Have A Happy New Year Classmates!

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.  ~ Albert Einstien

Wishing all my classmates a very Happy New Year!

Classmate Florence Murphy Boren Dies

Obit for Florence M. Boren

Florence M. Boren died Thursday, December 12, 2019. She was 78. Mrs. Boren was a lifelong resident of Vicksburg. She was a graduate of St. Francis Xavier Academy (Class of 1959) and attended the University of Mississippi. She was the daughter of the late Thomas Edward Murphy and Norma Fortner Murphy. She was a member of Christ Episcopal Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Norma Ann Morrissey. Survivors include her husband, Edwin “Buddy” Boren; her children: Kelly M. Stevens, Michael T. Morrissey, III (Judy), Adam B. Boren, Andrea B. Palmertree (Barry), Edwin L. Boren, Jr. (Linda), and Paul A. Boren; her brother, Thomas E. Murphy, Jr.; her grandchildren: Blakele and Wilson Palmertree, Alex and Shelby Stevens, and Lauren and Sara Morrissey; and a grandniece, Kathleen Murphy. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Florence M. Boren please visit our Sympathy Store.

Riles Funeral Home & Crematory.

A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18, 2019, at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Gram With Her Grandchildren!

Our classmate, Myrtle Loviza Curro Alvarado (Class of 1959) on the steps with all her Grandchildren!  They lovingly call her Gram.  What a precious picture and so much joy for her!

SFXA Classmate, Ann Hardin Jackson Dies

The Mass of the Resurrection will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 238 E Center St, Canton, Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at 10 a.m.



Ann H. Jackson, 77, of Brandon, MS, went into God’s loving embrace, November 17, 2019. Visitation will be Thursday, November 21, 2019 at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home, 114 Burney Drive, Flowood, MS 39232 from 5:00-8:00pm. The Mass of the Resurrection will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 238 E Center Street, Canton, MS, 39046, Friday, November 22, 2019 at 10:00am.

Ann was born February 16, 1942 to Mr. and Mrs. Harry S. Hardin. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier Academy in Vicksburg and attended Hinds Community College where she met the love of her life, Tommy Jackson. Ann will be remembered by all who knew her for her servant’s heart. She dedicated many hours selflessly volunteering for various organizations and was very active in her church. Her faith in Jesus Christ directed every aspect of her life, through her quiet nature; she was able to impact so many through her genuine and unconditional love of others no matter the situation or their background. She graduated from University of Mississippi with her BSN degree in nursing at the young age of 40. She began her nursing career at River Oaks Emergency Department where she continued her love for helping others. She dedicated many years diligently working for the Reservoir Fire Department as director of EMS services. Ann helped spearhead a group that brought the first advanced level life support EMS to the Reservoir community. During this time, she molded and taught those around her how to effectively do a difficult job with wisdom and compassion. She transitioned into working for Mississippi Department of Health as a TB instructor. She retired from the MSDH “several times”. In 2014, she was awarded the prestigious National Carol Pozsik Nursing Award for her tireless work and passion as the TB instructor for the Mississippi Department of Health.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Tommy Jackson. She is also survived by her daughter, Susan Hale; son, David Jackson and his wife Missy; daughter, Maureen Finnerty and her husband Brian and son, Mike Jackson and his wife Alyssa. She is also survived by 9 grandchildren: Cameron Hale and his wife Tiffany, Tanner Hale, Kelsey Jackson, Katelyn Comish and her husband Clark, Frances Clare Jackson “Varmit”, Blake Jackson, Brayden Jackson, Ally Farmer, Brayden Farmer; great grandsons, Paxton Cooper, Rowen Comish; and her brother, Father John Hardin of Santa Barbara, CA and a myriad of extended family and friends. 

Ann is preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Frances Hardin, brothers, Harry Fisher (Sonny) and Arthur Edward (Ed).

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ann’s honor to the Opportunity Center, “Stewpot,” 1100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, Ms. 39203 or stewpot@stewpot.org

Classmates Reunion In Texas

  

On Thursday, October 10th we were invited to Theresa Martin Kitowski and hubby Chuck's 3-story lake house on Lake Travis at Marble Falls, Texas.  We struck out around 8:30 and got there before dark.  Here are some pictures I took of our visit.  Our classmate Myrtle Loviza Alvarado driving her new Toyota Highlander and Sue McNamara Fowler in the front seat.  Ina Lott Whittington and I in the back seat.

