Waco Town Crier – December 2022

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and will have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This year has passed all too quickly, as it seems it was only a little while ago we welcomed in 2022.

This December issue of the Waco Town Crier is going to be a very special issue, in my opinion, all because of the diligent work and wonderful penmanship of David Dibb. I hope all of you will realize just how lucky we are to have his talents displayed in our monthly Newsletter. David does this for us free of charge although for years he wrote two columns in his local newspaper in Florence, SC. This month, David has featured a classmate of ours who had a very interesting story after high school although it ended very suddenly and tragically. David has gone to much work piecing together information from many sources–even to contacting the police department in San Jose to ensure certain names are correct. May you appreciate David’s work as much as I have in working with him on this. To create an article or column does not just happen in a few minutes… not if you get it right. I think David has nailed this on the head!

Please do not get caught up in the month of December with too much stress and worry. Try to do something you enjoy every day, laugh, and pick your battles. Stay healthy and be kind to everyone. Treat those around you as you would have them treat you. One can never go wrong living by the Golden Rule.

jeanne

Here is your December issue of the Waco Town Crier. Contents include:

  • From Our Graduates and Friends
  • Updates
  • Regarding Grover Rogers
  • Whatever Happened to … James Rankin by David Dibb
  • December Birthdays
  • More Memories
  • Pictures from the November 15 Luncheon
  • A Neat Idea for Wrapping Presents
  • Humor

9 comments on “Waco Town Crier – December 2022

  1. Malissa Starnes Baugh: “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEAAAAAAAAAAAT Town Crier.” (December issue).
    Oh, my! How sad to hear this story about our classmate, Jim Rankin! David did such a great job in his reporting of this tragedy! We are so blessed and thankful to have David, helping and sharing his stories for the Town Crier! I know Jeanne is also appreciative of David’s consenting to help her in this effort. Their dedication truly helps to reunite our wonderful WHS Class of 1960!!!”

  2. Tim Lasseter Latta: “Really great issue of TTC. I remember Jim Rankin so well from high school. He had a great sense of humor and was a really nice person. I liked him a lot. We were back from the Navy and living in Dallas when I opened the Dallas Morning News and read the account of Jim’s disappearance. I was shocked as everyone was and saddened by the circumstances that left his wife and four children without a husband and father. The viciousness of the crime was haunting. In testimony to Jim and Beverley, his children are successful and apparently happy.”

  3. Gwen Ewing Hodges: “Thank you Jeanne and all contributors, at this stage of life it is comforting to keep in touch and reminisce about our youth! You get better with each issue. Thanks to David Dibb for telling us the rest of Jim Rankin’s sad story as I am sure we all wondered over the years. Condolences to his family who missed out on his presence in their lives. May Jim Rest in Peace knowing they turned out so well.”

  4. Carol Barry: “The Jim Rankin story is so very well done and the pictures brought it all together to make a complete package. A nice, successful family and businessman, having a meal and just going to his car, found himself the victim of such a horrible crime. A wife and children put through a nightmare. Those two sociopathic criminals were about as bad as one can get. I think some of the TV networks would want to do a piece on it. One can’t help but rethink walking alone to their car day or especially night. Some criminal could be in the restaurant waiting for you to leave and following or could be waiNng in the parking lot. Congratulations on a great Town Crier. “

  5. BeXy Barclay Flowers: “I just finished reading the story of James Rankin!!! Good heavens! It’s right out of something written by Truman Capote! What a sad, sad story! I didn’t know him but just the fact that he was in our class lets us know that even in those years when we thought we were so safe, horrible things could happen!”

  6. Judith Hamff Murphy: Wow! What a horrible, premature end to Jim Rankin’s life—and he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kudos to you, Jeanne and David Dibb for your research and presentation of this story. (Having left Texas in the late 60s, I only recently heard about JIm’s murder.)
    Hope you are doing well–Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! As always, I appreciate your newsletter and am glad you have David Dibb’s additional contributions.

  7. Bev Murphy Wells: First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! Hope Dana Sauer enjoys her new digs and less responsibiliNes and more walks is understandable! The story David Dibb attributed to James Rankin was quite a read. I didn’t know James nor what happened to him, but what a tragedy and loss. Thanks to David for his time, research and all of his efforts and to Jim Monnig’s remembrance. I know James’ children are so proud of their Dad and James would have been so proud of his children! Howard’s memory is phenomenal as he shares his delighful stories. Great pictures of the luncheon group! Always good to see those.

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