Memories. Each one unique and painted in the colors preferred by the one doing the remembering. Many pleasant. Some unpleasant. Happy! Sad.
Welcome Happy Easter! Some two thousand years ago Christ hung from a cross for us. Tomorrow marks the day He rose up to walk with His Father on the path of everlasting life. He has our salvation in His hands. What a memory that has passed from age to age. There is no better time to remember our classmates who have concluded their earthly journey and now walk on that heavenly path. While a figurative candle may have had its wick darkened each time one of our classmates left this life, their personalities continue to shine brightly in our minds. Betty Barber! Eddie Crawford! Glenn Gay! Keith Huey! Marsha Scott! Becky Scroggs! Frank Simmons! Larry Binning! (If there are others of whom I am not aware, please let me know.)
Each name brings a different memory to the one recalling that name. I had especially close relationships with two of those on this list. Glenn Gay and I were grade school "buddies". We made weekly trips to the County Library together as young boys. (Glenn seemed to retain more of what he read than I. Boy, is that an understatement!) We also went to the movies a lot together and sat in the balcony of his Aunt Edith's Strand Theatre. When the Greyhounds won the 1965 State AA Basketball Championship, Glenn's mother took Donny Appleton, Glenn and me to the tournament and we stayed at the Downtowner Motel in Little Rock. We had a great time. I still have some pictures from a photo booth at Walgreen's Drugstore in downtown LR from that trip.
Later as college freshmen at the U of A, we made a trip to Austin, Texas to witness the Big Shootout II between Arkansas and Texas ( Texas 42, Ark. 7 - not pretty). Gene Bennett and Gary McDonald (NHS Class of '69) were with us. The lack of "spending money" resulted in wonderful evening accomodations. We spent the night in Gary's car in a Denny's parking lot in Waco.
I left the U of A after our first year and tranferred to ASU. Ironically, my roommate my first year at ASU was Eddie Crawford, the slow talkin' boy from Greenwood, Mississippi who joined us at Newport in high school. One fond memory of Eddie comes from our senior year at NHS when Freeman Travis, John Brownd, Eddie and I traveled to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl between Arkansas and Ole Miss (Archie Who? We found out who Archie Manning was as Ole Miss kicked our butts.)
Anyway, we stayed at Eddie's grandmother's house and had a blast. I will keep all events from that New Year's Eve 1969 under seal to protect the innocent (Freeman and John Ruble). Eddie and I and some fraternity brothers made a return trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras in 1972. After finishing college, Glenn moved to New Orleans and worked for National Bank of Commerce. I was in the banking business in Arkansas and we corresponded frequently. Upon his mother's death, Glenn moved back to Newport in the early 1980s. Funny, I went back to Newport in 1983 to work in the old First State Bank which is where Glenn worked upon his return home. We did not work together, however, since he had purchased Punch's Restaurant just before I got to Newport. During those years (the mid 80s), we went to church together (just as we had as children), we participated in civic activities together, and we played (partied) together.
It was at a party at my house (I believe 1984) that I learned of Eddie Crawford's death in a car accident in a New Orleans suburb. Donny Appleton and Bobby Joe Forrester brought me the news. I had lunch with Glenn Gay at the Midway Cafe in Newport the day before his death. Glenn had married Joy Stanfield and we mourned his loss together. A couple of day's later I walked alongside Gary McDonald as we carried Glenn's casket to a muddy grave. Welcome Happy Easter!!!
Thanks for "listening" to my memories of Glenn and Eddie. I am certain that you have your own. Also, I know that you have good (fond and funny) memories of Betty, Keith, Marsha, Becky, Larry and Frank just as I do. I would love for you to share them with me at any time.
This week I have heard from Paul Burton, Margaret Ann Gillihan Snow, Kathy Foley McKee, Paula Jones, Nancy Rhodes Fountain, Diane Madison Lumpkin and Cherry Lou Smith Simmons. The notes from Paul and Margaret Ann reminded me of our eight classmates known to be no longer walking with us. Diane, I hope your Easter musical goes well tomorrow!
To everybody, Cherry Lou informs me that we have 59 registered to attend the reunion in June. A good number, but we want more (70 attended in 1990). Now I realize there are some who have "legitimate" conflicts (Scott Baker, you are not one of them. I am looking forward to that good bottle of scotch). Those in my listening audience who have yet to respond include Mike Stephens, Jenetta Ashley, Ruth Johnston, Randy Moore, Rick Riley, Drew Stewart and the above mentioned Scott Baker. I want to "see" with my aging and weakening eyes all of you on June 17. We can compare waist sizes (that's just the guys) and bald spots (that's for everyone). So sign up today! Be there or be square!
And write me soon. I think of you all more each day and truly love hearing from you. Wake up Drew! Mike, Rick, Ruth, Jenetta - stop working so hard and send in that registration. Randy, you are right around the corner. Scott, have another drink! To the rest of you who have registered - I can't wait to see your smiling faces.
Love to all and Happy Easter! joe
PS - Rickey Harris, I was thinking about English class this week and I remember it's "i before e" except in Budweiser.
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