Barton Zachary – October 1, 2018

Wallace Barton Zachry, Jr., known as Barton, passed away Monday, October 1, 2018, after a short illness. Services will be 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 5, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room.

Barton graduated from Waco High School in 1960 and served honorably in the United States Army, after which he had a successful career in the tech industry. After working in Kansas for a while, Barton and his wife returned to Texas and lived in Arlington. They moved back to Waco last year. Anyone who knew him knows he loved a high stakes game of poker, or a no stakes game for that matter. He was also an avid reader, with a large collection of books, mostly westerns and mysteries.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; his son, Pat Maxwell; his daughters, Denis Rogers, Kathy Baldwin and Jeannie Ryan; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; his sister, Lynn Reiman; his brother, Pat; his nephew, Josh Zachry; his nieces, Marra McElroy and Meredith Knight; four grand nephews; and one grand niece.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Disabled American Veterans. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall”

Waco Town Crier – November 2018

An adapted version of “The Town Crier” sent by Jeanne Harman on October 30, 2018.

From Our Fearless Leader

What a fabulous time we all had at the 58th Reunion, even spouses who may have been pressured to attend. We had approximately 120 in attendance with some cancelling due to illness and some didn’t want to brave the less than perfect driving conditions.

The first night we met at The Phoenix Ballroom for delicious hors d’oeuvres and wonderful cookies collected by our resident cookie lady, Linda Phelps McKee. The table centerpieces were models of classic cars from our high school days filled with bright papers and candy. Malissa Starnes Baugh made sure there were WHS napkins and Spirit of Waco song sheets at every place. Pat Malone led us in our school song and Robert “Little Red” Wilson blessed us and our dinner. He gave thanks for us being there and prayed for our ill classmates. One of them, Aubrey Stringer, who had never missed a reunion, was in the hospital having surgery. Thankfully, the outcome is good.

The caterer, Danny at TCP catering, prepared some delicious food including shrimp and outstanding pork loin sandwiches. Lots of visiting, catching up and picture taking going on. Thanks very much to all the people who acted as greeters and registrars. We had a better reunion because of you.

Golf the next day was cancelled as Cottonwood Creek Golf Course was under water. Not really, but close.
Brunch was fun and delicious. More visiting and more picture taking. A couple of people came for the brunch only, Karon Shinault being one of them. Karon was a part of David McPhail‘s calling team, a huge part. She went above and beyond with her calling duties, and we are all grateful to her. The calling team, led by David, was directly responsible for the attendance we enjoyed. He took up the challenge started by Bob Easter and ran with it. David was a wonderful and hardworking phone chairman. We owe David and his callers a debt of gratitude for their hours on the phone.

Wednesday evening brought some new faces to the reunion. Our caterer, Danny of TCP Catering, came through for us again. The buffet dinner was delicious, and the cakes that Malissa Starnes Baugh designed for us were scrumptious. A part of the program had Howard Dudgeon reading the names of classmates we miss because they have passed on. Howard is so faithful to keep albums of our deceased classmates, many of whom left us way too soon. Tim Lasseter Latta who headed up the reunion thanked several people, the most important of whom was Malissa Starnes Baugh, the CEO, without whom the reunion would have been so lame. We thank her over and over. Gayla Miller and Linda McKee did a stellar job on the decorations, including changing them between Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. We thank them so much. Linda McKee was the Cookie Lady again this year. Yum!! Robert “Little Red” Wilson led the prayers on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Billy Markham was kind enough to bless the brunch, and Pat Malone with the beautiful voice led us in Spirit of Waco at all three gatherings. Everyone sang!

And now comes Janet Hurta, wife of Glenn, not even an actual member of our class, who year after year, kept up with us all and provided the information for the directory. She is certainly an honorary member, and we thank her for all of her great work over the years. Ralph Sparks, Class of ’59, husband of our own Kay Phillips Sparks, set up his keyboard and played oldies for our dancing pleasure, and dance we did. David and Janie McPhail are still in great form, Ken and Scoot Baker floated across the floor along with many more people dancing than we expected. Bob and Carolyn Easter and Little Red along with quite a few others, could not resist Ralph’s dulcet tones and nimble fingers on the keyboard.

