2010 Mini Reunion Memories
                  By:  Clyde J. Arnold, Jr.

Just like last year, I arrived a day early and hooked up with Ellis Rothwell at the
motel where we always stay.  Bernard Dunn, another widower, was to meet us later
and we assumed he was out with the other early arrivals playing "cow-pasture
pool."   Ellis and I wanted to watch the old guys play for a short period of time so we
went to the Hope Country Club to see them.  There were not many golfers playing
but we did see another classmate's spouse, SOK Keith, Audrey's husband, who was
playing with his regular group of men.  SOK said he had seen Donnell Bagley and
Dean "Seaweed" Roach but was not sure exactly where they were on the golf course.
Ellis and I waited around for an hour or so but never did get to talk to them.

We then went on to Spate Cemetery in Emmet, AR where we visited the grave of
Tommy Applewhite Doyle, our beloved friend and fellow football player, and the
spouse of classmate Nelda T. Doyle.  Nelda was not able to attend this year due to
other commitments.  

I noticed while at the cemetery that Jarvis "Jack" Bell had died in 2009.  I knew he
had Alzheimer's and was in a nursing home in or near Naples, TX for the last ten
years.  My brother, Bill Arnold, a classmate of Jack told me of his visit with him in
2002.  To quote my brother, Bill, "There is something worse than cancer and that is
Alzheimer's."  Jarvis "Jack" Bell died from it 2009 and is buried behind Tommy
Doyle and over near the fence to the right.

We then left Spate Cemetery to go to the motel to see if Bernard Dunn had checked
in yet.  He had,  and he told us he was to hook up with the golf group tomorrow  
March 11, 2010, at 11 a. m. to tee off.  After some discussion about the correct date
and time to play, we convinced Bernard that he was just a little late because they
were playing "today."

It was getting late so we went to eat "chicken fried steaks" at the same cafe where we
ate last year.  We had been there but a short time when Dean Roach, Joel Osborn
and Donnell Bagley (the golfers) walked in and joined us.  This was when the "tales
of the day and the plans for tomorrow" began to conspire.  Dean, Joel and Donnell
were to check out Millwood Lake for possible fishing for Dean  while the rest of us
would site see and visit sick folks.  

Ellis and I had already visited Kenneth Stone at his home.   Kenneth had recently
been severely burned in an accident at his home and was recovering very nicely.  I
obtained Kenneth's old football original picture and made a copy of it at Wal-Mart
and returned it to Kenneth.  So, he promised to make an appearance on Saturday
night and kept that promise!

The next day, Ellis, Bernard and I visited the Hope Memory Gardens Cemetery
where many of our family and friends are buried.  I had inquired about Ellis's cousin,
J. C. Rothwell, a Vietnam veteran  and war hero who was killed in action.  Ellis
claimed he knew exactly where his grave was but we haven't found it yet.  We found
most of our classmates' graves such as Tom Ed Hays, Donald Green, Richard
Chism,  Richard Hunt, my wife, Benja, and many other Rothwells.  We  were never
able to find J.C. Rothwell  (HHS '51) nor his brother "Doodlum”  Rothwell (HHS'
52) who was a fellow Bobcat football player.  I found out later from Gloria R.
Nations that we were in the right area but just did not see the graves.

We had a 10 a.m. appointment to visit Terriel and Bobby Sparks at their home.  We
stopped by Johnny Tabor's home--which is on the way--to see if Johnny would like
to go with us.  We found Johnny holding one bed baby and two others running
around and playing.  Johnny said that Dottie had taken one baby with her and would
return home soon.  Two others did not come that day due to sickness so you see
Johnny and Dottie have their hands full babysitting!

We had a very nice visit with Bobbie and Terriel Sparks and caught them at a good
time which is in the morning.  Terriel is on oxygen but while we were there he
appeared to be doing OK.  Because of his low blood count, he would not be able to
be around a large group and would not be able to attend the reunion.  They told us to
tell everyone "hello" for them and hopefully they might attend next year.

After leaving the Sparks home, I asked Ellis if he knew where Jimmy Mullins once
lived in his youth and Ellis said he did.  He pulled into the old school house driveway
where Mary Nell Turner, Hempstead County Historian, now lives.  There appeared
to be people at home but Ellis and Bernard were reluctant to knock on Mary Nell's
front door--- but not Clyde.   I did and Mary Nell and relatives invited us in.  We
learned that Mary Nell was in the process of selling her home and moving to Rogers,
AR to be closer to her family.   She is 90 years young and proud of it.  I know Hope
is losing a treasure of information.  

I told Mary Nell that I remembered her husband, Max Turner, and the day he got his
appointment to go to work for the U.S. Post Office in Hope because he was our 7th
grade homeroom teacher.  She advised he was the “Bobkitten” head coach and Bill
Gunter's class made up most of his team. She showed us some photos, but they were
too small to pick anybody out.  In those days working for the U.S. Post Office paid
more than teaching school and coaching.  It was the same when I started to work in
Waco, TX as I, too, had turned down a teaching job in Nash, TX for more money.  
We thanked her for showing us the "Old School House" where Jimmy Mullins once
lived many moons ago.  

We then stopped by Betty Jo Hays' home and asked her to go to lunch with us.  She
suggested we eat at Old Washington Cafe.  We did and it again was a great meal.  
Betty had work to do cooking cakes and making salads for the Friday night reunion
dinner.  She explained she wouldn't be there on Saturday due to prior plans.  I picked
B.J. up at her home at 5 p.m. to assist her in getting her "fixings" to the BanCorp
Bank farmhouse which we all enjoyed.  I even had a piece of her chocolate cake
minus the icing.  I have to watch my sugar intake.  The salads were great as were the
two cakes that I know all enjoyed.

I furnished Barbara Taylor Burke the names of all the attendees for both Friday and
Saturday nights which have been posted on the web site.  Our out-of-town attendees
were a little down this year for various reasons--mostly sickness.  I have since talked
to Nora Lee Ross Raschke who had a slight stroke and could not attend.  She
advised she had several strokes years before, but this time she got to the doctor on
time and did not have to spend any time in the hospital.  She lives very close to St.
Michael's Hospital in Texarkana, TX.  Hopefully she will be able to attend next year.
I also talked to Weldon Tillery by phone.  He had left a message on my telephone
saying he had a bad cold and did not want to expose any of us. He said he would be
there next year.  He still had difficulty talking yesterday.

It was good to see Donald ('52) and Jane Gammill Tunstall ('53 Delight AR) Jane
was in our class through the eleventh grade and is a great friend of Ava Nell H.
Formby who recently lost her husband, Theo, to cancer. Carolyn Duke, who lost
Jesse to a heart attack in Nov. 2009 was also in attendance.  You can tell that our
HHS classmates are a caring group, watch after each other and made an extra effort
to be at the reunions.

Saturday night was more of the same and we all had a great time thanks to the local
group of helpers and especially Barbara and Johnny Cox and Betty Jo Hays.  I
understand Barbara Cox has already reserved the BanCorp House for our 2011 mini
reunion: March 18 - 19.

I am looking forward to my visit and hope to see you all there.  I had some great
visits with old Paisley Elementary and HHS friends on Friday and Saturday.  I got to
spend some quality time with Howard Thornton in his motel room.  He got a kick out
of an old photo of several of us at Southern State College in 1954.  Bill Dudney was
also in the photo smoking a cigarette.  I also had a great time visiting with Billy
George Thornton and Linda White.  I once went to the funeral home in Texarkana to
view his body and he was not there.  Long story and he will have to tell you about it.

Always your friend,

Clyde
March 19, 2010