Two years ago Sue, Ina and I made the trip in June and had a wonderful time and rode in their boat and went swimming in the infinity pool.

It was fortunate that Kay Hess Simms (classmate) with hubby, Jim flew in from California the day before and Theresa's sister, Rita Martin Holland flew in from North Carolina a week ahead of us arriving and stayed a week after we left the help her sister.  We left on Monday, October 15th.  We have been invited to return next Spring of 2020.  Hopefully, we will get to ride in their boat and also swim in the infinity pool next door.



Our first sunset with a lit Century plant bloom next door.



Enjoying a late meal Thursday night with pretty lit bottles on the table to enjoy..

 

Ina, Sue, Rita and I stayed next door at Chuck brother's two-story lake house.  Kay, Jim and Myrtle stayed in Theresa and Chuck's lake house.



Theresa called and told us to look outside to see the steam coming up off the lake.  A lady commented on my Facebook post that from the mid-west it is called white stallions.  From now on it will be called the white stallions.



Theresa and Chuck's home.  Top floor, steps going up to the main floor and entering the bottom floor by way of garage.  It has three decks that you can sit on and enjoy the fantastic view of Lake Travis.



The back side of upper floor before going to upper deck.



Looking out toward the upper deck, main deck and lower deck is below main deck.



Looking towards the kitchen and living quarters with master bedroom on same floor.



Coming downstairs from the 3rd floor.



Another shot looking down towards the front door.



Theresa's beautiful collection of glassware, etc.



Looking out the window on the middle (main) deck with a beautiful view of Lake Travis.



Theresa, Rita, Kay, Sue, Myrtle and Ina looking through a scrapbook that I made with our class pictures, prom, invitations, old newspaper clippings, etc.  The contents of the scrapbook is all online on our Class of 1959 blog.



Picture I took in Theresa and Chuck's bedroom of their only son/child that was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb serving his country.



A Century plant bloom with lights on it next door to Theresa and Chuck.



Sitting around a bonfire Friday night telling ghost stories and jokes.



Great picture of Sue, Kay with hubby, Jim at the bonfire.



Chuck, Myrtle, Kay, myself, Sue, Rita, Ina and Theresa enjoying the bonfire Friday night.



This sweet little old lady sitting on the couch downstairs where Sue and I stayed.



Another little old lady all dressed up in her finery. 



They are both in the pool room.  Notice pictures on the wall of family members.  A great way to preserve memories.



I took this picture off the 2nd floor deck of Chuck's brothers home where Sue, Ina, Rita and I were staying on a pretty Saturday morning.



Looking beyond the peninsular.



The master bedroom where Rita was staying on second floor.  The bed was not made up with all the pillows.  They were thrown in a beautiful wooden crib to the left.



Looking down at the infinity pool.  We did not get to go into it because the weather had turned cool.



Picture of Ina and Sue looking out over Lake Travis Saturday morning.



A doe staring me down while on the front porch of the house we stayed in. Deer was everywhere.



The lake house we stayed in with Myrtle's car in drive and you can see a part of Theresa and Chuck's home on the left.



Two bucks out on the peninsular early Sunday morning.



Next door neighbors taking their children out on the lake for a Sunday excursion!



How lucky they are!  What fun!



Century plant bloom in the daylight.



Getting ready to eat a Sunday brunch.



Picture taking time!









Love Chuck's shirt that Theresa got him...Take me to your liter.



Enjoying a wine tasking at Flat Creek Winery with Jim, Chuck, Theresa, Myrtle, Sue, Rita, myself and Kay.  Ina stayed at the lake house.



Entrance to Flat Creek Winery not far from the lake house.





Flat Creek Winery in Marble Falls, Texas.



Water fountain on main deck that we all enjoyed.



Leaving a wonderful four days at Theresa and Chuck's lovely lake house with Kay taking one last picture of us with her phone as Ina looked on.  We have been invited to come back in the Spring so we can swim and take a ride in the boat.  We are all looking forward to returning.

Flashes Won Team Championship at MAIS Overall State Swim Meet

St. Aloysius swimmers Adam Eckstein and Tommy Martin, center, and their teammates react to the announcement that the Flashes won the team championship at the MAIS Overall State Swim Meet Wednesday in Flowood. It’s the first state championship for St. Al since it joined the MAIS In 2015, and also the first time in the meet’s 46-year history that a team other than Jackson Prep has won. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

For each of the past 45 years, the MAIS Overall State Swim Meet ended the same way.

