It has been decreed, Classmates!
A new year has begun and the Grapevine celebrates...
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Tish and Norman "Ron" McDonald sent holiday greetings from Texas.
Merry Christmas to all our friends. We hope that the coming year is full of everything you want,
but more important, what you need. Ron and Tish McDonald
And all the best to you and yours, Ron. (Why am I suddenly hungry?)
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VIP classmate
Internet surfing has discovered another classmate. Shirley Organ Eckerle and her husband Richard retired to Tyler, Texas fifteen years ago. Since then, they have volunteered their time and efforts to the city of Tyler Volunteers in Policing (VIP) program. Shirley wrote this note:
We have been volunteers for over 10 years and 4500 hours. We fingerprint children, do their DNA all for parents to keep in case of a lost child or, God forbid, an abducted child. We write tickets for illegal parking in handicapped spaces, we work in the Police Department doing many different things as needed. There is always a need, and we are pleased to be able to give something back to our community. Rich and I received Volunteers of the Year awards in 2002 and in 2007.
We also deliver groceries once a month to needy families. Richard has done some flying for Cox Communications and likes to spend time building and rebuilding from the ground up, Pitts Special and Eagle planes. (These are experimental.)
I love spending time watching my one and only great-grandson. He was born on my birthday last year. His Daddy is a Marine in Afghanistan and Mommy (our granddaughter) is going to nursing school and working. Our daughter and son-in-law live here also, and of course both work. They are also active in the Police Volunteering. Our grandson is also military. He is in the Air Force and is on his way to Korea.
We have temporarily taken a leave from the PD, while I help with the baby. We love living here. Tyler is a great place to live and a really pretty city. We do some traveling. Love to go to Colorado. A couple of years ago we had a great cruise to Alaska. We have been blessed with a wonderful retirement and are really enjoying it.
The Volunteers in Policing group issues a quarterly newsletter which can be accessed online. The January 2007 issue has a nice article about Shirley and Rich and many photos. They are also prominently featured in the April 2007 and July 2007 issues. Congratulations to you both! It sounds like you have built a wonderful and satisfying life. Thanks for sharing.
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Marriage milestone
Don and Shirley Piper Robinson celebrate 50 years together.
Shirley and Don in 2009...................and in 1959
April 2007
The Delaware Gazette printed a nice article in recognition of this milestone.
Don and Shirley Robinson will celebrate 50 years of marriage on Dec. 19, 2009. Don is retired from PPG and is now working in the family business, Robinson's Flower Shop. Shirley has worked at the flower shop for 28 years and is active in their church.
They are the proud parents of two, son Dean (Marah) Robinson and daughter Dodie (Danny) Shaw; and five beautiful grandchildren, Drew, Shandee, Drake, Salena and Jayden.
On Dec. 13, they will renew their wedding vows at Pleasant Hill Free Will Baptist Church, 230 Hayes Street, during the 11 AM worship service. A reception will follow.
Congratulations to you both and best wishes for many more!
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Becky Ross Donovan is excited. Dazzle, her golden saddlebred that we read about in October, is being groomed for great things. His papers say his name is I'm Bedazzled, but Becky calls him her Peck's Bad Boy. A video of Eddie Crothers working with Dazzle has been posted on YouTube. I would love for everyone to check out this link. It is Dazzle! I co-own him with Eddie Crothers and he is grooming him for opening ceremonies at equestrian events. What a wonderful Christmas present for me. When I bought this colt, he was a yearling stallion and I saw him show in a class where they led him. He was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen. As he pranced around the ring he just said, “Look at me!” I asked if he was for sale and the price. I had just received an inheritance from my aunt so I took out my checkbook and bought him on the spot!
That horse can really strut! What a gorgeous animal.
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Delaware History
I received a note from Nancy Hough Bendle with a reading recommendation.
Hi Judy, I am not sure you have mentioned the book from the Delaware County Historical/Genealogical Societies. It is called Old Delaware, The Way We Were. I picked up a copy last week and have been going over the pictures trying to see what I remember of old Delaware. The book is really great. It covers Delaware from the early days thru the 50s and some of the present. Lots of pictures of the 1913 flood, the year my mother was born. What I like about it is that it is not a Who's Who of Delaware but an actual history of the downtown business community. The folks that worked on the book must have spent several hundred hours compiling it. I believe the cost was $27.00. It would be a great book to have in any personal library especially if you no longer live here. Apparently it came out in June 2008 as that is the date in the beginning of the book. In looking at some of the pictures, I really wish that Delaware was a town of Mom and Pop businesses, not what we have today. Take care, have a great Christmas and if you get a chance, take a look at the book. Nancy Bendle
Of course I researched. Ordering information can be found at delaware43015.com. In the process, I discovered a wiki page of Delaware info. Click here to read things you probably never knew!
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Masters of Mime
The artistry of Sid Caesar and Nanette Fabray is classic. Watch this performance of an argument set to music.
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January birthdays
Shirley Brimhall Welsh
Nick Firestone
Carrie Pinney McNamara
Tom Ackley
If I have overlooked anyone, please let me know.
Many thanks to Shirley Dorsey Ward for the terrific graphics.
