Class of 76 Bios

www.REHS73-76.com

Class of 1976 Bios

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NOTE: Students who graduated early may be listed under their original class.

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Lesa Adams Sherwood
I live in Dallas with my husband and 10-year-old daughter. I'm a travel consultant with World Ventures™ Travel. Learn more at www.lesasherwood.worldventures.com and www.lesasherwood.worldventures.biz.

E-mail me at lrsherwood@msn.com

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Dale Berryhill
After graduating early with the Class of 75, I attended the University of Memphis, where I was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity along with a dozen or so other Raleigh-Egypt alums. I lived in North Carolina for seven years, and while there I received my masters degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (how 'bout dem HEELS?). I've been back in Memphis since 1996. I've had four books published, which you can see by searching my name on Amazon.com. Haven't gotten married yet (and, by a happy coincidence, no kids). I live in East Memphis.

I've made my living in marketing communications, running my own consulting firm since 1987. Check it out at www.BerryhillCommunications.com.

Our latest project is the free Internet travel guide www.OnThisVerySpot.com, "Your Travel Guide to History & Pop Culture." It's a "reverse" travel guide that lets you find all the spots in the world related to the person or topic in which you're interested.

E-mail me at dale@berryhillcommunications.com

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Brenda Boyette Pannell
Greetings all! OMG! It has been 30 years, unbelievable. Hello to Everyone and I mean everyone. If I mentioned all the names, it would be the entire class of 76. I am so excited about the reunion. I cannot wait to see you all. I left the nest, got married at an early age, still married to my sweetie Jerry, have been for 28 years this past September. I have three children, my daughter Desiree 22, graduating from Ole Miss this May in Special Ed, secondary education. (We are so proud of her) My son Christopher, 19, still living in Southaven, took the year off to decide about education. My daughter Payton, 11. Yes, 11-second generation child, what a joy she is. She is quite the little singer and dancer in our lives. Jerry and I relocated to Houston, TX, last year. We have been here a year.
Jerry's job brought us to this area. Me, I started over and landed me a nice place at the University of Houston, Clear Lake. I work in the Dean's office of Human Science and Humanities. I work with a hundred or so of Psychologist, Sociologist, Criminologist, and Anthropologist Professors. Go figure! I love it. Houston is great too. We live on the South side near Galveston and the area is beautiful, the weather superb. We bought us a home near the University and I could not be happier. Seeing everyone's pictures and reminiscing over the past made me, realize that life just passes us by too fast. Miss you all.

E-mail me at brenda@jlpannell.com or pannell@uhcl.edu

Susan Brown Boss
After leaving high school I became a hair stylist and recently retired after 30 years to become a project manager in my husband’s construction business. My first husband and I were only married 9 years but I was blessed with my son, who is now 23 years old and also works in the family business. I remarried in 1991 and was blessed with my daughter who is now 13 years old and my step daughter who is 16, and stepson who is 29 years old. My husband and I opened our construction business in 1999 and have been going strong ever since.

E-mail me at s_boss@bellsouth.net

Karen Bruen Bell
I am living in Memphis (Shelby Forest), working at the University of Memphis in IT. I earned a degree in Computer Science from State Tech in 1984. It has served me well. I am now working on a BS in Physics at the U of M. My daughter is 26 and my son is 23. I have 3 grandchildren - 6, 3, and 1. Grandchildren rule!
I have been married for 6 years to Gary, what a great guy he is!
The site is a trip down memory lane. We were all so young and thin!

