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Robert Cuddy

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

Yes, Yes!  A HUGE thank you to Robert Cuddy for getting this site up and going.  For some people it's just hard to sit down in our busy lives, think of something, and write it down.  Maybe they think it won't sound right ... but the truth is no one cares what it sounds like or what anyone looks like in their pictures.    For those who have written about themselves, AND posted pictures, a huge thank you!  Pictures are great.  Everyone enjoys learning about their classmates, no matter or large or small the entry.   Anything is interesting and welcome, no matter how brief. 

I have started six topics in the user forum and see that people are reading them, but few respond.  Please respond!  Or better yet, start another topic ... and I will respond.  For ideas, go into the class sites of 1969 and 1970.  Their online posts are hilarious!

Jenice Graham (Benedict)

Hello Everyone,

I just want to give a public ' thank you ' to Bob Cuddy and Marilyn Dyer Jones for getting the ball rolling for our long over-due reunion meetings and for managing the MAC 71 website.  We know it is a lot of work and we all appreciate your efforts.   

Also, I want to give a big 'shout-out' to Shirley Burleson Espinosa for the many wonderful stories she has posted on this MAC website. (i.e.- look for them in the 'User Forum -> General Discussion Forum') -  Shirley, I am impressed you remember so much detail about our high school days and even more impressed with your talent of writing.  Your stories are so well written and entertaining to read.  Good job and keep the stories coming!  They are such a gift to us and I am looking forward to your next subject !  

 Jenice Graham Benedict

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

Jenice, thank you for your kind words.  I have had a lot of chuckles remembering all that stuff and writing it up.  The idea started from looking at all the dialog going on in the Class of 69 and Class of 70 websites.

Kudos go to Kathy McGillivary, Chester Slimp (CO69), Robert Cuddy and Jim Berry for posting responses to my prompts.

I do have more ideas mulling around that I will work on this summer when I have more time.  I am hoping to see someone else start up a subject!  Memorable teachers?  (There is a huge dialog on this in the CO70.)  Bucket lists? Weirdest thing that happened after graduation?  Something totally out of character we did and hid?

When my husband and I were prowling through the cattle stalls at the Houston Livestock show last February, I wondered if I was going to run into Jenice and some of her black angus!

All the best

Shirley

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

I read about Kay's wood pile kitty and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Her writing comes from the heart and that shows.  I too am an animal lover and the rescuer of many strays.  Kay's honesty about what happened  to her and how she transcended were enjoyable to read.  And Butch, do I remember correctly that you wrote a letter/editorial to The Brahma about getting married and getting stripped of all of your athletics and all other activities?  If that was you, I still remember reading it and thinking to myself that there must have been a lot to you.

Kathleen (Kati) McGillivary

SHIRLEY BURLESON you are so right!  I hope more kids come out of their little shells and tell their stories.  So right that no one cares what you look like or if you didn't invent Apple Computer!  We just care to hear from you even if we don't remember each other very well.  These are all important lives.  Mine is weirder than yours!  Whatever!  Just write and it will be good for your soul and kinda cleansing too.

I was inspired to write after reading a very honest and open bio on the class of 1970's.  Someone I did not know who turned out to be a Psychiatrist, no less.  She was inspiring in her story.  Once I STARTED WRITING,  honestly and from my heart about the painful memories as well as the joyous ones  it was a good feeling.  At first  I was wayy to shy about writing anything at all.  I figured my life was way to untraditional and wouldn't mean much to the kids on here.  I have gotten a couple of comments and I thank you for yours. 

There are a couple of embarrassing stories I could add but I'll leave well enough alone!  One was about Bill Leise who was hilarious and I was lucky to sit in front of him in math?  So I have already written way too much.

my best to all of you and thanks again Shirley Burleson for your nod.  Made me feel good that someone actually noticed!

