Wanda Holley, Lee Stafford, and John and Carol Crowell gave a fun going-away party for Ron Locke on Saturday of last week. As many know, Ron is moving to Fairhope, Ala. The party took place at Wanda”s hilltop home in Cady Hills.
The antique dining room table was decorated with crystal and white flowers around greenery of light shades that were perfect for a warm summer evening. A delicious array of seasonal appetizers covered the table, and tempting chocolate desserts were displayed on the sideboard. The marinated cucumber sandwiches and the basil cream-stuffed cherry tomatoes were disappearing quickly. Ron gave a short speech, thanking his guests and hosts for the delightful party and for their years of friendship.
In addition to Ron”s sister, June Boyd, and her husband, Juddy, Ron”s two charming nieces, Dare and Beth, attended along with their husbands. Other guests included Meredith Andrews and her fiancé, John Baron, Bud and Joy Phillips, John and Eulalie Davis, Martha Gillis and son, Adams, Karen and Alan Williams, and Glenn and Phyllis Miller. Chance and Gail Laws were in Oxford helping son Andrew and his wife, Chandler, move into their new large home. Ron has been honored with several other parties around town.
Class of ”70
The Lee High Class of 1970 held a reunion last weekend. The fun started off with a dinner get-together at The Skyes Place on Old West Point Road, hosted by Jimmy and Joann Graham. It was a perfect summer night as the crowd gathered in the many pavilions, enjoying the delicious appetizers and desserts that had been prepared by the planning committee — Sunny and Tom Whitaker, Watt and Pam Brock, David and Lynne Curtis, Deborah Lott Guist and Paula Walden Booth.
The Sykes Place is a most relaxing and fascinating retreat that makes any gathering so much more enjoyable and memorable. The wealth of local memorabilia displayed in the main lodge provided for stimulating conversation and fond memories of growing up in Columbus.
The fun continued Saturday night with a gala at the Columbus Country Club. Among attendees were Lydia Owen Bosch from Pinehurst, N.C., Jim Ford, Merrill Rosamond, Larry and Debbie Kerr Swartz, Suzy Widegren Robinson and Beth Boggess Sitters from Houston, Jo Shumake, Beth Mitchell from London, Ontario and Teen Stallworth. Former Lee High Queen and Class Favorite, Judi Greenhaw, Dee McKay (also class favorite) and Class President Dr. John McBrayer (Sandy) were among the alumni. The mistress of ceremonies who kept everyone hopping was the always in-demand Cassie Ivey Durden.
In and out of town
Jane Hardy made a quick trip to New Hampshire to drop son Tom Kochtitzky off at Hidden Valley Boy Scout Camp and then flew home to drive to Columbus, pick up her mother, Anne, and head to Hattiesburg to see sister Sarah Hardy Webb. Jane returned to Columbus Thursday and entertained family and friends at The Cedars.
Terry and Anne Freeze were guests of Jo Shumake at the July Magowah barbecue. Jo is retired from the Foreign Services and will be teaching English at East Mississippi Junior College. Jo has a Phd. in English and once taught at Mississippi University for Women.
Chip and Deborah Billups are back in town after a week in Texas where they visited Chip”s mother, Betty, his sister, Susan Billups Underwood, his nieces Anna, Evan, Carly and Sarah, as well as many friends.
Madeline Hardy returned yesterday from her month in Quebec studying French. Madeline has lots of great pictures on her Facebook page. She discovered poutine, the national fast food favorite of Quebec — french fries with cheese and brown gravy.
Madeline was with a group of 12 students from Mississippi State University with varying levels of French. She is getting a minor in French and has completed all of her courses after this trip. Her group studied in the mornings and toured the city the rest of the time. The highlights of her trip were The Montmorency Falls, Orleans Island, St. Anne”s Basilica, and the Dagobert, a multi-level discoteque with a see-through glass stairway. One of Madeline”s assignments was to give the group a guided tour of The Chateau Frontenac (in French).
Her close friend and Delta Gamma sorority sister, Sarah Merriman, was also along for the fun!
Bob Raymond is a retired French teacher. His e-mail address is [email protected].
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