Hello to my precious Class of 1953,
As I write this I pray you and your families are well and have escaped this dreaded COVID.
Our last newsletter was filled with news from many of you whom Mitzi and I had reached by phone, so
there isn’t much “new” news to share, except we lost our dear Nina Franklin in July. I will always cherish our wonderful visit on the telephone. She was so looking forward to receiving the Commentary, and it makes me sad that she didn’t live long enough to get it.
I called the funeral home in Alabama to learn her only sibling’s address, but as yet I have not received it. I would like to send a memorial for Nina and also mail her sister a copy of that Commentary.
Your life has probably been very much like mine since March when we began experiencing this dreadful COVID. I watch our church services which have been mainstreamed each Sunday. Thank goodness for my IPad which years ago my family had to practically twist my arm to get me to accept. Now, they think I might be addicted to it!! I e-mail, FaceTime, play “Words With Friends”(like Scrabble), take pictures, video, message, stay connected with the outside world, etc. I LOVE MY IPAD!!
I have never read so many books, rereading some because I had forgotten I had already read them! I have continued my friendships with a group of Cheraw classmates and many of you wonderful Cokernuts by calling. I cook occasionally and don’t mind eating left-overs. I have wonderful family who are my only visitors and the only ones I have visited (some of us vacationed at Ocean Isle in June). I have a niece living here and four neighbors who are my guardian angels (I haven’t been in Walmart or a grocery store since February). Don’t get me wrong; sometimes I get a little “down” and that’s when I am reminded to count my many blessings.
My family has grown by leaps and bounds, now numbering 23!! There are 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren (the oldest 16 and the youngest 2) and the rest are in-laws. I have all of them one day during the holidays for our Christmas each year, and December 12th is already on everyone’s calendar.
It is so nice to keep up with Sarah Sampson Bell and her family. She was hospitalized several days in August when she received several units of blood. She had begun feeling tired all the time; her doctor did some blood work which prompted her hospitalization. She is now feeling a little perkier. Her son, Greg, is good about posting pictures including Sarah on FB.
While plundering one day recently, I found a newspaper article and picture from The Charleston News and Courier of Margaret Hewitt Hoffmeyer, Susie Gaines Hautala and Jean Stevens Edwards when they had been elected to lead our freshman class. I mailed it to Jean since she was the only one alive. She called to thank me. Little things mean a lot!
Speaking of FaceTiming, that’s what I did with Charlie Chewning on her birthday (89th, as you all know). She is still in Bethea Assisted Living between Darlington and Florence. There can be no visitors at the home so we did the next best thing. Charlie looked well and can’t wait for the day we can get together to have lunch and play cards.
Betty Jean Lee Hunsinger keeps in touch with Jean Fore McDaniel in Sacramento. Jean and Mac are safe from the fires that are raging in their state. Their only concern is smoke; they only go outside when it is absolutely necessary. Trips to their home in Pawleys Island are out of the question right now.
Betty Jean lives alone near Latta but close to three of her four children, the other living in San Antonio. Besides her three daughters and one son, she has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Betty Jean worked as a nurse at Stokes Eye Clinic in Florence and retired after 26 years. Although she is an active member of her Methodist Church, during COVID she has been attending outside church at the Presbyterian Church where her son-in-law is conducting services. Her family frequently gets together, always at her house.
I received an unexpected and wonderful call from Betty Talley Earon who has kept in touch with Teresa Cameron Glasco. Teresa had back surgery and more recently is recovering from a broken leg incurred from a fall. She lives in Sanford, her hometown, and I am remembering that she was “Miss Sanford” prior to coming to Coker. So I was rooming with a celebrity! Betty’s life has been so exciting with her husband Blaine being a football star. He was a defensive lineman with the Detroit Lions who were the NFL champions in 1952 and 1953. Blaine passed away last year at the age of 90. He and Betty had been married 64 years with a family of 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren! Betty now lives in Hoschton, Georgia, and is expecting her fifteenth great-grandchild. 5 of their family were named Blaine. Betty’s call was absolutely awesome and has added so much to our newsletter. (I didn’t think I had any news!!)
