Did you notice the World War II Veterans Plaque in the Building at the Reunion? It was moved from the old High School and installed in the Building just before the Reunion in September. A donor made a Kodiak donation and earmarked those funds to accomplish the removal and installation of the plaque to honor her father and all the Veterans who served during that war. Any donations our alumni make can be dedicated to a specific project or added to the Scholarship, Veterans or Maintenance Funds. All donations, great and small help keep our Building and our Association something of which we can all be proud.

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Gladewater Former Students’ Association A TEXAS NOT-FOR-PROFIT DEDICATED TO GHS ALUMNI

P.O. Box 1425, Gladewater, TX 75647 Phone/Fax: 903-845-2631 Email: ghsalums@suddenlinkmail.com

www.gladewaterformerstudents.com

LLeetttteerr ffrroomm LLaarrrryy CClleemmeennss ‘‘6688,, GGFFSSAA BBooaarrdd PPrreessiiddeenntt

I would like to begin by wishing all of you a Happy and Joyful Holiday Season. I wish everyone safe

travels to and from your destinations. As I am writing this note I am imagining how many different

directions we will all be going during the holidays. Gladewater will be represented all over the

world.

Hats off to the Class of 1969! If you did not get a chance to attend this year’s reunion you missed a

great time. I have had several people comment about the reunion and every comment has been

positive. Class of 1970 you have some big shoes to fill but I know you guys will come through with a

fantastic reunion in 2020.

As I told you at the reunion your Board of Directors are working hard for our organization. We have

12 dedicated people who enjoy working together and manage to get things done. As President, I

could not ask for a better Board to work with. I always like to mention that we have two Board

members that drive over two hours one way just to come to our meetings. If any of you are

interested in serving on the Board please let me, or one of the other Board members know and we

will get you the information.

The final numbers are in on the fifth annual Sporting Clays event and it was a success. Although not

as well attended as the previous four we had a good time. Steve Scurlock is already planning for

2020. If you can, try to get involved with this event.

By the time you read this newsletter we will have honored our Veteran’s with our annual Veteran’s

Day luncheon. This is always a great event and the feedback we get from the Veteran’s is amazing.

All the freedoms that we enjoy today are because of the sacrifices made by these brave men and

women. Plan to attend next year if you can. Thanks to all who helped plan, decorate and serve at

the event.

In closing, it is my privilege to serve as the President of this organization. When I agreed to be the

President I really didn’t know what to expect. I soon realized how passionate people are about this

organization. You might say I hit the ground running because I had a few calls and visits the first

week. Looking back over 2019, I would have to say that as an organization we have things moving in

the right direction and we appreciate the support that that membership gives us. Again, Happy

Holidays and Go Bears

Larry Clemens, Board President

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The Gladewater Former Students’ Association is rightly proud of our wonderful GFSA Building, made possible by the generosity of so many alumni/donors throughout the years. It is because of their vision that we have a building at all. But, just like any other property, things wear out, become obsolete, get old or just break. It costs money to provide the upkeep and improvements necessary if we are to maintain the use and value of the property. Be sure to renew your membership and pay your dues to keep the necessary revenue coming in to maintain and improve this valuable resource. If you want to make a donation, here are some of the projects in progress and in the planning stages:

The GFSA Building is currently undergoing a retrofit of the lighting.

The board is also considering installing a gate at the west opening of the parking lot for security purposes.

There is also an ongoing need to replace the carpet and mitigate water damage.

The Board is investigating the cost of replacing our obsolete Audio-Visual System, the podium and purchasing an omni-directional microphone.

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Revision and updating of the Bylaws was completed by the Bylaws Committee in September 2019 and was reviewed and approved by the Board. Very little in the way of revision was necessary owing to the thoroughness and foresight of board members in the past. The updated Bylaws will be posted on the website soon and will be available for review at www.gladewaterformerstudents.com

As outlined in the Bylaws, the Finance Committee has been conducting an Internal Financial Review for the past several months. The ongoing review encompasses the years from 2016 through 2018 and should be completed by years’ end.

