Janie Myrlene (Sanders) Hardt

LHS '65

February 2, 1947 - August 4, 2026

Janie Myrlene (Sanders) Hardt, 79, of Huntsville, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, faithful friend, gifted seamstress, and devoted follower of Christ, passed away peacefully at her home in the early morning hours of August 4, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.

Born in Fayetteville, Tennessee to Cora Leafy (Frame) St Clair and George Lemuel Sanders on February 2, 1947; Janie was a woman whose quiet strength, steadfast faith, and generous heart shaped every life she touched. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Jim Sanders and Wendell Sanders; her sister-in-love, Mary (Marchand) Sanders; and her infant daughter, Tammy.

She graduated from Lee High School in Huntsville, Alabama in 1965, obtained her bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education in 1975 and her masters degree in Education and Science in 1991 from Alabama A&M University. Janie taught for over 30 in different locations throughout the state of Alabama. She was a computer whiz despite growing up in a world without the internet, YouTube tutorials, or next-day delivery. If something needed repaired, she figured out how to fix it. If she wanted something, she learned how to make it herself. Resourceful, determined, and endlessly creative, she believed there was almost nothing that couldn’t be accomplished with a little patience, hard work, and faith.

That spirit led her to become an exceptionally talented seamstress. Janie owned and operated her own sewing shop, "Hardt's Bridal Fabrics," where she transformed simple pieces of fabric into treasured keepsakes. Her sewing machine became more than a tool—it became her love language. Through every stitch she created quilts, clothing, costumes, gifts, and heirlooms that wrapped her family in warmth long before they ever realized what a legacy she was creating.

In 1978, Janie married Jerry Hardt. Together they built a life grounded in faith, commitment, and unconditional love.

Janie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November of 2025 and underwent chemotherapy for several months. By the spring of 2026 the chemotherapy and its side effects were too much for her body to endure. Janie made the deeply personal decision to stop treatment and spend her time focusing on the life and people she loved the most. During this most difficult chapter of their lives, Jerry’s devotion to Janie became an extraordinary testimony of marriage. Janie was his North Star. Every day, he dedicated himself to her comfort, dignity, and happiness, lovingly caring for her with remarkable tenderness and unwavering faithfulness. Their love became an example of what it truly means to honor the vows, “in sickness and in health.”

Looking Back at 1965

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

The year 1965 at Lee High did not exist for me and my fellow members of the Class of '64. When the ball fell in Times Square on New Year's Eve, the halls of the blue and gray were a part of our past. Many had moved away to college. Others had married their sweethearts and were busy making memories with their new families. Others had already secured jobs and found work was much harder than the school assignments we all hated.

As noted, I had moved to Memphis. My year started as a freshman at Memphis State,  but still living at home with my mother and my new step-father. I tired to keep up with what was going  on in Huntsville through rare visits and through letters from some of my friends who remained there. One of my prime sources was Dianne Hughey. She and I had a special relationship which has lasted all these years. 

Sometime in my past, someone sent me a collection of digital copies of Lee's Travellers, but that was in this century, not the last one. Above is a copy of the first page of the newsletter printed in January of 1965. I just noticed they spelled it as "Travellers" and not "Traveller", which was the real name of Robert E. Lee's horse. Here is a list of the staff selected to carry on the publication of our newspaper. On the second page was the editorial by Candy Folk, written to herald the new year of 1965. It is printed below.

I am not sure what happened at Lee and in Huntsville during the year, but I have the Traveller's issues to fill in a few of the gaps. I asked Willard to give me a short article on Huntsville itself, which I will share with you.

Huntsville, Alabama in 1965:

A City in Motion, Imagination, and Transition

Willard Finkbinder

Huntsville in 1965 was a city living at two speeds at once: the fast, electric pace of the space race and the steady, familiar rhythm of Southern community life. This was the year Rocket City fully embraced its identity as the engineering heart of America’s push toward the Moon, even as neighborhoods, churches, theaters, and civic groups navigated the social changes reshaping the nation. The result was a vibrant, sometimes tense, always energetic Huntsville — a city where futuristic dreams and everyday traditions coexisted on the same streets.

