Lunch, Open house, Bricks, Obituaries and so it goes…
Lunch
Our semi-annual lunch at Paesano’s is on the calendar for Thursday, April 5th. Meet us at 11:30 for a fun event. You can check your email for details and reservation request.
Open House
I learned this morning of the annual Open House at Jefferson. It is on Saturday, April 7th from 11AM til 2 PM. Last year we coordinated our lunch date so that those from out of town could stay overnight and attend. The planners have not yet published the information, so we did not coordinate.
FOUNTAIN DEDICATION
Money raised from the sale of bricks is dedicated to renovation of the the fountain in the Student Council patio. Restoration work began last year, with a dedication ceremony tentatively scheduled for some time in May. Word will be published when details are known. If you bought a brick in your name or honoring someone else and are able to attend, you will be acknowledged, though probably not by name.
Dottie Griffin and I went to view the recently installed bricks. I will publish those photos in the next blog. It is still not to late to purchase one if you have not. Surely, in that case, you will want to be remembered for posterity by posting your name and date. If so, contact me, and I will send the order form. It’s jeff-54@satx.rr.com.
OBITUARIES
It will always sad to learn of another death among our classmates. I appreciated any of you advising me when you learn of another as in these cases, Lavonne Kennedy and Jean Milam.
I did not know Lavonne at Jeff, but I have to give a special shout out for her. When I put together the class history in 2015, following our 60th class reunion, Lavonne volunteered to scan in all the photos from the Monticello yearbook. She did that and then somehow separated and labelled each photo so that they could be used in the history. I know she spent countless hours experimenting and doing the job. Lavonne never attended any of our functions, to my knowledge, but I will always remember her for the help with the class history. It would never have been completed without her input.
Jean Milam I remember but did not know her well. My real recall is that her parents owned Milam Creamery, who delivered milk to our back door until individual milk deliveries went down the path to oblivion following the path of ice deliveries, Squibb toothpaste, and buggy whips. Recall is wonderful, as I had not thought about milk delivery for decades.
Here are the obits:
JEAN LOIS MILAM ATKINSON
August 4, 1936 – January 5, 2018
Jean Lois Milam Atkinson of Kenedy died January 5, 2018 in a San Antonio hospital following a brief illness. She was born August 4, 1936 in San Antonio to Ralph E. and Lois Knowlton Milam, Jr. She married Jim Tobe Atkinson on August 8, 1958 in San Antonio. Jean enjoyed hunting, traveling and bowling and was a retired bookkeeper and substitute teacher. She was a member of the Pawnee United Methodist Church.
Jean is survived by her husband Tobe, daughter Jamie & Larry Brown of Kenedy, grandson Dusty, wife Julie, and granddaughter Kate of College Station, sister, Ann and husband Tom Ransdell of Boerne, and brother- in-law Louis and Mary Ann Spreen of San Antonio, along with nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Mary Spreen, and her in-laws Marion and Annie Wallace Atkinson.
A Memorial Service was held Monday, January 8th at the Eckols Chapel in Kenedy with Rev. Sue Huntsman officiating. Memorials may be made to the Pawnee United Methodist Church P.O. Box 526, Pawnee, TX, 78145.
Jean’s obituary did not mention Jefferson, but here is an interesting note “from the files”:
1974 Jean received a BS from Trinity University and since then has been keeping books for Jim’s ranching interests. They enjoy hunting and fishing on the ranches and big game hunting in Wyoming and Canada. They are adult leaders of the local 4-H Horse and Pony Club. They show quarter horses and appaloosa horses, bowl in state and national tournaments and play golf. 1984 She is in the ranching business; dabbles in real estate; plays bridge; avid bowler. She went on a successful black bear hunt in Colorado. Realized her dream: roughing it for 13 days in below freezing temperatures to get a grizzly bear in Alaska. It measured 7 feet from tail to nose. Also bagged a nice moose and fished for salmon. She fell in love with Alaska and plans to return soon.
Lavonne Kennedy Bradshaw
Girls’ Cadet Corps (Second Lieutenant)
Lavonne Kennedy (Arburn) Bradfield
January 1, 1936 – February 23, 2018
Lavonne Kennedy (Arburn) Bradfield, age 82, of San Antonio Texas, passed away on February 23, 2018.
She was a graduate from Thomas Jefferson High School, and went on to attend The University of Texas at Austin. She received her M.A. in Education from University of the Incarnate Word. As an educator, she touched numerous lives in her 27 years of service in elementary education with Alamo Heights Independent School District. She was actively involved in genealogy research and was a member of The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Daughters of American Revolution, and The General Society of Mayflower Descendants.
She was preceded in death by her parents Robert Kennedy and Lola Von Roeder Kennedy, her brother William Kennedy, and grandson Nicolas Joseph Arburn. She leaves behind her loving husband of twenty-three years, Charles Magil Bradfield. Children, Donald Joseph Arburn, and wife Jennifer, Ginger Arburn Rogers, and husband Billy Rogers. Step-son Anthony Charles Bradfield and partner Kevin Black. Grandchildren, Abel Garcia Rogers, Rhiannon Arburn Rogers, and Jessica Lewis. Cousins Wade Welcom Finley and wife Diana, and George Finley. Beloved friend Ella Leggett Tietz, and godchildren Don Tietz and Rouchelle Tietz Burdick.
A viewing was held Monday, February 26, 2018 at 12 P.M. at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home with a private grave-side burial. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Daughters of the American Revolution.
jeffclassof54 
Well, Jack, since you asked for negative responses as well as ‘yea’ ones, I’ll chime in.
I had been thinking about attending since Barbara and I had been making frequent visits to SA to attend my failing sister. An upbeat lunch at Paesano (we were just up Basse at Lincoln Hts.) would have been a good morale boost.
As fate and fortune would have it, she left us on Valentine’s Day, and after the sad ceremonies that followed we’re not inspired to make that trek – Berkeley to San Antonio and back – again just yet. Regards and regrets.
My sister Beth was mostly known by her professional name, Eidelberg, under which she painted scenes of San Antonio and South Texas, many of which hang in homes and offices around town. Colorful market scenes were a hallmark.
She was Jeff ’51, and if her San Antonio roots had run any deeper she might have become a tree in Brackenridge Park. She’d have liked that.
There will be a reception, show and sale of her remaining paintings and memorabilia at June Hayes Gallery in Los Patios on March 22.
A small world, Jay. I never knew the connection. I have loved Beth’s art and have an original and several prints. She was an awesome artist. I wanted to make the show at Los Patios but had a conflict. Sorry for your loss. She was an incredibly talented lady!