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Sandra McDowell (Barker)
Retired
Married
2
After graduating from Montevallo, I worked in Birmingham for a year and then moved to Washington, DC to take a job with everyone's favorite agency, IRS. They offered to train me as a computer programmer (remember when that was a new field). I thought I would come up here and work a few years, get some experience, and move back to Birmingham. I'm still here. In 1983 I married my husband, David. Our daughter Laura is 23 and graduated from Auburn University. I switched from Roll Tide to War Eagle. Our son Kevin is 21 and a junior at George Mason University. I wish that I could have atteded the 40th Reunion - hopefully next time.
 Send Sandra a Message
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Danny Barry
 
Landscaper
Single
1
1969
3
I am fortunate to have numerous of my Classmates as my close associates.
I went to college for one year and then I found it necessary to get out and make a living. In 1971 I married and we later had two children, Dylan and Allison. During that time I worked in the Sales Department for Pepsi Cola for almost ten years. We divorced in 1980, but we have remained good friends through all the years. In 1984 I moved to Pensacola, Florida to go back to school and that's when I started the landscaping business. I moved back to this area in 1990 to be near my family and my friends, but I left behind some good friends and good memories in Florida. I have continued the landscaping business and amazingly, I still enjoy it.
On July 1, 2004 my son Dylan and his wife Melissa were killed in a head on collision in North Carolina by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel. My grandson Zeke was in the car and he sustained serious injuries, but he has recovered fully and is living with Dylan and Allison's mother in this area. Needless to say this has been and still is the greatest tragedy of our lives, but daily we find out God is faithful and He really does know what He is doing. Sometimes forgiveness is not an easy way, but for us to live a full and healthy life, it is the only way. My friends have all been very supportive and to them I am forever indebted. I am fortunate to be a part of the Reunion Committee and I am constantly amazed at our group of people as to how nice everyone really is and I am also amazed at all the effort and hard work to find every single person we went to school with and to make it the best reunion ever. Hope to see everyone there. Danny Spending time with my amazing daughter Allison, her husband Kurt, my 2 Grandsons, Zeke and Rivers and my Granddaughter, Dylan. I also enjoy cycling, working out, bass fishing, hiking, backpaking, looking at the stars with my telescope,rock music, working in my yard, hanging out with my friends, painting, mtn. climbing, rappelling, base jumping, cliff jumping, kayaking, hang gliding, sky diving, deep sea diving for treasure, spelunking, fencing, heading up covert missions for the CIA, and last but not least......making people laugh. "A joyful heart is good medicine." Proberbs 17:22 "A glad heart makes a cheerful face." Proverbs 15:22. - Never take life too seriously, no one gets out alive anyway! Actually, that is the reason I do take life seriously. Send Danny a Message
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barbara reynolds (bethard)
 
MSN, RN
hubpages.com/profile/RNMSN
Married
2
1971
2, Juli is 5 this Aug and Leland was 2 this past May
1971
RN, BSN from UAB in 1976, moved to Tucson with my cat, Sheba in 1979. Met my best friend and hubby in 1980, we married in 1982,n Bisbee, Az by Harry Mitchell the Undertaker married us, he always brought the meat dish to the parties. What? Yes it is the truth too!! Dadgumit! My Dad hung up on me first when I said, Im moving to Tucson, then when i said Im ging to live with a man from Delaware, then when I said Guess what Dad? We are getting married by the undertaker! If he'd just held his britches a minute I could a told him Harry was the Justice of the Peace too :) But it ain't no story wthout the first part is it? We spent out honeymoon in the Cochise Stronghold just east of Tombstone. My David is the Best and i knew he really loved me when he found ut i was a better shot with the .22 rifle than he was and he was ex Navy Seal! Thats what he gave me for our weddng present too, a .22 rifle. I gave him a Kabar cause we both love to throw nives but the stinker never HAS let me play with that knife! Still, I can stick a half throw anyday!
Wonderful website! The older we get the better we get eh?