It has just occurred to me that three of our class experienced football fame in their family!! Lexie Margaret Stokes Collie’s son played with the San Francisco 49’s when they won two Super Bowls! Jo Ann Carter McKissick’s husband John is the winningest high school coach in our country (you should read his book). Betty Talley Earon’s husband Blaine played for the Detroit Lions when they won the NFL championship twice. Congratulations to these three Cokernuts who have led such wonderful and exciting lives! I love football!!
My prayers and love are with all of you. May what we are now experiencing with COVID soon be a thing of the past and we can return to living the lives we were enjoying before.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Pat Chapman Huff
Hello Classmates.
It’s that time again! Time to give you some news from some old friends. After all we’ve only known each other since 1949 – that’s only 71 years. Don’t you want news?
Haven’t talked to JENNIE HERLONG BOATWRIGHT in awhile, but did see Skeet, the son of Jennie and Phillips. He said they were doing well.
In September two of my daughters, Kay and Jeanne, and I drove to Jacksonville, Florida to see LETTIE MATTHEWS GILLIGAN ’77 who had surgery on her neck about 8 weeks before that. (Lettie and Tom’s daughter Meggan and her two little girls almost 3 and 5 helped Lettie after her surgery for longer than 2 months.)She’s had a rough time and is still in pain. She’s having Physical Therapy now, which seems to be helping her, but she still needs much prayer. On December 11, 2020 Lettie will have a rod taken out of her leg, which has been painful for about 11 years, since she slipped on ice and broke it. She ought to be a new person after all of her surgeries.
PAT CHAPMAN HUFF called me recently and was so excited that she had heard from BETH DUBOSE COTTINGHAM’55, JENNIE HERLONG BOATWRIGHT and BETTY JEAN LEE HUNSINGER all in one day. Beth is continuing to write a book. Know it will be so good and we’ll want to read it when she has it published. Beth started her Freshman year at Coker College with us but contracted polio and had to stay out for a couple of years. She gave us news of JO ANNE SIRES BOYD having her first great-great-grandchild. Bet she may be the first in our class to accomplish that! Wow, great-great! I can’t phantom that!!!l
DAPHEN YARBOROUGH EDGE called me one night and she’s doing well. She has lunch with her daughter Michelle pretty often. Michelle lives in Florence and Daphen lives at the Presbyterian Home in Florence. Her other daughter Melony has two daughters and lives in Florida.
Kay and I went to North Myrtle beach in September for 3 nights and 3 days. We enjoyed our time together! We both got sick off of eating too much seafood. It was so good! Jeanne would have gone with us but had already planned a trip to Auburn, Alabama and on to Memphis, Tennessee where her husband’s parents live, for a baby shower for Jillian, and her husband James. Jillian is expecting their first baby boy in January. She has her Masters in Counseling and James has just about finished his studies to be a Pastor in the Presbyterian Church of America. They will have my 5th great-grandchild.
I’ve tried to call LOIS ANNE BUDDIN COKER, but can’t seem to get her. I’ve also tried to get NAN FRIPP STEADMAN. Also I’d like to hear from JUNE ROGERS DANNER. My number is 803-917-5678, if you would call me I’d like it! Please leave me a message on how I can contact you. My email address is Mitdumatt@icloud.com
I’m saving the funny thing for last. JENNIE HERLONG BOATWRIGHT finally called me. She’s so cute. She had a lot to say about her children but the funny thing is Phillips, her husband fell and Jennie tried to break his fall. He knocked her down, so they both just rolled on the floor laughing. Can’t you just picture them now? It could have been tragic, but they had no broken bones. Jennie just got a bruised foot out of it.
Well enjoy what time we have left on earth until we go to our final home in heaven. Let’s pray for each other. So until next time I’ll sign off!
I love each of you,
Mitzi