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Gladewater Former Students’ Association A TEXAS NOT-FOR-PROFIT DEDICATED TO GHS ALUMNI

P.O. Box 1425, Gladewater, TX 75647 Phone/Fax: 903-845-2631 Email: ghsalums@suddenlinkmail.com

www.gladewaterformerstudents.com

Letter from GFSA President

I hope all of you have had a great start to 2020. The GFSA Board hit the ground running. The Board met

for the second time in 2020 on March 3rd. At this meeting, we welcomed Mandy Wood and Debra Shipp

to the Board. We also installed the officers for 2020. Biographies of the two new Board members and a

list of the officers are in this newsletter.

One of our biggest expenses is our building. I know we are all proud that our Organization has a place to

call home, but it does cost to keep the facility looking great. One of the biggest issues with the building

has been the audio/visual system. People that attend our reunion and other events have a hard time

hearing the speakers. The equipment that we have is very old and no one really knows how to operate it

properly. We are in the process of obtaining bids to see if we can update our system. Hopefully, in the

coming months and before the All School Reunion, we will have an updated system.

The Class of 1970 has already started planning for the big reunion in September. They just met at our

building to get started on the festivities. If you are in the Class of 1970 and would like to help, let me or

a Board member know and we will put you in touch with those that can get you involved. In fact, you

will find that information inside this newsletter.

Steve Scurlock has already started planning the Sporting Clays Shoot. The date of this event is June 13th.

Steve is always looking for volunteers to help host the shoot. In order to make this event a success, we

need sponsorships. It would be great if we could have at least two sponsors per station. Last year the

number of teams was down from years past. This is our only fund raiser, so we need for it to be

successful. So, if you can help in any way by volunteering, sponsoring a station, donating a door prize or

by putting together a team, please let Steve Scurlock know as soon as you can.

Leon and Pat Watson have started planning the Memorial Day program. If you haven’t been to this, you

are missing a great opportunity to honor our Veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice. More details

about this event will be posted on the website.

I want to let all of you know that you have a strong Board who are willing to put in the time to keep this

Organization moving forward. We solicit any and all help from our members. The Board continues to

work hard for you. Our meetings are open to all who want to attend. The meeting schedule is always

included in the newsletter.

Bye for now! Go Bears!

Larry Clemens

GFSA President

Board members pictured left to right: Dale Lange ’69, Shirley Elliott Willett ’68, Danny Sorrells ’75, Leslie Blount Willeford ’77, Barry Cook ’68, Cheryl Moore Copeland ’69, Steve Scurlock ’68, Larry Clemens ’68 and Jon Keller ‘92

GFSA Officers & Board, 2020

At the January Board meeting, the following Association members were elected to serve as the 2020 Gladewater Former Students’ Association Board of Directors:

OFFICERS: PRESIDENT: Larry Clemens ’68 VICE PRESIDENT: Shirley Elliott Willett ’68 CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: Leslie Blount Willeford ‘77 RECORDING SECRETARY: Cheryl Moore Copeland ‘69 TREASURER: Jon Keller ‘92 PARLIMENTARIAN: Barry Cook ‘68

BOARD MEMBERS: Dale Lange ‘69 Margaret Liddell Pevehouse ‘66 Steve Scurlock ‘68 Debra Shipp ‘75 Danny Sorrells ‘75 Mandy Williamson Wood ‘95

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBERS: Leon Watson ’59, Patricia Martin Watson ’60, and Cathy Phillips Shipp ‘65

~SAVE the DATE – 2020 ALL-SCHOOL REUNION~

2020 All-School Reunion will be held on Saturday, September 26th at the Gladewater Former Students’ Building. Class of 1970 is our host since it has been 50 years since their graduation! Friday the 25th will be reserved for individual classes to have their own private functions. Then on the 26th, all classes will meet at the GFSA building at 4:30 p.m. for registration followed by a social hour, program and dinner. For more information, contact Elizabeth Osteen Ferguson at (214)642-3439 or Nancy Dees Long at (903)738-7115 or email Gladewater70@yahoo.com

I have no yesterdays,

Time took them away.

