Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Kevin Rice, Class of '71 - I guessing on this week's photo to be Roy's jeep Nellie Belle.

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Jeff Fussell, Class of '66 - When I want a closer look at the mystery photo, I copy it to the desktop and use the picture viewer to enlarge it. When I did so this morning, the picture was no longer redacted. I have to disqualify myself.

The Sears catalog cover above the picture of "Neelybelle" indirectly sparked one of my fondest childhood Christmas memories. That was the arrival of the rotogravure Western Auto Christmas toy catalog. I don't remember Sears ever coming close to the selection that Western Auto had. There must have been 20 pages of toys. The bigger Western Auto stores set up huge "Toyland" sections that paled today's super store toy departments into insignificance.

Bypassing the section with the girl's junk (conveniently segregated for easy removal and disposal), my brothers and I simultaneously pored over every page, vetting every item with clinical scrutiny. We read descriptions in detail, weighed the relative fun factor, and imagined owning each and every one. Finally we presented our parents with the tattered and dog-eared remains complete with circles around the "short list" of items including names of who wanted what. RIP Western Auto, we miss you.

Thanks for another great year, Tommy. May your fold multiply. Lee's Traveller makes my Monday mornings a lot more enjoyable. Happy New year to all of our Lee Family as well.

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Shirley Latta Gomez, Class of '71 - Is that Clarabelle from Roy Rogers?

(Editor's Note: Shirley, you got the last night right but missed the first name. Clarabelle was on the Howdy Doody show...Nellybelle was the jeep's name.)

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Bob Cochran, Class of '64 - The "Mystery Item" you illustrated is a "jeep," and it looks similar to the one that Roy Rogers' sidekick drove in the 1950's TV show. I believe that vehicle's nickname was "Nellybelle."

I don't remember who enlightened us, but one of our classmates wrote some time back that the name "jeep" was short for "general purpose," or "jeep."

All our very best wishes to everyone for a wonderful holiday season.

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Editor's Note: Now that we've identified Nelliebelle, who can identify the sidekick and the famous quote associated with him and the jeep?

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Subject:Last Week's Traveller

Kevin Rice

Class of '71

Still doing a WONDERFUL job on the web site. I see more and more names showing up that brings back a memory here and there. Last week, I believe, Tim Lull wrote in to the Traveller. I sent him an email and he replied and as a result of the communication I'm crashing the "1967 TVC Champions" reunion tomorrow nite as the photographer. Hope I make it pass the door.

Also an article on the Christmas wreaths and the "Patriot Gaurd Riders" that escorted the Family and wreath truck http://patriotguard.org

Happy Holidays

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Subject:Last Week's Issue

Linda Beale Walker

Class of '66

Tommy,

Thank you for this...

"It is time to remember and celebrate the friendships of the “Happy golden days of yore.” It is time to express yourself to those who are near to you while the “Fates” still give you that opportunity. We do not know what the future holds, but we do have some control on the present, and we need to be aware and take advantage of that.

For all of my classmates, I want to remind you that perhaps this Christmas it is time to send that card, or make that call that lets your own friends know how dear they are to you."

Each year I mail out 60, more or less, Christmas cards. My family and co-workers think this is a waste of money. I do not. I send cards to family, old friends and new friends. I know that I won't get a card in return from each and every one of them. I don't expect to, but the receiver of the card does know that I am thinking of them and that they are not forgotten. So far, I have not received a card back "Return to Sender" from any of the ones I mail out so I know that, hopefully, that person is still around.

Thank you again, Tommy, for creating and putting together this week's issue.

To all, have a Merry and Blessed Christmas from Milan, Tennessee.

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Subject:Christmas Traveller

Chip Smoak

Class of '66

Happy New Year Fami-LEE,

I have heard it said that one does not really die as long as they are remembered by at least one person.

Thank you, Tommy for helping all of us keep our classmates alive in our memories.

Tommy quoted a song last week so I want to paraphrase a line from one this week that applies to all of us. We're too young to be this danged old.

Paula, I will gladly pray for your mother and your son.

It is a shame that either is ill at this time of year but I pray that God will give the doctors the wisdom to heal both of them. I can say from personal experience that God does answer prayer, often in ways we do not expect and ways that are far better than anything we imagine. The more prayers the better.

I hope that each of you had a great Christmas and was able to celebrate it with the awe and wonder of a child, especially the Christmas Eve service at whatever church you attended, or at least through the eyes of grandchild. I also hope that each of you celebrated the coming of the New Year safely to keep our rolls as full as possible.

I wish each of you health and happiness and God's blessings in 2007.

Happy New Year,

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Subject:Looking...

L.B. Dean

Class of '67

cbaker50@verizon.net

Does anybody know how to contact Steve Green (Class of '66)? I graduated in '67 and would love to hear from old buddies.

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Subject:Christmas Issue

Eddie Burton

Class of '66

Tommy, you never fail to amaze me. This Christmas issue was absolutely beautiful. The way you grasped the lyric from "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" is truly right on. You have the mind of a journalist and the heart of a poet. I can't think of a better combination to be a great writer. You're the man!!

Thanks so much for caring about our troops and our country and thanks so much for you service to our nation. I'm honored to be your classmate. I was drafted in 68 but when I went down to Montgomery for my physical they discovered things about my body that I didn't know, like an irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure. They brought me back every 6 months for 2 years then finally gave me a 4-F of which I'm not proud. I think in the Viet Nam war we lost 50,000 of our brightest and best and that's sad. I pray that we don't do the same thing in the Middle East. I pray you and yours have the best Holiday season of your lives. May you have a Christmas of wonder like a child and a healthy, happy 2007.