Take care,

Kathleen McGillivary

Jenice Graham (Benedict)

Once again our classmate Shirley Burleson Espinosa continues to 'jolt' our memory banks and remind us of those many details of our youth that have not surfaced for years.  Thank you for writing your MAC stories in such an entertaining and funny way.  When I read them I am smiling and saying, 'Yes, I remember and I did that, too!".   Your stories are a gift you give to us all !!!  

Someday I will attempt to write a forum story again, .... but my suggestion for you is to 'Continue On'.....   :)   Thanks Shirley!

MAC '71 Hugs,

Jenice Graham Benedict

9-2013

Debbi Self (Norris)

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

Debbi:  my sympathy to you as well on the loss of your brother.  Reading about him brought back memories of THAT TEAM again.  We were all still at Garner when he and others were football legends, but I can still remember discussion of MacArthur's extraordinary football program that year.  My father, brother and his friends talked about them a lot.  There was a particular football game (perhaps they were playing for district?) where they came from far behind and won in the last two minutes.  Going on for state, they were defeated by Spring Branch High School here in Houston.  I now work for the same district and have been in the old high school building many times.  I also have a memory of one of MacArthur's foot ball games being broadcasted on the local TV channel.  They were playing in Alamo Stadium, over by the zoo and Trinity University.  How proud all of those athletes must have been.  Their accomplishments were a memory they could all keep the rest of their lives.

Shirley Burleson Espinosa

Debbi Self (Norris)

I know this post is late in coming but so much has been going on that I just never took the time to respond to all of your comments as it was just to hard until now  Rockys passing was such a surprise I still am in disbelief that it happened so suddenly. The past football season was tough to get through but I made it. My family purchased a huge chunk of Kyle Field when it was sold in November and my son is building a putting green in our back yard as a memorial to his "Uncle Rocky." It should be ready for Rockys birthday July 20th. If a celebration  of ones' life can be fantastic then Rockys was, it was a who's who of MacArthur past. From coaches dating back to Coach Smith at Garner to Joe Bill Fox himself being there along with so many other coaches and football players sharing stories about my brother it was truly a celebration.  I only wish Rocky could have known how liked and special he was.  I think he was there somewhere in the room laid back listening quietly as usual with a grin on his face.  As I watched the NFL draft waiting to see who would get Johnny Football I wanted to reach out and call him but I know he is in a better place with other family members who have gone before him especially his darling Julie who was taken from him at the age of 20 in a tragic car accident.  Those who knew Rocky after that know he never was the same after and wanted to be with her and God saw to that. I know many of you have lost siblings and my heart goes out to each and every one of you as next to your children and parents it is like losing a part of you.I want to thank those of you who sent messages to me with your thoughts and prayers and sorry it took so long.  I am hoping to see many of you at the joint reunion this October and sharing some great memories. I am so happy to be a part of this great class and school and wish all of you a great summer and remind you "Never be ashamed to tell people you love them or what they mean to you because in the blink of an eye it can be taken away from you, so seize the moment often. Go Brahmas

Debbi Self (Norris)

Robert, I saw this on facebook and immediatel said a prayer for your sister and the family of her husband Matt. My heart goes out to her on this Veterans Day as we celebrate all the men and women who have served our country. My son is a medically retired vet as of last July and I am so happy to have him home after 2 deployments to Iraq.  It is hard enough to have a loved one survive combat and then to lose their life when on home soil. Matt is a hero in all of our eyes and I will continue to pray for Tina and the family during this time of loss.

Debbi Norris

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

Congrats to Jenice Graham Benedict for posting a super narrative about her days at elementary school, complete with lots of details and descriptions.  She really recreated the world that we lived in.  We have heard from Wilshire and now Oak Grove.   Any Serna or Coker people out there who can share?  We would love to hear about it.

