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Mary Goodie Class of 1967
It has been almost ten years now since I got this telephone call from some guy
named Jeff. Yes, I was almost RUDE to him. No, I didn't remember
him, not even his name and as I look through the website, I don't remember 99%
of y'all. Shoot, I never even had a pizza from Frankies. I was one
of those people you didn't even know existed. Not that you were ever unkind, but
you were getting on with your own lives and enjoying high school with groups of
friends you had established as sophomores or even earlier. When I took the
time to reflect on "who" I remember for '67 I came up with the names Robert Apt
(now deceased), Susan Fletcher and Mark Seligman. Now in 2009 Mark seems to have
at least responded, but won’t reveal how to reach him and Susan is still out
there in some part of Cyberspace I have yet to explore. Oh wait, I did go to
Shenandoah Elementary with Alyson Echevarria where her mother was a teacher and
I think Jim Goudie was there as well, but I don’t ever remember seeing them
after sixth grade in the hallowed halls of Southwest.
I transferred to Southwest for my senior year and because I came in
from New Mexico the graduation requirements were different, so the only "senior"
class I had was English. My required English class was with around forty
other only senior year Eagles taught by the Drama coach and held out there in
the same building with the shop classes. Otherwise I was taking P.E. and
Home Economics and some 10th grade Government class with some woman who was
really into the United Nations. I remember spending most of my time
penning page after page to some guy in Vietnam. Remember back in '67 we
all very pro-military. I drove a two tone blue '57 Plymouth with fluid
drive and never had senior photos taken because I was not around in the spring
of 1966. So do you remember me? Didn't think so, but that's okay because
I would like to think that I am not the same person I was over 40 years ago.
Well at least I know I don't look the same. Instead of some mousy 4'10"
brunette, I found my true calling as a 5'8" redhead. Didn't hit that
growth spurt or discover Lady Clairol until college. Forty three years is a lot of time to cover but I have seen careers as
a television news broadcaster, worked on the Hill when Lawton Chiles was a US
Senator, he is gone and I have been a Republican for the last 30 years, and then
spent almost twenty years doing sales and marketing for TWA. Twenty years
ago I was able to put that night school masters in Health Care Administration to
work when I became the life sciences sector expert for the Canadian Consulate
General in Atlanta. Long title, but what I really do is help Canadian
biotech/pharmaceutical companies in finding partners and investment dollars for
their research. Married USAF pilot but lost him to the big C over 20 years
ago. The Federal government made it too lucrative for me to ever remarry,
but after age 55, that no longer matters so I have been engaged to a Southern
Gentleman since 2008. I won’t marry him (yes, I found one who can actually
afford me) until his annulment is finalized. The one thing that has sustained me
these many years is my strong faith and my practice of Catholicism. Only daughter now 40, a Delta flight attendant, gave me the best gift
ever in 2008 with the presentation of Shelby Joan McDaniel. My daughter is still
flying and son in law Todd is with the University of Georgia so I get to be full
time "grand" about eight days a month. Okay I’m not as young as I once was and
have hired a nanny to help, but it is a great experience, especially seeing and
using all the new gadgets that weren’t around 40 years ago. And who would have
though Noggin would be earmarked as one of my favorites on the remote control. As my big #60 this Fourth of July approaches I hope to be able to
change my name to Mary Louise McRae. I will spend my year being "grand" and
making annual trips to Disney in September (when the crowds are gone), New York
in January and May in Las Vegas. After so many years in the airline industry
there is just no desire to journey further than the continental 48. Love
gardening, local travel that involves history and my car, and entertaining my
three dogs including 140 pound Giant Schnauzer named Panzer and the Alabama
Airedale half-sisters, Draka and Johanna von Shrackenburg. I'll keep reading Jeff's updates and look forward to meeting all of
you for the "first" maybe at number 50. Mary Goodie January 20,2009
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