Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Sarah Elaine Webster

April 22, 1924 - Nov. 16, 2009

The text on the photo above reads: "It is with grateful appreciation that we dedicate the 1964-65 Silver Sabre to Miss Elaine Webster, our guidance counselor. In her four years at Lee she has spent innumerable hours preparing records, interpreting tests, scheduling classes, and writing letters of recommendation. Yet never has anyone been to her office that she hasn’t put aside her paper work with a ready smile and a cheerful “What can I do to help you?” To the Class of ’65 Miss Webster is more than just a teacher; she is a personal friend to every student."

Published in The Huntsville Times on November 18, 2009

Sarah Elaine Webster, born April 22, 1924, of the Wayside community of Winfield died Monday.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Miles Funeral Home. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. with burial in Old Union Cemetery. Russell Carothers and Shane Harris will be the speakers.

Miss Webster was preceded in death by her parents, Sam J. Webster and Etma White Webster; a brother, James S. Webster; and brothers-in-law, Loyd Kull and Jimmy Ryan.

She is survived by her sisters, Mrs. Lavetta W. Kull of St. Joseph, Mich., Mrs. Jean Ryan of Cullman, and Mrs. Bonnie W. and husband Richard Acker of Dothan; her brothers, W.B. and wife Jo Webster of Decatur, Lex and wife Chris Webster of Florence, and Donald and wife Martha Webster of Winfield; a sister-in-law, Robbie White Webster of Wayside; as well as seven nephews; 12 nieces; and numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews; all who love and were loved by, Aunt Elaine.

Miss Webster's many years of education began at Wayside Jr. High School and continued at Winfield High School, Florence State Teachers College (B.S. degree), Birmingham Southern (M.A. degree), and Auburn University (postgraduate). As a career educator, she generously shared her knowledge and talents with students and faculties alike at Winfield High, Jefferson County School system, Decatur High School, Huntsville City schools, and Brewer Jr. College.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Old Union Cemetery Fund, 264 Market St., Winfield, AL 35594 or Philadelphia United Methodist Church, 201 Lamar Road, Guin, AL 35563.

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Father of Mack Yates

Class of '65

William Yates

May 19, 1916 - Nov. 14, 2009

Published in The Huntsville Times on November 16, 2009

William H. Yates, 93, of Huntsville passed away Saturday.

Mr. Yates was a veteran of World War II, serving as sergeant with Army Engineer Combat Battalion, Rhineland and Aleutians campaigns. His service began May 1936 and he retired from the Army in 1961 with 26 years of service with the rank chief warrant officer. Mr. Yates worked with the Alabama National Guard from 1964 until he retired in 1976.

William will be greatly missed by his family. His wife of 68 years, Edith McCullough Yates; son, William Mack Yates and his wife Gina; daughter, Beverly Sue Reed and her husband Tom; four grandsons, Thomas Shane Sanders, William Samuel Sanders and his wife Melissa, Joseph Kendred Yates, and Christopher Mark Yates; two great-grandchildren, Kayla Breanne Morell and William Blake Sanders; three nieces; and one nephew.

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Michael Griffith, Class of ‘66 - I have one of these and I have always wanted to try it out. I don’t remember the exact year, but at some point in the campaign to save the retired Battleship “U.S.S Alabama,” students were asked to give their coins (I seem to remember a quarter being the ask). In return for this donation to save the Battleship and move it to Mobile, students were given the card in the picture. In addition to a proof of donation (I wonder if I could apply ~50 year’s worth of inflation and use it for a tax deduction?!?), it was basically a ticket for admission to tour the U.S.S. Alabama once it was in place and available for tours. Like I said, I still have it and I have thought on several occasions about going to Mobile and trying to use it. Tommy, since you were just there and have the picture, did you try to use it? If so, do they still honor it for admission?

(Editor's Note: Sorry Mike, I did not try to use mine this time, but will check on this when time permits.)

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Mark Robinson, Class of '69 - This week's mystery photo is a charter membership card for the USS Alabama Memorial in Mobile, AL.

I got my membership in 1963 or 1964 at Rison High School, not sure which year it was offered. This was in the 7th grade and it the last year Rison served as a school. Cost was $.10. Went to Chapman for 8th and 9th, then on to Lee.

I do not know where it is now but, at the time, it was an honor to have one since we helped bring the USS Alabama back to the state forever to honor those who served. I think it still is an honor.

