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Bolton Class of '69 Newsletter
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July Supper Club
We broke recent tradition and met on July 23 at the home of Stephen & Lisa Norman. The meal was built around Lisa's delicious chicken enchiladas. We were pleasantly surprised to have two out-of-town couples join us. Steve and Deedee Kennington drove all the way from Magnolia, TX, to be with us. I think that while they were here they may have also visited his mother. Also joining us were Edward and Glenda Chambers Foote. Edward's mother Toni is recuperating from some sort of acrobatics. It was great to see them as well as a bunch of our "usual suspects".
From left: Mike & Billie Love Flynn, Edward Foote, Janet Barham Schmitt, Gay Dezendorf, Rose Thomisee, Wanel Norman, Carl Cedars, Pat Douzat & Steve Crouch, Stephen Norman, Nancy Martin, Warren Brumfield, Steve Kennington, Vince Lena
Open invitation:
Please join us if you can! The only membership requirement for the "supper club" is a desire for good food and fellowship. All you have to bring is an appetite! Though some will bring a spouse, child, parent, or other guest, most of us attend as singles. We have heard that some don't want to attend because they will be coming alone but that's the norm not the exception.
We try to be regular at 6pm on the fourth Saturday of odd-numbered months, so that out-of-towners can know when they are planning trips to Alexandria to schedule for one of those dates. If you come into town to see after a parent and it happens to be on one of those weekends, take a break and join us. You can call me at (318)729-3173 and I'll let you know where it's happening. We always like to have a head count but please please don't let that stop you from coming at the last minute. Reservations are NOT required!
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for the Supper Club
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Law Enforcement Officers Honored
This year we are honoring those classmates who have served in law enforcement. Please let me know if you have served in such a capacity for part or all of your career. I'd be interested in a few details, like rank reached, years served, etc. If you know of another classmate who is too shy to do this, please send in their names as well! And send a photo if you have one!
| Adams, Jeanetta Marie |
| *Carnahan, Gene |
| *Carter, Tony |
| Cicardo, Tommy |
| Craig, Cecil Duane |
| *Metcalf, Rick |
| Michelli, Annie Mannette Petrie |
* denotes new entry
Gene Carnahan: I was a Security Police Officer in the Air Force for 22 years; worked as a Deputy Constable (San Antonio, TX) for 5 Years; Security Escort for Russian Dignitaries with the On-Site-Inspection Agency, 5 years. Department of Homeland Security, 11 years as an Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Artesia, New Mexico.
Tony Carter:
I was a Narcotics Detective with the Baton Rouge City Police Dept. for 4 years (1974 - 1978) , with a special assignment with LSP Region I Narcotics during my last two years with BRCPD. T
his is how I looked during my
years as a Narcotics Detective. In this 1977 case, we seized two truckloads
of marijuana and arrested several bad guys in South Louisiana. We have a reunion almost every year with former narcotic agents and we had some great guys who were very dedicated. One agent, Charlie Spillers, later went to MS with the MS Bureau Narcotics and later became an attorney and then a US Attorney. He has written a book called "Confessions of An Undercover Agent" that is a best seller. If interested, it can be found at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. I still plan on making one of your dinners.
Rick Metcalf (provided by Michael McCartan): After reading the most recent Bolton High School Newsletter regarding recognizing Bolton Class of 1969 graduates
who served in law enforcement, I am emailing this information
regarding Bolton High School 1969 graduate Rick Metcalf.
Besides being the guitarist and background singer for the Undecided,
the Bolton High school pop band with 4 Bolton Class of 1969 graduates as members,
whose 1968 hit "Hold You Closer" rose to number 19 on local radio station KDBS (KDixie) chart,
Rick Metcalf served as Chief of Police for Crescent City, King City and Coalinga City
Police Departments in California.
Rick still maintains a positive "can do" attitude with unselfish care of others.
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Reunion Planning - DATE IS SET!
The 50th Reunion will be on March 29-31, 2019. Make your plans accordingly! There will be NO excused absences! I know you could sweet-talk Mr. Taylor back in 1969, but it won't happen now!
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Class Notes
7/12/2016 Suzanne Levy Mirabal
First, I am terribly saddened by the very recent deaths of Willis and Betsy. My gosh, we are just losing too many friends and classmates. It seems like
yesterday
when we were visiting with Willis. And it really makes one realize just how fragile and how short life is.
I want to let you know that I have moved from Dallas and the George W. Bush Library. I packed my belongings and moved 200 miles south to Austin. I now work at the LBJ Presidential Library. My daughter and I visited the Library last fall when the Beatles Exhibit was here, and I fell in love with this place. After all, it represents the era we remember as teenagers. There is so much information here about the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War, and so much more. I had no idea that LBJ was responsible for and signed so many bills into law. Several months ago, I bumped into Mike and Billie at the GWB Library. So now, I am hoping when classmates and friends visit here, they will ask for me like they did at the GW Bush Library.
So I have scaled down once again, and am living in a one-bedroom apartment. I actually do like the change. My apartment is in the southwest part of Austin, close to the Hill Country. It is surrounded by trees and walking paths, and is very peaceful and quiet. I still have my house in Plano, though. The garage is still full of boxes from moving from my Dallas house. I don't think I will ever be fully unpacked from the 2014 move to Plano. That will one day be left for my children to do!
