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Dear Friends and Schoolmates,

   With Thanksgiving approaching, today would seem to be an excellent time to reflect upon the words of this old hymn.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS:

   Happy Birthday today to   Sandra Ray ('61) of VA AND    John Howard ('66) of VA AND Peggy Cooke Wolfley ('71) of VA AND   Fayetta Covert Stansbury (Ferguson HS - '72) of FL!

   Happy Birthday tomorrow to     Sharon Hilsdon Bryant ('68) of VA!

   Happy Birthday this week to:

25 -   Donnie Satisky ('56) of OR AND    Michael Sisk ('63) of CA;

26 - Betsy Goodson Covert (June '37) of MD AND    Donna Price Devers ('66) of NC AND    Diana Price Carter ('66) of WV;

27 - Gayle Fallin Harris ('57) AND Domi O'Brien ('64) of NH;

29 - Jimmy Key ('57);

30 -      Rip Collins ('65) of TN AND      Sandi Bateman Chestnut ('65) of VA!

   Many Happy Returns to You All!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/Happy-Birthday.html

HEALTH UPDATE:

Tommy Singleton, next door neighbor and close friend (as in near family) of      Eleanor Buckley Nowitzky ('59) of NC - request of 11/19/08: suffered brain aneurysm on 11/18/08 and rushed to hospital by friends; physicians optimistic for recovery; being transferred to Duke University Hospital on 11/21/08; update of 11/22/08: operation successful; NO limitation in movement following surgery!

   This is certainly welcome news!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/requests-prayers.html

  From the President of the Class of 1965, Joe Wingo of NC - 11/20/08:

Hi Carol,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and to all the many and varied readers of your newsletter.

It seems appropriate to me that we begin to think about our military during the holidays, remembering the sacrifices they have made on our behalf. This has nothing to do with one’s political views but has everything to do with appreciating the dedication and courage of these brave men and women.

In this regard, the Red Cross has a holiday mail call program where Christmas cards are distributed to servicemen and women everywhere. ”Red Cross Holiday Mail Call P.O. Box 5456,Capitol Heights, Maryland 20792-5456”.You can also send holiday cards to “A Recovering American Soldier, c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center,6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20307-5001”.These are just for cards. Any gift will be removed so only send a signed card.

Other web sites such as www.aafes.com and http://military.laws.com/ provide directions for gift giving such as phone cards, gift cards or care packages. Most of these programs cut off around the second week of December.

And before any feelings get hurt, I am fully aware that our military is as diverse as our society so my choice of “Christmas Cards” is meant to be generic and applied to all religions and beliefs. Plus, my advanced age causes me to revert to my childhood on numerous occasions and I grew up thinking Christmas was an all inclusive holiday. Merry Christmas did not need qualification It simply meant “I wish you the peace and joy of the season”.

So, I hope we can all spare a few minutes from our busy holiday season to remember those who give of themselves daily and those that have given the ultimate sacrifice. Seems like the least we can do for them.

Certainly I’m sure there are many other fine organizations dedicated to this kind of effort and those mentioned herein are only suggestions. If others have favorites I encourage them to share with us. The important thing is to not let any Soldier, Sailor, Marine, or Air Man feel unappreciated especially at this time of year.

Happy Holidays one and all, 

Joe

   Joe, Sweetie, you are an incredibly thoughtful man! Thanks so much for this timely reminder!

  From Joyce Lawrence Cahoon ('65) of VA - 11/20/08:

There comes a point in your life when you realize:
Who matters,
Who never did,
Who won't anymore...
And who always will.
So, don't worry about people from your past,
there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

   Thanks, Joyce!

      From My Niece, Shari, of VA - From My Niece, Shari, of VA - 11/20/08 - "HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!":

WISH I WERE THIS CREATIVE...

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=WQ26144948

   OOOH - another beautiful Jacquie Lawson animated holiday card! Thanks, Shari!

  From Neta Collins Hastings ('60) of VA - 11/22/08 - "Joyce Bulifant":

Carol –
Interesting that    Ron Miller (’59 – of NC) mentions Joyce Bulifant.  I met Joyce for lunch a couple of years ago at the Jefferson Hotel here in Richmond as we are involved in a genealogy search of our Collins ancestors.  Joyce is related to me, as well as my brother,      Rip Collins (’65 – of TN) and (our first cousins)    Gene (Collins Gleve – ’60 – of SC) and   Pauline Collins (Shofner – ’65 – of VA), as our grandfathers were brothers. 

Joyce was born in Newport News at the Buxton Hospital.  In an interview she gave the Daily Press, she said that they moved about a great deal after her father left the Boat Factory (by which I think she meant the Shipyard), and by the time she was ten had been enrolled in 21 schools.  Throughout the years, she often visited the home of Pauline and Gene.    Joyce is a delightful and charming woman and still involved in acting and theatre.

