In 1996, I decided that both of us would have happier lives apart, which has proved to be true as both of us have remarried
In August of 1996, I married Allan Leese. He is a funeral director and mortician at Glenwood Funeral Home in Vicksburg. The ironic thing about that is that I now refer to James and Shirley Leese as "Aunt Shirley and Uncle James"!!! . I continue to teach 33 piano students and will begin my 31st year of teaching in September. What a joy teaching has been, and how blessed I am to be able to do it. In addition to teaching, I also serve as adjudicator for the American College of Musicians, headquartered in Austin, Texas I have traveled from one end of the United States to the other, judging Piano Guild Auditions, but my favorite center was Anchorage, Alaska. I fell in love with Alaska, and would move there in a minute if Allan would move with me.
We are members of St. Albans's Episcopal Church. Allan was confirmed in November of 97 and attends alone as I.am on the staff of Hawkins Methodist Church as musician. We enjoy fishing together, doing yard work together, and, believe it or not, I've even been to deer camp. Have started shooting at Coke cans, but won't. promise that I'll graduate to animals. To quote the line from "Gold in the Hills", "I haven't come to that, yet!" (Can't believe that I enjoy deer meat--have bought only 1 package of ground beef since I married him!! This winter he killed a wild hog and we are enjoying our fresh hog sausage, pork chops and roasts. Can't believe that I actually cook the stuff; much less eat it!
My son, Rusty, and his wife and 2 stepchildren live in Vicksburg. Rusty's l5-year old daughter, Kelly, lives in a children's nursing home in Texas. Randy also lives in Vicksburg. Rob's wife, Cynthia and my grandson, Brandon - age 7 - live in Monroe, La. Laurie lives in Ohio with her husband and my grandchildren, Drew, age 10, and Blaire, age 6.
Everyone, please join us and add your biography to the Roster page. You just can't know how interesting it is to most of us to read about the last 45 years. At each reunion planning meeting, I keep thinking about the old adage, "Make new friends, but keep the old; one is Silver, the other, Gold," You all are the Gold! Looking forward to seeing you all.
Joan Barland
"She giggles if it's funny, and one may truly say, that if it isn't funny, she giggles anyway."
1999
After leaving Carr Central High School, I attended Trinity University in San Antonio for a year and came home for the summer.of '55. Raymond Henderson had just graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was also home for the summer. We happened to run into each other and renewed our friendship from the Perry Dennis Band Days. After a whirlwind courtship, we were married on April 14, 1956.
We were stationed in Seattle, WA, San Diego, Long Beach, and Monterey, California, New Orleans, and Norfolk, VA. Raymond decided to retire from the Navy in 1964. At that time, we had 4 children: Rusty, age 7; Rob, age 5; Randy, age 4; and Laurie, age 3 - It was the perfect time to come back home to Vicksburg. Raymond went to work for the U.S. Corps of Engineer;and after a few years, I began teaching private piano lessons.