Gloria Kindberg Woody

? - May 6, 2025

LHS '66

Gloria Kindberg Woody, 76, of Huntsville, AL, passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Gloria Woody was born August 29, 1946 to Oscar and Gertrude Kindberg. She was a life long member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Huntsville, Al. Gloria was a graduate of Lee High School and Florence State (University of North Alabama). She was a smart business woman, a wonderful caregiver, and friend that loved dogs, gardening and SEC Football.

A memorial service took place on Sunday, June 29th at St. Mark's Lutheran Church with Pastor Will Starkweather officiating. Interment was at Maple Hill Cemetery.

Best Bus Trip Ever

Steve Cook

LHS '66

Back in my younger days I “volunteered” to be a chaperone for my daughter’s 8th grade choral class to Orlando Walt Disney World. Time period was May 2003. Typically, the class trips would alternate between New York City, Washington DC or Orlando. As this was not long after Sept 11, the security protocols were still high for NYC and D.C., so Orlando was naturally the destination. Also, they would be competing in a regional choral competition at the end of the week for recognition. The kids sold pecans during Christmas time to pay for the trip. Cost was minimal for the young choral members and the adult chaperones that went. It sounds like a good opportunity for me to be able to go to WDW at a reasonable price and enjoy some time with my daughter……Big PLUS was to let someone else do the driving! All I had to do was “supervise” four young ladies for the week.  One of the girls was my daughter…shoot that sounds like a good deal to me-sign me up! My daughter had many spend the night parties at the house…this would be a breeze! No problem supervising the girls!

We departed from Huntsville on a Sunday afternoon on three Trailways buses. I was told that the buses were the excursion class with plenty of leg room for us tall guys, air conditioning and comfort seating. Not true. I have had more leg room flying coach on an airplane.  I, along with another poor volunteer dad, Bryce, had been assigned a total of eight 8th grade girls to chaperone for the week. It would have been easier to herd cats than to try and keep taps on those girls. 

As soon as the buses pulled out of Huntsville and on to I-565 the Fun Games began. We started playing fruit basket turnover with the seats. Everyone was assigned a specific seat number so we could keep up with the passengers (kids) and make sure that no one (kids) was missing. They wanted to sit with their best friend or in most cases BF or GF. The chaperones were evenly spread out on the bus so that a watchful eye was kept on the kids. I was assigned the very back of the bus with my 4 kids . not really sure what bus Bryce and his group was assigned but when we got to Orlando, he looked like he needed several stiff drinks!  

The trip lasted 12 hours. That seemed like an eternity. I remember one of the girls near my luxurious seating accommodation asking another girl… ”Is he asleep yet?”  Nonstop talking and endless shuffling of blankets to wrap themselves up in…Got to hear some music that I have never heard seen that trip but like I say, the kids enjoyed the music. Sweet Home Alabama was out then, and I bet I knew every line in that movie…. Love that movie! We made the traditional rest stops and eating stops. As I said the assigned seats were to be used to make sure no one was left at a stop. That was abandoned after the first stop, and we went to a roll call which was better. Kids were used to a roll call!

Arrived at WDW in good shape the next morning despite not having any sleep the night before. We stayed at a Walt Disney property resort which was a good deal for both the kids and the chaperones. There was a full-service restaurant, pool, game rooms and an easy bus service to the theme parks. Each bus has a specific park as the destination. At night I got to chaperone four young boys…trying to keep them in the motel room and out of the swimming pool where the girls were! Another night with no meaningful sleep. Had four nights of this …

Luckily Bryce, I called him Tonto because he knew his way around Disney, had been a couple times and knew everything about the parks. The girls were easy to manage until we got ready to visit the first park. Each one had a different park they wanted to visit first! Have you ever tried to satisfy eight girls, which theme park was the most important one to visit. Utilmately as the week went on, the interaction between the girls smoothed out until one night of our stay. We went at night and watched the fireworks display. We had two young ladies that for some reason just did not want to be a part of our group. Both Bryce and I had to constantly watch them to make sure they did not wander off from the group. Well, they managed to break loose from the herd and went sightseeing on their own. Finally found them after about an hour’s search and remined them that the chaperone was responsible for them when we were at Walt Disney World and that would not happen again! This scared me and had me really praying that the trip would soon be over. But we did survive the last day and the girls competed in the competition, winning first place trophy! They were excellent even after being in the park all day, tired and wore out..they gave an excellent performance!