7/21/16 Marvin "Yogi" McDonald ('68)
Was certainly saddened to read of Janell's passing. She was on old girlfriend of mine, although as was usual, I probably was not a boyfriend of hers. She lived up the street from me, was always smiling and friendly.
I'm retired now. When did I retire you ask? Well, I didn't. I was retired, put out to pasture, sent to the glue factory. I am still working part time. Gonna send out the '68 Cumtux soon.
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Obituary - Janell Ortego Thurston
 
Mary Janell Thurston of Cumming, Georgia passed away on Saturday, July 16, 2016, at the age of 64.
Janell was a member of Founding Faith Worship Center for eleven years, and a part of the United Pentecostal Church in several locations throughout the world and the United States for more than 41 years. She loved to serve the Lord, especially in Women's Ministries and hospitality endeavors. She especially loved being part of the Military Ministries in Europe, and participating in the U.S. Air Force Wives Club, supporting her husband's career in the military. Janell also loved to travel and was able to visit many beautiful places in England, Ireland, Germany (West and East), France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Azores, Czechoslovakia; Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Turkey. She was especially proud of her Spanish & Cajun heritage and thrilled that she got to visit the village of Tordesillas in Spain where her ancestry traces back to the 1600s. Janell enjoyed collecting tea sets from each of these countries as mementos of her time spent there.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Amos and Mabel Johnson Ortego.
Those left to cherish her memory include her husband of 39 years, Reverend Paul Thurston; Sister, Shirley Fisher; daughter, Sondra Adams and her husband, Blake; son, Christopher and his wife Meshon; daughter Jacqueline Dyer and her husband John; grandchildren, Zachary Adams, Bryan Thurston, Randall Thurston, Russell Thurston, Anna Thurston, Renee Thurston, Maggie Thurston, Wynn Dyer, and Roselyn Dyer; and a host of other family members and friends.
Funeral services celebrating her life were held at 11:15, Wednesday, July 20, 2016, at Founding Faith Worship Center, 6225 Atlanta Hwy, Suite 114, Alpharetta, GA, with a visitation starting at 10:30. Reverend Korey Jones officiated. Entombment was in Green Lawn Cemetery immediately following the service. Pallbearers were Chris Thurston, Bryan Thurston, Blake Adams, Zachary Adams, John Dyer and Richard Reeves.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Founding Faith Worship Center Capital Campaign at the address noted above in memory of M. Janell Thurston.
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Donate to the Class Memorial Fund
Nancy Martin has generously volunteered to manage buying floral arrangements for the funerals of classmates. So far we have received $120 in donations for this fund. Please consider making a contribution. You can mail a check to Bolton High School Class of 1969 and note that it is for the Memorial Fund. Send it to 63 Rosalie Road, Alexandria, LA 71302. I will report the donations here, unless you ask me to keep it anonymous.
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Send Your Story - Any Story
Please send me anything you would like to include in a future newsletter. It could be a funny story about Bolton or Alexandria in the 1960's; something about your life then, now, or in-between; something about your career or military service; pretty much anything. And please do not worry about less-than-perfect grammar or spelling. I am pretty good at editing, and I'll polish it a little if necessary. Email your story to me at shnorman@mac.com.
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Veteran Update
At the 45th reunion assembly we recognized some of our classmates who served in the armed forces. Since then I have been collecting additional names and now I have the following thirty. If you know of a veteran not listed here, whether they served "in-country" or not, please let us know so that we can include them in our expressions of gratitude. An asterisk indicates a name added since the last newsletter.
| Barnett, Victor D. III |
| Carnahan, Gene |
| *Casey, Johnny |
| Cedars, Carl Stephen |
| Chisum, Madison C. Jr. |
| Cicardo, Tommy |
| Crouch, Steve A. |
| Doyle, Clayton |
| Ferrill, Tom |
| Foote, Edward |
| Foreman, Leroy Curry |
| Frazier, Michael |
| Geisel, Billy Frank (D) |
| Green, Danny R. (D) |
| Gremillion, Gordon |
| Havens, James |
| Kegley, Glynn |
| McCusker, Pat |
| Miller, John |
| Nugent, Ronald |
| Robichaux, Jerry A. |
| Robinson, Sheldon Scott (D) |
| Ross, Wayne |
| Saunders, Elmo |
| Stark, Gerald |
| Stokes, Charlie |
| Stracener, Jerry W. (D) |
| Sullivan, Ricky |
| Walker, Stephen |
| White, Clyde |
| Wilson, Gary |
* denotes new entry
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Class Database Updated for 2016
Several classmates have asked about getting a copy of the class directory. I have it as an Excel file, and it's too wide to print or convert to .pdf; however, if you can open an Excel file, you can download it here:
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Reunion 2019:
Donations Solicited
So far we have received $1,834 in donations and pledges toward the upcoming 50th Reunion. We would really like to raise enough in donations so that the 50th can be less expensive than the previous reunions. While we can sometimes rustle up donated tickets for someone having a hard time putting the hefty fee together, we really would like to have enough of the expenses covered by donations that it could be affordable to all. On that note, if anyone would like to donate money for the Grand 50th in 2019, make your check to Bolton '69 and send to 63 Rosalie Road, Alexandria, LA 71302. If you start now and send a little bit every now and then maybe it won't be terribly painful.
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Like a reunion, this newsletter will only be as good as the participants. Please keep me updated with what you are doing and/or thinking.
Stephen Norman
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