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Subject:Bob Hope

Jim Bannister

Class of '66

Christmas 1969 I was stationed at NCS(T) Barragada, Guam. This was the transmitter site for the Naval Communications Sataion Guam. We only had about 60 people stationed there with a Lt. Commander in charge. The most outstanding thing about Beautiful Radio Barragada was that it was surrounded by the Navy Golf Course (Still one of the best golf courses that I have ever played). Bob Hope did his Christmas Show at Anderson AFB , I had to work so I was unable to go. The next day I had JOOD duty and we were informed that Bob Hope was going to helo in to our pad to play golf. His foursome was Jerry Colona (his sidekick), COMNAVFORMARIANNAS (the Admiral), and The Governor of Guam. There was more Brass and dignitaries than our little base had ever seen. The Chief Petty Officer who was the OOD, our two Duty Seaman, and I were the only enlist personnel anywhere near the area. When the helo landed two senior officers went out and got the golf clubs, Bob Hope got out and came straight over to us instead of going to the side with the Brass. He made a joke about the "Caddies" and asked us "Who do you have to know to get stationed on a golf course?" He cut a couple of other jokes then wander over to where all the Dignitaries were waiting for him. All of this was being filmed but it never made the TV. They played golf then left by motorcade. My duty crew were station celebrities for a few days but the memories are forever. Christmas and war has just not been the same without Bob Hope.

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Subject:Christmas

Don Blaise

Class of '64

Hope your Christmas was good as mine. I got to spend it with my children and grandchildren. The class of 64’ was blessed in many ways and one of them was our coming home in one piece from service in Vietnam. May God bless you and yours.

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Subject:My surgery

Lehman Williams

Class of '64

The surgery went well, except for the pain and the scar. The morphine helped. I lost 15 pounds but would not recommend this surgery as a weight loss program. The lab results show a clear path around the tumor, did not spread, the lymph nodes are clear and the cancer was stage 1. The surgeron said we caught it at the earliest possible time and that he got it all. I got lucky and dodged a bullet. I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers. Looks like the "Lehman Express" will ride again. I don't think I will slow down, just appreciate the speed a little more. Colors look brighter and I seem to appreciate life a little better. My appetite and sense of taste have not returned yet but I think the morphine has something to do with that.

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Subject:Christmas Issue

Rose “Sharon Towery” Linsky

Class of ‘65

Thank you so much for sharing your Christmas memories and insights with us, which were especially poignant against the musical background you provided. As the Fami-Lee looks forward to another year, may we be especially mindful of past and present friendships and the many blessings God has bestowed upon us as well. Your and your staff members dedication to keeping this website current and perspective is one of those special blessings. Thank you all for your dedication and effort to keep us all informed and “in touch.”

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Subject:Looking for Classmate

Ken Mead

Guest

Hi, Tommy.

Don Wynn refers me to you and to the Lee's Traveller website.

I understand that the site's focus is on the '64-'66 classes, but I'm considering every source for information.

My name is Ken Mead, a fellow schoolmate of Pennee Homan. Pennee and I attended Haddon Twp. H.S. in New Jersey. Pennee left after her Junior year with her family and moved to Huntsville, where she enrolled as a Senior at Lee H.S.. I assume that she graduated in 1967.

Two pictures of her, taken for my 1965 yearbook, are attached to this note.

I've been trying for years to locate her, and I'd value whatever help you can offer. No information will be too obscure, as it often leads to other discoveries:

Did she attend college after HS graduation? If so, where?

Was she close friends with anyone at Lee? If so, with whom?

Could she still have family in Huntsville? If so, what are their names?

Did she date while at Lee? If so, with whom?

Did she marry? If so, with whom?

Anything....anything at all....that you can share with me will be enormously appreciated.

I've corresponded with Cathy Hales of the Huntsville Times. One of Cathy's tasks is to report on reunions; she has no knowledge of plans for a 40-year / '67-class reunion. Strange. Have we missed something?

Many thanks, and Happy Holidays.

(Editor's Note: If anyone has info on Pennee please contact me and I'll see that she gets this request. We do not supply Classmate information without the express consent of the party involved.)

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Christmas at 60

by Tommy Towery

Class of '64

One would question whether Santa got my Christmas wish list mixed up with one from an eight-year-old’s. I didn’t think much of it as I was opening the presents but later on my daughter Tiffany made an astute observation. She was looking at all of my presents, including the ones she got me and said “Dad, you got all the toys a boy could want. Not bad for a 60-year-old!”

She was right. In the photo above you will see most of my presents. Missing is the second pair of Wheelys that I got. Wheelys are the white tennis shoes shown above and you will notice that in the heel is a wheel that allows you to use them as skates as well as walking shoes. I got two pair of them – one from Sue and the other from Tiffany. And yes, before you ask, I can skate on them and I have not busted my butt yet.

I also got a Superman T-shirt, and a box of online computer games. Another present was a set of 15 John Wayne western movies like we used to go see on Saturday mornings at the Lyric and Grand and even the Center Theatres.

Sue also got me a remote control airplane, but her big present to me this year was a gift certificate for a ride in a hot air balloon, which I plan to use on a trip to Nashville when the weather gets warmer. Not, I won’t ride it to Nashville, but I will have to drive there to take advantage of the gift certificate.

Not bad for a 60-year-old, and I would have loved to have got all that when I was a kid. But in retrospect, it’s also kind of neat for people to think that I am still young enough to play with things like roller skates.

So, I’d love to hear from any of you who got something neat this year and you would like to share it with the rest of your Classmates.

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