Miami.

Unfortunately, I was unaware of our 50th reunion and of our excellent website. I enjoyed the reunion pictures very much and it brought back so many memories. I was so sorry to see that we lost so many of our friends and classmates, it was a shock to me.

Thanks again and please send my best regards to all of my friends and classmates. I miss you all. I have attached this picture of my wife and me.

Take care and keep in touch.
Pete and Maria Emma Summers

Welcome back Pete!!!

TWO
A group of energetic classmates has recently met and chosen a range of dates for our 53rd Reunion. Please hold these dates on your calendar until a final day is chosen:

October 29, 30, 31 - 2009

Reunion Committee

The committee, so far, includes: Sandy Lipman, Joy Wilk, Sophie Theodore, Natalie Rosenberg, Marlene Libby, Barbara Walters. Why don't you call one of these classmates and volunteer to help? A little bit goes a long way! Only those classmates with email addresses or with access to our website are seeing these newsletters. If you know of others not currently in this category, please pass along the news. Thanks.

See you on the next go-round,

Billy Schaefer

(From earlier this month)

Hello '56 Classmates

 It's your class scribe again, reporting all the news - some good, some bad. I hope all of you are feeling good, enjoying life, and not allowing this lousy economy to get your spirits down. After all, you ARE a member of Central High School's best ever class!

If you're reading this, you obviously know that our website is still up and running. The address is continues to be www.memphiscentralhigh56.com
 
Continue to send me all the news that is news, and I'll get around to publishing it to your fellow classmates "whenever the mood strikes" or urgency demands it.
 
         Billy Schaefer
 
Here's a recently received email about two "lost" members of our class.
You're gonna love this!

Hello!
 My name is Betsy Causer (Sandberg). I am the daughter of Bill Causer and Patricia Jones, both graduates of Central High School Class of 1956. My parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary June 20th, 2009. I noticed that my dad is mentioned as “not found” on your alumni website. I do not see my mom in either the "found" or the "not found" section, but I can assure you they are both alive and well, traveling around our beautiful country in their motorhome.
 
My father was a left-handed pitcher who attended University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa on a baseball scholarship. After injuring his pitching arm irreparably, he joined the military and was shipped off to the California desert. After a couple of years as an enlisted soldier, he completed OCS and became an officer in the army. He served two tours in Vietnam and we were blessed both times to have him return home to us. He made a career out of the military, retiring in 1989 at the rank of full colonel.
 
My mom, Patricia Jones Causer, was a stay-at-home mom our entire lives, the anchor during our military-brat years and anytime my dad was stationed away from home.  She eventually earned her CPA from the University of Texas – El Paso. We moved once a year for many years, occasionally once every two years, three if we were lucky. Looking back, I honestly don’t know how our parents managed it, with three children, relocating every year or so, often across country. But we all survived, with minimal neuroses. :)
 
After my dad retired from the army, he earned his doctoral degree in educational administration, with the plan to teach in a college setting. Not long after that, he was diagnosed with Agent Orange disease ~ a not-so-pleasant reminder of his time in Vietnam. My dad has never once complained about this unexpected turn in his life. My parents simply decided life is too short and it was time to enjoy what they had worked so hard for. They purchased their first motorhome and have been traveling across the country for the last 15 years.  
 
My brothers Ken, Chris, and I have worked for the past year planning a celebration/family reunion for their 50th wedding anniversary next month. Both my brothers and I are so proud and grateful that our parents are who they are.  Though I know they despaired often during our teenage years and early 20s, it turns out we inherited their work ethic, ambition, and love of country. My older brother Ken has two children, my parents’ beloved grandchildren, Jon and Sarra.
 
It has been so much fun looking through their high school annuals at pictures and classmate notes, preparing for their reunion. I looked up this website on a whim, looking for classmates' names my parents have mentioned over the years. When I saw my dad listed as “not found,” and my mom not listed at all, I felt it was important to fill in the gaps. Thank you for providing this forum and opportunity to “brag” about our parents, Patricia Ann Jones and Bill Causer.
 
Respectfully,
Betsy Causer Sandberg
 
Pat (Jones) and Bill Causer

Is this good news….or NOT! Here's how to contact Pat or Jim:         736 Commanche Drive          Jefferson City, TN  37760          (865) 607-7131          Email: pajc110@yahoo.com

Min-Reunion Talk

There's a rumor floating around that we have some folks interested in helping organize a dinner for our class this summer - kind of a mini 53rd reunion assembly. There is plenty of time to get it together, so who are you? Let's get the show on the road!

Let the numbers do the talking
Though 3 months old now, these comments that came from our own Jim Thompson on investment strategies in our troubled economy are still timely. Glad to know that someone is paying attention. Thanks, Jim!!!

That's a mouthfull, Jim. And don't let the author call you a "curmudgeon" again. Tell him that you are a valued member of the Central High Class of 1956!

David Griffin

We received some recent information from classmate, David Griffin, who reported:

• I was and still am David Griffin - CHS class of 56.
• My wife (Geraldine) and I live at
              50033 Buck Rd.,
              Aberdeen, Mississippi 39730
              Phone: (662) 369-8643
• We have been married 48 years, have 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren.
• My wife and I both retired in 2000. I worked as a programmer/analyst/software engineer and my wife was an interior designer..

Congratulations, David, on your long marriage, passel of offspring, and, especially, RETIREMENT! Glad to hear from you.

Jay Horne Sadly, David also informed us that our classmate, Jay Horne is deceased. This information came to David from Diann Davis, Jay's ex-wife, who, incidentally, is a member of the CHS Class of 1957. If anyone has more details on Jay's death, please let us know. Our condolences go out to Jay's family and friends

That's it for now. Cheers!!

P. S. Remember to keep checking our website: www.memphiscentralhigh56.com from time to time

Class of 1956 Reunion Committee

Joy Allenberg Wilk, Charles Askew, Kathie Bailey Cavette, Joann Baker Parker, Ann Ball Frost, Marlene Belz Libby, Jerry "Moose" Bruce, Ruth Burrow Peters, Don Cavette, John Crews, Marcia Davidson Moskovitz,Ralph Davis, Betty Farris Russell, Larry Fury, Myrna Gold Drake, Tom Gerdes, Ralph Gray, Jack Hoelscher, Mary Ann Kimbrough Vollmer, Jack Kirsch, Natalie Lewis Rosenberg, Sandra Loskovitz Beatus, Bill Maxwell, Janie McCune Deupree, Pat Parker Maxwell, Sandy Peiser Lipman, Marcia Pinstein Weiss, Barbara Rauscher Walters, Billy Schaefer, Phil Sherman, Ed Simmons, Sophie Theodore, Ramsay Wall, Carolyn Welch Hale