Space City USA: The Fantasy That Captured Huntsville’s Imagination

Few projects stirred more excitement in 1965 than Space City USA, the futuristic amusement park planned for Lady Ann Lake. Announced with great fanfare the year before, the park promised to make Huntsville the entertainment capital of the Southeast. Promotional materials described a dazzling world of tomorrow, complete with:

• Flying saucer rides that hovered over the water

• Jet‑powered cars racing along elevated tracks

• A skyway gondola system offering aerial views of the park

• Glass‑bottom boats cruising through crystal‑clear channels

• A mushroom‑shaped lunar restaurant glowing at night

• A simulated Moon City colony with domed habitats

• A volcano centerpiece designed to “erupt” on schedule

Developers projected more than 1.2 million visitors per year, and early construction in 1965 included grading, track installation, and partial structures. Local newspapers ran optimistic updates, and families drove out to Lady Ann Lake just to glimpse the rising framework.

But behind the scenes, the project struggled. Terrain issues, financing gaps, and management conflicts slowed progress. By late 1965, Huntsville residents still spoke of Space City USA with excitement — but also with growing uncertainty. Even so, the dream itself became part of local culture, symbolizing the city’s belief that anything was possible in the space age.

A Growing City: Neighborhoods, Roads, and Daily Life

The mid‑1960s marked one of the fastest periods of growth in Huntsville’s history. Fueled by NASA hiring and defense‑industry expansion, the city’s population surged, and Huntsville responded by annexing large areas of surrounding land. Maps from 1965 show a city stretching outward in every direction, with new subdivisions appearing almost overnight.

Key areas of expansion included:

• Residential neighborhoods near Redstone Arsenal, built for engineers and military families

• Growth along Highway 20, connecting Huntsville to Decatur and the Tennessee River corridor

• Development around the Huntsville‑Madison County Airport, which was modernizing to support increased travel

• Shopping centers and restaurants emerging along Memorial Parkway, which was quickly becoming the city’s commercial spine

Daily life reflected this growth. Families moved into freshly built ranch‑style homes, schools expanded their classrooms, and churches added new wings to accommodate swelling congregations. Huntsville in 1965 felt like a city on the rise — confident, busy, and full of newcomers eager to be part of the space‑age boom.

Movies, Drive‑Ins, and Youth Culture

Entertainment in 1965 Huntsville offered a mix of tradition and modern flair. Downtown theaters like The Lyric, The Grand, and The Tony/Martin showed first‑run films, while The Princess Theater served African American audiences during segregation. Drive‑ins were especially popular, including:

• Whitesburg Drive‑In

• 231 Drive‑In

• Parkway Drive‑In

• Woody’s Drive‑In

• The 72 Drive‑In

These venues were social hubs for teenagers — places to meet friends, cruise in polished cars, and enjoy double features under the stars. Snack bars sold popcorn, hot dogs, and Coca‑Cola, and weekend nights often filled every parking spot.

But theaters were also part of Huntsville’s civil rights story. African American residents continued peaceful efforts to purchase tickets at white theaters, facing repeated refusals. At the Lyric, integration eventually occurred, though Black patrons were restricted to balcony seating. These small but persistent acts of resistance reflected the broader movement for equality unfolding across the South.

Civil Rights, Community Change, and Local Leadership

1965 was a year of significant social transition in Huntsville. While the city did not experience the large‑scale demonstrations seen in Birmingham or Selma, local activism was steady and determined. Efforts included:

• Integrated preschool programs led by the Unitarian Church, one of the first of their kind in Alabama

• Continued challenges to segregated public facilities

• Youth participation in peaceful demonstrations and ticket‑line protests

• Church‑based discussions on equality, voting rights, and community responsibility

These actions helped shape Huntsville’s reputation as a city willing to move forward, even if slowly, toward greater inclusion. The presence of scientists and engineers from across the country also contributed to a more diverse cultural environment than many Southern cities of the era.

NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, and the Saturn Era

If Huntsville had a heartbeat in 1965, it was the Marshall Space Flight Center. Engineers were deep into development of the Saturn V, the rocket that would eventually carry astronauts to the Moon. The city’s aerospace workforce grew rapidly, attracting families from California, New York, Ohio, and beyond.

NASA’s influence touched nearly every aspect of life:

• Schools emphasized science and math

• Local businesses catered to engineers and military personnel

• Civic pride centered on America’s space ambitions

• Community events often featured NASA speakers or exhibits

Huntsville’s nickname — Rocket City — wasn’t just a slogan. It was a lived reality, shaping identity, economy, and culture.

