Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

This week's Mystery Photo was taken in 1983, reportedly only a short time before this establishment was demolished. It is much less crowed than during the nights during its hayday. Do you remember what it is? School and class year with emails please.

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Buddy Miller, (Should have been) Class of '64 - I Belive that photo is Jerry's Drive-Inn on the parkway just north of Bob Wallace.

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Charles Gattis, HHS Class of '64 -I was reading your site and found the picture. It's the old Jerry's, I think, where we used to drive around half the night.

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Judy Fedrowisch Kincaid, Class of '66 - No Huntsville Baby Boomer worth their salt could not recognize this week's Mystery Photo. It's JERRY'S!!!

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Linda Taylor, Class of '64 - How could anyone forget this site!! Even if it were demolished, I think we would recognize it from the sight of the ground, the smell, the visual images that immediately come to mind, the sounds, and the aurora around it!! I can still see the line of cars backed up on the Parkway wrapped around the drive-in slots, heads, arms and legs protruding from open windows, voices of greeting, confrontation, attention, bantering, the sight of familiar and unfamiliar faces, the parade of cars to be seen and shown, and the possibility of a connection with the opposite sex, all being thrown across the lot simultaneously. Horns and radios that would make us all cringe today! It was a major piece of culture that defined the age of being a teen in the 1960's. Couldn't tell you what the food tasted like and the only thing I remember ever to be ordered was "cheesburger and fries" with a coke, of course. I still have to have my "cheeseburger and fries" today and it doesn't seem complete without friends, refreshment, laughter and conversation. JERRY'S DRIVE-IN.

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Lehman Williams, Class of '64 - That would be the infamous “Jerry’s Drive Inn” on South Parkway. I could give you hundreds of stories about this hang-out, as well as most of Lee’s 1964 graduates could. They would include hot coffee or cokes to try and sober up, trying to find out the location of a party to go too, looking for girls after you took your date home, or looking for girls if you didn’t have a date, backing into one of the first few lanes so my monkey – “Sloppy” – could sit on the front of the hood so cars could come by and give him beer – we would have to take him home after an hour or so – he got a little feisty after a few beers, and even maybe a burger – but usually it was something to eat around 2:00 a.m. to try and sober up and go home. The band I played in, The Tempest, played every Friday and Saturday night either at Bradley’s or somewhere until midnight and then I would go to Jerry’s, usually with my two partners in crime, Gary Kinkle and Dwight Tuck. We did get into some trouble (what an understatement), but we were so incredibly lucky.

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Linda Beal Walker, Class of '66 - Looks like Jerry's Drive-In Restaurant.

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Gordon Pruitt, Buckhorn HS, Class of '66 -This is the place where hearts were broken and legends were made, Jerry’s Drive-In.

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2010 Reunion Update

by Judy Fedrowisch Kincaid

Class of '66

At this time it looks like the reunion will be held August 21st at the Marriott. The contract is being prepared so we should have a definite confirmation by next week.

As stated previously, if you are planning to attend the reunion and will need accommodations please make them as soon as possible due to the Star Wars Exhibit that will be in town during the summer.

The next reunion committee meeting is scheduled for March 29th. If you are interested in helping plan the reunion, let Tommy know and he will pass it along.

The reunion class contacts are:

Class of ’64 – Linda Taylor

lktaylor731@aol.com

Class of ’65 – Sarajane Steigerwald Tarter

1965lhs2010@gmail.com

Class of ’66 – Judy Fedrowisch Kincaid

jfk19662010@hotmail.com

Please include: Class year, first name; last name at time of graduation; married name (if applicable); spouse’s name (if applicable); street address; city; state; zip code; home ( H ) or cell ( C ) phone number (which ever you prefer); e-mail address; and occupation.

Even if you do not plan to attend or are not sure if you’ll be able to attend the upcoming reunion, please send in your information. And please encourage other classmates that you may be in contact with to do the same.

And check the Traveller each week for planning updates.

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Class of 1964 List With No Contact Info

(Taken from 2005 List)

Scott Anderson

Shirlenn Benton

Sharon Bland

Beverly “Bunny” Bradley

Gary Broadway

Elizabeth Burch (Thompson?)

Janice Cobb (Shannon,Steve)**

Brenda Crabbe (Billy Roland?)

Terry Davis (Cathy)

Cynthia Jane Day Kamat**

James Bruce Duncan

Suzanne Fletcher (Strawn?)

Patricia Fonnegra

Phillip “Pete” Freeman (Karen?)

Betty Green (Byrom?)

Larry Delano Hale**

Alan Michael Hammick

Stanley Hortin (Sara?)

Merle Huff (Helms)**

Martha Hyde

Nicki Lynn Judge

Judith Ellen Keel

Carol Lee Kinney

Connie Rebecca Kirk

Robin Gail Kitson

Phillip Wayne Lankford

Diane Mason (Brown?)

Lynda Matthews

Helen Rebecca McCurdy

Ellen Meekins

Marilyn Moore (Boster?)