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Sherry Burns Coulter
A year after graduating from high school I started working at Dupont. I worked there for 14 years and that's where I met my first and second husband. My first marriage only lasted about 5 years and it was quite a rollercoaster ride. I was single for a couple of years before I met my present husband. He's a great guy and not nearly as crazy as the first husband! We had a son after two years of marriage named Ethan and 2 years later a daughter named Sarah. After my son was born I was laid off at Dupont and decided to stay home with the kids. We ended up living in Tipton County on several acres with horses and a variety of other animals. I'm somewhat of an animal nut and at different times we have had horses, rabbits, a variety of birds, mice, hamsters, rats, snakes, a goat and of course many cats and dogs. At one time we volunteered at the animal shelter and some of the sweet dogs that I felt no one would take home ended up at our house. Nine of them to be exact. Needless to say, I had to quit volunteering there. Somewhere along the way I decided to homeschool the kids and that's pretty much what I have been doing the last 14 years. Last year I felt like I needed badly to get out of the house and help with the finances so a friend talked me into going to school to get an insurance license. I thought why not, I needed to get out of the house anyway. The school was only a week long but rather unpleasant. At the end we had to take a test and I passed much to my surprise. I ended up getting a job at our own insurance agency, Nationwide. I haven't the foggiest idea what I'm doing but they don't seem to mind since I have my license. Of course they're not letting me sell insurance yet but I'm hoping it won't be long. I didn't realize there was so much to learn and being old and forgetful doesn't help. I know this might sound dull but there really were some exciting moments mixed in there but for lack of space and time I left out.

E-mail me at sbc1203@bellsouth.net

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René Gault Pitts
As most of you know, I married Kenneth Pitts from our class just after high school, then lost him to a work accident in 1986. We weren't blessed with children, so I enjoy my work in the Mother/Baby Unit at Baptist Women's Hospital. I've been a nurse in the Baptist system for 25 years.

The second photo on the left is me with my brother Chuck, who graduated in 1977.

[update posted 1-12-08]
I was recently diagnosed with cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy treatments , to be followed with radiation. Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words of support.

E-mail me at reneakanene@aol.com

Don Gibson
Here's 32 years in a nutshell...After graduation I attended UT @ Knoxville. I spent a year in Engineering and a year in Transportation/Business Admin trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I grew up. I took a programming class in FORTRAN and I was hooked. I got married and two years later we divorced. I took a break from collee and transfered to UT @ Martin to get the only Information Systems Degree available at that time in the UT system. I graduated in 1984 and went to work for Diesel Recon Cummings Engine Company in Memphis working on a MRP system. I once again got married for two and a half years before another friendly divorce. I left Diesel for Teledyne, AT&T, Self-Employed Health Care Franchise, and finally Southwestern Bell. Can you see the pattern? 2-3 years was it and I was on my way. Things changed for me when I met the love of my life, Linda. We have been together and married for 18 years (She broke that pattern putting up with me). We have three wonderful children. Karianne (19, just finished freshman year @ OSU), Chase, 15 (Starting HS), and Julianne, 10 (4th grader, but thinks she's 20). I decided I wanted to do better for my family and started my MBA in Information Technology Mgt @ CBU while at Southwestern Bell in 1996. I met some people from FedEx in my class and when my wife (She has 20 years @ FedEx) got my resume in front of the right people at FedEx, I had some good contacts. I have worked for FedEx since July 1997 (Another broken pattern) and have enjoyed a nice career. We transferred to Dallas, Tx in 1999 so I could work as a manager on FedEx.com. A year later I made Managing Director and five years later Vice-President. FedEx keeps it fresh with new assignments and training. I attended and received a Master's Certificate in Executive Leadership from Duquesne University in 2005. I was honored to be selected as one of ComputerWorld's Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2006. My job allows me to fulfill my professional interests by staying involved in the latest internet technologies and traveling all over the world. I speak at public/company/vendor events several times a year with my largest sudience last January at an Adobe sales conference with 4K people. I am truly blessed at home and at work..

