Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

More Distant

And Surprising SMRs

Tommy Towery, Class of '64 - Last week I wrote about several Spontaneous Micro-Reunions (SMR) which I had experienced. An SMR was defined as running into a Lee classmate at an unexpected time in an unexpected place. The stage must be set to show how really strange this SMR really was.

During my first few years at Lee, I ran around with Lewis Brewer, Bob Walker, and Bob’s cousin Larry Dale Bryant. All of these but Larry ended up graduating from Lee, but Larry moved back to Gulfport, Mississippi before he graduated. During the time we made many trips up and down Parkway between Jerry’s and Shoney’s. We also made several trips up and down Monte Sano, throwing cherry bombs at cars parked at the lookouts up there. I am sure we startled many lovers with those explosions.

I stated in my book, "A Million Tomorrows...Memories of the Class of '64," that after school was over we all went our seperate ways. Eventually Lewis went into the Navy, Bob went into the Army, I went into the Air Force, and Larry joined the Marines. I always found that ironic.

In 1972 I was sent to Guam with the B-52 wing to which I was assigned, and ran into one guy that I knew from Huntsville Junior High, but that does not meet the criteria for this SMR, which is an unexpected encounter with a Lee classmate at an unexpected place.

I did, however, have an SMR with someone that did fully meet the requirements. I was buying some groceries at the Andersen Air Force Base commissary and had just paid for my purchase and was headed for the door. Just as I passed the checkout stand next to me, I ran into a fellow in an Air Force uniform who had just finished checking out as well. I looked up and was shocked to see that it was Larry Dale Bryant. I was caught off guard for several reasons, the first of which was that he was in the Air Force uniform and not a Marine uniform. It seems that he had served his hitch in the Marines and then joined the Air Force, and like me, got sent to Guam with the B-52 build-up of bombing Vietnam.

I had not seen Larry since the summer following my graduation from Lee when I had gone down to Gulfport to visit with Bob, who had also moved back there. Larry had been to Memphis for training in the Marines at Millington Air Station, but at the time he came through, it was one of the summers when I was working at the YMCA camp at Lake Pickwick and was not at home. He came by and visited my parents for a full day, and that was the last I had heard from him.

We got together a few times in Guam and visited and talked over the good old days, but soon after that either he or I re-deployed back to the states and that was my last contact with him.

For me that incident holds the record for the SMR that was the most distant from Lee High School, and the oddest run-in I ever experienced with an old classmate.

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Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly, Class of '64 - I've only had two SMR's that I can recall. Since both occurred in Huntsville, they might not seem so unusual, but since we have lived out of the state for more than 30 years, they were significant to me.

The first SMR occurred many years ago. Ed and I had purchased an old '56 Seeburg Selectomatic-100 jukebox and while we were visiting in Huntsville, we noticed a place which sold jukeboxes that was located on South Parkway. (It may not be technically South Parkway, but it's heading in that direction.) We had quite a collection of old 45's between us, and decided to stop in there to look for more. As we were leaving, I suddenly got the urge for Gibson's BBQ. Since we were already reasonably close, we decided to drive on down by the river. While we were enjoying the world's best BBQ, and I was thinking, "It just doesn't get any better than this," it did. I heard, "Aren't you Barbara Wilkerson?" I looked up to see Gale Thompson! What a wonderful surprise! She's still as sweet as ever, and we took a few moments to catch up, also. Seeing Gale brought up memories of the band. She played flute, if I remember correctly, as well as marching as one of Lee's majorettes.

The second SMR occurred when Ed and I were looking for plans to build our previous house in Anderson. Michael, Ed's brother, is a landscape architect and told us to go check out some of the houses in Hampton Cove where he'd done some work. We saw an open house and decided to go in. I noticed that the realtor looked very familiar, but couldn't quite place her face at first. I don't even remember who asked first, but I think she said, "Are you Barbara Wilkerson?" At that moment, I said, "Are you Shirley Drinkard?" Shirley, Charlotte Massey, and I were all best friends in the 8th grade at LJHS. We all played in the band (Charlotte and I played clarinet, and I think Shirley played flute), and spent many hours during the summer months trying not to pass out in the parking lot from marching with the band in the heat. In fact, I think Shirley did bite it on one occasion. We had a very interesting time catching up. Her last name is Bowman now. She gave me her card so we could keep in touch, and I know I have it somewhere "safe," and it WILL surface one of these days. If anyone knows a Shirley Bowman who's a realtor, I'd appreciate hearing from you. (If anyone remembers where my "safe" place is, I'd also like to get a note!) Shirley didn't graduate with us -- I think she graduated from BHS in '64, but I say, "Once a General, always a General."

