Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

MEMPHIS, TN - Thanks to all of you who e-mailed me concerned about the tornados which ripped through Tennessee and the rest of the South last week. Sue and I are fine and we had no damage to our house or the houses of any of our close friends.

This will be a little short this week again, since I just got back into town and am feeling a little tired. See story to the right for the reason.

Please include your class year with your e-mails.

T. Tommy

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Helping When You Can

by Tommy Towery

Class of '64

After reading about the lack of help for Katrina victims, I decided that I wanted to find a way to help others if something like that should ever happen again. When I joined the Tennessee State Guard back in November, I never realized that I would get that chance so soon.

The deadly tornados that ripped through the South last Tuesday night put Union University in Jackson, Tennessee at Ground Zero. About noon Wednesday I got an email that said we were being activated to assist with the tornado recovery effort there. This effort was especially close to my heart since I work at a university myself. The University of Memphis was let out at 2:30pm on Tuesday in anticipation of the storm, but never really felt that it would hit so close.

Out of 51 Union University students injured from Tuesday night's tornado, nine remain in care at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, according to president David Dockery. Their injuries are not life threatening, he said. There were about 1,200 students on campus when the storm hit, Dockery said.

I arrived at the campus at 4:15pm on Wednesday, 18 hours after the storm hit, and it looked like a war zone. One fellow guardsman who had served in Iraq said the back parking lot looked like the "Highway of Death". Our task was to provide security during the night to keep looters away. During the daylight hours we assisted the students in trying to recover valuable property left in their rooms like credit cards, driver's license, medicine, and passports. That gave me the best feeling of the whole time spent there. They were so grateful for even the smallest finds of important things. One girls was in tears when we were able to return a blanket that her grandmother had made for her when she went off to college.

We stayed two nights and parts of three days before the recovery effort could be taken over by university personnel and other volunteers and the Jackson Police Department. I know that our presence there allowed the police to cover other parts of the city.

I was not in Huntsville when the big tornado hit there, but from past stories I know several of you were. If you wish to share your experiences your classmates might be interested. Here's some photos I took.

Subject:The Tornados

Linda Beal Walker

Class of '66

The tornado missed Milan. I didn't have anywhere to go so I was really praying for safety and protection. It went thru Medina and Lavinia and Medina is seven miles from Milan. Once again we were lucky. I just sent you pictures of Union but if you were there you saw the worst. I haven't driven by Union yet, but my co-workers tell me that it looks like a bomb exploded. I am so thankful that no one was badly injured or worse. I have seen a bit of the destruction the path made through some of the fields and subdivisions that I pass on my route to work. It always amazes me how one or two house are totally destroyed and the next one may be missing a few shingles. Chuck Holliday, one of the Associates in our firm, had roof damage, but his neighbor's house had only a corner left standing. One of the pictures that Chuck emailed to us at the office shows the dining room of his neighbor's house. The roof is gone and ceiling is gone but the ceiling light fixture is still hanging there. Amazing.

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Subject:New Grandchild

Judy Bills Tate

Class of '65

Warren and I just returned from Boston for the birth of our tenth grandchild, Tessa Angelina Villatoro, born on January 22, 2008. Proud parents are Thania (our daughter) and Anton. She has two big sisters Kalista, 3 years old and Zelena, 21 months old. Here is a picture of Tessa and Grandma!

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Subject:60th Birthday

Jim Bannister

Class of '66

Many of my classmates have discussed in The Traveller how they planned to mark their 60th birthday. As I recall some were going skydiving, balloon riding, taking cruises, etc. I plan to denote my 60th with a very significant event. I will switch from boxers to briefs. If I live to be 70, I'll go complete commando. HAPPY 60th Birthday to all my '66 Classmates.

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Subject:Last Picture Show

Craig Bannecke

Class of '65

Well Folks, Friday, 1 February 2008 is my last day.

I'm heading into the sunset after 35 years and nine months. I've had a wonderful civil service career. The good Lord has richly blessed me and I want the attached photo to be the picture that comes to mind anytime I might cross your mind.

Bobby Bowden has always replied when ask why he hasn't retired ? "When you retire there is only one big event left ".......well I don't know what his big event is but mine is fishing and sitting on a dove stool in some South Carolina dove field with a good dog at my side and a shotgun across my lap. Take Care and God Bless. "It's been Great"

Anytime your traveling East or West on I-20 and cross the Georgia - South Carolina state line your always welcome at the Bannecke's. (Hope you like fried fish and grilled dove)

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