E-mail me at donaldrgibson@gmail.com

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Steve Green
Still extremely busy being a Dad. Jill and I married 23 years ago and have 4 children. Stephanie 19 and a Sophomore at the University of Memphis. She's joined a Sorority and has now moved into an apartment close to the University. She's been her sorority's social chairman and Follies Chairman during her first year. She's also working two jobs this summer getting ready for the fall.
Allen will be a freshman at Houston High School. He's already practicing with the football team and getting bigger and bigger. Imagine that, me with a serious football player. He seems to love it, so obviously we support it.
Vince and Will are our surprises. I've said many times I'm glad God knows what to do, because we would have never had them. They are a precious gift and the best thing that ever happened to us. They are also incredible kids, straight A's and playing competitive baseball this summer. Their team has won three tournaments this year already. This seems to be where we will spend the summer, behind the fence at various baseball fields.
When I'm not keeping up with all these guys, I work for a local manufacturing company handling their computers and networks.

E-mail me at sgreen@comcast.net

Karen Greene Echols
Greetings from Coppell, Texas! After graduation, I worked in the legal field and moved to Dallas in 1978. I've been married since 1993 to a terrific man who has kept me laughing these many years. Together Mark and I have two beautiful children -- Samantha (10) and Colin (9 in September). They are the light of our lives and keep us on our toes! My career has varied through the years, but I've been truly blessed to work for some wonderful organizations. I currently work for Kimberly-Clark supporting the CFO at the world headquarters in Las Colinas, TX. Life has been good....highs and lows, but a wonderful journey.

E-mail me at Karen.Echols@kcc.com

Pam Hall Hutchison
After graduating In 1976, I decided to become a stay at home wife and mother. I married in April '76 prom night, and my first child, a son Chris, was born in April '77. I also have a daughter Jennifer who is 23. I am still married to the same wonderful man that I married 30 years age, Bobby. Chris and his wife have blessed us with a grandson who is 2 years old and I understand the meaning on "Grand." I was in the process of starting nursing school in '77 when we had a car accident that almost took my grandmother, Bobby and my life. (Thankful that Chris wasn't with us.) After two and a half years recovering and learning how to do the simple things, I decided that God had something else planned for me. Jennifer was born in '82 and was the 17th baby in the tri-state are diagnosed with SIDS. Needless to say how the next year went, but she is a wonderful asset in my life now. When she started kindergarten I decided to start working with the kids at school. This will be the beginning of my 19th year with Memphis City Schools. I haven't traveled very far from home, I am employed at Keystone Elementary School on Old Allen Rd. as a secretary. I started at Egypt when Jennifer started Kindergarten and worked there until I transferred her in '91. Chris is a REHS graduate as well, Class of 1995. Jennifer graduated Munford, Class of 2000. We built our house and moved to Atoka in 1995, after a few health problems with my husband, he became the Town of Atoka's Building Inspector and Code Enforcer. As many of you may know, the years can be so unkind weight, wrinkle's, gray hair, etc., but I decided to take on a new approach to becoming a grandmother, I lost over 100 pounds (but will never be able to replace the younger years) bought a new car and thought about dying my hair (but decided I earned every gray hair). I look forward to talking to all of you!

E-mail me at CaroselPam@aol.com

Cindy Higgins Harrington
Hello everyone. Graduated with a teaching cert. from U. of Memphis and Harding U. in 1980. Married in December of 1979. Been married 26 years to a wonderful senior pastor of three different churches/congregations. My husband Bobby is a Canadian from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We lived there for 12 years. Had both children in Canada. The children and I are dual citizens. Ashley is almost 23 years and Chad is 20 years. She graduated this past May in Speech Pathology and moving to Dallas to go to grad school. Chad is a Bible major---going to Cypress for a year to do missions and will finish up his degree after that. I stayed home 14 years. Moved to Franklin, TN in fall of '94. Husband and I along with a team planted a church about 8 years ago. Running about 500 people now. Have been a teacher's assistant for 10 years at an elementary school. Thankful for so many blessings!!! Thank you for all the memories. Blessings, Cindy.

