Category: Bio

07/22/2001

01/24/2002

David Large

David’s biography is somewhat brief. David told me he lived his life focused on working and raising a family – so no big deal (at least to him).

Following high school David remained in Enid where he was locally employed. He married Karen Erickson (twin sister of Sharon Erickson-Faulkner) in 1960. In 1962 he was drafted into the Army. He served at Fort Sill in Lawton, OK and was honorably discharged in1964. Following military service, he returned to Enid and was locally employed by Garfield County, Oklahoma in a number of capacities: i.e. Safety Director, Flood Claim manager, Surveyer, and highway superintendent.

His wife Karen passed away in 2000 and David remains a widower to this day. He retired from Garfield County after 22 years of public service in 2004. David is Father to two daughters and Grandfather to three. David’s recreational pursuits include biking and traveling. He is a resident of Enid to this day.

Bob Lakey

Graduated in 1957 with the rest of the class of course, and at the last moment (two days before classes started for the fall semester) I journeyed over to Stillwater to inquire about attending college. I had had no intention of going to college after high school, and it was only at the continued insistence of our renowned chemistry teacher , Mr. Marvin Myers, that I finally decided to give it a try. I studied chemical and electrical engineering at OSU and graduated after seven (yes, seven) long years of working and studying. After graduation, I took a job in New Orleans working on the Apollo space program. (great new experience for a small town boy who had never been further from Enid than Stillwater!) That lasted until late fall 1964 when Uncle Sam (aka U.S. Army) sent me a greeting suggesting that I report for active duty with the United States Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. So I started a 28 year career in the military, both active and reserve. I was given the opportunity to become a military pilot and did so. I spent much of my military career flying both airplanes and helicopters. I received an all expense paid tour in Vietnam as an attack helicopter pilot out of the deal. I retired from the Army in 1992 as a senior officer. I still pilot airplanes and helicopters for business and pleasure.

After I was released from active duty in the Army, I worked as an engineer, mostly in the aerospace industry. I went to graduate school in the early 70’s and completed the requirements for an MS in electrical engineering. I finally retired from Boeing in 1992 and then started an aircraft sales and service business, which I have been doing since.

I met my wife at OSU (a local Stillwater girl who was also attending OSU). We were married in 1964. We have two beautiful daughters and two granddaughters. My wife is a practicing CPA with a firm in Fort Worth.

I have been lucky in that I am in excellent health (as of this writing, anyway) and enjoy life to the fullest. I consider that I have had a rewarding career, both military and civilian, and still enjoy aspects of both. I am also blessed to have a wonderful wife and family.

I have told many people over the years – and I believe it to be true – that were it not for my experiences at EHS and particurily my chemistry teacher, Mr. Myers, who gave me endless encouragement to go to college, I would not be where I am today. For that, I am truly thankful.

John LaFon

Greetings from California. Here’s a short version of my bio:
During the 60’s I lived in Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, France, Maryland, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Arizona.
During the 70’s I lived in the Philippines, Germany and California. During the 80’s I had residences in California and Korea. Through the 90’s and at present I lived in California.

I was a member of the USAF from 1958 thru 1984, San Gabriel Valley. I was employed by the Tribune newspaper from 1985-1990 and by the US Customs Dept from 1991-2005.

I am a widower with 2 daughters. My daughters reside in Torrance, CA and in Lexington, KY. I also have 4 grand children!

My interests are Family, Motorcycles, Photography, Gardening, Travel, Model Trains and Languages.

Recent travels included visits to Cape Lookout, North Carolina, Utah, Jamestown, VA and Alaska. I have some land west of Enid in Major County. I’m looking forward to seeing y’all at the reunion.

John A. LaFon

Dennis Keahey

Mr. Jewel Ridge made a statement in Mechanical Drawing class one time that I thought was way off. I don’t remember the exact wording but it was something to the effect that if he were a betting man he’d bet a steak dinner that most of us in his class would be married within 3 years. I laughed under my breath and thought he’d lose because I didn’t even have a girl friend at that point. There was no way.

In September, 1957, this girl from somewhere called Chehalis, Washington came to Enid to be with her sister whose husband had just been stationed at Vance Air Force Base. We met at church, fell in love, I proposed in May and she went back home – with a ring on her finger. I looked for work in Enid and she looked for work in Washington. It was a slow time for the economy and no one was hiring, especially if a person didn’t know where they were going to live.

We were married in August, 1958 in Chehalis with all her friends and relatives attending plus my Mom, Dad, and two brothers on my side. Our honeymoon was spent in a primitive cabin at Mt. Rainier National Park in Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Resort. Early on the second morning there was a knock at the door. There was her father, her mother, my father, my mother, and my two brothers. Does this sound like a 50’s song? It actually happened.

My family returned home to Enid and we moved to a cute little one bedroom rental on the banks of the Skookumchuck River in Centralia, WA. It was made for maturing a marriage what with a wood heating stove, a wood cook stove with a water tank over the stove for hot water, and no firewood. Two weeks later we bought this huge refrigerator so we would not have to leave the eggs on the back porch to keep cool and I got a job with a roofing contractor. The details are worthy of a book but we had fun together.