Baby Girl Katherine Elizabeth was born in Kalispell, Mt 1983 and David Wyatt was born in Douglas, Az 1985. Two border babies! Both of them spent their fist summer in the hole living in a 28 ft tipi/I worked in the winter and my David worked in the summer, he and 3 of his classmates had trading posts in Mt, Wy and Az. Every summer we'd meet in Jackson Hole,Wy friends would come with left over game and there'd be party-ing!!!! for days and days until finally the 3 families would draw straws to see where each would live for the summer. We pulled the hole in '83 and '85 and both kids were just fine! Course and why not? the inside diameter of the tipi was nearly 20 Ft across and the guys had built an oval wooden floor 2 ft off the ground and we slept on overstock (steerhide, sheepskins,indian blankets and wild furs s it was all but 4 Ft deep! I got freaked out here in Az when the kids were going to be in 5th and 6th grade and thought it best to 'bury em' in a small town and my toes were still not thawed ut from Wy and Mt(one dy of summer there) so back to Al we came in 1995. We lived in Bay Minette, Al, Baldwin Co, 45 minutes from Gulf Shores! Brian Bassinger moved back to Bham the year we moved in! Kittie Todd married my GYN,Dr Helva! dude Kittie is still a knock out and now she is an FNP,MSN, RN!!! You Rock!!go KITTIE!! But as my mother said"You can run but you can't hide." Many sad many good many heartaches and joy for the next 15 years. Problem with a small town is whatever happens to one/happens to all. Our son, David Wyatt brought his future wife home at age 15!!! Jessica Martin, she is a DIL of a Dtr in Law(get it? DIL?)Jess was a foot taller than the 'B', he didnt get his full height till Parris Island, she looked down into his eyes, he looked up into her eyes and I said "Wait just a gosh darn minute you two! On the sofa the both of you! There will be NONE of that!!!" yea like really...Really? They were married in 2006 and Julionna Rose was born 48 hours after David Wyatt shipped off to Parris Island. He is retired USMC Sir Yes Sir! And he and his family love Baldwin Co and my David and I miss them so.Leland Cole Bethard was born in May 2009, the year my David and baby girl moved back to our heart home, this gorgeous Sonoran desert! Baby Girl Katie is just like her dad, mean ole Seal that he was :) glad that was before my time! Katie is independent, strong minded, and sadly will be gone from us Feb 2012 having obtained her Assoc egree in Culinary Arts and already has a job waiting on her in Norleans at Brennans! Both kids hauled all over the West and they end up in love with the South! Oh well, at least they have their passports! That was a joke you guys!!! I have done all kinds of nursing, the thing I most regret was somethng I had no idea I had done until Dec, 2006. The B was home on leave after boot camp and combat training, waiting to go to Huntsville for school, baby Juli was 4 months old and David Wyatt said "This is going to be the best Christmas ever! This will be the third tme in my life my Mom has been home for Christmas!" I am so sorry B, I love you son and we are all proud of you and yours and miss you. My passion is home health and nursing education. My best friend is my husband :) best man I have ever known, next to my Dad, and I absolutely love to write. Whats that? Was that a snicker??? No comments from the peanut gallery!! Now if Google Panda will get its head out of its --- oh sorry, got carried away/actualy its coming back around and I love getting paid to write! Course Id love to get more money for my poetry and fiction and tall tales and such but the nursing articles pay the most who'd a thunk it? Now if only my senior year honors English teacher could see me now! I came 2 points from clepping Eng at UAB, then the Eng Prof asked me to change my Major! AS IF! So back I mached into Shades Valley that afternoon right into ....oh crap/ Mrs Britling? it wasnt mackey...what was her name?? anyway in I went and said "Why didn't ever get an A from you? and the answer? "Because, Miss Reynolds, I always knew you culd do better!" pyrography, piano, sculpting with polymer clay, rocks (they call to me and say "Pick me up!", I was neer good at leave only footprints, take only memories, sides the desert keeps spittin up rocks all the time! painting tipi's but its been a long 18 yrs since I got to do that! Writing well, duh and best of all, sitting on the porch with my David off ole Kinney Rd, 3 miles from the Infamous Wash that was before my time but Istill smoked to its memory and laughed at my Davids tall tales way back in 1980,(WHAT? You Guys!!!) looking at the West side of the Tucson Mtns, Gate Peak and Cat Mtn every afternoon no matter what the thermometer says!Holding hands, talking dirty and drinking Stella Artois till the sun goes down! Send barbara a Message
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Debbie Brown (Blackwelder)
 
Advertising Sales Rep
www.SouthernLiving.com
Married
5
2
