Lee Note 33 Jewel Sumrall May 1, 2001

Kay,

I have not led the life of schooling and travel but feel I have had a very blessed and rewarding life as I look back.

I married in October of 1960 to David Tolar from Livingston. We lived in Vidor and moved back to Highlands in 1963 with our two children. I was so thrilled as I moved back to Highlands where I had lived since I was 3 years old.

I renewed old friendships and was so happy. We had another child while there and the older ones were getting ready to start school and my husband felt we needed to live in the country.

We moved to Polk County, between Woodville and Livingston. We built a new home and had another child. I had always wanted to be a nurse and decided when the baby was 2 years it was now or never.

Started nurse's training and guess what? Another baby. I finished my training and worked in the nursing field for over 20 years. My husband died in 1985 at the age of 44 years. My perfect world had come to an end. I had 3 grown children and 2 teenagers. With family, friends, and the hand of God we made it.

In 1992, I married again to the most wonderful man on the earth. He has made a wonderful grandfather to all my 14 grandchildren and a great second Dad to my children. My children are all close by and we are passed new grandchildren. My children are ages 40, 38, 36, 30, and 27.We have twin grandsons that are 1 year old. Twins are a delight, as are all the "grands."

I no longer have to work and so I spend many hours doing family research. I love to read and quilt.

There is one other thing I would like to share with all of you. Over the last three years many Lee graduates have been located and it was so strange that many of us lived so close and did not know it.

Some of the "girls" from Highlands found each other and have had little get-togethers and that has meant so much to me that I still counted after all these years. Some of us started together at Highlands Elementary and finished at Lee.

Thank you Kay for your hard work in starting this email list for us. We are very fortunate to be able to continue our friendships. Real friends are forever.

Jewel Sumrall Collins