E-mail me at eualhg@bellsouth.net

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Carol Inman Hoover
My 30 year capsule. . .Upon graduating from REHS I tried Memphis State for a semester and started a tradition of finding things to do that I don’t care to repeat. I found a passion in interior design (Associate of Arts in Interior Design, Atlanta, Georgia – parenthood halted the path to a B.A.) and still practice that today with my own company of 15 years. However that doesn’t preclude other things I love as well. I enjoy cooking, sewing and cross-stitch for therapy and for the past 10 years I have volunteered with the Kids Voting USA program. This year I took on the Kids Voting USA program for the Greater KC area which means I am helping coordinate the program for 10 school districts/45,000 students+ in the Kansas City area for the 2006 general election.

In 1979 I married my wonderful husband Lee and we celebrated 27 years of marriage this year. We have 3 girls – Jamie (36), Jeyne (26) and Courtney (23) and 1 grandson – Trevor (12) along with several dogs, birds, guinea pigs and probably a partridge in a pear tree in there somewhere over the years. We are renovating a 106-year old house and plan to not make it a lifetime project. . .my goal is to find a loft and simplify. I can paint, sheetrock, tile floors and walls, grout, design, manufacture and install window treatments, but this is where the I can do it, but I don’t necessarily like it mentality kicks in.

Life is good and just keeps getting better. . .we will have arrived when we have the empty nest in that loft I am looking into. After all it’s been 30 years and it’s about time. . .R…I...G…H…T!

E-mail me at o_sure@sbcglobal.net

Ronda Johnson sitting left.
Pam Johnson Reeves (78) standing center.

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Ronda Johnson
After graduation I started to Memphis State University and transferred to the University of Tennessee at Martin for my second year. I completed my BS degree in education and began my teaching career in 1980. While teaching I completed a Master’s Degree in Counseling and an additional math endorsement at the University of Memphis. I have taught in Arkansas, Memphis City Schools, Fayette County Schools and am now teaching in Tipton County Schools. I was selected as Teacher of the Year for Fayette County and most recently was selected to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. I am still single but busy traveling with my family. We are on a mission to take my nephews (children of Danny Reeves and Pam Johnson) to visit all the capitols of the United States. We will complete the New England States by the time we have this reunion and will see Alaska next year. I am very active in my church, tutoring students in math, and enjoy following all the activities of my nephews. Justin has been involved with the Munford High School Marching Band and Joshua plays competitive baseball, following in his Dad’s footsteps as a pitcher. We’ve followed Justin and his band all over the state of Tennessee in competition and most recently were in Disney World where they marched in the Main Street Parade.

E-mail me at patbjohnson@aol.com

Tim Joyce
Well, what can you put in one paragraph about the past 30 years? (Sounds like an assignment from Ms. Gaddie, doesn’t it?) I played college football and tore my knee up then switched to baseball. I finished my B.S. Degree from MTSU in 1980. I got married and lived in middle Tennessee for about 6 years and moved back to Memphis. My parents had started a dry cleaning business and I helped run that for some time. It is amazing what you learn about people (customers) when you clean their clothes. I was elected to the Tennessee General Assembly as a Republican State Representative in 1990 and left in 1996. I also went through some tough times, a divorce etc., but I am alive and kicking. I have 2 grown children in North Carolina. I now work for the state as the Director of Personnel at a residential/medical facility and live on 4 acres in Tipton County.

I have been very fortunate to have been able to accomplish almost everything I have wanted in life. I am a person with a very strong faith and when I look back at the last 30 years I wonder why I have been so blessed. I have dined with Presidents and the poorest of poor. I have lived on a shoestring of an existence but could have any earthly possession. I am certainly not rich and I am not as smart as some, but I am just me. I still prefer to grill a burger in the back yard, help Mother Nature along, and work on old cars, tractors and such things than much else.

