POETRY of our TIMES by Alan Yount

Our class Poet Laureate, Alan Yount, has created more beautiful poetry.  The following is another published on www.jerryjazzmusician.com and repeated here for our classmates.  Alan is a very talented musician and poet and I enjoy reading and sharing his work.  On the Jerry Jazz Musician website you will find more of his work.  THANKS Alan for sharing!!! Wish I could share your music on my blog!  This one makes me miss my father even more than normal.  Below The Lines...  please see another poem, meant for New Year 2019 which I didn't get posted back then, but it's still worthy of a read.

The Lines On the Back of the Hand
glancing down, surprised somehow
lines had formed there
on the back of the hand
looking now like my father’s.
he once said
“I remember everything
just like it happened a week ago …
it’s so clear, how it was at eighteen
living on my parents’ farm.
yet it’s so strange
that some recent things
seem so far away.”
raising himself at the end
when he could no longer speak
he waved
that same hand to me:
drawing in the air a knowledge
only old men know
that final lineage traced onward
linking my hand with his …
.
by Alan Yount
………………….Previously published by Spring: the Journal of the E.E. Cummings Society. (academic journal). New series no. 5. Oct. 1996.

THEY SAY, ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
.
they say, on new year’s eve
……. you should make some new resolutions
…….……. for the new year.
.
they say, especially in your seventies
……. you should be doing something
…….……. in everyday, that you want to do, so much.
.
I say, I have
……. been lucky enough
…….……. to have heard the music for this.
.
in the last five years
……. it is more than enough to have written
……………………more poetry every day.
.
and to have all those thoughts
………….. come to me … again & again
…………..……. like I know, for sure, they will never end.
.
.
by
Alan Yount

.
.

Classmate Alex Douglas has left us way too early!

Such sad news greeted me this morning as I quickly checked Facebook to wish someone a happy birthday.  Alex and Jane Staples Douglas were one of our few in-class marriages, and one that has lasted so very long.  Alex was great about communicating their many adventures through his emails and Facebook.  Here is his obituary and it appears there will be no formal funeral service.  Thank you to Ric Porte for notifying me of this news which he found on Facebook this morning. This photo exactly captures his face as I remember from KHS.  What a beautiful setting, doesn't get better than palm trees and good wine!  I know he will rest in peace and love.  Jane, you have our sympathy.

Alex Douglas, 71, of Shawnee, KS passed away on Mar. 31st, 2019. He was born on June 29th, 1947 in Newark, DE to Dave and Bette Douglas. Alex was employed by Black & Veatch and Black & Veatch International for thirty years before being employed by the Department of State in their Overseas Building Operation for the past fifteen years. His career stretched throughout the United States, Central America, Northern Africa, China, Indonesia, South Pacific, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. His work in foreign countries allowed him to develop Toastmaster Clubs. Some of Alex’s proudest accomplishments was becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster and helping foreign nationals improve their speaking, interview and resume skills. He was also an avid golfer and tennis player in his youth. Alex was an honorable man who will be missed by those of us who knew him. Alex was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Dave. He is survived by his wife, Jane and son, David.

There will apparently be no public service and he will be cremated.  According to Ric who has been in touch with the family, he died of a heart attack in the night.  At least he didn't suffer a long, arduous illness.  

Classmate Brenda Cooper Lawler loses her husband

I am sorry to report that Brenda's husband Tom Lawler, aka Gregory T. Lawler, Jr. has passed away on 3/24/19.  His service will be Saturday, 3/30, with visitation from 1 to 3 at Bopp and service to follow there at 3pm.  Brenda has stayed in touch over the years and we send her our condolences.  She is on Facebook as Brenda Lawler if you wish to contact her that way.  May he rest in peace and love. 

RICHARD MILLS, HIS AMAZING LIFE AND CAREER FROM HIS COLLEAGUES

Today I received a note from Richard's colleagues at RACCA, a professional association with which he was long active - Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association.  Here is what they published in their newsletter upon his death last March:

In Memorium – Richard Alan Mills Honored by Scholarship

It is with deep sadness we report the passing from liver cancer of Richard Mills, after a short illness.