   WOWZERONI!!! I was relatively certain "we" had a family connection to Joyce, but I couldn't quite recall the genealogy or who it involved! Thanks so much, Neta!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Bulifant

From the ArcaMax Publishing, Health & Fitness Newsletter - http://www.arcamax.com/news/healthtips/s - 11/22/08:

Lifelong Health: Dealing With Grief
Dr. David Lipschitz

This has been a difficult two weeks for the community where I live. Ann Pressley, a talented young broadcast journalist with such a bright future was brutally assaulted in her home in Little Rock, Ark. Ann's struggle to survive and her untimely death affected me deeply; I feel for her co-workers, for those who love her and for her wonderful family. As a parent and a grandparent, I cannot imagine anything worse than losing a child; the grief of Ann's family must be truly overwhelming -- something that seems impossible to ever get over. Whether you knew Ann or not, it is difficult to escape the feelings of grief.

Dr. Elizabeth Kubler Ross, a pioneer in understanding how to deal with death and coping with grief, has provided deep insights into the grieving process. In this wise approach to coping with loss, she describes five phases of grief that occur when anyone suffers from or succumbs to a life-threatening illness.

The first phase is denial. During the illness or in the case of the brutal attack on Ann, disbelief is usually the initial response. "How could this happen?" "It must be a dream." "This can't be possible." After Ann succumbed to this heinous crime, it was impossible to believe that she was gone.

The second phase is anger. In Ann's case, we turn our anger to the evil criminal who committed this crime. For some, we may direct our anger at ourselves for not caring enough or suspecting a problem. We may blame God or others who we believe are in some way responsible for this tragedy. The anger associated with grief is often inward and rarely expressed, making it doubly difficult to manage.

Phase three is bargaining. Facing death, all of us will bargain for an extension on life. We promise anything -- from being a better parent to a better friend or living a better life. Bargaining is about offering any solution possible to avoid your grief.

Phase four is depression. This is an inevitable consequence of overwhelming loss. Depression often begins as we become aware of the tragedy and may last for a very long time. Depression is normal, usually bringing feelings of overwhelming sadness. You may cry, lose your appetite, be emotionally labile, suffer from insomnia or feel very lonely. Most of us are able to deal with these and other symptoms of grief without the need for medications, but if necessary it is perfectly appropriate to be treated with an antidepressant. Sedatives to help with sleep should only be prescribed for a short time, as these drugs may make depression worse and delay the ability to deal with grief.

The last phase is acceptance. In dealing with death, acceptance brings understanding and a sense of peace. Many embrace faith, accepting the struggle of grieving and relinquishing fear of the unknown. We may accept our loved one's illnesses during life but will still mourn after death. Acceptance and healing occurs sooner or later as we finally realize the inevitably of death and understand our own mortality. The grief may continue, but with acceptance we are able to move on with our lives. The wounds of loss never heal fully, but the pain becomes more bearable and rather than dwelling on the negative we can remember how blessed we were to have had a loved one in our lives. We remember the joy they brought, the pride we felt in their accomplishments, and how much we loved them.

In dealing with someone who is grieving, we must always offer comfort, support and love. We must allow the grief process to occur and understand that it will never be "all right." When helping someone cope with grief, your role is to give the time and support your loved one needs as he moves to accept an overwhelming loss. To Ann's family, I pray for you and hope that you receive the love and support you need as you navigate this challenging process. I hope that in coping with Ann's passing, we can all come together and learn to cope with grief. By doing so, we will recognize the transient nature of all our lives and learn to accept this.

========

Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the book "Breaking the Rules of Aging." To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. More information is available at www.drdavidhealth.com.

This news arrived on: 11/20/2008

HOLIDAY REUNION NEWS:

The NNHS Class of 1958 Gathering and Dinner will be held Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 6:00 PM at Al Fresco Ristorante, 11710 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, VA 23606.  CONTACT: Joe Drewry (jwdvt@aol.com, 757-244-4443, ext 4)

DATES TO REMEMBER:

2. April 23, 24, & 25, 2009 - Class of 1954 will hold their 55th-Year Reunion. For details contact Dr. Harry Simpson at 804-694-0346 or email him at hdsdds@aol.com - CLASS OF 1954

PRAYER ROLL: http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/requests-prayers.html - updated 11/23/08

NNHS BLOG: http://nnhs.wordpress.com/ - updated 11/17/08

Carol Buckley Harty 219 Four Ply Lane Fayetteville, NC 29311-9305   910-488-9408

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