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Subject:Scout Uniforms

Gordon Pruitt

Buckhorn Class of '66

Scoutmaster Troop 303, Trinity Methodist

The uniform that we put on each day is what we project to the world of who we are. The Scout uniform is like the uniform of salvation in the Bible. Scouts are or should be required to act at a degree excellence, to leave off part of the uniform does not lower the requirement. You don’t go to battle with part of your armor, no uniform no

Scout, no armor no soldier. If you don’t look like a player then you are probably not one.

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Subject:Scouts

Ginger Cagle Moore

Class of '66

It was kinda funny that you mentioned the Boy Scout thing this time. I said exactly the same thing last week.

Working at Opelika Auburn News we have tons of Boy Scout tours and in the beginning (11 years ago) I saw pieces of uniforms, each boy would have on something that said he was a Boy Scout, one might have on his pants and a plain shirt with the scarf, one might have on a shirt with jeans, one might have on his scarf and hat, shirt in and out, that kinda thing. But it was very rare to see one of them in a complete uniform, and I always think about you and the Scouts you were in, you were always in full uniform looking like a true Boy Scout. I ask myself last week, "I wonder what Tommy thinks of the new dress code for the boy scouts!"

Also, they never act the way you did in Scouts. Most of the kids now act like wild Indians and not controlled Boy Scouts. AND you never see the parents in anything but jeans and I can almost bet you none of them have Scout clothes. I was Scout Mother for Darren and I had the full dress code that I wore every time we went somewhere - navy skirt and the same shirt, etc. But I can never help seeing you when I see these scout groups and I think about how different it is today.

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Subject:Veterans

Charlie Hancock

Class of '66

I greatly enjoyed the recent Veteran Issue. Great job you did, Major! I saw B52 strikes from five miles away on the ground. Very big craters that always had water in them. Good job!

I served as a Navy Hospital Corpsman with infantry Marines in Vietnam in 1971. I had enlisted in the Navy because they were drafting guys into the Marine Corps. I still carried a rifle in Vietnam. As a medic, I had patients when shooting started, so I never fired a round in anger. I was shot at and missed, something else and hit. No purple hearts for me. No visible scars. I know now the Lord made me bulletproof and invisible to the enemy when everything hit the fan. It was definitely an adventure!

I served one enlistment and got out with no regrets. I'm glad I did it, but I'm definitely too old to do it again.

I'm a member of the Marine Corps League and active in Toys for Tots.

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Subject:Veterans

Taylor Wright

Class of '66

I also served in the U.S. Army from March 1968 until October of 1969. I served as a Military Policeman in Vietnam from August 1968 until October 1969 working road security,convoy escort, and general patrol. My battalion in Saigon was involved in the Tet offensive, but luckily I got there right after it was over.

Elbert Balch was asking about Mike Crowl. He did serve in Vietnam. I believe he was in the 4th infantry division. He now lives in Bryan, Texas and Elbert can email me and I will give him his phone number if he wants to call him. wrightbt@comcast.net.

Finally, I was taken aback when I saw your picture of the Eagle scouts. My ex daughter-in-law's dad and uncle are in it - Dillard and Bill Broadway. I had never seen a picture of Dillard when he was young and it surprised me how much my grandson favored him.

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Subject:Veterans

Terry Martin

Class of 65

Tommy, I served in the Air Force as an aircraft mech.-66-70

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Subject:Veterans

Dink Hollingsworth

Class of '65

US Army '66-'69

Ft Sill, Oklahoma '67

USASTRATCOM-Germany '67-'69

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Subject:Veterans

Don Blaise

Class of '64

I served in Vietnam during 1967 and 1968 on board the USS Kittyhawk, CVA 63.

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Subject:Banana Trees

Aaron Potts

aepot@hotmail.com

I have about 5-6 banana trees that produce bananas that I need to "GIVE AWAY" to someone that wants them. .

I started out with two and right now I have a garage full to keep them over the winter, and I still have about 10 sitting outside in 20 gallon plastic garbage containers. Most are big enough to produce banana's next year if they will keep them in a warm place. I'm just trying to get them to anyone that wants them in North Alabama. They will have to have a truck to come and get them. They are in Decatur, Alabama feel free to give out my e-mail address.

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We Might As Well Dance

submitted by "A Friend"

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husand didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together..

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet... We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college...

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord..

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to.......not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butter fly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask ' How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift......Thrown away..... Life is not a race Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

It's National Friendship Week.. Show your friends how much you care.

To those I have sent this to... I cherish our friendship and appreciate all you do.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here we might as well dance!

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