E-mail me at Tim.Joyce@state.tn.us

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Sharon Kirk Walsh
I've been married since 1987 to a wonderful man, Pat Walsh, CBHS (75) we currently live in Little Rock, AR and have one son, Daniel, age 17. He is a senior this year and soon we'll be empty nesters. I've been a stay at home mom for the last 10 years. It's been an investment in my family I'll never regret. As most, we've had our struggles. When my husband was 45 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Turned out to be benign and all was fine except he did lose his hearing in one ear when it was removed. A year later, I was diagnosed with early DCIS breast cancer. Almost three years later, I'm doing fine too. Throughout all of that our son 13 and 14 at the time never wavered in his faith. God really does carry us during the hard times. Watching Daniel's faith strengthened ours! It's hard to believe it's been 30 years since we've graduated. My oh my, how times does fly!

E-mail me at walsh.pat@sbcglobal.net

Jeff Kuehn
After working hard to get a chemistry and microbiology degree, I work for SunTrust in mortgages....go figure! I work in the mortgage area getting people into their dream houses and I love it. I am a producing manager for SunTrust Mortgage in Memphis and top sales person in this area with my office located in Collierville. Feel free to call sometime and lets do lunch!

I am married to a wonderful lady who puts up with me, Vicki (18 years) and have three fantastic children, Natalie (11), Sarah (9) and Richard (7). When I am not taking loan applications, I am usually at the ball field with one of my kids or going to see Schrek at the movie theater.

E-mail me at jkuehn@evolvemortgage.com

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Debbie Mayo Mitchell
I am divorced with to beautiful daughters (Tarah 26) and (Carey 22). I have three precious grandchildren. I live in Sylacauga, Alabama and work out of my home for BeautiControl Cosmetics, Inc. I spend a lot of time with my family and also make frequent trips to Olive Branch, MS. to visit my mom and my dearest friend Gegi Bethea in Memphis. I am still waiting for “Mr. Right"!

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Clemence McCain Noakes
Clemence McCain became a chemical engineer
And married Mark Noakes, a man most dear.
They had twin boys with eyes of blue,
Who frequently act as though they belong in a zoo,
And the family resides in the state of the Volunteers.

E-mail me at clemence@noakes.com

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Steve McPherson

Greetings to all. After graduating with the class of 76, I attended Memphis State University for two abysmal years. I guess what was abysmal were my grades and my behavior. While attending MSU I became a part of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and was blessed with great friends and foggy memories. After college I continued working for McDonalds of Memphis until 1992. After leaving McDonalds I sold Insurance, Investments, and Commodities until 1995. In 1995 I started working for Randstad North America helping people find a job. While on a mission trip to Venezuela in August of 2000 (photo), God called me into the Ministry and I am currently one of the Ministers at Bartlett Hills Baptist Church. God has blessed me with many opportunities to share the gospel all over the world. I am married to a wonderful lady named Teresa. We have been married for 25 years. We have two sons, Christopher and Matthew. No grandchildren yet (at least my sons are not owning up to any).

E-mail me at Sdegreat@aol.com

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Martha Medford Hale
Hello to everyone. What a wonderful idea to have a reunion with the first five classes. I will be anxious to see everyone (hopefully wearing name-tags since my memory fails me more often then I would like to admit).

Oh, yes..the bio: I married in 1977, graduated from Methodist School of Nursing in 1982, lived in Osceola, AR where I practiced nursing for a couple of years, then moved back to Memphis and adopted my son, Sam in 1985. I became a full-time mom and wife and volunteered for Olivia’s Montessori School and the Church Health Center. In 1989, I adopted Abbey and continued to nurture my children and pet(s). In 1993 I moved downtown to the island where I am still today. I went back to work part-time when Sam turned 12 but not as a nurse. I worked and still do for a law firm where I primarily take care of the moolah. Since my divorce in 2001, I have met a wonderful man who loves me and all the cats, fish, children and now a dog. We enjoy our families and our down time at 5:00p.m with a glass of wine. In just a few months I will see so many of my classmates, my sister, Teresa, and who would have ever thought...my priest, Jeff Marx. I have been blessed many times over. Love ya.

