Teriffic Christmas Present

...for Betty Rose and Lou Palomba!



"....I am so glad to be writing this email today to let you know that Lou came home yesterday from Duke University Hospital. The best part was that he was declared "cancer free"!. Wasn't this a wonderful Christmas present for us? It will be a lengthy recuperation with several restrictions imposed by his doctor. Among those are no driving, dietary issues, and to stay away from crowds and malls for fear of contracting anything during this cold and flu season. Believe me, we have felt, throughout this process being surrounded by all the love, caring, healing thoughts and prayers that you have sent to us. It was a tremendous support system and we appreciate and say thank you to all of you for your help.


It was difficult for me to communicate with you via email while at Duke because the computers at the Duke Library in the hospital were not convenient for me. However, now that we are home both Lou and I are checking our emails.


Once again, thank you, thank you for your support and above all thank you for your friendship with us! Happy Holidays each and everyone of you."


Much love, Betty

Jerry's UpDates

How fortunate we are to have Jerry Gaudet, our official Keeper of Records!!

His email "blasts" keep us informed about the going-ons of our classmates. His latest was a reminder to include Jackie Hart Lookabill and Betty Rose (Templeton) Palomba and husband Lou in our prayers.

LaGena, Jackie and Gene's daughter, informs us that Jackie will undergo a medical procedure on Tuesday December 29th.

Betty Rose reports that husband Lou is improving, but not out of the woods yet. However, he's receiving the best medical care possible at the Duke Medical Center....and the added benefit of the greatest nurse he could possibly have...........his wife, Betty Rose.

And speaking of top notch medical care, Bob Ellis reports that his brave grandaughter, Courtney, in Tennesee, has an appointment with one of the finest physicians at the Vanderbilt Medical Center on Tuesday the 5th of January and hopefully will discover the cause of the awful pain in her leg.

Keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers during our 73rd Christmas.

And a little prayer for the rest of us wouldn't be a bad idea either.

-Ed

Prayer Request

Bob Ellis has requested that we send up prayers for his oldest granddaughter who lives in Tennessee.

 "...her problem started several months ago when she noticed a small dimple on the side of her leg.Later a small bump appeared just above the dimple. Later she started experiencing pain. The pain reached the point that she went to the family doctor, who in turn sent her to an orthopedic doctor who scheduled an M.R.I..  After the holidays,she will see a cancer specialist..Our family believes very much in prayer and hopefully some of our classmates also do"

Many, Many THANKS

Bob

A Christmas Card From Shirley

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Class of CHS'54!
It has been rather busy for me going back and forth daily for radation
these past 2 wks and then loosing the energy. But things moving
along just fine.

I want to thank each and everyone for the lovely, gorgeous and
so much appreciated Lap Shawl (presented at LDL). Who ever did it, thank you so
much! You all have been so wonderful and thoughtful with cards,
calls and goodies this year during my medical time. I will love all
of you for it always and just because you are so special in my
life.

May God be good and caring to all of you during this blessed
time of the year."

Shirley Maynor
smaynor@yahoo.com

(Scroll down and view the LDL Christmas Luncheon Video to see Santa's helper give Shirley her gift.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

If this website had an "Official Christmas Tree," like Washington does, I would want it to look like this one.

This one is in Don and Lettie Nance's yard in Whytheville, VA. also known as "The Crossroads of the Blue Ridge." (The town, not their yard.)

The storm dropped 13 inches of snow at his house before moving on up to Washington, DC where it dumped 2 feet of the stuff Bing Crosby sang about.

Here in Falls Church, VA......folks are still pretty much hunkered down. the road crews did a good job this time so getting to the grocery store etc.....is possible, but not recommended. I've heard some folks referring to this local record breaking snowstorm  as the "SNOWPOCALYPSE."

That's cute, but I don't believe that nickname will stick around as long as the snow does. We'll have our White Christmas this year, but by New Year's day, it will be gray.

By spring, black.

-Ed 

BLIZZARD

So far the Washington/Northern Virginia area of the country (which includes the CHS54 Corporate Headquarters/also known as "Ed's Basement.) is currently covered with 10 inches of global warming. 10 more are expected....along with wind gusts of 40 mph for the rest of the day.

The reason I mention this, in addition to hopefully getting your sympathy, is to let you know that if this dynamic website seems to be "off the air" for the next few days, you'll know why. The power lines up here weren't designed to carry such a heavy load of wet snow/ice etc. Shoot.....it's not unusual for this neighborhood to lose power because of "excessive cloudiness."

-Ed

Watch the VIDEO of LDL 15

Our editorial staff of video editors here in CHS54 TOWERS has finally completed the finishing touches on Jerry Gaudet's latest production in the award winning series of LDL spectaculars.

This one is titled "LDL 15"......the true story of what happens when an elite group of Charlotte Central High School graduates get together for lunch......55 years later.

Don't miss it!

LDL 15

 Our Chief Coresspondant, Jerry Gaudet reports that LDL 15 was a huge success!  He filed this report:


December’s “Let’s Do Lunch”, number 15, came off without a hitch on Tuesday, December 8, at Jimmies Restaurant in Mint Hill.

In addition to our Christmas theme, we helped Beverly (Smith) Garmon celebrate her birthday. That’s a table number marker in the picture, not her age…though we’d all settle for that, wouldn’t we?

