An adapted version of “The Town Crier” sent by Jeanne Harman on September 26, 2018.

From Our Fearless Leader

“Greetings to all of our WHS Class of 60 classmates. The countdown has begun. In less than a month, we will gather at the mothership (aka The Phoenix Ballroom) for our 58th class reunion. The excitement is building and the plans are final. There is still time to register, but it’s running out. If you still need a registration form, please let me know by phone or text (817-600-4734) and you do text, don’t you? Email Malissa Starnes Baugh or call (254-217-2918).

Malissa has been working so hard on name badges so that we will be able to identify each other! This is a huge group endeavor. Please join us for fun, news of friends and a stroll down memory lane.

Looking so forward to seeing each and every one of you.”
Tim Lasseter Latta

From Our Graduates

“It was wonderful to hear from Asa. She’s had a full and rewarding life. I admire all that she’s done.

It was great to hear from some of our classmates. Sondi, you are very talented. Thanks for sharing about your talent with us. Maybe you could share more with us if you sent a video or recording. How about it? I’d love to hear you play.

I’m looking forward to our 58th reunion. It may just be the last time we are all together at our ages and with our disabilities. I am blessed to be in surprisingly good shape for an old woman! 😊 I pray for all of you who are struggling with hardships. May you each find healing, peace, comfort, and strength.”
Tommye Blair Toler

“Our daughter, Lana, could use some prayers. She was in a car wreck, not her fault, and broke her arm above the wrist and the air bag seems to have caused her hearing to sound like a tunnel. This could be temp or permanent. Please pray for healing and return her hearing. Her arm is healing after surgery. She will be off work 3 to 4 months.”
Sandra Wooten Overholser

“Mickey (Lade) Perkins is in HEB HOSPITAL Room 203 due to pain under rib cage since Thursday night. (Sept 20). They have not been told from what source or when she will be released to return home. She does need our prayers.”
Phyllis Brook

“I will not be attending this year due to some pre-scheduled tests and doctor appointments and am sorry I cannot come to visit everyone.. Hopefully will be able to attend for the next one.”
Jeannie Dickerson

Regarding Hurricane Florence

“We were stationed in Raleigh NC, and we never had anything like that while we were there. We visited most of those coastal areas while there—and they were beautiful, with amazing beaches.”
Clara Sue (Griffis) Arnsdorff

Update on Massey Foundation

Formed by Jan Massey’s family, in accordance with her wishes

Check the website for upcoming events and attractions.
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Show and Tell

It is my distinct honor to recognize Jim Woodson this month. I cannot begin to tell you the talent that this man possesses; therefore, I am going to let his website do the job for me.

After graduating from Waco High, Jim obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, 1965 with a major in painting. In 1967, earned a Master of Fine Arts degree, major in painting, from The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. Currently, Jim is Professor Emeritus of Art, Texas Christian University after having taught there for 39 years. Jim spends a lot of his time in New Mexico where he gets a lot of his inspirations.

Jim’s resume is absolutely mind-boggling! Give yourself plenty of time to check out his website. One of the most interesting things I learned in doing my research on Jim was the fact that he was one of the three private instructors for President George Bush when the President decided to try his hand at painting. The whole interview with all three instructors is at this link. It is an hour-long interview but I found it to be most interesting and it explains the part that Jim played in Bush’s artistic growth.

Jim sent me a picture of a portrait which he painted from a photograph of President Bush. I have included it with a few examples of Jim’s work. Jim explains that he is not a portrait painter (landscapes are his forte) but just how many times have you seen that little grin on the face of George Bush? I think Jim nailed it, don’t you? Jim told me that President George Bush included this portrait in an exhibition that was held to introduce Bush’s portraits of wounded warriors.

A TCU magazine in 2013 had a very good article about Jim. It mentioned that Laura Bush owns a Jim Woodson painting. The article also mentioned some of Jim’s life in Waco and beyond. You can read the whole TCU article at this link.

In the Ft. Worth, Texas Magazine in 2016, an article on Jim states that he was appointed Texas State Artist of the Year (2D) by the Texas State Legislature and the Texas Commission on the Arts. This designation is the state’s highest recognition for excellence in the arts. That article can be read here.

Jim’s life has surely been diversified, rewarding, and interesting. Jim says that “his health has been pretty good and his life has also been good.” Just like all of us, Jim wonders, “where has the time gone?” Now, go grab yourself a cup of coffee or a coke, sit back for a bit or a long time, and absorb yourself in the talent of our very own WHS 1960 graduate.

6- Randy Farrar
7- Gregory Howell
9- Marvin Schutza
15- Betty Barkley Flowers
16- Charles Edward Wilson
17- LuAnn Hanna Lund
Beverly Summey Gritter
18- John Ferguson
David Walsworth
21- Ken Baker
26- Anitra Harrell Henrion
29- Tim Lasseter Latta

Pictures

A “blast from the past” photograph. Tommye Ruth Blair Toler, on the right, recently found this picture taken in 1962 when she was a student nurse. You will recall she retired from nursing in 2005.

John and Tim Lasseter Latta have recently returned from vacationing in Big Bend. They visited the McDonald Observatory, hiked and were awed by the Chisos Mountains. Tim said they saw three bears up close (yikes!). They are already anxious to return. When they lived in California one of their favorite haunts was Yellowstone so I imagine they will become more and more familiar with Big Bend, but hopefully, not with the bears.