Tomorrow may not be,

But I have today!

~The GFSA SPORTING CLAYS FUNDRAISER~

Scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2020, we need alumni support for this fun-filled day of

fundraising! This is our only fundraiser. Each GFSA member is invited to participate this year as a shooter, station worker, prize donor, prize solicitor or just come have lunch with us. We will have David Beard Catfish at lunch. Come out to Prairie Creek Ranch for fun and fellowship with other former GHS graduates. We will start at 9:00 a.m. Contact one of the Board members for more information: Steve Scurlock 903-918-3616, Jon Keller 903-374-2533 or Larry Clemens 903-845-5533.

Steve Scurlock, Class of 1968

Steve Scurlock graduated GHS in 1968. Steve’s father and son also graduated Gladewater High School, making three

generations of “Bears”. Steve attended Kilgore College and then transferred to Stephen F. Austin University where he

received his BBA. He worked at Eastman Chemical Company and retired in 2016. Steve served on the GHS School Board

for 2 terms and has served on the GFSA Board for 3 terms. He is happily married to Jill Pettus Scurlock and resides in

Gladewater.

Debra Shipp, Class of 1975

Once a Gladewater Bear, always a Gladewater Bear! From Kindergarten until my graduation in 1975, my world revolved

around GHS. What opportunities we had! I was blessed to be an accompanist for the Gladewater Choir, participate in Future

Teachers of America and Mr. Osborne’s Drama Class. I continue to treasure the honors of being voted Miss GHS, Choir

Sweetheart, Most Courteous and Sweetheart of Future Teachers of America.

Upon exiting the hallowed halls of GHS, I attended Texas A&M University in College Station. While there, I discovered my

calling to be a Petroleum Landman, and this led to my decision to transfer to the University of Texas in Austin to obtain a BBA

in Petroleum Land Management. After my graduation in December 1979, I moved to Dallas to work for Sun Production

Company, beginning my 32 year career as a Petroleum Landman. In 2011, I retired from the oil and gas business after

serving several years as Vice President of Land and Legal for an independent oil company in Dallas.

Currently, Ronnie Stevens (GHS CLASS of ’61) and I split our time between the farm in Gilmer and Austin with many travels

in between.

Mandy Williamson Wood, Class of 1995

I started Kindergarten at Gay Avenue Primary and graduated from Gladewater High School in 1995. My senior year, I was the

Honey Bear Captain and I was voted Homecoming Queen, Football Sweetheart and Miss GHS. After graduation, I attended

Texas A&M University where I graduated with a degree in Finance. I went to work in the banking industry and in 2004, I

obtained my M.B.A. In 2007, I decided to be a stay at home mom to my two boys. They are now proud Bears at Gladewater

Middle School! I am back to work now at City National Bank in Gladewater. I have been married to Chris Wood, GHS Class

of 1993, for 21 years. In our free time, we enjoy camping and watching our boys play sports.

Steve Scurlock, Class of 1968 Debra Shipp, Class of 1975 Mandy Wood, Class of 1995

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Our Alma Mater lost the following sons and daughters from October 2019 – February 2020:

Rual Sharp, Jr., ’44 Dennis Rinehart, ’54

J. W. Smith, ’57

Nancy Stracener Crutchfield, ’58 Butch O’Neal, ’65

Mary Jane Heidelberg, ‘56

James Cowan, ’70 Hughes Watson, ’72

Holly Ford, ‘77

All will be sorely missed by their families, friends and classmates to whom we extend our deepest sympathies.

Connecting the Past to the Present…….Who’s at GHS Now????

John Berry, Head Coach & Athletic Director

I have been fortunate enough to be the Head Coach/Athletic Director at Gladewater ISD for the past six years.