Festivals, Recreation, and Local Traditions

Despite its futuristic reputation, Huntsville in 1965 remained a community rooted in familiar Southern traditions. Residents enjoyed:

• Fishing and boating along the Tennessee River

• Church socials, potlucks, and community picnics

• High‑school football rivalries

• Seasonal fairs and civic‑center dances

• Teen sock hops, talent shows, and club meetings

These activities provided balance to a city otherwise defined by high‑tech ambition. Families found comfort in routines, even as rockets rose from Redstone Arsenal and national headlines shifted daily.

Closing Thoughts: A City on the Edge of Tomorrow

Huntsville in 1965 was a place where imagination met engineering, where teenagers flocked to drive‑ins while scientists built machines destined for the Moon. The year’s activities — from the excitement of Space City USA to the steady march of civil rights — reveal a community full of energy, optimism, and transformation.

The Wayback Machine

Next Week - 1966

Help me with next week's issue by contributing your own memories. Next week we will look back at the events of 1965. You can help by sharing some of your own memories that I can include in that issue. Use the comments section below to help me.

They are popping up on Facebook, and I am afraid people are falling for them. Recently, there have been at least three SCAM attacks in our Lee High School class Facebook groups announcing reunions that are not real. They are posted in attempts to get people to buy T-shirts and other memorabilia for reunions that are not going to happen. For those of us who have experimented with Artificial Intelligence, the format and wording are easy to spot.

To prove my point, I used Microsoft's Copilot AI and told it to find me a random high school reunion group and create a Facebook post announcing an upcoming reunion, offering merchandise for sale. Here is what was generated in 15 seconds time. And this is only one of three posts created and suggested.

Facebook Post — Funny & Lighthearted

Riverbend High ’86 — 40th Reunion Alert!

Attention all Ravens who survived the 80s:

We’re having a reunion, and yes — there will be name tags because none of us can see anymore.

📅 Sept. 12, 2026

📍 Riverbend Community Center

🎶 Music from the decade when hair was big and jeans were acid‑washed

Merch you can proudly (or ironically) wear:

• “Still Soaring” T‑Shirt

• Ravens Mug

• Mascot Hat

• Memory Booklet

Come laugh, reminisce, and prove you can still party past 9 PM.

It is scary how easy it is to create such a post with only a few commands given to an AI program. And it is happening daily. All I would have to do is to find the group on Facebook and make the post. I could add a link to a site that offers the items and collect money for items that will never be delivered.

I'm not saying I am the official source, but those of you who are regular readers of this newsletter know that should a reunion be planned, it will be announced here. As of this time, no future reunions are being planned for the Classes of '64 -'65 -'66. You will hear first here!

The closest thing we have to reunions these days are the Lee Lunch Bunch gatherings created by Patsy Hughes Oldroyd, Class of ’65, and normally announced in Lee's Traveller. The next one is scheduled for the fall.

SIGNS IT’S A SCAM:

• Newly created Facebook group with no real alumni

• Unverified organizers you’ve never heard of (unknown classmate)

• Payment links to unknown websites

• No official school contact

• Pressure to pay quickly

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Tom Provost , LHS ‘66, "Tommy, what an OUTSTANDING trip down memory lane! I played LHS baseball with Tom Glover and remember him well. Hope he’s currently enjoying the arms of Jesus!"

Brenda Cagle Bell , LHS ‘66, "These are great memories, Tommy.  Thank you for reminding us what a cool childhood we had. Thanks again for all you do to keep this newsletter going."

James Ballard, LHS '67, "Hey Tommy, I just wanted to say I was deeply moved by William Meyer's comment on the JFK assassination. William's words were simple yet eloquent in conveying the memory of that time. I was in French class and I remember very distinctly a fellow classmate (Linda Gant, if memory serves) immediately bursting into tears when Hamilton's voice came over the intercom, only then it was an "attempted assassination".

Everyone seemed so helpless at the time, like all the air was let out of the room. It was the silence that was overwhelming. Those were strange times. Kennedy's death marked a clear shift in American politics; a watershed event that would eventually evolve into the serious (very serious) schism we now have in our country. Kennedy's death reminds us of the burden on our heads to help move the country into a more productive, progressive era of peace. Progressive may be the key word here. Not sure there's much hope for that.

I need someone needs to show me where Hope is hiding these days."