“Richard will be sorely missed,” said RACCA President Stan Bernstein. “His years of dedicated service to RACCA as director of communications for the past decade, previously, as the Safety Committee Chair, and in so many other ways, cannot be underestimated. He was dedicated to safety and quality assurance throughout his career and has contributed a great deal to his RACCA colleagues. RACCA has named one of its $2,500 scholarships in Richard's name in honor of his many years of faithful service and dedication to the association.”

Richard was born March 18, 1947 in St. Louis, MO, to John and Dorothy Mills. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with the Bachelor’s Degree and then as an Aviation Maintenance Technician from Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology. He would later receive the AMT-Gold Award from the Federal Aviation Administration. Between 1966 and 1972, he served as a Sergeant in the US Marin Corps serving in Vietnam.

For the past 17 years, he has worked at Empire Airlines which he considered his second family. He held posts as director-quality assurance and chief inspector and director-safety and compliance. Prior to that, he was vice president-technical services for National Air Carriers Association (NACA) after working as director-flight safety at Kitty Hawk International.

Professional associations include former chair of the air carrier section of the Coordinating Agency for Supplier Evaluation (CASE) and Chair of the Cessna Caravan Icing Workshop.

He leaves a his wife of 42 years, Carolyn, four step-children, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Checks for the Richard Mills Memorial Scholarship should be made out to RACCA with a note in the Memo line: Richard Mills Memorial Scholarship. [Here is the link to learn about the scholoarships, apply or donate.  You might roam around the RACCA site, it's interesting if you're an aviation buff.] 

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held at a later date. In the meantime, tributes can be sent via the website at English Funeral Chapel." 

Here is a link to Richard's amazing CV which I hope you will read and appreciate his many talents.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY 2019

From the terrific website JerryJassMusician.com comes this new post from our KHS65 poet laureate, Alan Yount - Happy Valentines Day to everyone, especially the lucky Jerra Yount, Alan's wife and recipient of this gorgeous Valentine.

THE THING OF IT IS ….
“For The Long Times, Through Life Together.”
(For Jerra)  [his wife]
.
when thinking
…………of this idea,
I always,
…………think of someone playing
“on the sunny side
…………of the street.”
you and I
…………taking care of each other
…the best we can
…………in all those old years.
it is beyond a duty …
…………it is beyond a faith …
it’s an undescribable
…………feeling for each other.
and you almost always, don’t know how,
…………another song, will turn out.
.
*****
.
the thing of it is,
…………in another song …
that’s just
…………the way … it is.
.
*****
.
make sure, you both hold tight:
…………every single night,
that you still have,
…………together.

2019 KHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME & ACTIVITIES

See below for the schedule of events

 

FAREWELL GOOD AND GREAT FRIEND

It was Valentine's Day afternoon when the doorbell rang.  Standing in front of me was Richard Mills with a smile and a red and gold heart-shaped box of chocolates sporting a big red & gold bow.  His mom was in the car at the curb waiting for him...it was 4th grade, 1957 to be exact.  Sixty-two years ago in a couple of weeks.  I had that bow on my bulletin board for years, I think actually maybe through high school.  It's likely now in my basement in a plastic tub of my 'papers' and souvenirs of my life.  This morning I learned my good friend Richard died.  We remained good friends all these years.  We never dated in high school or at Nipher but we were always friends.  We attended Episcopal Young Churchmen group activities together, we saw one another at church and school.  We stayed in touch, he came home for a reunion once, we reconnected.  Twice in more recent times when I was doing research having to do with the Junior College I reached out to him for assistance...he grew up in that white bungalow house with red shutters on Big Bend right across from the College property which had amazing history of its own.   Back in 9th grade he was the acolyte who served at the service the day Bishop George Leslie Cadigan was here and officiated at my confirmation class's ceremony.  It was Richard's birthday and for decades I've sent him some sort of greeting on his birthday, then we'd exchange greetings at Christmas.  It was just one of those comfortable, long friendships. He was a loving husband and helped raise his wife's four children, he was a Marine, he was a friend.   And now he's gone.