During this time, we have enjoyed a great deal of success with our football team. From 2010 to 2013, I served

as the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach at GHS. Additionally, I taught physics and coached the track

and power lifting.

Gladewater has been a wonderful place to work and a fantastic community to live in. My wife, Kelly, and I

have been blessed to be accepted into the Gladewater Family.

I moved from Louisiana in February of 2000 to Longview. I had been an assistant football coach in the Monroe

area at Ouachita High School where I also taught chemistry. Pat Collins brought me with him to Longview High

School where I worked for 10 years as defensive coordinator and a physics teacher.

Going into the 2020 Football Season, the Bears look forward to a great opportunity to be competitive in the

district and regional race. We will bring back nine plus starters on offense and six starters on defense from the

2019 district champion and quarter finalist team. The entire backfield and 1.5 of the receiver group is back.

Play-makers like DJ Allen, Tristan Holmes and Eligia Carter return most of the points over the last two seasons

for the Bears.

In the defensive secondary, 2-year starters at cornerback Nick Lincoln returns for his senior year along with

senior returner Landon Ellis. Nick led the area in interceptions most of the season last year. Returning on the

defensive front, juniors Eli Kates, Zac Shipp and Ray Johnson are joined by junior linebackers Logan Bohanon

and Za Campbell. These guys are young but promising players.

The Bears will have a tough pre-district schedule with Gilmer and Spring Hill at Home followed by Center and

Kilgore on the road before opening district play. This grueling start is sure to give the Bears an opportunity to

find the best team and prepare for the league schedule and possible playoff run.

‘30 George Wilkins (Dec’d) ’38 C.W. Williams, Jr. ’38 Gladys Browning Best ’39 Dr. John Heit (Dec’d) ’39 Helen Adams Thomas (Dec’d) ’40 June Strawn Gelvin (Dec’d) ’41 Dr. John Artie & Arra Browning (Dec’d) ’41 Gladys Williams Dreeson

’41 Margie Brewer Morrison (Dec’d) ’42 Jack Phillips ’42 Ralph Weiser

’43 Juanita Bagley Dusse` ’50 Janet Burnett Hill (Dec’d) ’56 Leland Stracener ’63 Alla Burago

would like to RECOGNIZE and THANK the following alumni who

have supported this organization through the years with

“KODIAK” contributions of $1,000.00 or more:

The GLADEWATER FORMER STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Dorothy Dake Anderson, Class of 1943 and John Paul Tallent, Class of 1962

’33 Gwendolyn Hamilton Hogue (Dec’d) ’38 Lee Fisher (Dec’d) ’39 Glenn (Squeaky) Lange (Dec’d) ’39 Jane Neal Sellers (Dec’d) ’40 Ernestine Wilson Sawyer ’40 Truman Wilson (Dec’d) ’41 Johnnie Pace Brown ’41 Dr. Robert Brutsche (Dec’d) ’41 Emma Dean Hinton Fetzer ’41 Jean Clark Hughes (Dec’d) ’41 Dr. Helen Chapman Williamson(Dec’d) ’41 Charles Gilpin ’41 Dr. Harold McDowell (Dec’d) ’41 Patricia Nichols Summer ’42 Ann Ruth Stone Gentry ’44 Lafon Dorrough (Dec’d) ’44 Georgia Waters Dorrough ’44 Jo Nell Adams Lucky (Dec’d) ’44 Robert H. Schmidt ’44 Roy A. Tallent (Dec’d) ’45 Lawanna Lee Ballard ’46 Billy C. Dale (Dec’d) ’46 Gladys Ronita Dillard ‘46 Bobbie Milliorn Modisette ’46 Dr. Jack “Spot” Collins (Dec’d) ’46 B.M. “Mack” Rankin (Dec’d) ’46 Virginia Henley Mankins (Dec’d) ’48 William “Billy Bob” Green ’48 Nelda Jean Barr Young ’49 Jack Foshee (Dec’d)

