“ . . . That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II. That seems very simple, doesn’t it? However, once I started thinking about the process of naming offspring, it became readily apparent that it is not, in fact, so straight-forward. Names are derived from many sources. There are family names (Lula, Jasper, Delano, Thea, Erie, Luther, Dovie, Ilene, Lavonia, Lavinia, Lloyd, Henson, and Florence all are from my family tree); names from royalty (Henry, William, Eric, Edward, Ann, Elizabeth, Mary); and names honoring actors or characters from movies and stories (Lillian, Tallulah, Scout, Marilyn, Greta, and Scarlett) to name only a few. Often only one word is needed to invoke an image. For example, Oprah, Brad, Jen, and Elvis leave little room for the imagination to roam. On other occasions, saints (our son Christopher), religious leaders (Mohammed), and civil rights activists (Malcolm, and Martin) are honored.
We are told, when choosing a name for a baby, to pick a name with strength or character. A multitude of books tell us that our child’s success in corporate America depends greatly upon his/her name! The Indians placed great stock in the power of a name. There was a dedication ceremony during which the infant was raised to each of the four directions while being named. A young girl might be called Mourning Dove, for her grace and beauty. Later in life, a warrior would go on a quest during which he would choose his name based upon his vision. It would often involve an animal: Sitting Bull, Grey Eagle, Grey Wolf, etc. The Indians believed that they derived the power of their totem, after which they were named.
There are also ethnic names. Everyone remembers little Nicky, the wiry little guy who lived down the street. with a perpetual toothpick hanging out of his mouth. He always wore a Brylcreem-slicked-back D.A., and Nicky could take you out, as my Mother would say, “Quicker than who’d a thought it.” Nowadays, Nicky might still have a slicked-back corrupted version of the D.A., but she probably spells her name Nikki. Of course, she’s very likely able to take you out in a heartbeat, just as her male counterpart could! Nicky/Nikki could be Greek, could be Russian, could be just a Heinz 57. Other ethnic names are more obvious: Wolfgang, Patrick, Ahmed, Ling, Latifah, and Devon (my Irish-inspired daughter’s name). There are gender-specific names such as John and Linda. But there are also gender-neutral names, more so now than ever, such as Jordan, Michael/Mychael, Terry/Terri, Danny/Danni, Billy/Billie, and Alex.
There are those who were named for plants and birds: Ivy, Fern, Rose, Daisy, Violet, Wren, and Robin, for example. I’ve even met a boy named Field. There are Dawn, Sunny, Windy, Stormy, and even Rain. Brandy seems to be a popular libation at present, but you don’t usually hear of a person called Rum or Vodka! Probably only a matter of time. After all, the Apple (Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter) has fallen from the tree, so why not throw in a Martini for good measure? There are gems such as Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, and Opal and even a famous jeweler-inspired name, Tiffany (Tommy’s daughter).
“Unique” was the word which came most readily to mind when I started thinking of LHS classmates who were of the “only-one-name-necessary” variety! At first I thought that Tommy had probably covered most of the unusual ones, but when I started remembering, I was surprised at the overwhelming rush of names I recalled! My first thought was of Marquietta (Hunt), one of my best friends at Lee. I have never met another Marquietta to this day, and only recall hearing the name on one other occasion. Gilda (Wilburn) is another good friend who comes readily to mind. One thought led to another, and I submit these other names for your consideration: Cecilia (Sheppard), Venita (Boyd), Merle (Huff), Regna (Warren), Gretel and Marlene (Voelkl), Berndt and Heidi (Wuenscher), Helene (Doninni), Gudrun (Wagner), Lehman (Williams), Dag (Rowe), Coby (West), Lamarr (Taylor), Jed (Stephens), Spencer (Thompson), Alvin (McCartt), and Justin (Dickens). My extreme apologies to anyone whose name I misspelled. I decided not to consult my yearbook for this exercise. If you knew you were specifically referring to a female, Ricky could only be Weaver, and our only male Connie was Mullins. Our bird was Robin (Kitson). And Dawn could only be Larson. Even though Mary, Ann, and Carol were relatively common names, Mary Ann would always make me think of another good friend, Mary Ann Bond, and Carol Ann could only be Cornelison. There were many nicknames for many of us. However, the two that come most readily to mind were Bunny (Bradley) and Poochie Parker. No one ever called them Beverly or Evelyn.
So, dear friends, I ask you: What is in a name? Tradition, awe, thought, strength, respect, power, beauty, reverence, family, love, and most certainly an arrangement of letters. You may call yourself any name you choose to me as long as that name is followed by the word “friend,” which is surely one of the most powerful words in any language in the world. That is how I think of each of you, whether you are one of my (g)old buddies from the early days at LJHS or LHS, one of those with whom I’ve recently reconnected from an even earlier time, or one I’ve yet to meet but have come to know through the magic of cyberspace.
At the risk of causing the Bard to do a quick rollover in his personal hereafter with my tweaking (attributable to a much-loved 20th century wit) of one of his oft-quoted phrases from Hamlet, let me close with the following sentiment: “Good night, sweet princes and princesses, wherever you are.”
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We Are Fami-LEE! - Next reunion Aug 19-20, 2005
Est. March 31, 2000 72,288 Previous Hits Monday - March 7, 2005
Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly, Joy Rubins Morris, Rainer Klauss, Bobby Cochran, Collins (CE) Wynn, Eddie Sykes, Don Wynn, Paula Spencer Kephart, Cherri Polly Massey
Contributors: The Members of Lee High School Classes of 64-65-66 and Others
Boy, what a week! After a great weekend and a visit from my brother Don on Monday, I started Tuesday with a nagging cough that kept getting worse until it turned into flu like symptoms.