He had an amazing career in the aircraft safety field, The gentleman from his company told me today that even after he retired and was doing other things, they missed him.  They still talk about him and what a pro he was, and he was a friend to his co-workers.  And now he's gone.

Here is his official obituary:  www.englishfuneralchapel.com/notices/richard-mills

Godbless you my good and great friend.

The reunion photo shows a bunch of us Robinsonites at a reunion, I don't remember what one!  I took the photo so I can't tell what year it was by my outfit!!!

ONE MORE OFFERING FROM POET LAUREATE ALAN

Here is the last one for tonight - read on down for the background on this string of posts:

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE JACK'S FORK RIVER
                            for Stacie and Jess
      we joked
   like little house
 on the prairie?

      but why did you
   go down there
 so far away?

      you hate snakes, and every
   week, there are some copperheads
 under your front porch...

      it seems a half dozen
   coyotes are getting closer
 & eyeing your dogs...

      a black bear
   broke into your new beehive
 & made off with all the honey...

      while swimming in the river
   a water moccasin
 got in your shoes, on the shore...

      so what is there
   about it,
 down there?

      there is
   a silence
 coming in at dusk...

      where the haze
   & mist
 rise up from the river...

      as the fireflies
   move with direction, with their
 white, soundless, flight...

      guiding them
   where only they
 know where to go.

ALAN YOUNT, THE COUNT, SHINING STAR OF MUSIC AND POETRY - LEARN MORE

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas season and is looking forward to a healthy, happy New Year.  Seems we could all use a new year!  I wanted to end this year with more information about our KHS65 poet laureate, Alan Yount.  Alan has been featured in the summer 2018 issue of the magazine WestWard Quarterly (WestWardquarterly.com) and below you'll see the article about him as well as one of the poems featured in that article. This issue featured 4 of his poems, but they've published 4 others in the past.  In this issue he was Featured Poet, and with 50 poets in the issue, seems to me that says a LOT!  If you look further back on this blog you'll see more of Alan's poetry.  I think if you click on Snippets from Classmates you'll find them faster, not sure if I put that label on every post!  Alan is a very accomplished trumpet player, and if you attended KHS dances you probably remember his band...  if you wish to give him a shoutout you can email him at a red boat at centurylink dot net.

Alan and I share another connection in that our dads were both at McDonnell and we are pretty sure, corroborated by his mom, that his dad rode in my dad's carpool when he bought a Morris bus to carpool folks back and forth from Kirkwood to 'the plant'.  

I hope you all enjoy his poetry.  I'm not a poetry kinda girl, but I do enjoy his - I can usually understand it!!  

EVER TRY CALLING A CAT?

ever try calling a at?
...good luck with that.
what's the reason
why dogs can be called
and cats can't?
nothing against dogs...
but a cat is nobody's fool.
if you call a cat,
it will be wary, and walk away.
chase it 
and it will run away.
so just go about your day.
like finding happiness or love
a cat will surprise you.
someday the cat will
slip up & curl itself
upon your lap.
and for pete's sake
don't ever
yell out to a cat
like you would a dog
"here shep."

Click on the article to make it larger so you can read it :-)) ! Well sorry, if I make it smaller, it's too small, so you'll have to use the lower scroll bar side to side to read it all, sorry about that!  But it's worth the trouble...another KHS65 friend making us look sooo good!

Kathy Watts Stitsinger 1947 - 2018

Many of you won't remember Kathy, but she was at Robinson with us and a cousin of our KHS65 Classmate Bill Watts.  Bill attended a Christmas party not too long ago and brought along the class picture of my 2nd grade class.  I joined the class in February so had never seen the class photo!  I will be forever grateful for that.  Now he brings us the sad news of the passing of his cousin Kathy.  I remember her so well, an adorable girl, small, sweet, dark hair, delicate features.  She has left us too early from that dread disease pancreatic cancer, which takes so many, including both of my children's grandfathers.  I hope some of you will remember Kathy and think of her fondly.  Thanks to Bill for being in touch with us!!!

Go Here:  https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dayton/obituary-print.aspx?n=kathleen-ann-stitsinger&pid=191066266 for her obituary.