JBAA Newsletter
Jane Brooks School Newsletter
Janet (Reding) Hoover- President
Fall/Winter 2008
Volume 1 Issue 1Hello to all the Jane Brooks Alumni Association Members!!
We just held our 2nd board meeting this past Saturday October 25, 2008 in Chickasha, OK, where we will be celebrating our JBSAA’s 80th Anniversary. Despite our President’s sudden & unexpected illness on the day of the meeting, Vice President Steve Meyer did an outstanding job running the meeting. Board members attending were Secretary Jennifer Frye, Treasurer Chris Wilson, and Treasurer Assistant Donnie Vestal; Committee members were Michealyn Due, Janet Hoover and Christina Carter.
Before we share some exciting news, we need to clarify some misunderstanding among the members about the date for the next reunion. At the last JBSAA reunion’s general meeting in Oklahoma City, the date was not discussed in the minutes. When the 1st board meeting was held this past summer, it was noted that many nationwide deaf events were happening in the month of June 2009; therefore, the board & committee members voted/approved to have the 80th Anniversary Reunion in July 2009.
We are so excited about the new ideas and plans for our reunion. In the past, we would meet from Friday through Sunday; we felt this time, especially with our 80th Anniversary when Jane Brooks School first established, we decided to make this a four days reunion!!! Hence, we would have more time to visit with old friends and meet new friends.
The JBSAA Reunion will be held from July 9-12, 2009 at the Holiday Inn Express in Chickasha, OK. The newest event to start off the weekend is the President’s Reception on Thursday night, July 9th. Food and refreshments will be provided free for those who arrive early. On Friday, fun events are being planned for the day, along with swimming at the pool. Saturday evening is filled with special events at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) Banquet Hall; dinner and performance by Trix Bruce, a well known nationwide deaf performer (www.trixbruce.com). CART will be provided. Sunday brunch, maybe we will have lunch before we all depart for our home.
In order for us to established confirmation for this event to happen, we need to hear back from you, JBSAA members, if you will be attending this reunion in July 2009. Bear in mind IF a lot of members vote NO to having a reunion in July 2009, then the reunion will be postponed to June 2010. The deadline to vote is December 15, 2008. Please do email to BOTH President Tony Kirby (tlkirby56@aol.com) and to Vice President Steve Meyer (stvnmyr1@aol.com)
Should the majority vote for July 2009, registration and hotel information will be send out early January 2009; get out your calendar and save this date for JBSAA 80th Anniversary Reunion. Respectfully yours,
President Tony Kirby & Vice President Steve Meyer
Secretary Jennifer (Eason) Frye’s LetterI’m honored to continue to serve you as JBSAA secretary. I can’t believe a year passed by and it’s time to get ready for the holidays. Working with a whole new group of officers has been a blessing for me because it helps me to become a better secretary and serve you better with a whole new tradition. Especially having a wonderful Secretary Assistant Jamie (Love) Moon who manages to proof read our newsletters and letters also fill in for me.
Please do continue to find your classmates and send me with their new address.
It is my understanding that some of your friends didn’t receive their previous newsletters; it is because I still do not have their correct addresses. If they wish to get the newsletter, please do have them email me or send me a postcard. I do still need your help; we still need to find the lost alumni.
Please search through your old previous JBSAA newsletters the "Lost Alumni list, and if you have their current address, let us know! Our JBSAA welcomes the "Lost" Alumni! Thank you!!
The email address is jjefrye@yahoo.com or send a postcard to JBSAA, Secretary Jennifer (Eason) Frye, 834 Sherry Ln., Krugerville, TX 76227.
Do you have information on others who attended to JBS? Current name, Maiden Name/ Year attended, Addresses, ph#/Email, Death? When? Also, if you see the name you recognized and are deceased, please send the information when & how the person was deceased.
This time, I’m going to try something new besides sending out newsletter to your home, I hope you receive newsletter through your email. Please do let me know if you got your newsletter through email and in your mailbox.
JBSAA 2008 Executive Board Highlight
June 2007 – We met in Oklahoma City to exchange our information and set up a date for the reunion. September 2007 – Meeting has been cancelled due to conflict schedules. June 2008 – Meeting has been cancelled due to conflict schedules. July 2008 – We met in Chickasha and we looked at the possibilities dates and locating a banquet hall along with the menus. September 2008 – Meeting has been cancelled due to conflict schedules October 2008 – We met in Chickasha to plan for our reunion agenda and each of us has been assigned to do our part to make our reunion run smoother.
NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWSOn Monday 12-10-07 at 12:55 AM CST, James T. Sharer Finally was reunited with his brothers and mother. 43. He was born Sept. 24, 1964 in Dallas, Texasto the late Polly Jean Pringle Sharer and Jack B. Sharer. He was a lifelong Dallas resident. Jim attended the National Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, NY. He worked for the Sorenson Company as a regional specialist. Jim was preceded in death by his mother, Polly Sharer; and by his three brothers, Tommy, Jack Jr., and Robert Sharer. His is survived by his father, Jack B. Sharer of Dallas; uncle, David Sharer of Texarkana; nephew, Eryk Sharer and wife, Michelle; and two great-nephews. Burial was on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2007, in Restland Memorial Park, followed by a Memorial Service at 2:30 P.M. At John Calvin Presbyterian Church, 4151 Royal Lane, Dallas.
If you can come you are more than welcome if you have questions feel free to e-mail me at reryks@sbcglobal.netThanks and much love
ERYK SHARER2002 Alumni News
Jane Brooks Reunion was held at the Wingate Inns in OKC on June 28th and 29th of last year. It was a nice social for all who have attended but we were disappointed to see a small number. However, there are more people who are planning to attend the 75th anniversary in the last weekend of June, 2004. People have expressed their desire to attend with the banquet planned and some time in between for reunions, not two reunions in five years. We have had complaints about how our reunion was set when and where. Our hands are tied because of the voting process.