Our first child, a boy, was born in September – one year later. It was the first grandchild on my side of the family so we planned to surprise my parents by driving to Oklahoma for Christmas 1959, leaving while Weyerhauser Timber Company was shut down for the winter season. I was working in the woods as a logger among evergreen trees that were up to six feet across at the stump and taller than the oil derricks in Oklahoma. We drove from Centralia, Washington as far as Albuquerque, New Mexico before the motor gave out on our car. The price we got selling it at a junk yard was enough to buy tickets for two and a baby on Greyhound. We stayed in Oklahoma and I worked for Peerless Ice Cream Co. until 1964, three kids later.

At my request we moved back to Washington (no job lined up but confident), raised three boys and a girl, married them off and were blessed with ten grandchildren. Housing did improve and so did the job situation. I went to college for job advancement later in life. We live in an exclusive neighborhood about two miles from the Washington State Capitol building. I received early retirement from Centralia Steam Plant, a coal fired electric generating plant, at age 59 and went back as a consultant for a couple of years.

But the success of our lives is we served the Lord Jesus Christ from the beginning and He is still the center of our home. Our children have chosen to live the same life style of serving the Lord. We are blessed. It has been a great life with wonderful memories and we are still having fun. One advantage of starting at the bottom is the only way out is up.

I owe Mr. Ridge a steak dinner.
Dennis and Darlene Keahey

P.S.—- Dennis and Darlene wrote:
Sorry to take so long to get this in. We will not be able to attend the reunion but we are in Enid several times a year to visit my mother in Greenbrier Nursing Home. At 92 she is still sharp, witty, and loves to talk about the love of her life, Jesus Christ. My wife, Darlene, and I teach separate Bible Studies and have always been involved with teaching kids or teens or adults at our stages of life. Next year we celebrate 50 years of marriage but I understand some of you may be celebrating your 50th during the reunion (Norma and Nate Franke). Good for you! Thanks to all of you who put this whole reunion together and thanks to my classmates for making those years in Enid High pleasant memories.

Dennis Keahey

Don Karns

I have been very excited about the upcoming reunion. I had a scheduling conflict so my son, Mike is going to fly me to Enid Saturday afternoon. Please—no stories to my son–I told him I was an exemplary student in school!

When I graduated from Enid High School, I was off to OSU. I joined a fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, although my Mother seriously disapproved. She was concerned about excessive drinking. As it turned out, I never had a drink until age 23. Joining a fraternity was one of the best decisions I made in college. I made the Dean’s List several times.

I played football and baseball for Oklahoma State University. We had a great baseball team. We still hold the best Won/Loss record in OSU baseball history. My senior year, I was named to the “All Big Eight” baseball team. I was also voted into the OSU Sports Hall of Fame because of that team. We finished second in the nation, losing to USC 1-0 in the finals of the NCAA Championships. In football, I led the Big 8 in pass receiving my senior year.

After graduation, I signed a professional football contract with the Minnesota Vikings, but was released. They sent me to Canada to play and gain experience. After two weeks, I decided to get a “real job”. I had an engineering degree. I went to work for Texas Instruments in Dallas as an engineer.

I married my college girlfriend and we had two great boys. Both are in business for themselves. Mike is a real estate developer/investor. Steve is a criminal defense attorney. He defended the first person tried in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse case in Baghdad. He was on CNN and several national talk shows following the trial.

My marriage to Patty ended after 13 years. I later married a wonderful girl, Jan Barton Elias, from Bristow, OK. We have been married 32 years. I hit a real home run! Jan has two daughters near the same age as my boys. We raised all 4 children together as the real “Brady Bunch”. All went to college with 3 of the 4 getting advanced degrees. Katherine has her own medical sales company. Lori is self-employed as an occupational therapist.

We are blessed with 3 grandchildren. All of our children live within 3 miles of our home so we have plenty of kid/grandchildren days.

My professional career began as an engineer at Texas Instruments. Don Carey talked me into going into engineering as all we ever wanted to do since grade school was to be fighter jocks. We both flunked the eye examination, so neither of us, fortunately, flew a lick!

I worked at TI for 5 years, knowing that was the last thing I really wanted to do. It just did not fit my personality. In 1968 I went to work for an investment firm. I led the company nationally in sales my second and third year in the business. The next year I formed my own company, Don Karns Insurance Agency, Inc. Today we do business in over 20 states, including Oklahoma.

Being in business for myself has given Jan and I a lot of freedom to travel. I also play golf and fish in my spare time. Since I am in excellent health, I have no plans to retire as yet. I have, however, turned in a 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. guy working about 4 days a week.

I am excited to see everyone but I will sure miss seeing Bobby Atkinson. We always reminisced about riding his Cushman Eagle and singing The Great Pretender. If Gene Bodes still has a voice, maybe the Bushwhackers can make a comeback! I think our group included Page, Carey, Gene, and myself. I remember Glenda Braithwaite played the piano for us.

