Classmates - blog
Bud (Buddy) Landacre
| Comment: I spent my 1st 2 years of HS at Carroll and would have been (maybe) part of the Class of '66 at King had my family not moved to N.C. the summer of '65. I graduated from HS in N.C. in 66, (phew). I joined the Army in'67, went to Nam (like a lot of us did), came back (like a lot of us didn't), went to college, then spent the next 40 yrs. flying airplanes for a living. When I was at Carroll I was kind of like "Toad" in "American Graffitti" (complete with motor scooter) but really thought of myself more as the "Milner" type (complete with Little Deuce Coupe). Now retired, I occasionally get to pat my grandkids on the head and most mornings I wake up, kiss my wife, have a cup o jo, and go out to the garage to play with my hot rods (Just like Milner). Lookin forward to seeing if I remember who I remember at the reunion. |
D. George Harrison
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| Comment: Have moved from Maryland to Haslet, Texas, just north of Ft. Worth. Retired from federal service on '05 and from the USAF Reserves in '97 as a Lt. Col.. Have two grown daughters; 2 grandchildren and 2 on the way. My wife of 35-years, Pat, died last year of thyorid cancer. Keep busy with the kids and science collections/studies. Have published two books and some journal articles over the years. |
Debra Stallings (Stallings)
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Now
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Comment:
I must admit my life has been full of adventure with some wonderful highs and the normal curve balls that are just part of life. I became a friend of Bill Wilson in 1988, and my life took a magnificent turn for the better. I did not have children, so I took on some rather different jobs in my earlier life such as working offshore on a drilling rig in Alaska, serving as the exercise director at a vegetarian health spa in Cuernavaca, Mexico, working as an able-bodied seaman on a supply boat in the Gulf of Mexico, teaching and coaching at King High School for 2 years (but I graduated from Ray), and most recently as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Post Office in Conroe, TX. I have been married, more times that I care to admit. So my marriages and jobs have something in common—neither ever lasted more than about five years! After retiring from the Postal Service, I signed up for the Master Gardener course in 2004 at Montgomery County AgriLife Extension Service (part of Texas A&M). I found my true heart’s desire as a Master Gardener, not only learning all about plants, how to grow and care for them, how to propagate them, and how to diagnose problems, but also sharing this information with new MG interns and the community. I volunteer at “Extension” throughout the week. My life is full of joy with the fellowship of many good gardening friends as well as playing with plants in my own gardens at home. Lately, the challenge is dividing my time between Master Gardener work and working with this fabulous committee for our RKC 50th Reunion of the class of 1966, which I might add has been a true blessing (most of the time, HA!). Life has been quite a journey. So when I leave this life, hopefully by just keeling over in my flower bed, I’ll be saying, “Wow, what a ride!!!”. And I wouldn’t change a single thing. Debra Stallings |
Don Coker
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As far as me and my family, all is well, no COVID among us. I wanted to post my story on the blog but since you asked I think I will include it here with hopes you will post it for me. Also I was curious about all the kids I hung out with, played football and baseball with. Like Ossie Outlaw, Mike Blain, Jim Mitchell, etc. Thanks for directing me to the website that was helpful. Here goes: After Del Mar I went to work for Continental Oil in their uranium exploration division there in Corpus. At 19 I married Lanette Hander. Shortly thereafter I decided to become a State Trooper and went to the academy in Austin and graduated. Was stationed in Robstown and remained there fo several years. Transferred to Stafford near Houston where I remained for 10 years. In the meantime Lanette and I divorced mainly due to me working every holiday and weekend. I remarried later to Sherri Harper who was a fellow law enforcement officer. We tried for kids with no success and ended up adopting twin girls, Brittney and Courtney. A few years later to our surprise we were pregnant with our son Clay. The girls are college graduates with master’s degrees, one is an administrator in the Dallas area schools and the other a military housewife. Clay is a police officer. Had a lot of fun with the kids. The girls turned out to be great softball players and won two state championships which boosted them into college scholarships. Clay was a football player and wanted to follow in his parent’s footsteps and become a cop. Sherri and I divorced after 20 yrs of marriage and she later, about 10 years, passed from cancer. I remarried again to Terri Evans and along with her came her daughters Corey and Jenny. They are a joy as well. In the meantime I had decided to get my pilots license. Started out in fixed wing then progressed to helicopters. As a result I ended up flying for the State Police for several more years. Got approached after 15 yrs with the state by a oil related company to be their chief helicopter pilot. So I doubled my salary and left the state. That went on until the financial crash of the 80’s when I was laid off, luckily I sold the company helicopter to a property company and they needed a pilot. Eventually the economy caught up with them and again a lay off. Sold the helicopter to a highway construction company in Corsicana and they needed a pilot so off we went. Two years later another layoff. The Corsicana Sheriff was good enough to hire me at about half salary but with mouth’s to feed what the heck. Stayed there 15 yrs as a deputy. Small town politics suck and I eventually went back to flying helicopters for an air ambulance service called Airevac Lifeteam. After 12 yrs there I retired, ended up with a pacemaker, and am now playing rancher on 5 acres raising cats, dogs and 11 grandkids. Just started a small business carving signs and clocks out of wood materials to keep me alive and busy. 11 grandkids, that’s right. Boy are they a lot of fun. They come often and ride 4 wheelers and motorcycles on our five acres. We are very family oriented and spend as much time together as we can. COVID-19 has slowed our gatherings down for now but times will get better even though our country is quickly going down the toilet. Sorry I have missed all the reunions but I’ve had a busy life. Maybe next time. Been a great life, with great friends and loves. |
J. Peter Jordan
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Comment:
Some of you may remember that I had already decided that I wanted to be an Architect by the time I got to high school, and I reached that goal in 1975. In retrospect, it was an incredibly naive decision, but it is one that I do not regret. It has taken me from Corpus Christi to work in or with design practices in Houston, Atlanta, Princeton, and Hawaii, and I have had the opportunity to work with some very talented people on projects in the US and throughout the Pacific Basin. This is my 50th year as a student, practitioner, or instructor in architecture, and I am on my 11th year as working in Houston as an independent specialty design consultant writing construction specifications for other architects. If you have been to Houston in the last few years, the chances are that you have driven by a project that was constructed with specifications my office produced. I live with my wife of 12 years who is also a specification writer here in Houston working with an international design firm. Both of us have been recognized by the technical organization we belong to by being honored with fellowship, and we are one of three couples in the country so honored. It is rewarding work which can be challenging and incredibly difficult, and I can't really imagine doing anything else at this point. |
Jill McLain (Hurwitz)
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I’m sorry that I will be unable to attend the reunion, due to a prior commitment. I live in Austin with my husband, Jerry, a black lab and a black and white cat. Three of our five daughters, their husbands, and 6 of our nine grandchildren also live here, keeping us happily busy with family. We have one daughter/spouse and granddaughter living in New York City, and another daughter/spouse and 2 granddaughters on the west coast in Cupertino. I still work part time for a company where I have spend the last 30 years, and in my free time, when I am not spending time with the family, my hobbies include golf and photography, neither of which have I mastered. Although I no longer have any family in Corpus Christi, we do get there from time to time and drive around to see all the old haunts. I hope everyone has a wonderful time renewing friendships this coming weekend. I applaud the Reunion Team for their untiring work in bringing so many people together for this event. I know it will be a big success and hopefully a stepping stone to others in the future. |
John Gaver
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After King High School, I went to Del Mar College, but joined the Navy before finishing. After finishing my hitch in the Navy, I returned to finish up at Del Mar and went on the U of H. I stayed in Houston after that, with the exception of a stint in London several years back. My work in elcetronics had me working at places like NASA, nuclear power plants (I still glow in the dark), and some places that were so secret that I had to have an armed Marine guard at my side at all times. I eventually became an IT director for several years. But ultimately, I got tired of working for other people and started my own business. Over the years, I owned an IT consulting business, an import/export business, and a print shop. I effectively retired about 17 years ago and now focus on investments (mostly trading in petroleum products and some short term stock trades - 2-5 days holds). I also write books on taxes and economics. My last book is titled, "The Rich Don't Pay Tax! …Or Do They?" and my upcoming book will be "The Tax Deception" (the foreword to that book will almost certainly be a famous politician). My wife of 30 years and I are planning to move offshore within the next year. One of the nice things about both petroleum trading and writing, is that as long as you have a cell phone and an internet connection, you can do it sitting on a beach in a tropical paradise. One of the things life has taught me is that insanity is not a disease to be cured, but a virtue to be cultivated. Since learning that truth, I have become very cultivated. 8^) MYSTERY SOLVED: For those of you who may still be wondering who planned and executed the HUGE 1966 King Senior Skip Day promotion that left only 5o seniors in class on April 1, 1966, all those signs were made and put up by just four people, Lexy Hueske, Tony deLorenzo, Rick Gibson, and… let me see if I can remember… Oh yes,… me. In order to keep news of the plan from leaking to the school administration, giving them time to counter it, the four of us agreed that only we four would know anything about it till lunch time, the day before, when all the signs went up. Apparently, it worked. As Paul Harvey would say, "Now you know the rest of the story." |
Kenneth Bennight
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Comment:
After Ray came UT undergrad. Then marriage, three years in the Marine Corps, and UT Law School. My wife and I will have our 46th anniversary this year, and we have two daughters and a grandson. Though I still handle the odd commercial real estate transaction, I am mostly retired. I take it easy, play with my grandson, and work (but not hard enough) on writing. Check me out on Amazon. |
Kimberly Keith
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Comment:
Classmates. FYI: YOUR Reunion Committee is planning a CASUAL get together to be held in October 2023. Friday night & Saturday. We are planning event either in Corpus Christi, or possibly in Port Aransas. We would like your feedback on where to have our casual get together. Please send your feed back on if you are interested, and where you would like it to be. Thanks, & Seniors '66. Kim |
Laina Maher (Dean)
Then
Now
| Comment: Wow, 50 years! Hard to believe because I don't feel that old! Well, I married George in June of '67 and we have 4 great daughters and son in laws and 11 grandchildren! We are blessed to have the whole bunch of us living in San Antonio. That's the big picture and now I'll try to fill in details. We moved to Baytown, TX after marriage where George finished college commuting to Lamar U in Beaumont,TX. I worked and we quickly began a family, having our first girl 1 year and 1 month later. He began his career in Nacogdoches, TX then Uvalde, TX, Houston and finally settling in San Antonio in 1973 where we raised our family and for most of the time I was allowed to be a stay at home mom. God was stalking me to come back to the faith of my childhood and in 1974 I gave in and have striven to walk the path He had chosen for me. Faith and family has been the most important thing to both of us. We have taught Sunday School and Precept Bible studies for years and then I wrote a Bible study for the Book Footsteps of the Messiah with another lady. If you are interested go to ariel.org. I know from looking back at the writings from some of you in my annual that it would seem an improbable path going from wild child to a Christian trying desperately to live for the Lord. That would be the most important part of my life, a Christian, a wife, a mother and an occasional seller of Essential Oils. :) I'm looking forward to seeing so many of ya'll that I'm seeing on the list and so hope many more of you come! |