BY KIRWIN DROUET, TJ CLASS OF 1967
2017
Fast forward twenty five years.
We still are seeking recognition but don’t want to be on that Final List.
Our fifties. We had our fiftieth birthday party at the horse track in Houston. Most careers or jobs on cruise control. Grandchildren come into our lives and some spouses leave. Thirty fifth and fortieth reunions in PA. More members make the List. Disease, murder-suicide, accidents. The List keeps growing.
Our sixties. Forty fifth reunion in PA and the list of aches and ailments run wild. Classmates include cancer survivors, heart attack victims, knee and hip replacement bionic men and women. Whatever happened to talk about our careers, work, vacations? Now pretty much the latest doctor diagnosis is the topic of the day. We celebrate our sixty fifth birthdays at the horse track again in Houston. Talk of retirement (or lack thereof), Medicare and Social Security. For every good grandchild story we hear, there is a story about taking care of our aged parents or disabled siblings or their kids. A murder in Denny’s in Houston. The List keeps growing.
Technology advances in twenty five years. The List comes to me in an email a few months ago instead of the postal service. Different delivery but same purpose. Ninety names rather than twenty three. This time around, I created a movie rather than a handout of our lost classmates. I will play it for you now. Being in this movie is something we can all live without.
TJ CLASS OF 1967 LIST OF DECEASED CLASSMATES
FIFTIETH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION JULY 15, 2017
2. Andrea Aguilar
3. Audie Arnaud
4. Jimmy Bailey
5. Karla Baker
6. Stephen Banks
7. Sylvia Barbosa
8. Marian Bertrand
9. Lester Best
10. Dannie Bihm
11. Alan Booth
12. Diana Borgobello
13. Peggy Brammer
14. Paddy Braziel
15. Linda Byley
16. Tom Broussard
17. Barbara Cates
18. Ronald Cormier
19. John Cortez
20. Jo Ann Cox
21. John Cunningham
22. Sandy Daws
23. Darrell Dearman
24. Mike DeLee
25. Robert Deleon
26. Tom Dimicelli
27. Terry Durham
28. Tim Dwight
29. Linda Ely
30. Barry Friedl
31. Murray Fulda
32. Linda Garcia
33. Joreen Gardner
34. Bill Gruenke
35. Venita Guthrie
36. John Guy
37. Dale Harbert
38. Phillip Hightower
39. Emmet Hollingsworth
40. Sandra Ingham
41. Billie Jackson
42. Lana Marlene Johnson
43. Audrey Knight
44. Dwight Landry
45. Douglas LeBlanc
46. Beverly Leonard
47. Larry Lovett
48. Maureen May
49. Roy McBride
50. Randy McCorquodale
51. Kirk McDowell
52. Linda McFadden
53. Rupert Midgette
54. Nancy Minter
55. Rudy Morales
56. Kathy Mouton
57. Wayne Nickelson
58. John Norstrom
59. Nancy Nusom
60. Yolanda Orena
61. Cheryl Pace
62. David Paulino
63. Jack Pelz
64. Greig Placette
65. Glynn Robbins
66. Bill Robinson
67. Robbie Rodrigue
68. Mae Grace Romero
69. Vicki Romero
70. Bill Ruiz
71. Jacque Saxon
72. Tom Shapiro
73. Theresa Shaunfield
74. Patsy Smith
75. Richard Talamantez
76. Tommy Theriot
77. James Titus
78. George Touchette
79. Harold Underwood
80. Danny Usey
81. Millard Van Hess
82. Evelyn Vazquez
83. James Vidalier
84. Tim Walker
85. Billie Warren
86. Gary Watson
87. Tim Welty
88. Randy Wilkes
89. Debbie Williams
90. Guy Zummo