We Heard From….

July 1, 2023 –

On July 1, Bob SNODDY (50) wrote: Thank you for still remembering me!  I am now 91, but still hanging around.  I go to a men’s group once a week and they always want me to sing.  I enjoy it.  Picture is my favorite nurse.  She lives near Palmyra, but outside of town   BOB   (Ed. note: We lost our dear friend Bob on August 26, 2023. He will be remembered by many as a dedicated lover of Lane High and her graduates, helping organize reunions each year with his beloved wife Mary Elizabeth.)

On July 1, Jessie Carr HADEN (50) wrote:  Thank you so much good and sad information.   I live at Martha Jefferson house and had great pleasure of having great conversations with bill STOTT class of fifty before his passing.  He kept me informed of buck WOODY. Also class of fifty.   Is he on your mailing list?  Would love current news of him.  I am dependent on family for transportation so usually save for emergencies.   Have a great reunion. Hello to all who might have passed through Lane during my days there. Four years.  

On July 1, Sarah MITCHELL Burnet (64) wrote: Hazen (’63) and I are coming to the reunion in October.  We have talked Hazen’s brothers and spouses into coming to our place in Manakin Sabot and then going to the reunion.  Hazen’s brothers are Robert (Bob) Burnet (’61) and Gilbert (Gil) Burnet (’66).  We really enjoyed the reunion last year.  I’m hoping my sister, Linda Mitchell Cramer (’62) will be coming.  I hate to put a damper on this email, but I have some information on two of our dear friends for the In Memoriam Page: Gloria SUDDARTH Vess (’64) — 7/25/2006  Michael Lee MULLINNIX (’63) — 7/26/2018 Thank you and your cohorts for all the hard work you do.  With our reservation I have enclosed a donation to help defray costs.   (Ed. Note: Full list of deceased classmates in our website, www.LaneHSOnward.com) 

On July 1, David FULLER (59) wrote: Good for you and all of us left!!  

On July 2, Tom MIZELL (64) wrote: I’m looking forward to attending the Reunion in October.   Unfortunately,   Suzanne will be unable to attend.  She has now been a resident of Bridgewater Retirement Community’s  “Joy House” skilled nursing unit since March 6.  I share with people that she seems “Content” at BRC. Joy House seems a wonderful fit.    We enjoy good moments.  She enjoys singing, Fit and Fab sessions, the other ladies at her meal table, roaming in the unit, a host of fun things.     Thank all of you that make these Lane Reunions Happen!  It’s on my calendar and brings smiles when I just look at that date circled!    

On July 2, Jeff WATTLES (62) wrote: Thank you for your work on these reunions!  I’ll not be joining you, but my contact information remains the same.     My high school experience with you all remains a very positive memory, but a rather faint one. I remember the one time I came to a reunion, maybe in 2001. I would see a name tag and begin to interact with someone without any ability to recognize the personality I had known, but after maybe 30 seconds it was like focusing a lens from fuzzy to clear. This happened again and again. Lovely!  Thanks again.  All good to you and yours, Jeff   

On July 5, Woody BIRCKHEAD (53) wrote: I am still living in Texas and I have a trip set up for November at this time. Will you be able to post some pictures from the reunion on facebook or can you send them to me.  I sure hate to miss this year. (Ed. Note: all reunion pictures are posted on our website www.lanehsonward.com)  

On July 5, Tommy HARTSELL (68) wrote: My wife Kathy and I are full time RVers now. We sold our house and 43 years of stuff and tore off the rear view mirrors.   Now we’re seeing America one lake at a time.  We book often as far as 11 months in advance so this year we’ll be in SCarolina during the reunion. So maybe next year.   Thanks.  You and Larry and the crew have a great time.    

On July 15, Connie Canova wrote: Julia SHUMATE Ewing (57) received a notice from you apparently about a reunion.  I have not opened the mail but want you to know that Julie passed away May 14, 2023 after a brief illness.  She is greatly missed by her friends, family and neighbors.  I thought you and your classmates would want to know.  She was my best friend.  

Kathleen CLARK (49) wrote I will be unable to attend. I wish you all well and have a great HAPPY REUNION!!:  

Anna BOGGS Davis (66) wrote:  Thanks to you (and your co-workers) for your efforts in putting together the multi-class reunion. We are encouraging 1966 Lunch Bunch to attend, in lieu of our regular quarterly lunch gathering. I look forward to the reunion and to seeing you. Best regards.  

