200127 January 27, 2020
Francis Lawrence "Larry" Andrews
LHS '65
? - August 3, 2019
Francis Lawrence Andrews passed away on August 3, 2019 at the age of 72. Lovingly known as “Larry” to his family and “Andy” to his military family, he was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and raised in Huntsville, Alabama on the top of Monte Sano Mountain. He was a high school and college drum major, and a graduate of Lee High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Florence State University in 1970 as an honor ROTC graduate.
An Army Airborne Ranger, he served in both the 82nd and 101st divisions and was stationed at various bases in the United States and abroad. In 1983, he was honorably discharged as a Captain due to injury. He began a civil service career with the Army serving as Range Manager at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He is credited with the development and success of the Fort Knox training ranges, including the Zussman Urban Combat Training Facility. A highly decorated veteran, fiercely loyal to his country and friends and family, there was no one better to have in your corner than Larry. In addition to his lifelong devotion to the military, he was an active member of the Sports Car Club of America for many years and was known for his patriotic competition cars. He made Titusville, Florida his retirement home and this is where he married the love of his life, Mona Andrews. They lived happily together until her passing in 2012.
In addition to his wife Mona, he was preceded in death by his father Charles Andrews, mother Viva Andrews, brother Lon Andrews and sister in law Judy Andrews. He is survived by sister Jeanne Andrews of Titusville, special sister Kim Hensley of Titusville; daughter Lisa Andrews Farmer and son in law Ronald L. Farmer of Gainesville, GA; son Brad Andrews and daughter in law Aimee Andrews of Ontario, Oregon; daughter Heather Oberfoell and son in law Jeff Oberfoell of Albany, Oregon; and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Burial was at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, 2116 Garden Street, Titusville, Florida.
Gretel “Gret” L. Voelkl Ujfalusy
LHS '64
May 23, 1946 - 22 July 2019
Marlene Voelkl Mateuda, LHS '64, informed us about the death of her twin. We do not have any further information except she was a resident of La Canada, California and was married to Alex Ujfalusy. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Glendale, Los Angeles County, California.
Memphis, TN - This last week I was made aware of the deaths of two of our classmates which were previously not reported. I am guessing we will become aware of others as we start getting the updates on people while working on getting ready for the upcoming reunion in September.
Memories of the Track Team
(Part One)
Don Wynn
LHS ‘67
At Lee, during the years that I was there, the most popular sports were football, basketball and baseball. Wrestling grew in popularity as well. I attended many of those events and felt the excitement that you get from being in the stands, yelling as loud as you can. None of the other sports got much attention from the student body in general even though the athletes worked hard and represented the school well. I ran track and cross country during my sophomore and junior years and have very fond memories of those teams but I don’t remember any spectators at any of those events. My team-mates and I just cheered each other on.
A few of my team mates were Billy Byrom (‘65), John Fulda (‘65), Ken Martz (‘66), John Esslinger (‘67), Tommy Mode (‘67), James Peters (‘67), Howard Baites(’66), John Charles(’65), Tommy Faulkner(’65), Max Garrison (’66).
My First Track Meet
Some of the fondest memories I have of that period in my life are about the track team and about the track meets we went to. My first track meet is one of those special memories.
I was a sophomore on the team in 1965. Our first meet was with Huntsville High on their track. This was the first track meet I competed in. After school was over that day, the team boarded an old yellow school bus for the short trip across town. When we got to Huntsville High, our coach, Dave Thomas gathered the team around him to tell us what events we would be running at the meet. I had been practicing with the team for a few weeks but he didn’t really know me. As a result, I was not considered to be much of a threat to win any of the events. Since this was a two team meet, the coaches agreed to allow the ‘also ran’ members of the teams to start the longer races in a group behind the main members of the team. Coach Thomas put me in that group in both the 440 and 880. In those days, track in the U.S. was in yards. 440 yards is also called the quarter mile and the 880 is the half mile.