See you the sixth!

Joyce Bruner Jones-Dearborn

Paul and I have been married almost 44 years. He retired from the Air Force in 1968. We had been living in Mountain Home, Idaho and decided to move to OKLAHOMA, as my parents lived in Waynoka. Paul worked for Addressogragh-Multigraph for 20 years and I had my own accounting business, working from my home.

We have three wonderful children:
Rick Dearborn, age 42, is single and works in DC. He is Chief of Staff for Senator Sessions of Alabama.
Penny Dearborn, age 41 is married to James Cain. Both are attorneys in NYC. They have restored an old brownstone. They have one little girl, Keith Ford Dearborn Cain, age 4 1/2.
Tami Dearborn, age 40, is a single mom. She is a teacher in Mid West City and she has a daughter, Taylor Rene Dearborn age 8 1/2. Tami lives in Edmond near us.

We have been blessed in many ways. My parents both lived with us until their passing. My dad was 98 years old. My husband, Paul, suffered a stroke just before my dad passed away, so I have been a care giver for many years. We have home-care and we are thankful for each day.

Taylor is my sunshine, I care for her before and after school; I have learned there is nothing like an 8 year old to keep me young. Plus we just got a Yorkie; “Rocket” is certainly adding his share of action to our household. I hope all of the class has a wonderful reunion. You have worked hard to make it a great memory. Best of luck to all of you.
Joyce Dearborn

Janet Jones-Wright

I thought if I dragged my feet long enough I could get away from doing a bio, but James Faulkner is persistent!!

I married in 1960 and graduated from the University of Colorado in 1961. I taught 5th grade for three years at McKinley in the same room and same school where I had attended 5th grade. I started my family – Kate, Matt, and Adam. Of course all are gone now.

I later divorced and went back to Phillips University and got my Master’s degree in Guidance/Counseling. For the next 12 years, I taught and was a counselor. I remarried and moved to Germany, then to Pennsylvania, and then to Wyoming. I returned to Enid 12 years ago and today am counseling at Taft Elementary school. I plan retirement in May, 2009.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone very soon. 🙂
Janet Jones-Wright.

Waunita Howell-Rodriquez…. Hello from Spokane, WA.

I did not actually graduate with all of you but I should have! I attended Harrison Grade School, Emerson Junior High and Enid High.

To begin my saga I married Ray Rodriguez July 28, 1956 and started my senior year but became pregnant within the first month of marriage. I naturally wanted to hang out with all those married folks and lost interest in school. In April, 1958, Ray got out of the Air Force and we moved to Isleton, CA where I resided the next 30 years. In September 1958, I returned to high school and graduated from Rio Vista High School in June, 1959. My first born, Marianne was now 2 years old.

I was hired by a local manufacturing company that developed the first tomato harvester. I worked there till I was due to have my 2nd daughter Diana July 1, 1961. I gave birth to a son Ray in October 1963 and was a happy stay-at-home Mom when a neighbor came knocking and wondered if I would like to drive a school bus. I had no idea how to drive a school bus but he assured me he could teach me and he did. That was back in the day when kids would mind what you said and we had a great time. It was actually easier than it appeared. The great part was 3 months off in the summer with pay.

In March 1967 I was hired by the Post Office to work Saturday relief and gradually my hours were increased. I was able to juggle both jobs for several years. In September 1973 I was appointed Postmaster of the Isleton Post Office. In 1978 after 23 years of marriage Ray and I divorced. In 1983 I took an assignment to the district office in Sacramento, bought a house and moved to Sacramento. I had a 32 year career with the Postal Service and loved every minute of it. I spent 19 years as a single gal and did a lot of traveling for the Post Office, doing country swing dancing and riding my bicycle.

In October 1995, I met my 2nd husband Robert Fischbach. We began talking bicycle riding on that initial meeting and we were privileged to take 4 bicycle trips around Europe the next 5 years. Never did I ever dream I would go overseas but what a wonderful adventure. We married on the American River bicycle trail in Sacramento July 25, 1998 and we celebrated our 9th anniversary last month. In April 1999, I retired from the Post Office and in March 2002 we moved to Spokane WA. This is Robert’s hometown and his 94 year old Mother is still very active and living in the house he was raised in. Robert is self-employed and sells erosion control products; he has developed products of his own as well as representing others.

We are both very active in our church and enjoy traveling to visit my 4 grandchildren who are in New Jersey and Rob’s 2 grandchildren presently in Ft. Campbell, KY with parents in the Army. When they were stationed in Germany we made several trips to visit them.

Since retirement, I’ve been learning to quilt. This past year I finished my first quilt and will be showing it in the local quilt show this October. Our 8 year old Shih Tzu named Boomer keeps me busy also with our daily walks. I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with the few kids I hung out with as well as all those I didn’t have the privilege of knowing as a kid. See Ya soon!