A Baby Boomer's Scrapbook

The Kids at Meridian High A-F

Marlene Beavers (McDaris)

This is what Marlene said in my yearbook:

"Max,

Never forget Reid's Study Hall and all that was done.

You're a real cute guy and you should go a long way in life... a long way  (?)

Whenever you are feeling down in spirits just think of me and Smile! 

Always keep smiling.

 

Good luck!

                        Marlene

                        66"

It is interesting that she told me to keep smiling because her very big and very bright smile was one of the most memorable things about Marlene. (And, from recent photos, still is!!!)

Prior to meeting her again on the Internet, my last memory of Marlene was at a party at her house on Sanford Lake . As often happened at parties, more guys showed up than girls and some of us ended up standing around in corners or against walls either waiting for more girls to show up or waiting for a girl to be com e available to dance or socialize with. Nothing exciting happened for me that night (I suspect that the girl that I wanted to be with was either not there or already taken, or had already had a whiff of my bad breath or body odor) but at least a couple kids had a real good time.

Marlene's younger sister Marty was one of them. The extra guys didn't seem to be a problem at all for her and she seemed to be happy to dance with anyone who asked. Not only was Marty trying all the boys out to see who was the best dancer, she also appeared to be making out with almost every one of her dance partners to see who was the best kisser.  This seemed to me to be a reasonably democratic approach for her to take to a com mon problem but, unfortunately for me, the line of guys waiting to dance with Marty was too long and I got distracted when someone asked what happened to Irene Havens (her mother may have shown up to take her home?) and we began an urgent search.

Apparently, Irene had left with Dave Fink and they been gone for quite a while. Dave had com e to the party in a boat from his house across the lake so a few of us stumbled down to Marlene's dock in the dark to see if we could find them. As we got to the dock, Dave and Irene were just returning after a boat ride. Nothing was said about where they went on that ride but, but as she got out of the boat, Irene didn't hesitate to show us Dave's class ring on her finger and mention that they were now going steady.

Until the '66 class reunion in 2001, that was the last I remember of Irene but I do remember seeing Dave Fink at least one more time after that.

Marlene's party may have been some time after I graduated so I don't remember if I ever saw her again before I left Midland in early 1966.

An edited email from Marlene Beavers McDaris to Max Bishop in May of 2000:

 

…Where do I start?  Well, after I graduated, I went to Delta one year, then went to work at Dow.  What a boring, boring, stupid job.  I got fired after nearly one year.  I got mixed up with a guy who was married, divorced, rode in a motorcycle gang in Saginaw (!) and eventually enlisted in the Air Force to avoid the Army.  I enlisted,

too--April 10, 1969 to be exact.  I didn't marry him (thank God) and after basic in San Antonio , I went to Wichita Falls (Shepherd AFB) for data processing school.  I went to Florida for three years, then to

Valdosta , Georgia for 10 months.  At that time I was married to a programmer whose job was deleted and we were sent to HQ ATC at Randolph AFB near San Antonio .  We were assigned to a Com puter Services

Squadron.  We got divorced after 5 1/2 years and I turned around immediately and remarried my present husband.  (23 years now)  I worked on Randolph for 7 years, went to the Philippines for 4 years, taking a 2 year old son and returning to Randolph with a 6 year old and a 3 year old adopted daughter (Amerasian).  (Justin and Crystal)  Justin is 21and Crystal is 19.  We remained on Randolph until we retired in 1993.

 

After staying home about a year I went to San Antonio College and the University of Texas at San Antonio for a degree in education.  I now teach 4th grade in one of the poorest school districts in Texas (Another experience in and of itself). 

 

We now live in a very quiet, out in a country like setting, with 1 ½ acres, 4 dogs, two cats, and a cockatiel named Charlie.  My husband is a latent rock musician, in fact he was singing when I met him.  9 guitars, two PAs, and I don't remember how many amplifiers later, he is still in a band with three other guys our age (or about) and sounds pretty darn good.  He just went out for a ride on his motorcycle and he and our son tournament bass fish.  Yes, we have the big bass boat, too. 

 

Mike's daughter, Micah, lives in Kerrville , TX and works for Mooney Aircraft in sales and marketing.  (Need a contact in Texas ?)  Small world, huh?

 

I worked with Sue Hand at Sanford Hardware one winter.  She was saving money to go back to Mich. State .  Beyond that I don't know what happened to her.  The only two I really kept in touch with during my service years was Christine Cross and Joan Chase.  Joan lives near Houston , married to a guy who was in a band that played at the bowling lanes a lot in the early '70s.  Chris is an LPN and works at the clinic my mom goes to so she and my sister Martha see her fairly often. I don't know what happened to Connie Williams after she graduated.  We used to keep in touch, then just went separate ways.  The last I knew, Irene Havens married her high school sweety, had kids and then I don't know.  My mom used to work with her mom and sometimes I would get some news.  I went to her wedding reception and missed seeing her.  The guy I was lala over in high school, Al Adan (Cuban), turned out to be a real loser.  His dad and two uncles, all having fled from Castro, were doctors.  He ended up getting killed along side a highway somewhere.  Didn't Eric and Anne Belert get married and divorced?  I talked to Letetia one time when she lived in Marshall , Texas .  Her husband was studying at a seminary and planning to be a minister, I believe.  About 7 years ago, Terry Renwick called me up.  He had gotten my work number from my mom.  He only lived about seven miles from me and I never got back with him.  He seemed fairly happy, had 4 or 5 kids and sold insurance. 

 

And please, send my Sharon Edgar 's e-mail address.  Just don't tell her, ok?  I want to surprise her.

           

My life has not been uneventful.  In fact, we were in the Philippines when they killed Aquino, browned out the power on Luzon , (no power, no news) and we were on local alert for a long time.  Mom sent excepts of news from the Detroit Free Press and we never got any of that.  We were really censored with the Stars and Stripes our only local news source. It was really nice living over there but one time I was going to a sari sari store to exchange dollars and the local constabulary had shut the store down.  Those clowns were walking the neighborhoods carrying automatic rifles and that was probably the only time I felt a bit of fear.  Who knew what was going to happen? 

 

Ok, I'll quit for now, but I gotta warn you, I have a very close friend in Tucson and I have gone three 1-2 times a year for the last 15-18 years.  We were stationed together 30 years ago and never lost touch. She owns two small galleries down in Tubac (The Pot Shop and Rodeo June, in case you ever visit).  But that is another life and another story!

 

Waiting to here from you!

 

Marlene McDaris