I missed work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, finally getting back on Friday. Today we had our last regular season basketball game, and so I came home from that with absolutely no pre-work done on this week's issue.
Thanks to Barbara for coming through with her great name story to get me off the hook.
Please include your name and class year with your e-mail to me.
T. Tommy
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Your Current Information Needed
for Reunion Committee
and Website Mailings
1964-65-66 Alumni - Click on the button above to submit your current information to the Reunion Committtee planning the 2005 Reunion if you haven't already done so.
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Last Week's
Lee-Bay Item
This Week's
Lee-Bay Item
From Our
Mailbox
Name The General
Lehman Williams, Class of '64 - Name the General - I believe it is Jed Clampet before he stuck oil.
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The photo was sent in by Jeff Fussell, Class of '66 - I was browsing the "Lost Classmate" section and noticed Leon Benefield under "Class of 66". Leon and I were good friends in the 8th & 9th grades at Lee. He moved with his family to Fort Payne at the end of the 9th grade. So, technically speaking he is not LHS
Class of '66 although his name may have still been on the rolls after his departure. As was the case for many of us at the time, we just lost touch.
I had the pleasure of speaking with him today for the first time in 42 years. Although his time at Lee was cut short, he is undoubtedly remembered by many of his classmates. He is the retired chair of Science & Mathematics at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton, GA. He is still living with his wife Caroline in Tifton. I would be pleased to nominate Leon as an honorary member emeritus of the class of 1966.
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Jeff Fussell, Class of '66 - The Fortune Telling Fish is still around and apparently in the same package. My 8 year-old "won" one of these at a school fund-raiser and it's identical. As far as fortune telling -- if your hand is warmer than room temperature, it's really all you need to know. The one we have (or had) curls up when you put it in the palm of your hand. Depending on varying temperature, the "head" or the "tail" might lift up first -- sometimes both. Wheee!! (The US Navy Frogmen were a lot more fun.)
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Subject:Store on Maysville Rd.
Jess Mason
Class of '05
The old store on Maysville Rd. closed in 1982. My neighbor owned the store but she pased away in 2002, and her son in Hazel Green now owns the property.
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Subject:Thanks
John Turrentine
Class of '65
Tommy, Thanks for all your work on the website. I can't imagine how you do it. Jane and I are really looking forward to August and it will be, I'm sure, the best ever. Lots of old friends gone though. Keep it up!
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Subject:Basketball Days
J.R. Brooks
Class of '64
Of course, I remember the basketball games in 1963-64, mostly because I had the best seat in the house--on the front row sitting on the bench. Our best players were Greg Dixon and Larry Ray, although Carl Segler and Jack Meeks were very good rebounders and Don Cornelius an effective point guard. I remember the Butler game you mentioned well because that night we could not miss a shot. We defeated Butler by 27 points. There is no telling how many points Greg scored that night--and this was well before three point shots were in the rules.
As I recall it, one game--and it may have been the Butler game--the players practically had to call the substitutions and the timeouts ourselves because the wife of Coach Robert McDaniel had just delivered a child and his mind was not in the game at all. Maybe one of the others can remember the details of that night better than I can.
We had a decent, but not great, year. I think we defeated most teams, including Huntsville and Butler, in our gym, but lost when we played in their gym. Of course, our best players were juniors in 1964. I think Lee was a lot more successful in basketball in 1965.
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Subject:Hall of Fame Induction
Greg Patterson
Class of '68
Carl McCulley, class of 1967, will be inducted into the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame on Monday, April 18. The banquet will be held at the North Hall at the VBC. If you would like to purchase tickets, contact me at 256-880-8179. They are $25 each or $200 for a table of 8.
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Subject:Wow!
Richard Lyons
Class of '66
This is the first time I've visited the website----it's great!!! Hope to see you all at reunion this year.
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Subject:Web Site
Phil Stewart
Class of '66
What a great site ! It's been too many years, seems as if I'd been out of the country for past notices from friends about reunions. Look forward to seeing as many of you as possible this coming August at the re-union.
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Another Loss in our Fami-LEE
Butch McDougal writes: I am sad to report the lost of the father of two of our former basketball stars. Jack and Ken Meeks' father passed away this week.Seeing the basketball team picture in this week`s post I would like to place names with their faces.
Published in The Huntsville Times on 2/25/2005.
Henry Meeks
Died Feb. 23, 2005
Henry Floyd Meeks, 91, of Huntsville died Wednesday. Mr. Meeks was a lifelong resident of Madison County and a World War II veteran. He was retired civil service. Preceding him in death was his wife, Lucille Meeks. Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Jack C. and Becky Meeks and Kenneth F. and Cathey Meeks all of Huntsville; two grandsons, Jeff and his wife, Penny Meeks and Brett and his wife, Donna Meeks; two granddaughters, Jennifer and Kimberly Meeks; six great-grandchildren, Harrah, Blake, C.J. and Britt Meeks, and Alan and Chris Burfitt; and a number of nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Berryhill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Emerson Lyle officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
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Week Ending May 29, 1965
1. In The Chapel - Elvis Presley
2. Vodoo Woman - Bobby Goldsboro
3. Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte - Patti Page
4. Wolly Bully - Sam Tehe Sham
5. Back In My Arms - Supremes
Pick of the Week - Herman's Hermits
Bomb of the Week - Mr. Baker, The Undertaker - Ray Stevens