The PA announcer would list the scores, several teams would politely applaud upon hearing their names, and the championship celebration would begin once Jackson Prep’s name came over the speaker.

This year was no different — the names, polite applause, and wild celebration when Jackson Prep was called out. The only change was there was still one more school on the list when it happened.

St. Aloysius won 15 individual state championships and, at long last, ended a 4 ½-decade long dynasty by claiming the team title Wednesday at the 2019 MAIS Overall meet. It’s the first time since swimming became a championship sport in the MAIS in 1973 that Jackson Prep has not won the title.

St. Al totaled 286 points, and Jackson Prep had 266. Madison-Ridgeland Academy was third, with 215.

“It was unbelievable. We’ve been trying so hard and waiting so long. I can’t really believe that we actually did it. Prep hasn’t lost since the MAIS has been in existence, so it was great to punch one through,” said St. Al senior Adam Eckstein, who won the state title in the 50-yard backstroke as well as two relays. “We get to be in the record books now as champions, and not just the boys (champions). We get to win.”

St. Al joined the MAIS in 2015 and immediately became a challenger to Jackson Prep’s reign. That year, the Flashes lost 18 points when a winning relay team was disqualified and lost by 13 in the final standings.

St. Al finished as the runner-up each of the past four years and its boys unofficially won the championship last year. At the state meet, the scores for boys and girls teams — as well as for the Grades 7-9 and 10-12 divisions — are combined for one total team score, and Prep retained despite its boys’ team being outscored by St. Al’s boys.

The near misses made Wednesday’s breakthrough even sweeter.

“We’ve been so close for, like, six years now. When we finally did it, it makes it even more surreal,” Eckstein said.

St. Al’s victory was powered by its steady stream of first-place finishes. The boys’ team won nine gold medals and the girls got six.

Eckstein took first in the 50-yard backstroke, while his fellow senior Tommy Martin won the 50 breaststroke and 100 freestyle. They teamed up with Spencer Carroll and Layne Sparks to win the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays, as well.

The medley relay finished with a time of 1:47.62, just three-hundredths of a second off the state record St. Al set last year. It was also part of a 1-2 punch that helped the Flashes lock down the team championship. After the boys’ medley relay won its race, the girls relay of Leah Larson, Ann Elizabeth Farthing, Chandler Tucker and Samantha Graves finished first to close out the meet.

“It was really good. We came together as a team. We had three or four state championship relays, so that’s always nice to see. Every time you would see one of us racing, the whole team was behind the blocks. As a team, I think we performed really well,” Eckstein said.

Carroll also finished third in the 100 freestyle, and Sparks was third in the 50 freestyle.

In the Grades 7-9 division, Jon Daniel Busby won the 100-yard individual medley and the 50 breaststroke. Beau Harris was first in the 50 backstroke and second in the 50 freestyle.

On the girls’ side, Larson took gold in the 50 backstroke and 50 butterfly, as well as in the medley relay. Farthing won the 50 breaststroke, while Graves earned a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle.

Emily Cook won two sprint championships in the Grades 7-9 division, in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

“They’re all best times. I’m pretty proud,” said Larson, a sophomore who now has five individual state titles to her credit. “It was a great day. Being on a high school team is different than being on a city team because you’re all going toward a common goal instead of everybody being out for themselves.”

Winning the state meet also was a memorable way for the seniors Eckstein and Martin to finish their high school careers. They were both on the medley relay team that set the state record in 2018, and each has won nine individual or relay state championships in the past five years.

Considering Harris, Busby, Sparks and Carroll are all underclassmen who will be returning for several more years, Eckstein said he’s both proud of what he and Martin accomplished and excited for what the others might do after they’re gone. He hinted it could even be the start of a new dynasty.

“Even though this is our last year, it’s not the last year for St. Al. Beau is faster than I was in seventh grade. We have a lot of great talent, so they’ll be good for years,” Eckstein said. “We definitely have something to be proud of. We came in our first year and got second by, like, six points. Prep has never lost so we’ve really challenged them and we’ve always gotten at least second. Our boys team won last year. We got rings and everything. We’ve each accumulated a bunch of individual titles so it’s a good feeling. I feel like we’ve left a good legacy.”