I am celebrating LIFE!!! God has blessed me so richly with His love, plus a terrific husband, wonderful children, the most amazing grandchildren (well, that I know anyway--sorry to all you other grandparents) and a lifelong adventure with Him. I've traveled to the Andes Mountains of Peru and Ecuador, as well as Pontiac, MI and Winchester, KY (just in the last two years) and discovered that people matter most. I've had colon cancer (2004) with chemo treatments, and an e-coli infection afterward that almost killed me--but the Lord wasn't through with me yet! I worked at 9 different jobs before coming to Southern Living in 1987--and each one in some way prepared me for what I've done here (although I didn't realize it at the time--they were just ways to pay the bills.) Now, after 22 years, I've seen so many changes in the marketplace and the company, and have unfortunately seen way too many co-workers lose their jobs over the past three years. I would never have expected to still be where I am--but God's not through with me yet! So, I am EXCITED about the future, because I know in whose hands it lies. And I'm excited about this reunion and visiting with ALL the precious people who come who were fellow Mounties!
I enjoy writing skits and dramas for our youth group at church, and performing in some of them as well. I enjoy singing (not well, though) and listening to music; watching old movies; and reading
I can't believe this is our 40th reunion--we aren't that old!!! I am looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up on what has happened during these past 40 years.
Send Debbie a Message
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SARA Howell (BOEHME)
 
Accountant
Married
7
1969
5 BOYS and another boy due in July
1969
I went to the University of Monevallo, got married and raised my children. I have been doing accounting for small businesses around town who don't need a full time in house bookkeeper, working mostly from home. It's great to be able to make my own hours.
After I lost my parents, my husband and I added on to the house I grew up in and moved here in 1997. With our big family, we needed more room. Now we have lots of empty rooms since our 20 year old son is the only one still living at home-at least part time. We enjoy traveling. I only have 6 states left and I can say I have been in every one of them. We take a 2 week, 5000 mile trip with our Corvette Club each year. Also enjoy cruising and going overseas. I also enjoy our gradchildren. As the saying goes, they are God's gift to us for not killing our children. LOL. I'm very proud of all of our children, they turned out to be great adults. Hoping to be about to attend this reunion, unless we are out of town. The 40th was so much fun and I'm sure this one will be too. Send SARA a Message
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Larry Bowles
Field Service Technician
www.abiomed.com
Divorced
2
1971
none...yet
1971
First thing I want to say is WAR EAGLE!!! NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!
Now for those who haven't hit the "back" button: Well, I goofed off a while, started a business servicing medical equipment, got married (14 yrs), two wonderful kids, son Peyton (15) daughter Lila (13), we are now divorced; I attended Jeff St and UAB, didn't finish my BS degree, but I finally found my calling. I have worked with ABIOMED the last 18 years, devolping & implementing artificial heart technologies to treat patients facing advanced heart failure...latest device really taking off, maybe I can retire before I'm 90. I am a service technician covering the south central United States (Miami - Delaware - Denver - New Orleans), some travel to Mexico, South America (Brazil, Chile) Puerto Rico, but my US territory keeps me pretty busy....I always say that Dorothy was right: there's no place like home! I perform routine preventive maintenance on our devices, software upgrades, hardware modifications, and basically make sure the devices are ready to go when a heart surgeon or interventional cardiologist needs to place a patient on support. Abiomed designs & manufactures the most amazing devices, and we have some miraculous survivor stories, but sadly, we don't win every time. I look forward to the day when our devices are no longer needed. The past years have really shown me how precious life is. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up. Life is good!! I hope everyone has found happiness in this life. "Above all else, keep watch over your heart, for herein lie the wellsprings of life." -Proverbs 4:13 Mountain biking, hiking, camping, canoeing, music, anything with the kids (except listening to the music they like), travel. Send Larry a Message
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Sam Bowles
 
Machinist/Tool maker
Married
2
Working and making a living. I've sold cars, insurance (I met my wife of 30 years that way), Popsicles, Used medical equipment, and jewelry. I have the most pride in considering myself as a craftsman. That's why I am a tool and die maker now. I couldn't find anything to study in college because I never could define what I wanted to be. I served 21years in Ala National Guard, every thing from a paratrooper to helicopter mechanic. I've been very active in church activities, girls softball and Girl Scouts.