’49 Robert Honeycutt ’49 Bill Looney ’49 T. E. “Ed” Maxwell ’49 Richard D. Tallent ’51 Colleen Tallent Coffman (Dec’d) ’52 Frances Ann Brown Shanks ’52 Beverly Hutson Lancaster ’53 Alice Ruth Wallace Cater ’53 Jerry Don Lancaster ’53 Sherman Kennedy (Dec’d) ’54 Barbara Smith Mackey ’54 Dr. Calvin N. McKaig ’54 Martha Williams Squibb ’54 Jimmy A. Tallent (Dec’d) ’54 Lula Mae Walker Waters ’55 Mary Lou Wilcox Palmer ’56 Travis Stanley ’56 Donald Williams (Dec’d) ’56 Ronald Williams ’57 Homer Beck ’59 Mary Barr Price ‘59 Grace Ann Rose Shore (Dec’d) ’60 Tom & Nita Zajicek in memory of Paul & Agnes Zajicek ’62 Jack Butler ’62 Barbara Brooking Henderson ’62 Ellender “Cookie” Owens Holcomb ’62 Glenna Rush Ishmael (Dec’d) ’62 Loretta Blear Mitchell ’62 Ronny Moore (Dec’d) ’62 John Shepperd (Dec’d)

’62 Paula Jones Smith ‘62 Betty Jean Thomas Stegall ’62 Kay Pothoff Wallace ’63 Melvin A. Tallent (Dec’d) ’65 Danny Strickland ’67 Jerry D. Tallent (Dec’d) ’68 Mark Abernathy ’68 Shirley Elliott Willett ’71 Sue Clifton Moore (Dec’d) ’76 James Hugman ’76 Sharon Scurlock Berryman ‘77 Jayson Wynn (Dec’d) ’85 Cindy Tallent Rowe ’85 Jon Rowe ’89 Johnny Tallent ’90 Andrea Slover Tallent 2011 Alyssa Rowe 2013 Leslie Rowe 2015 Rebecca Rowe Class of 1943 Class of 1945 Class of 1958 Class of 1961 Class of 1962 Class of 1965 Class of 1968 Beverly Brunson Tallent

~ PAST PRESIDENT LIFE MEMBERS ~

’38 Nauty Byrd Pelphrey Mayer 1989-1990 ’38 Hulon Broyles 1991-1992, 1996

’40 Truman Wilson 1995 ’61 Sherry Waggoner Beall 1993-94, 2011-12

‘56 Dr. Syntha Traughber West 2004-2006

’59 Leon Watson 2002-2003, 2008-2009 ’68 Barry Cook, 2007

’60 Roy T. Van Houten, 2010 ’62 John Paul Tallent 1997-2001, 2013-15

’68 Shirley Elliott Willett, 2016-2018

Gladewater Former Students' Association P. O. Box 1425 Gladewater, TX 75647

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

~SCHEDULED 2020 BOARD MEETINGS~

Tuesday, January 14 @ 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 @ 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 @ 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 14 @ 5:30 p.m.

Our meetings are held in the board room of the GFSA Building.

~Upcoming Events 2020~

Memorial Day Service – May 25, 2020 GHS Senior Award Ceremony – May 28, 2020

Sporting Clays Fundraiser – June 13, 2020 All School Reunion – September 26, 2020

Veteran’s Luncheon – November, 2020 (TBA) GFSA Member Christmas Party – TBA

~Other Dates of Interest in 2020~

Friday, May 1, 2020 – GHS Scholarship Application Deadline: Forms have been delivered to the GHS Senior Counselor and can also be found on our website: www.gladewaterformerstudents.com

Tuesday, June 30th, 2020 - Deadline to submit nominations for GHS Outstanding Alumni. Forms are on the GFSA website: www.gladewaterformerstudents.com