**Private email sent via Classmates.com

Fess Parker

Our Generation's "Davy Crockett"

Dies at 85

by Tommy Towery

Class of '64

Last week we lost one of the earliest heroes of our generation. Fess “Davy Crockett” Parker died at 85. Many of us were upset back in 1955 when he died fighting for Texas at the Alamo, even if we never saw him get killed on the screen. Although Crockett and all the defenders perished at the Battle of the Alamo, all we see is Crockett, the last survivor in the battle, on the parapet swinging his rifle at the oncoming hordes of Mexican soldiers. The picture fades and the flag of Texas is shown flying in the breeze.

According to information found at Wikipedia, “Davy Crockett” was the first miniseries in the history of television though the term had not yet been coined. Airing on ABC in five one-hour episodes on the “Disneyland” series, the series stared Fess Parker in the title role and Buddy Ebsen as George Russell.

The series began with "Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter" on December 15, 1954. The second episode was "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress" on January 26, 1955. The third episode was "Davy Crockett at the Alamo" on February 23, 1955. The series and film are known for the catchy theme song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett".

The first three episodes of the miniseries were edited together as the 1955 theatrical film “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.”

The series was so popular that the Disney studios came out was one of the first prequels, as well; looking back to the time before the Alamo’s tragic ending.

In "Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race" on November 16, 1955, Crockett and Russell are fur trapping in Kentucky when they meet Mike Fink, known as the best boatman around and portrayed in the miniseries by Jeff York. Fink challenged Crockett to a keelboat race to New Orleans.

In "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates" from December 14, 1955, Crockett and Russell team up with Fink to catch pirates posing as Indians.

I, and many that I knew, sat up on Sunday nights watching the shows in glorious black and white, even though they were filmed in color. We were wrapped up in the Davy Crockett craze, which we have touched on several times in Lee’s Traveller. Once again I offer for your amusement, the photo of me dressed up in my Davy Crockett outfit in 1955 – complete with beard (which Fess Parker did not have), a World War II M-1, 15-shot carbine, and Converse basketball shoes in case I ran out of bullets and had to escape through the back door of the Alamo and outrun the Mexican Army. Can you see the uncanny resemblance that I had to Fess Parker?

Prom Memories

Rod Dixon, Class of '69 - For all the little brothers who took notes on what our big brothers did wrong so help our casue when it came up a year or two later, I too have some memories of my big brother Greg. I will, however, defer to his classmates first for comments and then I might and a tidbit of information to complete the story. The prom? I know nothing about... The happenings of later that evening? I do. Can't wait to hear the stories!!

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Escoe German Beatty, Class of '65 - In response to your question about prom dates etc. as a matter of fact I did go to the prom with Bill and he was indeed the man I married. I can think of some others in our class that also were most likely there and with the same outcome but I will let them respond and if they don't then I'll tell! I do remember the prom and it was very special because we didn't have formal dances and late parties. "The Prom" was the event that we all looked forward to all year. I remember my dress was green and I think there is an old picture somewhere ... I probably still have the old corsage in a box. I remember Randy Roman doing a sax solo.. was it at the prom?? By the way the art teacher was Mrs. Minnie Marie Hedden. Thanks for the stroll...

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Craig Bannecke, Class of '65 - I enjoyed reading Greg's story about the 1965 Senior Prom. Gee, it is hard to believe it has been 45 years ago.

I saw Marty Robins on the South Carolina ETV network the other night and besides being one of my favorite singers, his recording, "A White Sports Coat and a Pink Carnation", brought back a lot of memories for me. I recall each spring the local Huntsville radio stations routinely played his song, "A White Sports Coat ...." as all the city and county high schools were preparing for their proms and graduations. The part of Greg's story about how he arranged to purchase white dinner jackets for so many of the guys was interesting. After growing up hearing that song, it was a given as to what a guy was suppose to wear to his High School Prom. The girls may have had to look and plan for months as to what they were going to wear but for the guys it was a White Sports Coat. How many girls got a Pink Carnation for a corsage ? Now that would be interesting to know.

Greg ask us to identify whom we took to the prom and when we got home ? I had to think on that for a while. After all it's been 45 years. But it was confirmed by my trusty old Lee annual. Bless her heart, Linda Meeler had written a sweet message and drawn an illustration of her and me and what she had worn to the prom. Soon as I saw the drawing my minds eye recalled how beautiful she was in her orange and white gown. If I recall correctly it was the the gown she wore the night she won our inaugural Key Club Sweet Heart Pageant.

When we got home was easy to remember. Linda, was a sophomore and her mother wasn't going to let her beautiful young daughter stay out all hours of the night with some half-wit Senior. As I recall Linda had to be home as soon as the prom was over or shortly there after. We may have gone to Shoney's or Jerry's afterwards but I'm not sure ........ after all that was 45 years ago.

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Judy Bills Tate, Class of '65 - Senior Prom - 1965. I went to the prom with Darryl Glassco, Class of '65. I don't remember what time I got home, but probably by 1 am. Darryl and I did get married, had two children and divorced after fourteen years.

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