We have several big birthdays in January. Chuck Owens , who is my Dad and resides at Redstone Village with my Mom Annelie Owens , turns 90 this month. Mrs. Mary Dudley has a birthday as well, and her good friend Peggy Hutson sends her love and best wishes.
Happy 49th wedding anniversary to that romantic couple William & Barbara Norton ! He tells me it's just as sweet now as it was nearly 50 years ago! Their granddaughter Megan Renee will be 21 in February, and her daughter Makenna will be 2 in February. William has a February birthday too, so it's a big month for them!
I met a really nice lady at Madison Imaging center recently. Kathy Belanger has worked there for some time and is really fun to talk with. Her husband is Paul Belanger and they live in Athens. They had a full house for Christmas when daughter Marie and her fiancé Dave Zeuski came in for a visit, as well as son Blake , wife Kim and kids Burke (10 months) and daughter Indigo (3 1/2).
HUGE NEWS ! We hear that our good friend Glenn Watson has announced that he will run for County Commissioner Place 2 against Faye Dyer. This might be a race that everyone will want to watch.
We speak for many people when we say how proud we are of our mayor Loretta Spencer. She has a difficult job and it requires tenacity & toughness - it's highly unusual to find someone who has the heart, sincerity and compassion to go along with that.
We were so sorry to hear that Benny Little had died, at the young age of 65. We loved to listen to his stories of Huntsville history. He loved his family first & foremost, and we send our sympathy to his wife Nancy , and all of his friends and family.
We know that M.D. Smith IV looks like a kid, but he turned 60 recently! His sweet wife Judy coordinated a fun party for him at the Elks Club on Franklin street.
We recently met Steve & Judy Thornton having dinner with friends. What a sweet couple they are! Their son Derrick is managing the new 301 East on Holmes.
We've known attorney Cliff Hill for years, so we were thrilled to hear that he has added Sharon Dowiat to his firm as Associate. We think they will make a great team!
Buford Sanderson led a good life and had a great sense of humor, and we were saddened to hear that he had died recently at age 79. Shelby Scott is his sister, and John Troup is a nephew who thought the world of Buford.
The Airport Reunion is scheduled this year for January 18, 2007. It will be held at Greenbriar Restaurant at 6pm, at the corner of Greenbriar Rd. and Old Highway 20. It is open to all the folks who worked or had activities at the Huntsville Madison County Airport prior to August 1970, when the new airport was opened. Call Johnny Johnston at 656-9575 for more info.
Ann Price loved reading about Huntsville's legends and history, but after her stroke a year ago she wasn't able to do much reading anymore. She died at age 80, leaving children, grandkids and great grandkids as well as nieces and nephews. Gayle Nichols was a special niece to Ann and will miss her so much. We send our sympathy to her family.
It was great running into Lynda Hall recently having dinner with Andree Reeves . Lynda is our Tax Collector. We still miss her Dad, legislator Albert Hall, and miss his visits to our office. Andree's sweet mama is Mavis Reeves , who lives in Chapel Hill, NC. Andree loves her so much and will be going up for a visit really soon. We send our love to Mavis.
What a party at the Elks Club recently! Louie and Jane Tippett, along with Rene Fortin, Lloyd Garrison andMarie Hewett recently hosted their annual, and always anticipated, Christmas party on Franklin Street at the Elks and the band, "Michael Dean & Memphis" was unbelievable.
Some of the folks we saw there were Mr. Bill Miller, Sr., Cecil Ashburn, Clyde Yarbrough, Danny Banks, Ron & Barb Eyestone and that devastatingly charming Richard Castello ! Lots of folks were having a great time.
Wesley Sylvester had a birthday on Christmas day - his brother Michael Sylvester of MS Masonry says to say Happy Birthday!! Also, Michael's sweet niece Jessica Stender turned 13 in December!
It was great to see Leanna Keith when she came to Huntsville to visit her Dad Sam Keith , and mom Janet Watson & stepdad Buck Watson . Leanna lives in New York but is working on a book about Huntsville and the Calhoun family back in the 1800's.
A very special Birthday Wish to our dear friend Randy Villines !
Newman Ward is 90! He lived in Huntsville years ago and now lives in California with his son and family. They welcomed a 4th generation recently with Lennex Kornelis . We love you, Newman.
We were so sorry to learn of the death of Jack Farrington . He was a good friend and will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Our favorite copy boy, Tom Carney recently had a major landmark - a 60th birthday! Of course that makes his wife even younger, as she's still only in her fifties!
Mark & Cordy Fortson'S youngest daughter Rachel just graduated from UAH with a BS in Civil Engineering. They are very proud parents!!
Well, 2006 is gone but we all need to pause for a moment and think about the blessings we had in the past year.
Life is good!
~Cathey
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