Number of reasons why the members voted for our next reunion to be held in OKC... Some of our members live out of state, they fly in . It's easier for them to meet with us there in OKC. We do not have access to the JBS building anymore since it's been demolished. It's harder for us to plan when it's in the process of going into USAO. The members at this year's reunion voted for our 2004 Reunion to be held in OKC. With the problems we have now, it's hard to plan anything in Chickasha. It's even harder to plan around to make our reunion successful with no buildings to use. We feel it's easier to have it in OKC because of our out of state members to fly in.
Whoever was there at the Reunion this year are the ONES who voted for next year's reunion. We hope to see ALL of you there to help us make JBAA successful and have better reunions in the future. We can't do anything without your SUPPORT! Please, everyone, try to be there for our 75th ANNIVERSARY!!! We sure would have loved to see you this year but hope to see you ALL next time!
The new officers elected for 2002-2004 are:
Jennifer (Eason) Frye- Vice President
Jamie (Love) Moon- Secretary/Reporter
Chris Wilson- TreasurerPlanning Committee:
Linda (Long) Yokely
Joe Bandy
Penny (Cunningham) McCoin
Debbie (Vestal) Ratiff
Brenda (Crews) Dalton
The membership fees for 2004 will be the same as follows
Single Members $20.00
Married Members $25.00
Boyfriend/Girlfriend & Common Law Couples:
Both Members of JBS will be $20.00 each.
If One is a Member of JBS will be $20.00; theirdate/partner will be $10.00
One day visitors will be $10.00
Next Reunion: June 25, 26, & 27 2004
Our 75th Reunion will be held again in OKC. We are trying to find a bigger banquet room since we are expecting a bigger number in 2004. We will let you know about the hotel, banquet, and the extra costs in our next newsletter. Save your money for banquet, membership, group picture and fun times to spend in OKC. We will also be having JBAA Tshirts and History Books to sell also.
The theme for our Reunion will be "Celebrate the Present. Remember the Past. Life at JBS 1924-2004." There will be no babysitting services for your children during the banquet. Please find someone to take care of your children. It will be very much appreciated.
We recently got approval from the new principal of Jane Brooks on having our reunion to be held at the dorms. We told her that we were that we are expecting a bigger number and it would be crowded to have our reunion/banquet there. Maybe we can in the year of 2006 but that is with everyone's votes. The reason we couldn't have it in Chickasha in the past, it was because of Mrs. Bailey's request. The school couldn't afford to pay the repair costs such as plumbing or electrical problems. There were some complaints that the visitors didn't help take care of the dorms during their stay. The school was under a tight budget just like other schools around in the state. We need to start helpoing each other and show some respect and pride for our old school. Everyone loves reunions and so do we!
Sad News to Share...
Linda Watson passed away on Christmas Day, 2002. Services were held at Mercer Adams in Bethany, Ok. She is laid to rest in Wewoka next to her sister, Shirley. Her husband, Mitch Housh can be reached at mdhoush@sbcglobal.net for those who would like to keep in touch or contact him.
Bertha Henry's husband, James passed away on Feb 1, 2003.
Need Your Help Now (Before July, 2003)
We are needing each story from you to be put in our history book of Jane Brooks School. We are working on getting pictures, individual stories (by teachers, former graduates, and students), historical documentations or pictures of JBS, pictures of every administrator at JBS, and memory pages for our classmates, teachers, staff, and adminstrators. Please also send your first or earliest JBS school pictures along with your current picture for your individual story in the book. If you have any favorite reunion stories, do share! We will need the individual stories by July, 2003. Our goal is to finish the book by December, 2003. Thanks for your cooperation!
Reservation Postcards will be mailed out in the Fall of 2003
We will be sending out postcards for your reservations. We would like for them to be returned by January 30, 2004. We need to know the exact number of people that will be coming for the banquet. It's important to us to know approximately how many people so we can make plans with the catering people. We will be selling the banquet tickets for $20.00 per person or it will be $25.00 at the door. No refunds will be made. We are working hard to make our banquet EXTRA SPECIAL so please come!
Addresses to mail your stories/pictures to:
Janet (Reding) Hoover
416 Ranchwood Manor Drive
OKC, Ok 73139Jamie (Love) Moon
3056 Country Club Drive
Sulphur, Ok 73086<
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Billy Jr and Tracy (Jernigan) Gildhouse are the proud parents of a daughter, Jolisa Lynn.
Born on March 18 th 2003 at 11:51 A.M. , 8lbs 1/2 oz, 19 1/2 inches long. She is a very healthy baby !! Her big brother, Kyle, age 4, is very proud to have a baby sister!
Jimmy Carter and Christina (Janow) are the proud parents of Joshua David Carter.
Born On January 1st, 2003 in Duncan, Oklahoma.
Brent Denham and Michaelyn Due are the proud parents of Sabrina Elisabeth Denham.
Born on June 23, 2002 at 2:33 A.M
6 lbs 15 1/4 oz. 19 1/2 in. long.
Sherri Dixon (Heck)'s mother, Ysleta Heck, passed away on June 8, 2002 in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Sherri been very close to her mom and her mom did best she could do for me such as many year of jbs and taken Sherri home and back to school. Sherri's mom did great job for her some time, she let me have my friend come home with me. Her mom and her aunt make cookie brownie which I share with her friends.
Deaths of our Members:
Linda Watson from Oklahoma City, OK 12-25-02 Emma Henson from Norman, OK 07-11-00 Barbara Sheridan from Tuscon, AZ 07-03-00 Jay Ferguson from Kingman, KS 07-07-00
©Copyright 2003 JBSAA