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

I love it!  It's an avalanche of new postings.  Jenice talks about Oak Grove.  Steve Clark lets us in on his belching talent.  Did you do it in college too, Steve?  I'll bet you did.  Robert Cuddy outlines his first year at Lamar University.  I'm sure glad your mother straightened you out when you wanted to quit and come home.  And yes, it is HOT and muggy in east Texas.  The mosquitoes grow big enough to carry off untended infants.

Keep it up and we need some newbies.

Carla Thrasher (Daws)

I did second grade at Serna Elementary after first grade at Coker and before going on to Oak Grove. That is where I had my first love, Jack Holmgreen (he went to another junior high and high school). I ran into him a few years ago and we discovered we had parallel lives. Married about the same time, kids the same age, and we were even both in various aspects of the water business which resulted in our paths crossing several times without even knowing it. He still made my heart go pitty pat!

Mrs. Smith was my teacher. I liked her because she and I were the only ones who wanted JFK to win the election. I remember she spent a lot of time smoking in the teachers' lounge which was right next to our room. She had a way of listening in through the intercom. I think she spent more time in there than she did in the classroom!

Carla Thrasher Daws

Shirley Burleson (Espinosa)

Yay to Carla Daws for posting about Serna, Coker, and Oak Forest.  You got around Carla, didn't you?  Be sure to check out Steve Clark's post in the user forums about his pre-Mac childhood.  

Bob Abel

Thanks Robert Cuddy... great to hear from you! So special thanks to Jenice Graham Benedict!!! You both, as well as many others, do so much for the reunion & contacts! I wish I had more time to help & visit, etc., but owning my masonry construction business is a 7 days/70 hours per week baby to take care of. Don't want it to get any bigger & hire more people...just want to have a life before I sell it & retire one day, haha.

I hear San Antonio is about the only place, even in Texas, that calls em' "Icehouses"...I hear it all started from Lone Star Icehouse chain's name. You are right about that Lone Star Ice House & also the Texas Icehouse ...they're still there I believe. When we were slightly under-aged & in Mac, we would buy a quart each of Lone Star beer at another hidden icehouse on a seedier part of town...will not mention names!! hehe.

I just saw a message from Jenice about the user-forum that I had never checked out before...hi Jenice! Thanks for the old pics & just skimmed thru your Oak Grove stories...great!! I remember Principal Potts & remember your Mom & all. I'm sorry I pulled your hair on the playground in 3rd grade or so....only if you are sorry you pinched me. Hahahahaha. You were/are a good person to be around. Like your Mom, my Mom would walk us to school many times, until she got her Citizenship(she was from England) & learned to drive...walked uphill both ways as the old folks said...in the snow. LOL I do remember walking to school with it being so cold we would run to those old heaters until we thawed out. Then, like you said, had to open windows as no air cond.

I'll never forget at Mac, while taking a difficult science finals test one May, from teacher Mr. Dawson, it seemed like 100 degrees in the class even with all windows open...so Mr. Dawson turned off the lights saying "light makes heat". That's all the science I ever remember, hehe.

Gotta run finish job estimates...greetings & good blessings to all!

Debbi Self (Norris)

While reading the posts of days in elementary school my only strong memory of Coker was getting locked in the clinic.  I had gone to the clinic I guess feeling bad and the nurse left me in the room on the little cot and locked up for the night.  I had fallen asleep and when I woke it was pretty dark in the school. However, it wasn't outside (lol) I know I was scared.  I was able to call my mom from the phone in the clinic and can't remember how long it took them to rescue me but it was second grade and I bet I didnt go to the clinic again for many years. After Coker, I moved and went to Walzem then boundary changes put me at Windcrest. I can remember all my teachers from 3rd grade on but seemed to have a memory block of Coker. I saw the pictures of our class while planning the last reunion.  As for the icehouse I still call it that as some habits are hard to break. While living in Oklahomas I found when I used the term that they really had icehouses where people went to buy ice. I guess like our Mission Ice here so people would always correct me and say convenience store. It is really fun to read old class mates posts so keep them coming. 

Debbi Self Norris