I don't have any hobbies now. The most enjoyment I had was when I was on the Ala National Guard Rifle Team. I made some custom mods to my pistols. I used to run marathons and bike 100 mile rides. I can't now because of arthritis. Maybe you could consider what I do in my off time to be a hobby. On Sat mornings I cruise the garage and estate sales for re-sell on Ebay. I've also spent a lot of time cutting the energy cost in my house. I recently built a mileage booster for my car. And you can watch my latest projects at:
You Tube - User search- cyberphan
Also I am regular apheresis donor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apheresis.
Married to Mary Frances Pegues Mar 8-80. 2 children, Amber Elizabeth, Mary Anna. Mary Anna married Robbie Tear 6-7-08. No grandchildren. Send Sam a Message
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Cheryl Duncan (Brantly)
Married
1
1969
I reconnected with a couple of friends at the 40th reunion.
I attended the "Ten Year Reunion" in 1979. I was married in 1978 and we were living in Birmingham. I am looking forward to the 40th in October.
Send Cheryl a Message
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Hank Breland
Healthcare..Former Cardio-Vascular Perfusionist
Single Again
1971
Got to have a child first..Looking bleak..
1971
Assisted in over 2,000 heart surgery cases as a Cardio-Vascular Perfusionist(Heart-Lung machine) for over 18 years. 9 years at UAB and 9 more years at DCH in Tuscaloosa. Lived on Lake Tuscaloosa 13 years and loved my jetskis and lake partys.
AUBURN TIGER FOOTBALL AND TAILGATING..I love what I call the 3 best sports..College football, Major League Baseball and NBA basketball (best athletes in the world}.
I can't get enough of cruises. Been on 13 and hope for the 14th soon. Love ships and the ocean, always have. I am a people person and that is why I like reunions I guess. I also love animals. My interests include Meteorology (I missed my boat..Always wanted to work for the Weather Service)Astronomy and Geology. I have to include the internet as well. Send Hank a Message
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Jane Vaughn (Brenton)
 
Licensed Professional Counselor/vocational Consultant
Married
2
I went to Samford University earning a BS in general psychology and religion. I worked a year Bryce as the first female therapist on the maximum security ward for the criminally insane who were waiting to stand trial. I then moved to Bowling Green KY and attended graduate school at Western Kentucky earning a BA in
Clinical and school psychology. I returned to Birmingham to work at the VA Hospital in the psychiatric triage clinic and later in the out patient psychiatric clinic. I was involved in setting up the out mental health out reach program for Vietnam veterans. While working for the VA, I went to law school and completed my JD the day I turned 30. I left the VA and started stress management and pain clinics around the world for about five years. Tiring of traveling continually, I took a job as the mental health coordinator for the juvenile lockup facilities in North Alabama. While working here, I married and had my first child. I decided being on call 24/7 was not healthy for my new son, so I resigned and took a position for as a vocational consultant in disability management and forensic rehabilitation. In early 90, I was chosen to start a branch office for North AL in case management. This relocated my family to Huntsville. My beautiful daughter, Adrienne was born in 91. In 97, I divorced and left the job as a branch manager and went full time in private practice. In 99, I remarried and in 2001 we relocated to Dover TN. We live on a 65 acre farm and I continue to work in forensics and on disability cases. I have just finished a year contract with Ft. Campbell assessing military personal as they were being discharged from the service.
Cooking with my daughter, raising herbs and flowers. I have traveled a lot over the past 4o years and have enjoyed the different places. I have lived in six different homes and have done my own landscaping and decorating. I spend a lot of time driving and listening to books on a daily basis.
Send Jane a Message
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