Newsletter delivery changes are coming! This is the last mass mailing of the newsletter. The year-end publication in late December will be posted to the GFSA website. If you want to continue receiving the GFSA newsletter in the mail, please notify the Gladewater Former Students’ office of your name, current address and phone number before the end of December. Please mail requests to GFSA at P.O. Box 1425, Gladewater, TX 75647 or email: ghsalums@suddenlinkmail.com

STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS OF GLADEWATER JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WHO ANSWERED THE

CALL TO THE COLORS IN WORLD WAR II

Did you notice the World War II Veterans Plaque in the Building at the Reunion? It was moved from the old High School and installed in the Building just before the Reunion in September. A donor made a Kodiak donation and earmarked those funds to accomplish the removal and installation of the plaque to honor her father and all the Veterans who served during that war. Any donations our alumni make can be dedicated to a specific project or added to the Scholarship, Veterans or Maintenance Funds. All donations, great and small, help keep our Building and our Association something of which we can all be proud.

WWWWIIII RROOLLLL OOFF HHOONNOORR

Meet Board Members Lois Reed & Cheryl Copeland

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“My life has come full circle and I am proud to claim Gladewater as my

hometown! I attended Gay Avenue as a child and then later in life

served for fifteen years as secretary before retiring from the same

campus. Working with a fabulous principal, Mickey Bryce, and the most

wonderful group of caring educators, we prepared the next generation

of Wee Bears to succeed. As a graduate of Irving High School in 1966, I

appreciated the strong educational background I received from GISD.

God has blessed me with a life of adventure, good health, great

opportunities, and a willing spirit to get involved as a participant not a

spectator.

In addition to my service as Co-treasurer on the Gladewater Former

Students Board I presently serve as the Gladewater Chamber of

Commerce President with a goal of increasing membership, promoting

tourism, and involving local residents in activities and special events. It

is amazing how supportive and concerned businesses and individuals

are to help make Gladewater a better place to live, work, and retire!”

CChheerryyll MMoooorree CCooppeellaanndd –– CCllaassss ooff 11996699

“I grew up in Gladewater and graduated in 1969. I’m proud of receiving the honors of Miss GHS, Representing GHS in Miss Gregg County contest, Bear cheerleader 67,68,69 and Football Sweetheart. After graduation, I attended Kilgore Junior College and later, was an employee of Gladewater ISD for several years. My husband, Rex Copeland, is a member of the GHS Class of 1965, and our daughter, Marci Copeland Patterson, a member of GHS Class of 1996. I have been on the GFSA Board for the past four years and now serve as the Recording Secretary.”

The Class of 69 threw a great party for the All School Reunion. The one day event began at 4 pm Saturday with the Meet and Greet followed by an opening program, dinner, presentation of the three Outstanding Alumni and the Grizzly Award recipient. Catching up with schoolmates and dancing into the night closed out the evening’s events.

The one day event left Friday night and Saturday morning and early afternoon for individual class gatherings. Receiving the Outstanding Alumni Awards this year were Cathy Phillips Shipp, Class of 1965, Sam Griffith, Class of 1970 and Jim Hugman, Class of 1976. Dale Lange, Class of 1969, received the Grizzly Award. Former GFSA President John Paul Tallent gave a speech on the formation of the Gladewater Former Students Association, the creation of the building and the various donors who have made the existance and upkeep of the GFSA Building possible. The Class of ‘69 should be very proud of the fun and successful gathering they put on for all of us.

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Judge Sam Griffith GHS Class of 1970

Cathy Shipp GHS Class of 1965

Jim Hugman GHS Class of 1976

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UPCOMING EVENT

December 5, 2019

GFSA BOARD MEETING, 5:30 p.m.

CHRISTMAS GATHERING, 6:30 p.m.

All are welcome, so please join us to kick off the Holiday Season!

Gone But Not Forgotten

We would like to remember the following former

students and teachers who have recently passed away.

All will be sorely missed by their families, friends and

classmates to whom we extend our deepest sympathies.

Richard Tallent, Class of 1943

Rex Grantham, Class of 1955

Jack Hearell, Class of 1959

Kay Jean Brisby Ogden, Class of 1963

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'30 George Wilkins (Dec'd) '41 Margie Brewer Morrison

'38 C.W. Williams, Jr, '42 Jack Phillips

'38 Gladys Browning Best '42 Ralph Weiser

'39 Dr. John Heit (Dec'd) '43 Juanita Bagley Dusse'

'39 Helen Adams Thomas (Dec'd) '50 Janet Burnett Hill (Dec'd)

'40 June Strawn Gelvin (Dec'd) '56 Leland Stracener

'41 Dr. John Artie & Arra Browning (Dec'd) '63 Alla Burago

'41 Gladys Williams Dreeson

'33 Gwendolyn Hamilton Hogue (Dec'd) '49 Bill Looney '62 Kay Pothoff Wallace

'38 Lee Fisher (Dec'd) '49 T. E. "Ed" Maxwell '63 Melvin A. Tallent (Dec'd)

