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Happy Birthday to Kathy Presgraves Whitt ('71) of VA - another one of our "youngsters"!

1. Ellen Overton Weiss ('68) of VA - 08/06/04 - courtesy of her big sister, Susie Overton Jones ('63) of VA

Thanks for your generous monetary contributions. They're always needed, and gleefully and joyfully received!

I don't know why I even bother to read the obituaries in the Daily Press anymore. Apparently, I've reached such
an elevated stage in my denial abilities that I can read every word, and see only what I wish. So it was that I was
able to miss this notice of the passing of Bunny Booker's mother - TWICE - and had to be kabonged over the head
by both Sandi Bateman Chestnut and Sarah Puckett Kressaty (both '65, both of VA) (Thanks, Girls!):

NEWPORT NEWS - Margie Ellen Booker, 87, died Saturday, July 31, 2004. She was born in West Augusta Co. and had been a Peninsula resident for the past 72 years. She was employed at the downtown W.T. Grants for many years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest R. Booker Sr. She is survived by her three daughters, Juanita Wittum and her husband, Charles, of Cicero, Ind., Diane Lindsay of Byron, Mich., and Mary Ellen Kolton of Newport News; her son, Ernest 'Bunny' R. Booker Jr. and his wife, Cindy, of Fenton, Mich.; her brother, Berlin Hamilton of Newport News; 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, at Weymouth Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the Weymouth Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Larry Jones of Northside Church of Christ. Interment will follow in Peninsula Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 404 Colley Ave., Norfolk, VA 23507.

Published in the Daily Press from 8/1/2004 - 8/3/2004.

When I get back home this afternoon, I will at last post it here. Meanwhile, we extend our deepest sympathies to Bunny
and his sisters and their families.

Hi Carol,

In case you haven't seen this, here's the web site for a really cute Bush-Kerry cartoon
that you can download. It's a hoot.

Regards, Charlie Hilling

One of y'all - probably Janice McCain Rose ('65) of VA, and my #5 son, Nathaniel Harty of IL, had passed this
on to me before, and I had neglected to put it in a Newsletter. I was probably laughing too hard! Thanks, Charlie!

Please add Bobby Turpin, VA (Class of 58) Oct. 25, 1940 and Anne Sawyer Turpin VA, (Class of 65) Jul. 31, 1947 to the list of Birthdays. Thanks, for being ever so faithful in producing such informative and wonderful information you receive. I enjoy reading every update that is sent out and look forward to them.

Changing the subject, I know the "wheels of city government turn so slowly" however, I wish someone with the City of NN, would begin to locate and start the process of displaying the NNHS trophies and memorabilia that all the TYPHOON alumni remember and love.

My best to Charlie Hilling (Class of 56), now enjoying retirement as I am. He and his brothers were one of the North End families that I remember as we all hung out at the Rainbow on 50th Street and played in the Big Field at 48th Street and Virginia Ave., now Warwick Blvd. I sure would like to know the whereabouts of Freddie McDowell. I wonder if Freddie can still shoot his "set shot" like he did when he played basketball. It sure was pretty to see those long shots. I think Freddie was in the Class of 55, if I am not mistaken although if might be Class of 56. THANKS, for the memories of North End.

One more little tidbit of info. Carla Fine Cripps (Class of 65) who lives in Adelaide, Australia and her husband Ray visited us for a few days in July, while they are here in the US to see his parents in the Los Angeles area. Chip Clark, drove down from Wash. DC and visited with Carla, Ray and Anne for the day. They had a super goodtime.

OHHH! WOWZERS! Carla, Anne, AND Chip! HOW WONDERFUL! I really don't think I've seen either Carla or Anne
since graduation 39 years ago, but I was privileged to see Chippy with whom I began first grade at Magruder School less
than two years ago on this incredibly awesome occasion:

I certainly hope that Chip captured some exciting images of this mini-reunion for us!

Thought I'd be a braggin' grandma again send out this cute pic taken yesterday!
Soren has begun to "move" and in his walker can go anywhere!!! He likes to get
under the table and his sister can really make him laugh! Sarah

That is what we grandmothers do, Sarah. That's our job! Thanks for the precious photo!

I discovered a tid-bit of information today, while reading "The Burma Road" by Donovan Webster.
I may have discovered another Famous Soldier. Julia McWilliams served in the OSS in the India, Burma,
China theatre. She was stationed at the SEAC Headquarters at Kandy, Ceylon during World War II. SEAC
commander was Lord Louis Mountbatten. She later became famous as "The French Chef" after marrying
and became the well known Julia Child.

So I was running her name through Google for the necessary additional background, and came upon this
ridiculous site which I thought ya’ll would enjoy. I know that I’m a little (okay, a lot) off the wall, but I think I
really, REALLY hurt myself laughing this time. My 17-year old daughter thought I was just nuts, but she's
held that opinion since shortly after her birth. I can't imagine why.

I am delighted that I could indirectly bring you such great entertainment. She cracked me up when
she was preparing a turkey for a holiday feast. She apparently had sampled a bit too much of the wine
before or during the show, and was slapping the bird as she explained to the audience how to prepare
it for roasting. What a character!

Now, I have to find a photo of her in uniform. Serving in the OSS, it is doubtful that we will find
such a photo. I will endeavor to locate one for the Famous Soldiers page.

Thanks, Joe! Julia is now one of our "Famous Soldiers" - as indeed she should be (minus the satirical web site,
of course):

If possible, please add my e-mail address, etc. to class of '65's e-mail list. I have already heard
from several '65 classmates! Thanks for the memories!!!

I hope y'all are all having fun! Reconnecting is after all the main purpose of both the web site and the Newsletters.
I myself had a couple of delightful phone calls from two fellas from the Class of '65 this week, and was really quite
elated by them both! Thanks, Guys - call anytime!

Hey Carol,
YOU DO A MAGNIFICENT JOB! I have no idea how you do it, but I do enjoy looking
through it and seeing so many wonderful responses to you. It really touches the heart!!
Loved the Birthday page - just visited it today. Please add me to the list: 10-28-38
Thanks, Nancy

Speaking of having fun, y'all go check out Nancy's web page and sign up for a cruise:

This is a follow up report on the ice skating party which Adrienne and I attended Friday night. I've been doing
some strange and unusual things in the last four or five years, and this one must rank near the top. For one thing,
the Fort Bragg rink isn't primarily a skating rink at all. It's a hockey rink, so the rail to which I was planning to cling
for dear life was non-existent. Nevertheless, I managed to make it around the rink at least five times, I ventured out
into the center of the ice once, and I didn't fall down even once! We had a wonderful, screaming, rowdy time!

The Big Question remains: what on earth was I doing there in the first place? There were seven teenagers ranging
from 15 to 18, the 44-year-old mother of the Birthday Boy - and ME! I think there's only one possible answer. In fact,
as we were going past the Fort Bragg check points, showing our IDs, they told the guard we just had a load of kids
in the van. The guard gestured toward me and asked, "What about that one ?" The mother replied, "Under no
circumstances could she ever be considered an adult!!" So it's just as I've always told you ---- "I'm still just a kid!"