It is strange to be travelling in some distant place and encounter someone from your hometown. When we were visiting out west in 1987, we noticed that the car parked next to us in Colorado had a 47 Alabama tag. The people arrived at their car at almost the exact same moment we were preparing to leave. We didn't know each other, but we enjoyed the fact that two Huntsvillians (even though Ed and I were South Carolina transplants at the time) ended up in the same state at the same hotel. Ed and I just returned from Aruba last month and met a couple from Huntsville. She had graduated from HHS and he had graduated from Grissom. He was wearing an Auburn shirt, and I just couldn't resist calling, "Hey, Auburn!" So they turned around to talk, I moved my things off the next chair, and we caught up on Huntsville. They were younger than Ed and I, but we did have some things in common . . . read "Zesto" here, as well as a couple of people. I told her about our website, and she thought it was wonderful that we have such a close group from LHS.

There's nothing, however, like having "Close Encounters of a General Kind," in whatever capacity they may occur. I wish them on all of you!!!

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Charlie Hancock, Class of '66 - I saw Barry Koehler in Auburn, WA in 1973. (He died just recently.)

I was working at the Albertson's Grocery store as a checker in those days. He came thru my line. I thought "That guy sure looks like Barry "TEX" Koehler." To be certain, I asked for his ID for the beer he was buying. Of course, we were both 25 yr old or so at the time. It WAS Barry. I think he didn't recognize me. He got his change and left in a hurry. I never saw him again. He probably thought "Who WAS that guy???"

While working at the Balboa Hosp (San Diego) Blood bank, I saw a young Marine recruit that told me we were in Sr English together. His name escapes me now. His unit of blood helped lots of other Marines at Balboa recovering from wounds in the Vietnam War. That was 1968.

I'm certain I've crossed paths unknowingly with other classmates of 1966 since.

I brewed some homebrew beer with John Hargrove a few yr ago. I called by phone a few months ago and he said he's considering retirement after a career as an engineer at Boeing. A high percentage of the "baby boomers" want to eject from their jobs at 55 to do something else more fun. Imagine that!

Thanks for the fine job you're doing with the weekly edition.

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Gary Kinkle, Class of '64 - I remember the encounter with Tommy in Central City very well.

I was in the Colorado National Guard in the early 70's. At one of the morning role-calls I heard the name John Baites called. I thought, hey I know a John Baites, however, I did not see who had answered. When my name was called, John Baites turned and waved. It was the same John from Lee.

While living in Miami, in another encounter, Harold Tuck called. He had moved to Miami. We visited many times, drinking beer, eating ribs, and went to a few baseball games. Harold moved out of Miami shortly before he passed away.

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Let's Go to the Movies

by Eddie Sykes

Class of '66

During my pre-Lee days in Huntsville, I developed two life long passions. I've written several articles that talked about my passion for Football. It started by listening to Alabama football on the car radio. This was back in the days when only one college football game was televised nationally per week and it was rarely a Southeastern Conference game. So, I would lie down in the front-seat of the family car and listen to the football game on the AM radio. One interesting side note that most of you never knew is that, the 1965 Lee vrs Sheffield or Muscle Shoals (not sure which one) was the first high-school game televised in the state of Alabama.

However, today I am writing about my other passion which is "Movies". We called it going to the "show" and for me that meant the Lyric Theater. My earliest memory was that it cost 15 cents for children. For a quarter you could see a double feature, a feature cartoon, a newsreel, get a coke and popcorn. I always made a whole day out it. I would ride my bike to the show and stop on the way at Mullins for a chili dog or Krystals downtown for a couple 10 cent hamburgers. The Lyric was the only "white" theater downtown, back then, and they usually changed movies once a week. Each week they would show the previews of the movie that was coming the following week and I usually went regardless of what it was. Nearly all movies were suitable for the whole family but when not it would be stated the movie was for "adults only".

During the summer months on Saturday mornings, Golden Flake Potato Chip Company sponsors free movie admission with an empty bag from one of their products. This was usually a second run or "B" movie. Since, "B" movies were usually a Western or a Monster movie, it made no difference to me. These events always included a serial like "Flash Gordon" that required you to come back the next week to see the conclusion. Golden Flake also gave away prizes to contest or ticket drawing winners. I won a cake from a drawing one time. I won a silver dollar in a contest another time for "walking across the stage and back in front of hundreds of screaming kids and keeping the most beans on a table-knife" .