'39 Jane Neal Sellers (Dec'd) '43 Richard D. Tallent '65 Danny Strickland

'39 Edward Glenn Lange (Dec'd) '51 Colleen Tallent Coffman (Dec'd) '67 Jerry D. Tallent (Dec'd)

'40 Ernestine Wilson Sawyer '52 Frances Ann Brown Shanks '68 Mark Abernathy

'40 Truman Wilson (Dec’d) '52 Beverly Hutson Lancaster '68 Shirley Elliott Willett

'41 Johnnie Pace Brown '53 Alice Ruth Wallace Cater '71 Sue Clifton Moore (Dec'd)

'41 Dr. Robert Brutsche '53 Jerry Don Lancaster '76 James Hugman

'41 Emma Dean Hinton Fetzer '53 Sherman Kennedy (Dec'd) '76 Sharon Scurlock Berryman

'41 Jean Clark Hughes (Dec'd) '54 Barbara Smith Mackey '77 Jayson Wynn (Dec'd)

'41 Dr. Helen Chapman Williamson(Dec'd) '54 Dr. Calvin N. McKaig '85 Cindy Tallent Rowe

'41 Charles Gilpin '54 Martha Williams Squibb '85 Jon Rowe

'41 Dr. Harold McDowell (Dec'd) '54 Jimmy A. Tallent (Dec'd) '88 Johnny Tallent

'41 Patricia Nichols Summer '54 Lila Mae Walker Waters '90 Andrea Slover Tallent

'42 Ann Ruth Stone Gentry '55 Mary Lou Wilcox Palmer 2011 Alyssa Rowe

'44 Lafon Dorrough (Dec'd) '56 Travis Stanley 2013 Leslie Rowe

'44 Georgia Waters Dorrough '56 Donald Williams (Dec'd) 2015 Rebecca Rowe

'44 Jo Nell Adams Lucky '56 Ronald Williams Class of 1943

44 Robert H. Schmidt '57 Homer Beck Class of 1945

'44 Roy A. Tallent (Dec'd) '59 Mary Barr Price Class of 1958

'45 Lawanna Lee Ballard '59 Grace Ann Rose Shore (Dec'd) Class of 1961

'46 Billy c. Dale (Dec'd) '60 Tom & Nita Zajicek in memory of Paul & Agnes Zajicek Class of 1962

'46 Gladys Ronita Dillard '62 Jack Butler Class of 1965

'46 Bobbie Milliorn Modisette '62 Barbara Brooking Henderson Class of 1966

'46 Dr. Jack "Spot" Collins (Dec'd) '62 Ellender"Cookie”Owens Holcomb Class of 1968

'46 8.M. "Mack" Rankin (Dec'd) '62 Glenna Rush Ishmael (Dec'd) Beverly Brunson Tallent

'46 Virginia Henley Mankins (Dec’d) '62 Loretta Blear Mitchell

'48 William "Billy Bob" Green '62 Ronny Moore (Dec'd)

'48 Nelda Jean Barr Young '62 John Shepperd (Dec'd)

'49 Jack Foshee (Dec’d) '62 Paula Jones Smith

'49 Robert Honeycutt '62 Betty Jean Thomas Stegall

The GLADEWATER FORMER STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION would like to recognize and

thank the following alumni who have supported this organization with "KODIAK"

contributions:

'43 Dorothy Dake Anderson (Dec’d)

'62 John Paul Tallent

Past President Life Members

’38 Nauty Byrd Pelphrey Mayer, 1983-1990 ’59 Leon Watson, 2002-2003,2008-2009 ’38 Hulon Broyles, 1991-1992, 1996 ’68 Barry Cook, 2007

’40 Truman Wilson, 1995 ’60 Roy T Van Houten, 2010 ’61 Sherry Waggoner Bell, 1993-94, 2011-12 ’62 John Paul Tallent, 1997-2001,2013-2015 ’56 Dr. Syntha Traughber West, 2004-2006 ’68 Shirley Elliott Willett, 2016-2018

Gladewater Former Students' Association P. O. Box 1425 Gladewater, TX 75647

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

A Reminder to GHS Former Students Your Annual Dues Help Keep Our Treasured Building Open!