Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

MEMPHIS, TN - Sue and I are headed to Branson, Missouri later this week for a reunion of the bomber and taker crews from the Vietnam Bombing Campaign. The group is called the Arc Light/Young Tigers and it will be the first time I have seen some of the participants since the end of the Vietnam War. I hope that the hotel has internet, but if it does not, it will be Monday night efore the next issue comes out.

Please include your class year with your e-mails.

T. Tommy

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A New Look For Huntsville

To an Old Huntsvillian

by Tommy Towerry

Class of '64

Those of you who still live in Huntsville may wonder why I bother to write about this. It's for those of your classmates who do not live in Huntsville that are the target of this short article.

One of the surprises I had during the mini-reunion trip to Huntsville last month was where several of us went to eat that evening. Rather than our normal jaunt to Mullins', Sue and I joined Linda Taylor and Glenn and Rose Marie James at Cantina Laredo at Bridge Street Town Centre.

First off, I had no idea what Bridge Street Town Centre was, not to mention where it was. For those of us who no longer reside in Huntsville, we are sometimes unaware of the changes that are taking place in the town we left behind after graduation.

Accepting the invite to go eat, Sue and I followed Linda to what appeared to be a shopping center at first sight. It turned out to be much more than just a shopping center. Here's what I found on the Internet about it:

Description:

Bridge Street Town Centre is the premier mixed-use lifestyle center in Huntsville, Alabama. Featuring over 70 upscale shops and restaurants, the 210-room Westin Huntsville Hotel with 74 luxury residential units occupying the top five floors, a 14-screen Monaco Pictures and a six story office tower. The property also features a customer service centre, 10-acre lake with gondola boats and water craft rentals, carousel, fountains and lots of green open spaces.

Location:

At the corner of Old Madison Pike and Research Park Boulevard in the heart of Cummings Research Park.

One of the attractions is La Bella Gondolas which can take you for a ride in the lagoon built into the mixed use area.

The food was good, and the company was better. For those of you who live out of town, you need to visit this place on your next visit. After a lot of thinking, I decided that it reminds me most of some of the things that are in the Orlando area.

Here's the link to their website:

http://www.bridgestreethuntsville.com/

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Sarajane Steigerwald Tarter, Class of '65 - The mystery photo this week is Don Stroud ('65), Jim Pierce ('64) and my best friend for almost 50 years Judy Scarborough Milner ('65).

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Carolyn Burgess Featheringill, Class of '65 - Tommy, I'm going to identify the mystery classmates as I was there; however, if someone else does so, use their e-mail instead of mine. But, come to think of it, I'm not cheating. I'm just using this as another opportunity to thank you and tell you what a good time I (and everyone else) had! They are Don Stroud, Jim Pierce and Judy Scarborough Milner in the foreground and Joan Graybill Lucas and Debbie Christiansen Thompson in the background.

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Subject:New Members of the Fami-LEE

Bob Alverson

Class of '65

Above are two pictures made today (9/11/08). Benjamin Callaway Alverson was born on 9/10/08 in Chattanooga. He weighed 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20 3/4 inches long. Proud grandparents are Bob ('65) and Mary ('67) Hicklin Alverson. Ben is our 5th grandson, can't seem to get a girl.

Just wanted to share our joy with everyone.

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Subject:Lee's Traveller

Brenda (Carter) Miller

Class of '68

What a great way to communicate with everyone. When are y'all going to have another "Mini Reunion" - maybe we could be included too.

From: Huntsville

Email: bmiller@apid.com

(Editor's Note - Brenda...everyone was invited to this mini-reunion and will be invited to the next one as well.)

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Longtime Alabama TV personality

"Cousin Cliff" dies

Posted by Associated Press September 09, 2008

(Submitted by Bruce W. Fowler)

(Editor's Note: Many of us should remember this TV star of our childhood days.)

BIRMINGHAM -- James Clifton "Cousin Cliff" Holman Jr., a longtime Birmingham television personality, has died after entertaining generations of children across central Alabama. He was 79.

Holman was surrounded by family members when he died from Alzheimer's disease Monday night at Shepherd's Grove respite care center in Albertville, his daughter, Lynn Brown, said.

"He was just a good man. I'm going to miss him -- corny jokes and everything," she said.

For many who grew up in central Alabama starting in the 1950s, "Cousin Cliff" was a legend of local TV.

In an interview earlier this year with The Birmingham News, Everett Holle recalled hiring the Birmingham comedian and magician at WVTM-TV in 1954 to star on a children's show then known as "The Tip-Top Clubhouse."

It became "Cousin Cliff's Clubhouse."

"He did five shows a week, with 20 or 30 kids a show," Holle said. "That's more than 100 kids a week, 5,000 kids a year. Plus their parents. So his fan base was huge."

In 1969, Holman moved his show to an Anniston station, where it ran for another three years.

In 1990, WBRC-TV in Birmingham brought back a Saturday morning version of "Cousin Cliff's Clubhouse," which ran for about three years.

Birmingham musician Bobby Horton grew up watching "Cousin Cliff" and later performed with him.

"One thing that never fails, when anybody mentions Cousin Cliff, they smile. That shows you what kind of joy he brings to people, and brought to people," he said.

Survivors, besides his daughter, include his wife, Ann; a son, Kyle Holman; and two grandchildren. Another son, Cliff Holman III, died in 2006.

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HOW TO TELL

YOU ARE NOT MOM'S FAVORITE

Submitted by Linda Beale Walker, Class of '66