When we left to return to Huntsville, we had one bus that had no air conditioning. AC had failed and could not be repaired in time for the return.  I was told it had plenty of empty seats and leg room. The choral director asked for volunteers to ride this bus so the kids could have the air-conditioned buses back home.  I eagerly volunteered to ride that bus back to Huntsville! Best bus trip ever.

I occasionally see the young ladies, young adults now and then, and they remind me of the Orlando trip and how much fun they had. I’m glad I went even after all these years. Looking back, It was a fun bus trip! 

The Wayback Machine

Trailways Buses

The Trailways Transportation System is a public transport bus service in the United States. It operates a network of approximately 70 independent bus companies. The company is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. The system originated with coast-to-coast service as the National Trailways Bus System (NTBS). Greyhound Lines had grown so quickly in the 1920s and 1930s that the Interstate Commerce Commission encouraged smaller independent operators to form the NTBS to provide competition. Unlike Greyhound, which centralized ownership, Trailways member companies became a formidable competitor while staying an association of almost 100 separate companies.  In the 1950s, Morgan W. Walker, Sr., of Alexandria, Louisiana, became head of the southern division of the company. 

During the 1950s and 1960s, consolidation among bus operators resulted in four of the five original Trailways members becoming part of a new company, Continental Trailways, which eventually operated the majority of Trailways routes. Regular route bus ridership in the United States had been declining steadily since World War II despite minor gains during the 1973 and 1979 energy crises. By 1986, the Greyhound Bus Line had been spun off from the parent company to new owners, which resulted in Greyhound Lines becoming solely a bus transportation company. 

Under the new ownership in 1987, led by Currey, Greyhound Lines later acquired the former Continental Trailways company, the largest member of the Trailways system, effectively eliminating a large portion of bus competition.  Although Greyhound negotiated cooperative schedules with Carolina Coach Company and Southeastern Trailways, two of the larger members of the Trailways system, many smaller carriers were effectively forced out of business. 

I attended our local Fourth of July fireworks this year and it got me to thinking. I cannot remember the city of Huntsville having a big fireworks show back before I moved away in 1964. Of course we had fireworks stands and we bought things like firecrackers, sparklers, bottle rockets, and cherry bombs. I also remember the big silver torpedos which you threw on the sidewalk and they exploded. All of those were great, but I don't remember the city having a big show. Can anyone enlightening me on this subject? Again, I left in 1964 so thing might be different after then, but I am talking about before.

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Cecilia LeVan Watson, LHS ‘68, "I have taken several Diamond Tours in the past. They always impress!! My next is to Nashville in August.  Everything is planned so all I have to do is get on the bus and enjoy!!"

Dianne Hughey McClure, LHS ‘64, "I took a bus trip to New York with my daughter's choral many years ago. It was a long trip, but I was so excited to get to see New York I did not care.   I also traveled by bus to see Ronnie when he was in the Navy and stationed in Virginia. There was also trips to Tennessee to visit my friend that lived there.   When I was a senior at Lee Carolyn and I traveled by bus to  Daytona Beach for a senior trip. I think it is one of the best way to travel."

Andrea Roberson, LHS ‘66, "Thank you for posting about the Lincoln Mill/School Reunion. The group that came had a great time!♥️"

Jennifer White Bannecke, LHS '66, (From Facebook) "In 2016 Craig and I went on a bus tour to NYC. It was in December and it was amazing. It was offered by Ionosphere out of Anderson, SC. Absolutely best trip we have taken, so far." Craig Bannecke, LHS '65,  added, "Saw the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and an awesome Christmas show of the birth of Christ with live camels, sheep and horses !"

Delores Kilgore, LHS '66, "Thank You."