MEMORIES! BROTHER & SISTER & THEIR FRIENDS FOREVER

An email from Norman ("Butch") Laughlin Today . . . . .

Onnalee,

Thanks for the email. I just checked out the blog and saw Janette’s blog about our child hood days. I tried to place a comment but found that I had to join Google. I couldn’t get my comment to post without joining. When I did join I lost everything I had written in the comment that wasn’t accepted. So, I’ll have to look at Janette’s comment and start all over. Unfortunately, I’m committed to several activities today so it’ll have to wait a few days.

Now, you know Dan—how could Janette think that Dan & I could be mischievous? LOL
WARNING: If Dan tells you that I influenced him in any negative way during our childhood—(whisper)—trust me, it’s not true.

Oh yes, one last thing—my sister, TOOTSIE, she really loves that name. So, I think we should all refer to her as TOOTSIE and not Iva. LOL

Truthfully, I have a lot of wonderful memories of my child hood days in Paradise but most of them have been slow to re-surface in my mind until I started to converse with Dan. It would be great to find some of my Paradise friends and classmates and I hope I can do that through the BLOG.

If you know of anyone around the class of ’64 that is interested in communicating I’d enjoy visiting with them. My wife and I are trying to find a way for us to attend the next reunion.

If anyone is interested in contacting me my email address is normlaughlin@att.net

and my phone number is 530-246-1853

I live in Redding, CA

Thanks again for your help and inspiration.
Stay safe.
Norm (Butch) Laughlin

P.S. I’m sending TOOTSIE a copy of this message because I want her to know that I’m the loving brother that promoted her cute little nickname.

This was sent to Norman "Butch" from his loving sister Iva,
but it was sent to me too . . . . .

Bro, You always did have the ability to be an annoying little brat; Now you are even more annoying!!! I didn't hear you encouraging all to call you "Butch"!! (Which I personally know how much you prefer that!!(Sorry, Con) ) He always did respond well to "Bushie" HA HA I was talking with Roger last night.

He so enjoys calling me Tootsie. Have you been talking with Roger? LOL

Dan was definitely your willing subject!!! Ha Ha He does have a lot to tell, so
be careful Bro who you cross!!! hee hee

AND JANETTE, Thanks for all the memories!! Do you remember when we were all at the Angels home, the four of us kids were downstairs when you, Butch decided you were "Superman" and could fly.
You climbed upon -- seems like it was an old desk or table -- and jumped off!!
Then your screeching brought the gownups downstairs to repair the cuts in your
head!!! I don't remember what it was you put around your shoulders to be your cape, do you?? I do know the the three of us, myself, Jeanette and Gene had nothing to do with it. It was all "Butch"...hee hee

Just so you know, dear brother, I am forwarding this to Onnalee, Jeanette, Roger
and Dan. I could have put it on the blog, but I didn't. Of course, I cannot control
what my friends Onnalee or Jeanette may do. (hint) (snicker)

Lucky for you, my arms are giving out, so I must close this out.
Your Loving Sister, IVA

Another one from Iva . . .

Won't it be a blast when we are all together??? hee hee
Of course, there are others, not yet named, who can add some color and light heartedness to these conversations!!! I wonder where they could be??? HHHMMMM --------- ib

And . . . . from Norman "Butch" . . . .

Onnalee,
I’m sure you’ll monitor what TOOTSIE writes. You have to watch her or she’ll chase you with a REALLY BIG safety pin. I know.

Iva wrote . . . .

JEANETTE, my friend, what are you doing to me? Telling our childhood secrets! Have you forgotten, it is us girls against those boys? I am only kidding you, girl. Thanks for the memories. We did have some good times. I have been keeping up with you and your family via the Paradise Blog. Give your Mom a hug for me and tell her, looking at that picture, she hasn't changed one bit~ Talk to you later. Feel free to contact me anytime. Love, Iva

Another one from Iva . . . .

By now you must know you can't believe what "Bushie" says. (He is loosing what memory he did have left!! ha )
The big safety pin story is an illusion Butch dreamed up behind the post office!!

As my arms get better, Onnalee, I will try to email you some pictures I have
found of our Paradise days. Gotta stop now. Arms are done. Iva

I'm sure there will be more email's to come.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Have a safe Halloween!