When the 440 started, I was lined up behind the first group of runners. At the gun, I started running with the dense pack of runners. After we had gone about 50 yards, I realized that we were not running very fast. I picked up my pace and quickly started passing people. After the end of the first turn, I had passed almost everyone. There were only two runners in front of me and both of them were from Huntsville High. The leader was John Blue (HHS ’66) and I believe the other was Bill Sullins (HHS ’67). Both were known to be very good athletes. Just after the turn I passed Sullins and took my place on the heals of John Blue. I matched his strides step for step and got as close to him as I could. All the time, I was focused on the back of his head and on the back of his shirt.
Just then I realized that he wanted to know who was so close behind him. Instinctively, I knew that his uneasiness would give me an opening to pass him. Just as we entered the last turn, he started to turn his head to his left to try to get a look at me. As soon as he did that, I started to the front on his right. I passed him in the final turn on the outside. That move is very difficult to pull off because the runner on the outside on a curve actually has to cover more ground than the runner on the inside has to cover. I blew by him! When he realized that I had passed him in the turn, he also realized that I was pulling away. That move sort of took the life out of him and I won the race still pulling away. Our team erupted in cheers for me.
Later that day, I ran in the 880 too. I started in the pack, moved to the front and won the race. On the way back to Lee that afternoon, I was treated differently by my team-mates and by the coach. From then on, I always ran the 440, the 880 and anchored the mile relay team.
Save the Date!
September 25 & 26, 2020
LHS Reunion
The Westin at Bridge Street
Huntsville, AL
More Information to Come Later
Reunion Contacts
Ann Wilson Redford (redforda@uah.edu)
Niles Prestage (napjr@me.com)
Sarajane Steigerwald Tarter (starter@hiwaay.net
Last Week's Name That Tune
Jeffrey Fussell, LHS '66 "This week was a B minus for me. Number 4 did not ring a chime ate all. Maybe “Here she comes..” in the lyric snip kept nagging with “ “Cathy’s Clown” which is clearly not it. The rest were pretty easy.
“Little Bit of Soul” – The Music Explosion
Come a Little Bit Closer” – Jay and the Americans
“Sweet Little Sixteen” – Chuck Berry
?
“A Little Bitty Tear” – Burl Ives
“Little Bit of Soul” is a fairly recent addition to the RadioX play list. We originally did this in the key of A, but it was a little high for our keyboard player who sings it. We moved down a notch to G. The first time we played it publicly, I forgot about the key change. That’s not a pleasant sound any way you spin it. Fortunately, it was a private party and the guests were deep into the refreshments.
Max Kull, LHS '67 got all but the fourth song as well. He writes, "On the same (little) theme, here's a song dedicated to my esteemed Name That Tune rival:"
The Missing Song of Last Week
This Week's Name That Tune Group
From Our Mailbox
Subject: Nancy Hughes Ramsey's Passing
Patsy Hughes Oldroyd
LHS '65
Patsy would like to share with us the obituary for her sister.
Nancy Hughes Ramsey of Huntsville, Alabama died peacefully on Friday surrounded by her family who loved her. She was born, raised, and educated in Huntsville, Alabama. She began her career as a teenager at Brownie’s drugstore followed by employment with Southern Bell. After she married Charles Ramsey, she moved to east Tennessee where they raised their family together in the Kingsport area. She later moved back to Huntsville, AL where she lived many years in Five Points and began working for Intergraph Corporation where she completed 15 years of service. After retiring she worked several more years with the Huntsville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Nancy enjoyed gardening, visiting neighbors and their pets as they walked past her home, but, most of all, spending time with her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents Jean and Oliver Hughes. She is survived by her daughter, Jill Ramsey Misner, Decatur, Alabama, her son, Michael Ramsey (Teresa) Kingsport, Tennessee. Her grandchildren Nick Misner, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Heather Marshall (Jacob), Kingsport, Tennessee, Clay Ramsey, Kingsport, Tennessee, and one great-grandchild, Mallorie Marshall. She is also survived by her sisters, Patsy Hughes Oldroyd (Keith) of Athens, Alabama and Connie Hughes Ibarra of Huntsville, Alabama, several nieces and nephews and many friends.
