Louise Wright Robertson, founding author of this, the class website, and Lamar '58 Webmaster since 2006, "passed away unexpectedly on October 25, 2019, near her home in Monrovia, CA. She died peacefully surrounded by her family." (Obituary and condolences at
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pasadenastarnews/obituary.aspx?n=louise-wright-robertson&pid=194469486.) The obituary details Louise's contributions to education and to Monrovia; it's up to us to memorialize her contributions to the Class of 1958. Please share your memories of Louise before, at, and after Lamar with your '58 classmates by sending them to rjhabq@gmail.com for inclusion in Louise's In Memoriam entry on the website she founded.

From Pat Bray Jones: "Richard, I am sad to inform you of the passing of Pam Bryan Britain, class of 1958, on June 4, 2019. Walter Britain, her husband of almost 61 years informed me that she passed peacefully at home in Cleburne, Texas, surrounded by her family following a long battle with lung cancer and dementia.
She and Walter both attended West University Elem., Pershing Jr. High (where I met them both in home room), and Lamar, although Walter graduated from Allen Military Academy. Pam was a princess at their annual military ball.
They married July 11, 1958, and reared a son, Wayne and two daughters Stacy and Kim. Kim passed on March 1, 2018.
Pam's dad, Bill Bryan, was general manager of KTRH; her mother, Trudy, sang with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and had a TV show with Freddy Gibbons so Pam came by her singing ability quite naturally.  She sang alto in the mixed choruses at Pershing and Lamar as well as the Lamar-o-Liers.
Pam never lost her slim graceful beauty and was adored by her devoted husband and children, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren. She also leaves many friends of whom I am one who will miss her ready smile and lovely attitude. I never knew her to say an unkind word about anyone.
A memorial service will be held to honor Pam on July 20 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3816 Bellaire Blvd. in Houston."

​I am writing to suggest an important project for our class. Lamar is getting an impressive new building on the east side of the campus which will house academic areas, a beautiful swimming pool and many other facilities in four floors. There will be new playing fields sufficient to include sports for boys and girls. More space is available for fields because we have a parking garage. However HISD is not   funding the playing fields sufficiently and the Alumni Assoc is attempting to raise money to provide stadium seating, lights and artificial turf for all fields. David Mafridge (class of 81) is giving $1 million for this effort. Andrew White (Mark’s son) is giving $100,000. Howard Tellepsen has offered to match the first $100,000 in donations. I would like to see our class donate $25,000. If we do, we can have a plaque showing our class at the new swimming pool. I have donated $1,000 and know others who will donate. Give what you can and if we all pitch in we can show our love for the education and fun we had at Lamar. Please send your donation to Fran Callahan, Lamar High School 3325 Westheimer, Houston 77098. The checks should be made to Lamar Alumni Assoc, and please put 1958 in Memo field of the check. Thanks
 

​Sandra Stone Johnson has passed along the sad news that her cousin and our '58 classmate Elaine Osborn Steitz  " passed away peacefully on April 9, 2019 with two of her children by her side" (http://charleswsmith-sachse.tributes.com/obituary/show/Elaine-Steitz-107001360).  A celebration of Elaine's life will be held this coming TUESDAY, APRIL 16  at11 AM at Redeemer Bible Church, 721 Easton Rd, Dallas TX 75218. A graveside service for family will follow on Wednesday in Houston, TX.

As can be seen from her '58 Orenda senior-picture entry, Elaine was very active at Lamar.  After Lamar she attended the University of Texas.   At UT, in Singapore, and in Dallas Elaine and her husband Walter worked with the Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU).  

'm glad to say that I have no deaths of classmates or of overlapping-classmates to report this month. However, I did learn that classmate Francis Allegret's wife died almost 3 years ago.
 
Death of a Classmate's Wife
Francis (“Frenchy” at Lamar) Allegret's wife for over half a century, Maxine Kelly Allegret, passed away June 24, 2016. (Obituary, tribute movie, and guestbook at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/tucker-ga/maxine-allegret-6985571.) A memorial service was held for Maxine in Tucker, Georgia on June 28, 2016.
 
Accomplishments of, Sharing Among Classmates

Margaret Crocker Ford provides a correction to my speculation that a couple of our classmates who appeared as juniors in the '57 Orenda but not as seniors in the '58 Orenda were twins: “Nancy Sisson and Beth Sisson were not related. Nancy and her parents moved to California at some point.”
 
If you're considering moving back to Houston, perhaps to a nicely wooded suburb thereof, you might want to look at this Chronicle article on your likely neighbors (feral pigs): https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/Houston-area-suburbs-continue-to-see-uptick-in-13665126.php?utm_source=desktop&utm_campaign=moengagehc .
 
And Sheila Johnson Harrison shares some information about another critter you might encounter if you decide to swim to the next (65th?) reunion via Buffalo Bayou: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2019/01/02/315759/beasts-beneath-the-bayou-how-alligator-snapping-turtles-thrive-in-the-heart-of-houston/ .
 
I'm hopeful that all of you received David Redford's email note about an upcoming tour of new facilities on the Lamar campus, but just in case:
“As you know, Lamar is undergoing changes and there will be a great new building and parking garage and other additions in August.  I have had a tour and it is impressive. Our alum director, Fran Callahan, is giving tours and I am suggesting that our class show up at 4:00 p.m. on April 16.  We have a limit of 20 so let me know soon if you are interested.
Thanks, David Redford”  [dredford@brownsims.com]

Barry Moore and Eleanor Powers Beebe report that our '58 classmate Aubrey Calvin died Tuesday, January 22, 2018 at the Houston VA Hospital. Barry says that Aubrey had been fighting Parkinson's Disease for 38 years. (Tribute and Tribute Wall at https://www.bradshawcarter.com/tributes/Aubrey-Calvin.) A visitation will be held Sunday, February 1:30 - 3:30 PM at Bradshaw-Carter, 1734 W Alabama St in Houston.  A memorial service will be held Monday, February 4 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 Main Street in Houston.