After completing high school in Lyford, I attended Texas Luthern College in Seguin, TX.. On my first day at college, I met Graham Kersten who was also attending school at TLC. Two years later, I earned my first degree, (Mrs.) on August 12, 1961.
After, living in Houston for two years, we moved to Lyford in January 1964. By this time Graham and I had a son Graham Charles, Jr., (1962). Our second child, a daughter, Sharon Lynn, (1965) was born in Raymondville. Graham worked at Vassberg Implement as manager of the parts department for 23.5 years and in 1987 became manager of the Lyford Co-op farm store.
I taught private piano lessons out of our home both in Houston and in Lyford. I stayed home with the children until they were both in school. After Sharon started kindergarten, I returned to college attending Pan American College in Edinburg, TX. In 1973, I earned my second degree, a BS degree in Elementary Education with a Kindergarten Endorsment. I became a kindergarten teacher and taught kindergarten for 30 years in the Raymondville School District. I retired from teaching in May 2003. I truly enjoyed every year of teaching.
Although, I retired from teaching I am still organist at Bethel Lutheran Church serving for over 40 years.
After retirement, I began taking art lessons, and have enjoyed learning to paint with water colors, oils and pastels. I am also involved in Lyford Women's Club, Teacher Retirement System, Philanthropic Educators Organization, (P.E.O.), Willacy County Art League, Bunco, Mexican Train, reading and cooking.
Graham and I volunteered at the Lyford Food Bank and are volunteering at the Sharing of the Feast in Harlingen. We enjoy spending time with our children and grandchildren, Randi, a lawyer, Nicholas an archetecture student, Joshua, Marine Corp, Bobby, an A&M student and Cody, a 9th grader, who is involved in athletics.
We love to travel in Mexico, Canada and our great USA and hope to see more of the world in
years to come.
Graham and Carolyn still reside in Lyford, Texas at 13785 11th Avenue. Our mailing
address is P. O. Box 365, Lyford, Texas 78569. Telephone #: (956)347-3567. E-mail:
gckersten@gmail.com.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
After Graduating From High School by Robin Harris Shed
After graduating from high school and working at the gin during the summer, I went to San Marcos my freshman year. Although, I loved San Marcos, I decided to transfer to Texas A&I. After three years there, I graduated with a degree in education in 1963.
That same year, Curtis and I married. We lived in Hebbronville where he was teaching Ag.
After a couple of years we moved back to the valley and lived in the Harlingen, Rio Hondo area until 1968 when we moved to Raymondville. He sold insurance and I continued to teach.
We were blessed with two big sweet boys. Sheldon was born in 1967 and Staton was born in 1970. Sheldon graduated from Texas A&I and works for Zachry in San Antonio. He and his wife Bunkie have one daughter, Shelbie. She is a freshman at Alamo Heights high school. She loves sports and I tell her she is a good athlete like her Papa Curtis. That pleases her.
Staton graduated from Texas A&M and works for Clinical Pathology Lab in Houston. He and his wife Amber live in Katy. They have two sons Oren (9), Evan (4) and a daughter, Parker who is 7.
These grandchildren are my pride and joy. I love to spend time with them whenever I can.
Curtis and I had a wonderful life with many blessings during our 44 years of marriage until 2007, when he passed away suddenly from a massive heart attack.
My plans are to continue to live here in Raymondville and work in real estate and property management until the Good Lord shows me to do something else.
I am looking forward to seeing you and visiting with each of you at our reunion.
Robin H. Shed
That same year, Curtis and I married. We lived in Hebbronville where he was teaching Ag.
After a couple of years we moved back to the valley and lived in the Harlingen, Rio Hondo area until 1968 when we moved to Raymondville. He sold insurance and I continued to teach.
We were blessed with two big sweet boys. Sheldon was born in 1967 and Staton was born in 1970. Sheldon graduated from Texas A&I and works for Zachry in San Antonio. He and his wife Bunkie have one daughter, Shelbie. She is a freshman at Alamo Heights high school. She loves sports and I tell her she is a good athlete like her Papa Curtis. That pleases her.
Staton graduated from Texas A&M and works for Clinical Pathology Lab in Houston. He and his wife Amber live in Katy. They have two sons Oren (9), Evan (4) and a daughter, Parker who is 7.
These grandchildren are my pride and joy. I love to spend time with them whenever I can.
Curtis and I had a wonderful life with many blessings during our 44 years of marriage until 2007, when he passed away suddenly from a massive heart attack.
My plans are to continue to live here in Raymondville and work in real estate and property management until the Good Lord shows me to do something else.
I am looking forward to seeing you and visiting with each of you at our reunion.
Robin H. Shed
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
In retrospect: Life after LHS - Elroy ("Roy) Wunderlich
In Retrospect: Life After LHS — Elroy (“Roy”) Wunderlich
Like many of us, I’ve had my share of both interesting and
challenging things in life. But the best part is how the Lord
has been prompting me to strive to overcome the regrettably
self-centered nature that I’ve mostly been known for.
Currently, I’m teaching special education students in a
public school system near Houston and hope to continue
doing that for several more years. I’ve been working with
youth in secondary campuses of this school district
(Humble/Kingwood) since 1989.
Back in the Sixties while teaching in Oregon, I met and
married a petite oriental girl. Eventually, we parented two
dear boys, Jeff and Michael. Though our sons “left the nest”
long ago, we remain a close-knit family nonetheless.
Currently, my wife Lucy (still petite) is involved in organic
gardening and sells produce to several health food stores.
I manage to assist her quite often, though not to a degree
of matching her tireless enthusiasm!
