Lee Note 34 Responses to Jewel Sumrall May 2, 2001

Dear Kay,

I just had to respond to Margie's memory, because I have a very vivid memory of that day, also. My dad bought a new car that day, a black 1960 Dodge with tailfins (y'all remember them, don't you!) He didn't realize until he got it home that it was too big to fit into our garage, and -- you guessed it – the brand new car had to remain on the driveway in all the weather.

Another memory about that day: Sylvia Harlan's wedding was that night, and I was the pianist for the ceremony. Out at Shiloh Baptist Church just north of I-10 where we attended, the power was off. So Sylvia had to dress for her wedding in the dark, and a man stood behind me and held a flashlight over my shoulder so I could see to play the piano. The date, if I am not mistaken, was February 14!

Sorry I've not gotten together a biographical note for you yet, but I do have some information about some of our teachers.

I live in Hearne, Texas, which is 20 miles north of Bryan/College Station. We moved here 15 1/2 years ago and only learned that Mrs. Plagens lived here about 3-4 years later when I read her obituary in the local paper.

Seems she moved here upon retirement. Some have told me of being in a music appreciation club with her. In her later years she became very reclusive and paranoid, and I have been told that if I had tried to contact her or visit her I would not have been well received.

Do you remember Coach Paul Kern and his wife Jackie? (Jackie was a PE teacher at Cedar Bayou Junior High and taught several of us). When I read Coach's obituary about 8-10 years ago I learned that they moved to this area when they retired, to a small town named Calvert, where Jackie's sister Sheryl Cain lived. My stepdaughter worked at Cashion Cain in College Station with Jackie until just a couple years ago.

Seems hard to believe so many of our class are deceased -- we are still so YOUNG!!

Betty Reavis Gregurek

Margie,

I bet it was David Smith. His dad had a garage and wrecker service on North Main. He hauled my car a couple of times. He passed away a few weeks ago. We were good friends in high school.

Dale Lilly Seamon

Kay,

I'm one of the girls from Highlands that Jewell has been in touch with and our get-togethers have just been great.

Thank you so much for all the work you do.

Marie Wood Eby