During my elementary school days I was a safety parole and got into the Lyric free on Friday afternoons. During my high-school days at Lee my best friend, Ken Martz, brother was the manager at the Lyric and he would let us in free. All of these experiences made lasting impressions on me. Even today, "I am a sucker for free" and I still love movies as well as the Lyric Theater. Today, one great thing about those two passions is that there is more football and movies, available 24 hours a day, than I could ever watch. If you have read any of the other articles that I have written you probably noticed that I love to write about "then and now" and reflect on the impact of those changes. Sometimes the hardest thing about writing is deciding on the topic and staying focused on one subject. Over the next few months, with my editors approval, I will be writing about movies that capture the essence of those changes. I will write about how movies have changed. I will share some to the techniques that have been employed by movie makers to shorten movies and condense the story-line to under two hours. Sometimes I will give a brief review of a movie that I recommend and why (both old & new) including some background information or incites to watch for that might enhance your movie experience.

Hopefully this will become another participation point. What movies have left a powerful impact on you and why ? Let me close with an example.

Between Christmas and New Years this year while flipping the channels looking for a football game, I saw a movie being advertised about "Bear" Bryant. So I tuned in and watched "The Junction Boys". Being a "Bama" fan and even a bigger "Bear" fan, I was amazed that I had never heard of that movie. The movie was about his early days at Texas A&M ( team that Gene Stallins played on). There were so many similarities between how he conducted practice and ran the team and on how we were coached at Lee. I realized that 10 years after A&M that Bryant's successful coaching model had been replicated to our level. I realized that the man I idolized had actually influenced my life much more than I knew. That movie touched me more than all the football games I saw in the following days.

The "Bear" also advertised "Golden Flake Potato Chips" which I loved... but that love I must admit was due to the free movies at the Lyric.

(Who can give the name of another theater that was around while we were kids that is not shown above?)

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Subject:Jack Dickerson

Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly

Class of '64

Jack and I used to carpool together at Lee! I don't even remember what grades we were in at the time, but I think it could have been the eighth through the tenth. Mrs. Ruth Hodges, who worked in the lunchroom, drove us along with her daughter, Carolyn, and Jack's sister, Jill (I think that was her name). I lived on Irondale Drive, and Carolyn and the Dickersons lived on Stringfield Road. I can remember us all sitting in the car talking in the mornings because Mrs. Hodges had to get there VERY early. I think we left home at 7:00 AM!!!! Maybe Jack will recall some of that better than I did. Hi to Jack! Nice to see you checking in!!

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Subject:Gudrun Wagner

Eddie Burton

Class of '66

Gudrun Wagner is just a beautiful as she was 40 years ago. She and Rainer must be very proud of their young man.

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Subject:Ms. Margaret Nelson

Andrea Gray Roberson

Class of '66

Today at work I saw Ms. Nelson. It was good to see her and I told her I was going to give the reunion committee her mailing address so they can send out the information to she. Her e-mail address is cricketnelson@aol.com if you would like to add her to your list. She said she has lots of great things from the past that she thinks we would all love to see. I hope she can come plus I gave her the web-page for her to read all of the crazy things from the past and present.

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Subject: Reunion for calsses of 69-70-71

Liz Butler

Class of '71

Please post that the reunion for classes of 1969, 1970, and 1971 is planned for August 27th at the Lodge on Monte Sano. Please contact Liz Butler at 533-9370 or Jackie Harding at 536-2056 for more information. Liz Butler lizbutler52@knology.net

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Subject:

Golf Tourney at Reunion

Lehman Tiger Woods

Class of '64

Any details on the Golf outing on Saturday, Aug 20th? How many? What time? Where? Does the course have clubs to rent or do I need to bring mine? Would be great to have Gary Kinkle play, if we can find clubs short enough.

(Editor's Note: Lehman, as of this time, we have only had four people send in an e-mail saying they were interested in playing golf on Saturday of the reunion. You, me, Vern Lucas, and Mike Cianci. Those are the ONLY official e-mails. Others talked about it, but no one made a committment. It's not too late, but we need to get a better head count. Otherwise, the four of us will just have to go get a t-time and have fun as a foursome.)

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To All the Kids Who Survived

The 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

submitted by Dianne Hughey McClure

Class of '64

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitch hiking.

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick-up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were OK.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms.........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cuts, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out

very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovations and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS!

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own

good. While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.

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