Buck Anderson and his wife, Peggy, were down from “God’s country” up in Fletcher, NC, bringing a wonderful gift of homemade bread for everyone. See what you miss when you don’t come. This was the fifth time they’ve made the long drive to be with us, and it’s so appreciated. Of course, they had pictures of their beautiful new grandson.

Martin Hill’s wife, Pat, still mending from her broken hip, was able to come for the lunch. Pat is still in rehab and looking forward to being at home in another week, just in time for Christmas.









The CHS’54 Christmas project again this year was to bring non-perishable foodstuffs for the benefit of Loaves and Fishes. Charles (CharlieClause) Willis did the honors by loading up the trunk of his car to make delivery of our collection.



Merry Christmas, Everyone!   -Jerry

Circling the Earth

Our Chief Foreign Coresspondant, Warren Sparrow will again soon be reporting from another one of the far corners of the earth....this time from Kansas.

Here's Warrens latest:


Ed:


One of your Ace{?)Reporters is on the move. This time it is back to Kansas for the graduation of our granddaughter Lydia from Kansas State University. We will be spending a few days in Manhattan (Little Apple), KS.


I have nothing to report other than we are well, enjoying the CHS website. It is a wonderful thing you do for us. Have a Merry Christmas. I am sure you miss Genial Gene and Atlantic Beer. I shall never forget his "taste of freight" commercials. Despite his warning, I have two kinds of beer in the ice box: Modelo and Heineken. I guess I do like the taste of freight after all.


Indeed, Becky and I are looking forward to our Kansas trip. You see Becky is really "Lydia Rebecca" and our granddaughter is "Lydia." She is the first person in the history of KSU to be elected vice president and the next year president of the student body. As a footnote, be advised that the KSU teams are Wildcats. Is not that a hoot?


Attached is a picture taken last September at "Little" Lydia's home in Olathe, KS. Little Lydia is on the far right. Moving left we have her sister Charlotte who is a high-school student. To the left of Charlotte is "Big" Lydia. To the left of Big Lydia is LL's sister Melanie who is a Kansas State student. On the far left is our daughter Catherine, the mother of these three magnificent girls.

Thank you for your attention. Again, Merry Christmas.


Warren

Mystery Photos

During the annual year end "clean up and organizing" week here at CHS54.com, the staff discovered a couple of old pictures...without labels....or any other way of identifying them. No one remembers receiving them...or who might have sent them in....or why.

But hopefully someone in our vast audience will recognize some of these long ago faces.....and let us know who these folks are/were.

Now, it's hard NOT to recognize the last picture of the young beauty eating a sandwich.....that's got to be Patsy Hartsell....but I have no idea where this was taken nor when.......OR what kind of sandwich she's eating.

I look forward to your guesses.

Send your guesses to: Ed Myers

(Click on the picture to get a closer look.)

Balloon Boy Science

Whew! We can all breathe easier now that “climategate” has revealed that “global warming” was….well, I’ll be nice and not call it a hoax….but it was no more than “hope and change” by governments who hoped to gain even more control of its citizens and/or others who were planning on raking in enough money to change their financial status exponentially.
What a relief not to have to worry anymore about, among other things, being taxed for breathing.
The reason I bring this up is that again this Tuesday, the CO2 level will be “out of sight” when our group gets together at Jimmies of Mint Hill for the 15th LDL extravaganza!

And this one is even MORE SPECIAL.  Jerry Gaudet explains why:

CHS'54's "LDL" (Let's do lunch)
Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 11:30 AM
at "Jimmies" in Mint Hill.

Special note: In keeping with a Christmas theme, please bring a food donation that will go to “Loaves and Fishes”. Bring any kind of non-perishable food. And/or bring a check. The need is great; far more severe than even last year.

Attention classmates that are unable to attend the lunch... we ask that you participate with us by sending a check to...

Loaves and Fishes
P.O. Box 11234
Charlotte, NC 28220

For answers to any lunch questions, please contact Shirley Maynor, smaynor@yahoo.com .or Marlene Ritch Beaty, mbeaty@comporium.net , phone 803/547-4866.

Another Prayer Request

Jackie Hart Lookabill's Daughter, LaGena Lookabill Greene asks for support for her Dad, Gene.

"Could you let the gang know that Gene Lookabill, husband of Jackie Lookabill had double inguinal hernia surgery on Tuesday and I , as their daughter would appreciate prayers for his full recovery. As you know they do not have a computer, so if anyone feels led to send a card, this is their address.


Thank you,
LaGena Lookabill Greene"

Gene's address is...
Gene Lookabill
3601 Mountainbrook Rd.
Charlotte, NC. 28210

Mitzi Update

Mitzi Minor Roper had quite a fall last month while in New York attending a symposium. She suffered a nasty concussion which is only now beginning to heal. The doctors tell her that it will be at least 6 more weeks for her to get her stamina back.

She's undergoing physical therapy  and is determined to return to normal sooner than that.

But even more worrisome to her during all of this, was the illness of granddaughter Loren Jane Roper, the apple of her eye. Loren was very sick for 3 and a half weeks.






But the sun is shining again for Mitzi and Loren. Both are making great progress!

(Photo of future beauty queen Loren Jane and her Mom.  Click on photo to enlarge)