"BUTCH" NORMAN LAUGHLIN

6
I received an email from Janette Angel Ross tonight . . . .

"Hey, I called Norman (Butch) Laughlin back in 1994 when Gloria Thacker Becker & I were planning our 30th class reunion. I talked to his wife, Connie (I think was her name) and told her I was a former classmate of her husband. She quickly put Norman on the phone and we had a nice visit.

He was living in Arlington, VA, just across from DC and yes, he worked for the IRS. It sounded like he had an exciting job for sure. I think he had two grown children but I just can't remember the details of our conversation.
He wasn't going to be able to come back for the reunion, however.

I began first grade w/Butch; we knew his name was Norman, but his family had nicknamed him Butch and that's all he was really ever known by in Paradise. His parents were Howard & Lucille Laughlin and sister, Iva or we called her Tootsie (but maybe she wouldn't like that name now or even remember it).
I always remember as a child that Gene & I wanted to go into Paradise to play @ Butch & Tootsie's home.
Howard was employed @ the Paradise Depot (that building was moved to Paradise Main Street after there was no need for a depot in town and it still remains on Main).

Butch's mom, Lucille had a Beauty Shop in their home, the basement house across from Dick & Jill Kerr's as you go out of town on the west side of Paradise. The Laughlin's built that home and I spent lots of time there getting my hair cut & curled and working on my 4-H work books. Lucille was one of the parent 4-H Leaders of the Paradise Dell 4-H Club.

Our family, the Angel's and Laughlin's were very good friends. I think they left Paradise when Butch was in the 7th, maybe 8th grade. Anyway, he didn't go to Paradise HS with our little class of 12 freshmen.

I do remember that Dan Hoisington was a great friend of Butch Laughlin. I think they were into lots of mischief together back then, but purely innocent I'm sure!! Tee Hee Janette"

HOISINGTON/LAUGHLIN

Several weeks ago . . .

well, it might have been several months ago,

Dan Hoisington (1967) sent me this photo and asked

me if I had Norman (Butch) LAUGHLIN'S email.

(Sorry I can't make it larger. This is how Dan sent it to me.

I can make photos smaller - but not larger.)

Sure enough, I had Norman's email address

as he and I had emailed back and forth a little bit this past year.

However, evidently Norman had changed his email address

so I wasn't much help to Dan.

I then sent an email to Iva Byrd and told her that

Dan Hoisington was trying to get in contact with her brother.

Enough said . . . . Dan and Butch have been in contact with one another.

Dan is working hard to get Butch to come to the reunion this next year.

As I have been trying to think of what I could say about the above photo . . . . with a little bit of help, I could say that this is probably one of the most innocent times of Dan's life. However, through several conversations . . I have found out that Butch works for the IRS. So, the photo could probably be labeled as "One of the most innocent times of both of the boys life." Not, that working for the IRS makes a person not so innocent - but the thought that comes to a person's mind is "IRS - Oh! NO!"

Dan told me that I sent him (Dan) to Mr McCabe's office just after my first 3 days of teaching. I don't remember that and I just can't understand why I would send such an innocent freshman boy to the office. However, Jim Harrell has told me some stories about he and some of his young friends getting into trouble . . . and I don't remember that either. I'm so glad that I just remember the good things but I'm so sorry they remember the "bad" things. Ha! They probably wouldn't have a lot of memories if they just remembered all good - Right? Right!

I wish I still had the email's that Norman/Butch sent to me. He probably told me something that I could use here. I have kept everything about Paradise and email's from everyone in a Paradise folder in my Inbox. But, my computer decided to compact everything one day and I lost everything in my Paradise folder. How frustrating! So, anyone that wants to give me some information about Butch - feel free to send it to me or make a comment.

MEMORIES FROM THE PAST

Devin Strecker sent these newspaper articles to me.
I thought I had published them on this blog earlier - way earlier - but I can't find them.
If anyone happens to notice them on the blog, let me know and I will delete the earlier one
Thank You Devin for sending these. It is neat to read old newspaper articles like these.

VIDEO BY REQUEST

I received a request to put this on the blog.
I actually didn't think I could, but here it is.
The quality is a little poor, but there are many memories.

This is why we didn't need gyms in the 50's.
It was probably a pretty good work out - even more than PE classes.

This is absolutely going to shock many of you but . . . . .
when I was in H.S., I was in 4-H.
I belonged to the Square Dancing Team and we won state honors in
Fort Collins, Gunnison and others. A boy from another club and I were selected to do "Floor Routines" for exhibition during intermissions. We both kept our feet on the floor at all times, but it was quite a work out and quite a routine, to say the least. The hardest thing was keeping our feet on the floor - as they would put that saw dust "Stuff" on it before we would begin our routine. Hmmm! This is memories that I haven't thought of for quite sometime.