E-mail me at martha.hale@richardsonlawfirm.com

Sue Meriwether Burkhalter
Hello all and greetings from Natchez, Mississippi! I graduated from REHS in 1976 and went to Memphis State briefly and then transferred to Ole Miss where I met my husband Jeff. We have been married 24 years and have two daughters, Nancy (22) and Laura Beth (19).
Nancy and her husband Alex just blessed us with our first grandchild on July 8th, 2005...a boy... Beau Chapman Whittington... he is just adorable. Having a grandbaby is every bit as wonderful as everyone said it would be!
Laura Beth is still single and living in Baton Rouge, LA where she is in school full time and working.
I am the Health Services Administrator at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility... a 1,000 bed all male prison in Woodville, MS!! After working 15 years as an RN with my bachelor's degree in nursing I decided to go back to graduate school...I am now the oldest living grad student!!! I am finishing my MSN on the nurse practitioner tract and am slated to graduate in May.... hallelujah !!!
Lastly, for those of you who watch TV...yes that was me and my family on that silly ABC "wife swap". I have one thing to say...don't believe everything you see on reality television!

E-mail me at sue.burkhalter@gmail.com

Kelly Roney
I left Raleigh after freshman year to move back to Knoxville; it was my family’s third move the length of Tennessee. Even though I had only been with y’all for 2 ½ years, I left behind close and memorable friends. In exchange, I got the Smoky Mountains back and had yet another chance to be the new kid. I’m not sure it was an even trade. After high school, I went to Harvard. No kidding. Then I drifted into a software career pretty much by accident. I had been planning to go to law school, but I decided that fighting someone else’s fight wasn’t for me. I’m still in software, although now I’m in management, which is a mixed blessing. I meant to return to Tennessee after college, but I met a local girl, and we married in 1984. After 22 years of marriage, we have a lovely and talented 16-year-old daughter who is looking at colleges. If they don’t have a strong music program, forget it. Of course, she didn’t get that talent from me. I have no idea where all the time went. It seems like yesterday she was losing her baby teeth and now she’s out of braces, and I’m teaching her to drive.

Despite the approach of my 49th birthday, I still enjoy many of the same things I liked when I knew you (though I haven’t played spin-the-bottle in a long time). I still love sports – we’ll see how much more basketball I have left in my knees, but I’m learning tennis, and swimming is like Prozac for me. Skiing helps me get through the long dark winters, and I wish I did more hiking in the summers. I can’t help but be involved in politics, and I’m still a liberal Democrat, so I feel right at home in Massachusetts, but I didn’t win when I ran for State Representative in 2000. I still read and write quite a bit – wrote a newspaper column for a while – and I’ve been thinking about getting some more education. My wife Nancy thinks I make too many puns, but I’ve toned it way down since 9th grade.

E-mail me at kelly.roney@iname.com.

Donna Rook Harper
I can't believe it has really been 30 years, but the evidence is all there. Two marriages, 5 kids, 2 granddaughters, several jobs, grey hairs, and yes, a few wrinkles. I left Memphis in 1982, with a two year old son (now 26), and moved to Chicago where I've lived ever since. When I married again in 1985 I became stepmom to three great boys (now 28, 30, & 32) and we later added a beautiful little girl (Shale, 17) to our family. She just graduated from high school and will be leaving us with an empty nest when she leaves for the University of Colorado/Boulder, this fall. I worked many years in the investment business, took a little hiatus when our daughter came along, and went back to work a couple of years ago, part-time. Now I'm looking forward to a life not lived by a school schedule for the first time in 20 years. I'm hoping for lots of travel, good books, and runs with my favorite training partner, my jack russell terrier, Jilly. I had a great time reconnecting at the reunion!

E-mail me at DHarper672@aol.com

Leasa Scott Carpenter
Hello REHS alumni! I am excited about the upcoming reunion plans. Thanks to all of you who are planning and spending time organizing this. I hate I am so far away. I would love to be there helping. I am married with a 9 year old son. Don't bother with the calculators- I was OLD when he was born! I have been a teacher for the past 20 years and am currently teaching 2nd grade. I have lived in North Carolina since graduating from college in Hickory, NC. I have been living in Thomasville, NC (ever heard of Thomasville Furniture??) for the past 15 years. I would love any e-mails.

