A Former Classmate Contacts Me!

I was contacted recently by one of our former classmates, Lynda Rose Kennedy.  She said that her sister sent her a copy of the information on the Class of 1959 that she had gotten off of the Internet and it had a picture of the communion class from St. Francis Xavier in it.  She was so surprised because she has the same picture herself. I asked her to send an autobiography of her life since she left us in the 8th grade.  The picture to the left is one I cropped from our class photo taken March 1955 at St. Francis Xavier Academy so you can recognized her.  Sister Mary John was our homeroom teacher.

Lynda in her own words...

After we moved from Vicksburg to Baton Rouge at the end of the 8^th grade I went to school at Westdale Jr. High and then on to Baton Rouge High where I graduated.  It was quite an adjustment for me because you know the number of graduates in SFXA class, well, I graduated with 613 students.  Believe it or not some of us still meet for lunch once a month at different restaurants in Baton Rouge.  After graduation I married Tom Stogner, who grew up in the house behind me and we were married until 1981.  We had one son, David, who was born in 1966 and has always been my pride and joy.  In 1981, I started my business, Special Risk Insurance, Inc., which is an independent insurance agency insuring only emergency services organization, such as fire departments, ambulance services, 911 districts, etc. one of which is the fire departments in Warren County.  It was shortly after that time that I met my present husband, Raymond Vince, who I have been married to for 26 years.  My son, David, has two children, Brandon, 18 years old, who will be graduating this year and going to Ouachita Baptist University on a football scholarship and a daughter, Kayla, 17 years old, who will be graduating next year and attending LSU.  Brandon is 6’4 and weighs 315 lbs and an honor student at Dunham High School.  Kayla is also an Honor Student.  David graduated from LSU and came into the business with me.  He is now running the business so I can do all of the good things that I always wanted to do, but never had time for.  I have always been very active in the tennis community in Baton Rouge, both playing, holding offices, and being involved with running tournaments.  Raymond and I both enjoy both the competitive and social part of being involved with this sport.  I have made some wonderful friends and gone many places, including San Juan, Puerto Rico to play in Sectional and National tournaments.  I think my competitive spirit came from playing basketball which I continued to play when I left Vicksburg and came to Baton Rouge.  I played at Baton Rouge High for three years and loved it.  We also have a motor home which we love to travel around the states in when we have time.  I am still somewhat active in the business, at least in the social area, conventions, installation of officers, etc.  I still have our First Communion picture and can remember the names of each student in the picture.  I hope one day to come to Vicksburg and see some of my old friends from grammar school.  I had so often wondered what happen too many of them and by having the opportunity to read Marian’s Blog on the Class of ’59 I have learned so much about many of you.  I don’t know if any of you know, but my older sister Mary Anne Kennedy, stayed in Vicksburg when we left so she could graduate with her class.  After she graduated she moved here to Baton Rouge, got married and had a son.  She eventually moved back to Vicksburg for a while and would keep me updated on some of my classmates she used to see.  Ina was one of the ones she would talk about quite frequently.  Mary Anne passed away January 1, 2011 at my home in Baton Rouge.  One of her friends, that I will always remember fondly, Medley Melsheimer, came to Baton Rouge to her funeral.  One thing I did want to mention was that I had two cousins in my grade at SFXA, Myrtle Loviza and  Ethel Lane.   Guess I have written enough so that you know what has gone on somewhat in my life since leaving Vicksburg many years ago, but one thing I would like for all of you to know is that even though I moved away I remembered all of you with many fond memories that have lasted through all of these years. May God bless all of you and thanks for your friendship all of the early years of my life.

Raymond and Lynda

Sisters, Mary Anne and Davie

Lynda's son, David

Lynda's grandson, Brandon

Lynda's granddaughter, Kayla 

I am on Facebook (Lynda Kennedy Vince) and feel free to friend me if you are on it.  Please tell any of our class that may remember me that I said hello and would love to hear from any of them that would like to get in touch.  I will continue to read your blog about the class and again thank you for writing it.  

Lynda

lvince@bellsouth.net