Mostly, we want to thank everyone who attended, many from over a thousand miles away. It was so good to see Vince Tulsa and his wife from Paris, Tennessee; James Coone and his wife from Williamsville, NY; David Dibb and his wife from Florence, SC; Beverly Murphy Wells from Camby, IN; Rod Sommer and wife from Covington, LA; and from New Mexico: Steve Brown (Alto), Susan Harkness Hill (Edgewood), Jim Maxwell (Santa Fe), Babz Wester Muster (Ruidoso), and Sandra Wooten Overholser (Albuquerque.).

What a wonderful group of people we have in our class. For those of you who could not come, you were sorely missed. Here’s hoping we have a 60th.

Show and Tell – Janice (Player) Howell

This month features Janice (Player) Howell, another great! As you know, Janice is one of the “Player twins” (Janice and Joyce). Janice has had exhibits in Santa Fe, Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Albuquerque, and Denison. She has done many commissions, plus she teaches art in Colorado in the summer. Janice said that she has been painting for about 20 years. When she wanted to renew her creative side, the yen first began as a hobby after taking a college class course at night while she was still a State Farm agent during the day. Several classes later, Janice started hanging her paintings in her office and clients would ask if she sold them. Well, she decided to do so … and an artist was born.  She commenced to take many other painting classes in interesting places such as Spain, France, Italy and Mexico. She painted what she “felt” about the places she visited.

One of Janice’s teachers encouraged her to enter her works in competitions. Janice said it was only then that she discovered she had talent as she received over 20 awards in these competitions. Janice had a friend take her portfolio to Santa Fe, NM and the gallery owner there was so impressed with her work that she called Janice the next day. This became the beginning of what evolved into “one person shows” for the next 12 years at the Santa Fe gallery. She has been published in many magazines: Southwest Art, Watercolor Magic, Inside Santa Fe, Focus Santa Fe, and she made the cover of the DFW Art magazine. Janice said she chooses her subjects from things that give her joy…–travel, flowers, music,– in other words, the beauty of her surroundings and whatever her artistic eye sees. Her paintings are abstract impression in style. Janice’s summation of her talent: “It has been a fun exciting journey that I was fortunate to have.”

The photos below are some examples of Janice’s work. The first two pictures hang in her twin sister’s house. The other pictures are of Janice’s cityscapes, a musician, flowers, Aspen trees, and an elk. Also new is a photo of a ceramic angel she did.

November Birthdays


3- Jim Monnig,
Sissie (Blair) Shandalow
6- Barbara (Brunett) Hunt
Gary Roberts
7- Gene Carson
12- Carolyn (Wolf) Lloyd
18- Bob Easter
27- Nena (Hunt) Wallace

Pictures

Bev (Murphy) Wells has just returned from a trip of a lifetime! For her 76th birthday, her son merely told her to “pack a bag”. He made all the arrangements for this trip to Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Cologne Germany, Prague Czech, Vienna Austria and Munich Germany (for Octoberfest). She only returned home to Indiana on October 9th and then turned right around and headed to Waco for the reunion.
In the two pictures below, she reports: “Bonjour” and “Goede Dag.”

Paris, France Belgium

Steve Martin and Marty Short recently performed at WinStar Casino in Oklahoma. If you remember, Jack Martin was a first cousin to Steve. When Jack was alive, he and I had gotten tickets to attend.  Jack was with us ‘in spirit’, but after the show the first cousins and I got to visit with Steve backstage. It was a wonderful show and I encourage you to see it should you get the chance. I still miss watching Steve on Saturday Night Live playing the “wild and crazy guy.”

Steve Martin and Jeanne Harman The first cousins – Brenda Martin Jantz, Steve Martin, John Martin (Class of WHS 1962 and brother to Jack Martin)

If you were wondering why Russell Keeling was not at the reunion, here is the reason: Russ and his wife, Lloy, decided to celebrate their anniversary with an Alaskan cruise. Russ said he missed seeing all the graduates but this trip was one they did not want to pass up.

Eating crab in Ketchikan Glacier Bay (brrr) Formal Night