PATRIOT HONOR GUARD/OUR MILITARY

6

Please Pray for our Military

I received an email from Dan Hoisington.

It was so impressive,

I have chosen to share it with you.

As for him living a

"very sheltered life" . . . . ???

"As you all know I live a very sheltered life in Paradise but I had an experience on October 9th that I will never forget. I want to pass it along to all of you.

Mona and I were flying in our friend's plane headed to Nashville. We flew in to Executive Beachcraft in Kansas City to pick up some friends of ours. As we were taxiing up we noticed several police cars, 10 or 12 news cameras, about 15 military personnel and a small group of civilians all standing outside of the terminal. We were wondering who the important person was that they were waiting for.

We walked into the terminal and I looked out the front door to see around 100 Harley's parked side by side along with more police vehicles. I then knew what was up.

About 15 minutes later a private jet came in and then a hearse pulled up and military personnel unloaded the casket of one of our hero's. The procession then transported the soldier to the cemetery. This is one of the saddest times I have ever experienced. Watching something like this on TV just is not the same as being there.

Anyway, our minister is the widow of a career Army vet and every Sunday she asks that we pray for our military men and women. I hope you do too.
Dan"

A Note about the minister at the Paradise Methodist Church . . .
The minister is Sharon Thomas. She grew up in Enterprise, KS.
Enterprise is where Vern and his brother, Bert Hoisington, grew up.
Sharon was a classmate of Dan's cousin, Sam Hoisington, and was friends
with all of Bert Hoisington's (Dan's uncle) family. It certainly is A Small world.

Haley Jo Peterka - Honor Student, Sports & Beauty

6

Haley Jo Peterka

Honor Student

Softball Player

Homecoming Beauty

l

Haley Jo made straight A's this 9-Weeks

and is in
Honors English, Geometry, Goverment, and Science!

l
Haley Jo plays Fastpitch Softball

l

Haley Jo

is the

daughter of Michele Peterka

the granddaughter of Janette & Richard Ross

the great granddaughter of Garnett Angel

Haley Jo is very active in baseball.

This week end she is a Guest playing for a team

at the
Softball College Exposure Tournament

LoneElm Ball Park in Olathe

6

A couple of weeks ago

Haley Jo was going to the

2009 Homecoming

3Haley Jo

and her Mother, Michele.

Haley Jo
and her date,

Taylor4

3Haley Jo and Taylor

posing with

Nana and Papa . . . .

Janette and Richard.

And off to the homecoming they go! 4

FALL IS HERE

Scroll down for Devin Strecker's thoughts.

You know you are too old to
Trick or Treat when:

10. You get winded from knocking on the door. 9. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you.
8. You ask for high fiber candy only.
7. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.
6. People say: "Great Boris Karloff Mask," and you're not wearing a mask.
5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or ...." and can't remember the rest.
4. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders.
3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hairpiece.
2 You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker
And the number one reason Seniors should not go Trick Or Treating... * * *
1. You keep having to go home to use the toilet. HAPPY HALLOWEEN anyway.

Devin Strecker posted an interesting thought for us . . . .

"Halloween was always one of the most fun times in Paradise! I know I've already posted comments about trick - or - treating in Paradise before but I'd love to hear some other people's stories. When I was young we would always start out going to Grandma and Grandpa Strecker's farm first and then we would go into Paradise to Gene and Sharon's house where we would celebrate John Angel's birthday before going out for candy (or soaping, depending on how old one was). "

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HELEN BURGER!

6

HELEN DODSON BURGER

(Class of 1936)

IS

91 YEARS OLD TODAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNT HELEN
YOU ARE A SPECIAL AUNT AND FRIEND

6

You can click on the Comment below and read Loa's Comment.

I am choosing to put it here too.

6

"My Mom is one of the most selfless, wonderful women I know. I don't know what I will do without her. She has been a blessing to everyone who has ever known her. She is one of God's special daughters!!! Loa Copp"

HELLO JON ANDERSON

A Note for Jon Anderson

6

Jon, we are having ham 'n beans tonight.

Millard wants you to know that he will eat your share for you.

6

And . . . . for the record . . . . . . . . .

Millard loves spinach salads. However, not any spinach from a can. And that is final!

6

Just a few memories from grade school lunch hour.