E-mail me at leasacarpenter@yahoo.com

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Here is a picture of me on the summit of Thor Peak in the Auyuittuq National Park of Canada in July 2006, just before my record- setting rappel of 4,200 feet.
A good friend of mine, an army veteran, donated a large sum of money to sponsor our expedition and all he wanted was a picture of me on the summit holding an American Flag. This is the picture.

Dirk Siron

After graduation I accepted a wrestling scholarship to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (UTC) where, along with Rick Waller (’76), we captured 4 consecutive Southern Conference Team Titles. I used my time wisely and graduated in 1981 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I learned later that Rick is now a police officer with the Dallas/Fortworth PD. I even saw him in an episode of “COPS”.
Before graduation I was fortunate to meet and marry Ms. Lucinda (Cindy) Jean Green (REHS ’77) who later bore me 3 wonderful sons. She graduated with a degree in Marketing, also from UTC in 1980. Our sons Joshua David, Jonathon Daniel, and Jona Dillon are aged 22, 16, and 11 respectively. Joshua is like his mother, caring and sweet, Jonathon is like me, a wrestler who wants to be an engineer as soon as he stops chasing girls, and Jona, who must be from another planet because he’s so incredibly smart. He’s in the 6^th grade and is reading at a college level, is on the robotics team and math team, plays first chair saxophone in the school band, is a green belt in Tae Kwon Do, has made nothing but straight A’s in school and, he’s a really nice kid.
As a civilian test engineer for the Close Combat Weapon Systems Project Office at the US Army Aviation and Missile Command in Huntsville, AL, I am in charge of the test and evaluation of all Tube-Launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles. Supporting the all volunteer men and women of our armed forces is a humbling experience for they are fighting to defend the freedoms we all enjoy every day. Following the horrific attacks on our country on September 11, 2001, I read with great interest when two of Saddam Hussein’s sons, Uday and Qusay, were taken out by US Army soldiers firing TOW missiles.
I coached youth wrestling for a number of years until I discovered that I was living in an area inundated with caves and became an avid cave explorer. This activity led me to learn Single Rope Techniques (SRT) so I could explore more cave passages. And in my quest to rappel and climb longer and longer rope, I eventually came to the point where a 100 foot rappel, no longer gave me the thrill it used to. My deepest in-cave rappel now stands at 586 feet. But that soon became common place, so I sought out others who introduced me to outdoor rappels where I gradually worked my way up from a 620’ rap (Whitesides Mountain in North Carolina), to 876’ (New River Gorge Bridge, West Virginia), to 1571’ (Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO), to 2650’ (El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, CA), and most recently, an (unofficial – have to submit the paperwork first) world record for the longest rappel, a month long expedition in the Artic Circle that resulted in a single rope rappel of 4,200 feet, besting the current W.R. of 3,627 feet by nearly 600 feet. Check out my Web Page at www.whitewaterunderground.com for more information.

E-mail me at offrope@comcast.net

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Patrick & Rene Sowell Savage with Rene's sons Trevor (left) and Colin.

René Sowell Savage

Updated September 21, 2007
I married my best friend, Patrick Savage, on September 8, 2007 and God is surely blessing us both. We live in Bartlett on the golf course and enjoy each day together along with my 19-year-old son, Colin, a dog named Sadie and a cat named Jake. I was single for nearly 7 years after 21 years of marriage and the divorce left me with three boys to raise. We made it through amazingly well and my older two are out in the work force while my youngest is at Southwest studying law enforcement. My husband and I are members of Bellevue Baptist where I sing in the choir and occasionally with the Praise team and Pit Choir for the Memphis Passion Play and other events.

