A Time for Every Matter Under Heaven - Emily Dickinson is credited with saying, "to live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." Life has certainly gotten in the way of my "visiting" with you lately. Unexpected attention grabbers absorb time for one's self. But here I am to resume conversation with you. I want to express gratitude to my former teacher Almarie Carr for introducing me to Emily Dickinson's poetry and grooming my appreciation for the written word.
A Time to Lose - Word reaches me that our Newport basketball Hounds lost to Arkansas Baptist last night in the state tournament 46-45 bringing a close to a fine season. Congratulations Greyhounds!
A Time to Heal - The healing power of prayer is evident in so many instances. I ask that you continue to lift up in prayer former Hounds in need . . . Mary Wynne Parker Perryman (NHS '70), Mike Brand (NHS '70), Connie Davis Cook (NHS '65), Shirley Rhodes Umsted (NHS '66). I also ask that you remember all other Hounds, known and unknown to you, who may be battling illness.
A Time to be Born, and a Time to Die - Several folks with Newport ties have departed this life in the last few months. The obituaries that have conjured up fond memories include those of . . . George Kell, Jr. succumbed to cancer in December. George was married to Carolyn Wright Kell (NHS '65) and is the son of Baseball Hall of Famer George Kell, a Jackson County native son. George, Jr. and I returned to Newport to live and work at the same time in the early '80s. I will miss his fun loving approach to life.
Raymond Rawlings also passed away in December. Mr. Rawlings was First Sergeant of the Newport Unit of the National Guard in the '60s. I remember him as the loving father of my friend Pamela Rawlings Franks (NHS Class of '69 until she moved from Newport to Searcy in 1968 when her dad was transferred by the Guard). Mr. Rawlings personified the stern military man, but he had an everpresent mischievous grin that I will forever recall with a smile of my own.
Glenda Winningham who taught home economics at NHS during my time as a student passed from this life in January at her home in Concord. Mrs. Winningham always had a pleasant smile to share. In looking back I know I could have benefited from taking her Home Ec class since I have difficulty boiling water.
Pauline Owens was the assistant to Superintendent of Schools John Mullins for many years. Mrs. Owens left this life in February. I had way too many encounters with Mrs. Owens in the late '60s while she was the gatekeeper to Mr. Mullins' office, but she was always courteous and very kind.
Alma Fann, mother of Linda Fann Kent (NHS '69) and Jackie Fann Allen (NHS '63), passed from this life in February. She often assisted her husband Ray in the family jewelry business. A sweet and happy lady with a love for music.
Fred Powers, husband to Johnnie and father of Susan (NHS '74) and Bruce (NHS '77), left us in January. Fred worked for the Production Credit Association for many years and finished his career with Merchants and Planters Bank. I had the pleasure of working alongside Fred at M&P Bank in the late '80s. He was very patient and kind man . . . a good man!
Geneva Cathey, mother of classmate Becky Cathey Landreth (deceased) and Debbie Cathey (NHS '72) died recently. The Cathey family lived next door to my family on South Main Street for a while. Mrs. Cathey will forever be remembered as a loving and caring mother.
Ellouise Jowers Gordon, mother of twin beauties Maye Dell Gordon Anthony (NHS '64) and Martha Nell Gordon Osborne (deceased), passed away this week. The Gordons moved into the stone house at the corner of Walnut and Erwin where my cousin Artemis Fallert had lived and immediately behind my South Main neighbors Jenetta Ashley (NHS '70) and Jerry Ashley (NHS '72) and next door to forever friend Donny Appleton (NHS '70) on Walnut. The Gordon family were wonderful neighbors and Mrs. Gordon possessed that Jowers family liveliness.
Speaking of neighbors, Frances Washam Alvis, aunt of life long friend Donnie Washam (NHS '69) and mother of Philip "Booty" Alvis (NHS '57), died this week as well. The Alvis family lived at the corner of Fourth and Hazel and were my neighbors when I first entered this world. She always referred to me as "Little Joe" and spoke to me with love in her heart. I last visited with her this past year when Booty's class celebrated their 50th reunion and she accompanied him to the reunion dinner. I will miss her joyful smile.
I know you all will join me in remembering the families of these Newport personalities in your thoughts and prayers. I will forever hold memories of each one in my heart.