Dick BRAGG (61) wrote: “Have a great day!”  

Rebecca Louise DUNN Fuqua (58) wrote: Many more have died than those listed recently from class of 1958. Sybil Williams Mahanes probably has a total list of those who have passed away. (Ed. Note: full list of deceased classmates is on our website www.LaneHSOnward.com)  

Millard ‘Gregg’ ELLIOTT (64) wrote: Jane, Thanks so much for taking such good care of us!!  

Tom MIZELL (64) wrote: Jane, Hope you are doing well! Have a good summer…. and whoever else that sees this form the same above well wishes!
 
On August 26, Debbie Hawkins wrote: I’m writing to let you know we won’t be able to attend the reunion this year.  My husband, Hugh HAWKINS, Class of ’55, has had a rough year and is in a Nursing Home .  He is doing fairly well, but is confined to bed and wheelchair. He will be very sorry to miss the reunion, as we have attended almost every one that’s happened!   We have moved to Maryland to be closer to our daughter, but miss Charlottesville terribly!  And although I am not a Lane HS graduate, after living 60+ years with Hugh, I feel like a member of the clan!   Please give our love and good wishes to all the classmates, especially to any/all members of the Class of 55.  We will miss all y’all this Fall.
 
On September 5, DeK Bowen (53) wrote: Sorry to have missed last year, but hope to be with you this year. Nothing is diffident at this age.
On October 7, Nancy OAKEY Brown (57) wrote:  Richard and I will not be
able to attend the class reunion this year. That is the weekend of our great
grandson’s first birthday.
Hope you will have a great event and that perhaps we can attend another year.
Richard and I still enjoy great health and stay very busy.  He loves to play golf and
 I am still working at 84!
We were in the classes of 1956 and 1957.
 Please change our email to:  nobrown1@gmail.com

On September 22, Elena Speidel wrote: Just thought I would mention that Bill SPEIDEL (53) is handicapped by dementia, but still lights up at familiar Lane High names and can tell what instrument they played in the band!  Thought he would enjoy the reunion.
 
In October, Sandy MORRIS (66) Sensabaugh wrote: Thank you so much for all your work behind the scenes to help make this reunion possible.  This will be my first “all class reunion” and I’m looking forward to it.  It makes it easier to get there since I live in Ruckersville.  I hope this check makes it to you on time.  I’ve been in Raleigh where my best friend passed and helping with arrangements.  Life here is short.  Praying this is a happy occasion for all.
 
In February 2024, Steve Shiflett (64) wrote: Happy (and more importantly at our ages) Healthy New Year! 
First, I want to thank you for all your Lane Alumni work. I didn’t graduate from Lane but it was my favorite of the three High Schools I attended in three states (Texas, Virginia, and Oregon) I was an Air Force “brat” but born in Charlottesville, the ‘epicenter” of Shifletts (and my parents went to Lane)  Also, I believe we may actually have been “Raindrops” at Clark School since I went to 1st grade there for a while and I know a lot of the Class of ’64 were former May Day “Raindrops.” 
I ended up graduating from Corvallis High School in Oregon after my father returned from Viet Nam and was transferred to Adair AFS outside of Corvallis. I only went there the last 6 month of my senior year but because the majority of my class went on to Oregon State University – as I did- I got to know a number of my high school classmates at OSU. 
I actually went to all three 50 Year Reunions, but they were not in chronological order – the first one SH Rider HS in Wichita Falls, Texas was the last one held. If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Last Picture Show” it was filmed on location in Archer City, Texas about 25 miles south east of Wichita Falls. I had been there as a teenager but drove out once more since they had filmed the movie – it was Larry McMurtry’s hometown – he was the Pulitizer Prize winning author of Lonesome Dove.  During the reunion reception, I was talking with a classmate and kinda bragging saying “This is my third 50th HS reunion” and he said “Oh, this is my second” I asked him what other HS he had attended, and he replied “Oh, I went to Midland High School, in Midland, Texas. Laura Bush and I were in the same class. When we had our 40th Class reunion it was at the White House! Can you imagine! Your high school reunion in the White House! 
Anyway, all that being said, I’d appreciate knowing if any dates have been set for Lane’s 60th reunion. And again thanks for all your efforts!