I’m still at Schering-Plough with nearly 28 years of service and currently manage the Validation and Change Control processes for Logistics systems including a new warehousing system implementing this winter. My degree is from Crichton College, and don’t lose heart… it only took 20 years to complete! Yes – I am still a University of Memphis fan….Go Tigers!

See more of my wedding photos at http://groups.msn.com/SavageWedding.

Please note my new e-mail address:

E-mail me at rene.savage@spcorp.com

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Fred Speidel

One week after graduating in '76 by the skin of my teeth I went to work in residential construction. Completely determined to be a carpenter I suffered through the Carter (President Jimmy) economy very nearly starving to death. At that point most any sane person would have given up their silly dream, moved on and gotten a real job. But if you knew me in high school you realize that I'm just not that sane.
In the mean time I had married a lovely lady who, after 5 years and 1 child decided she could do better elsewhere. When she left taking our then 2 year old son what looked like the end actually became the beginning. With improving personal and professional skills and my enlistment in the United States Navy Reserves I finally grew up and became a functional adult at age 27.
Shortly thereafter I was immeasurably blessed to meet an amazing woman who is now my wife of 20 years. We have completed the training and setting free of 3 children and are now in the teenager/soon to be adults stage of training 3 more. These 2 girls and 4 boys are indeed the greatest rewards in my life.
Having been a foolish adolescent for 15 years it's been a lot of fun being an adult for the last 20 years. I now have a successful ( I think ! ) business as a repair carpenter. My clients and peers insist that I add "expert" to the title carpenter but there is so much more for me to learn that I don't think I can ever get comfortable with that title.
30 years in the same profession and 20 in marriage are the achievements that you can see. A closer walk with my God and the love of my wife and children are the achievements that matter to me.

E-mail me at fcspeidel@gmail.com

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Joy Ward

Greetings to all you old Pharoahs! Since graduation I've garnered a number of degrees and spent time in California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Monterey and Sacramento) before returning to Memphis for a while. I now live in St. Louis and love it!

I am a writer and a consumer psychology consultant (oddly enough these two apparently very different vocations work together) and am spending a lot of time on the road with both professions. My first novel, Haint: A Tale of Extraterrestrial Intervention and Love Across Time and Space, just came out this year and has been featured in various publications and websites across the world. You can read sample chapters and more at my website www.joyward.net or visit the new blogs at www.joyward.blogspot.com and www.haintdog2.blogspot.com.

E-mail me at joyward@sbcglobal.net

(click photo to enlarge)

Sonny White

I graduated from REHS in 1976 and then attended Memphis State (University of Memphis now). In 1983 I moved to Cocoa Beach, Florida and then over to Orlando. I worked as a insurance investigator for several years before opening my own company Gulf Atlantic Claims Service. We investigate insurance claims involving tractors, trailers, heavy equipment, and busses. (www.gulf-atlanticclaims.com) This line of work keeps me in the air travelling a great deal of the time. I have been married since 1989 and now live in Kissimmee, Florida just south of Orlando. My wife is a cancer survivor so we have no kids (just 4 cats). When I'm not working I like to fish and I still ride motorcycles.

Bill Bennot (center) at a conference he conducted recently in Lagos Nigeria.(click photo to enlarge)

Bill Wilms (now Bill Bennot)
For those who don't know, Wilms was an adopted name after my mother’s second marriage, which ended when I was nine years old. My relationship with my biological father was re-established just after high school, and in my early 20s I legally changed back to my birth name. After attending the University of Tennessee I went into full time Christian ministry. In 1982 I began traveling into Africa doing mission work. Moved to South Africa with my wife Connie in 1986 where we have spent the past 20 years planting churches and doing development work. We have three sons, Ben 22, Adam 18, Ethan 17, and one daughter Melody 13. Last year we relocated our family base to Nashville. I serve on the senior leadership team for a worldwide Christian organization. My primary focuses are African development and leadership training in our US based churches and ministries.

E-mail me at bennot@iafrica.com

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