A Time to Mourn, and a Time to Dance - I am compelled to mention two other recent deaths. Mike Smith, lead singer and keyboard player with the Dave Clark Five, stopped his music Thursday, February 28, just two weeks prior to the band's induction into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Smith died at age 64 from pneumonia complicated by a spinal cord injury in suffered in a fall in 2003. The oldest ticket stub I hold for a concert I attended is from July 1967 when the Dave Clark Five played at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock. I specifically remember a young girl rushing the stage with a large portrait of Mike Smith. Security allowed her to move to the base of the stage and present the portrait to Smith. I hope to visit the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame someday. When that day comes I know Mike Smith's voice will ring true in my mind.
Buddy Miles laid down his drum sticks on Tuesday, February 26. Buddy Miles was 60 years young. The first time I saw Buddy Miles he was the drummer for Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypseys at a concert I attended in Memphis just months before Hendrix died in 1970. Miles wrote "Them Changes" in 1970. A line from that song that resonates with me is this, "Every time you see me goin' somewhere, I feel like I'm goin' outta my mind." We are all going through "them changes" in a topsy turvy world where we seem to be chasing our tails in mindless pursuit of something. Buddy Miles' words and his back beat will live on and on.
A Time to Keep, and a Time to Throw Away - In recent months I have been going through "things" from my mother's house in Newport and deciding what to keep and what to throw away. Almost every item I pick up sends me on a sentimental journey. A few weeks back in the Newport Independent I noticed a photo of three young men who had recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Douglas Price Holmes III, Robert Anderson Penix and Benjamin Stewart Tubbs were awarded the rank of Eagle by Troop 67 in Newport. In the mentioned photo, these three were surrounded by others who had previously achieved the rank of Eagle Scout (John Minor, Sr., Kaneaster Hodges, John Purdy, Marvin Hare, Terry Scoggins, Price Holmes, Jr., Michael Snodgrass and Will Scoggins were pictured). The photo took me back forty years to 1968 when Terry and Eddie Scoggins, Clay Wright and I received our Eagle Scout badges at a similar Court of Honor for Troop 164. Within days of seeing this photo that brought back that memory, I discovered in a box of clothing gathered up from my mother's house two Boy Scout uniforms. One was a long sleeve uniform adorned with patches from Troop 67, the first Troop with which I was associated. The other uniform was short sleeved and carried the patches of Troop 164, the Troop in which I was a scout when I reached the rank of Eagle. These are "things" I will keep as mementoes of the appreciation I have for my former scout leaders, Ray Fann with Troop 67 and Van Manning and Bob Guthrie with Troop 164. And thank you Mom for saving these uniforms for me to discover at a time when I see true value in them. Congratulations to Price, Rob and Ben!
A Time to Gather Stones Together - Time for my continual plea to reach out to old friendships that have been separated far too long by time and distance. Ran into NHS classmate and pal Joe Black at a Arkansas Community Foundation banquet in Little Rock Tuesday evening. Our short time together only emphasized the everlasting strength of friendship and the genuine joy it brings to all who fall within its circle. In the previous Hound Call I profiled childhood friend and NHS classmate Mike Stephens. I plan to continue that bit of information on other life long friends with Newport as the taproot. I have been thinking of such friends for weeks and have discovered that the thought about one friend leads to thought about another. Our lives are so intertwined. We can't unravel friendship. Some of you I "speak" with regularly, others only intermittently. Some I haven't seen or talked to in many, many years. Others I found on the road after high school and then lost again when we took different paths along the way. Where are you? Where is Steele Minton, Walter Mallory, Ronnie Kendall, Maria Moore, Louann Blagg, Susan Skaggs, Sandra Laufer, Tillman Pennington, Dennis Milligan? Through you I have been reconnected with old friends like Billy Henson, Bill McCartney, Gary Boone, George Mark Walden. I truly enjoy hearing from you and learning about your journey on life's road. Help me find those mentioned above by dropping any hints you have. Of course, an email address or phone number would be great. If there is someone you have not heard from or about in many moons, let me know the name and I will put it in my "Lost and Found" file for all to see and to lend a helping hand.
It's right that I should care about you
And try to make you happy when your blue
It's right, it's right to feel the way I do
Because, because I love you
Those are the opening lyrics to the Dave Clark Five song "Because" (1964). Sums up friendship pretty well I think. Thanks for sharing life with me. Thanks so much for your friendship.
May love and laughter come your way!
joe
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