Spanning over four decades of being together, our relationship
has had its ups and downs; but, in general, I can truly say we
have been blessed in many ways. We’re thankful for the good
things that happened, as well as for the absence of a number
of awful things that could have happened but didn’t.
Perhaps I’d be striking a familiar chord by saying my wife
and I tend to reminisce about various trauma we experienced
in the past as likely having been lessons of hard knocks
that The Almighty intended for our spiritual benefit.
Personally, I’m better able now to consider the perspective of
what brings God glory. To my chagrin, I used to pursue what I
wanted to do . . . with scant concern for the feelings of others.
For any of you whom I may have offended during my high
school years, consider this to be an apology that I’ve been
owing for a mighty long time.
Here’s a prime example: For several reasons, I’ve come to
realize that I didn’t deserve being valedictorian.
You see, I only took bare-minimum class loads,
and I didn’t participate in extra-curricular activities.
I lacked proper standards of conduct and didn’t demonstrate
good character. And it may seem weird to admit this, but I
was seemingly content to be a stuffed shirt! (I was so far out
of circulation that even attending Boys’ State didn’t make
a dent in my reclusive armor.)
My old habits portended poor preparation for adult life,
not to mention the potential adverse effect that they had
on people around me.
While in college, I continued my insensitive ways by being
an inactive member of an honorary fraternity.
(I was reluctant to participate and do my share.)
One of my elective courses was playing tennis, but I wasn’t
motivated to put out much effort. Frankly, I don’t recall
giving of myself to any extent except in the instance of
being the assistant editor of the university newpaper.
In the fall of 1963, when I began my actual career, I lacked
what it took to be a good example. Even later, when I became
involved in graduate work, I can vividly recall studying
hard and making good grades, but not caring to crawl out of
my clamshell.
Folks, throughout much of my life I failed to respond
to opportunities for being of benefit to others, and I neglected
to be sociable. It’s a shame I can’t go back and relive those
misspent years by paying a little attention to The Golden
Rule and showing some common sense!
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I think
writing it has provided a bit of therapeutic closure for me.
The “BlogSpot” website is very meaningful; it’s nice to be
able to find out how our classmates have been doing.
Incidentally, wouldn’t it also be neat to have a collection of
e-mail addresses from those who don’t mind sharing them?
I’m wondering if this could this be arranged.
(P.S. Here’s mine: roywunderlich@mac.com)
My wish is for the best to each one of you!
Take care.
— Elroy (“Roy”) Wunderlich
Like many of us, I’ve had my share of both interesting and
challenging things in life. But the best part is how the Lord
has been prompting me to strive to overcome the regrettably
self-centered nature that I’ve mostly been known for.
Currently, I’m teaching special education students in a
public school system near Houston and hope to continue
doing that for several more years. I’ve been working with
youth in secondary campuses of this school district
(Humble/Kingwood) since 1989.
Back in the Sixties while teaching in Oregon, I met and
married a petite oriental girl. Eventually, we parented two
dear boys, Jeff and Michael. Though our sons “left the nest”
long ago, we remain a close-knit family nonetheless.
Currently, my wife Lucy (still petite) is involved in organic
gardening and sells produce to several health food stores.
I manage to assist her quite often, though not to a degree
of matching her tireless enthusiasm!
Spanning over four decades of being together, our relationship
has had its ups and downs; but, in general, I can truly say we
have been blessed in many ways. We’re thankful for the good
things that happened, as well as for the absence of a number
of awful things that could have happened but didn’t.
Perhaps I’d be striking a familiar chord by saying my wife
and I tend to reminisce about various trauma we experienced
in the past as likely having been lessons of hard knocks
that The Almighty intended for our spiritual benefit.
Personally, I’m better able now to consider the perspective of
what brings God glory. To my chagrin, I used to pursue what I
wanted to do . . . with scant concern for the feelings of others.
For any of you whom I may have offended during my high
school years, consider this to be an apology that I’ve been
owing for a mighty long time.
Here’s a prime example: For several reasons, I’ve come to
realize that I didn’t deserve being valedictorian.
You see, I only took bare-minimum class loads,
and I didn’t participate in extra-curricular activities.
I lacked proper standards of conduct and didn’t demonstrate
good character. And it may seem weird to admit this, but I
was seemingly content to be a stuffed shirt! (I was so far out
of circulation that even attending Boys’ State didn’t make
a dent in my reclusive armor.)
My old habits portended poor preparation for adult life,
not to mention the potential adverse effect that they had
on people around me.
While in college, I continued my insensitive ways by being
an inactive member of an honorary fraternity.
(I was reluctant to participate and do my share.)
One of my elective courses was playing tennis, but I wasn’t
motivated to put out much effort. Frankly, I don’t recall
giving of myself to any extent except in the instance of
being the assistant editor of the university newpaper.
In the fall of 1963, when I began my actual career, I lacked
what it took to be a good example. Even later, when I became
involved in graduate work, I can vividly recall studying
hard and making good grades, but not caring to crawl out of
my clamshell.
Folks, throughout much of my life I failed to respond
to opportunities for being of benefit to others, and I neglected
to be sociable. It’s a shame I can’t go back and relive those
misspent years by paying a little attention to The Golden
Rule and showing some common sense!
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I think
writing it has provided a bit of therapeutic closure for me.
The “BlogSpot” website is very meaningful; it’s nice to be
able to find out how our classmates have been doing.
Incidentally, wouldn’t it also be neat to have a collection of
e-mail addresses from those who don’t mind sharing them?
I’m wondering if this could this be arranged.
(P.S. Here’s mine: roywunderlich@mac.com)
My wish is for the best to each one of you!
Take care.
— Elroy (“Roy”) Wunderlich
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