Reunion Draws Closer

We are eagerly anticipating our reunion which is now only a little over a month away (36 days). Our reunion "postal workers" prepared 416 invitations that were mailed to former members we were able to locate. A self addressed stamped envelope and a response card was enclosed in each invitation requesting a reply by August 31. To date, over 100 people have already responded that they plan to attend and we are only half way through the month! Are we still waiting to hear from you? If you haven't mailed your reply card, go find it in the stack of papers and mail on your desk, refrigerator or kitchen counter. Don't forget to check the box regarding publishing your contact information in the directory and mail your reply today!

We have a fun program planned for the afternoon which will include fellowship, refreshments, special recognition awards, and reflections by former members. A photo slide show in addition to a special song presentation is being "produced" in DVD format to be shown at the reunion, and each family in attendance will receive a Directory of Former Members. We hope to have a few extra DVDs available for those who might be interested in purchasing a copy.

DVDs and Directories will hopefully be available upon request after the reunion for those who were unable to attend. Price (including postage) information and other details will be posted at a later date, but you can leave your comments or contact us at thesunvalleyconnection@gmail.com to reserve your DVD/Directory set so we will know how many copies to prepare.

Pulpit/Youth Ministers (Part 2) - Personal Favorites

To the best of our ability and recollection, we listed the former ministers in a previous post (June 17): Don Humphrey, Chester Grimes, Ron Hill, Don Dye, Sonny Todd, Bob Grigg, Gary Richards, Winston Atkinson, Leonard Driskell, Steve Shannon, and Coy Day.

Now although this post may cause some controversy, we would like to know which minister you considered as your personal favorite and why. I will start off by listing Brother Grimes and Ron Hill. Brother and Sister Grimes were such a sweet couple and so dear to my family. Although they were no longer working with Sun Valley at the time, Brother Grimes baptized me at the Heights Church of Christ when I was nine or ten years old.

Pat and Ron Hill and their "children" have been friends of our family since Sun Valley began. We have many great memories of times shared with them at summer camp as well as at the Monday night youth devotionals when Sun Valley had a friendly competition with Hidden Valley to have the largest group in attendance. My parents also drove me to Hidden Valley many times to see a particular young man who attended there. Last but certainly not least, my best memory is of May 12, 1978, when Ron married Jack and I, and Pat sang with a group at our wedding.

What favorite memories or stories do you have about any of these ministers? Who made the greatest impact on your life or was a part of your family in a special way?

Kylee Madison Kenney

Kylee Madison Kenney was born to Kelsi and Derek on August 5. She weighed 6 pounds 10 ounces and was 20 inches in length. Kylee was welcomed into this world by her big sister, Karlee. Her proud grandparents are Pam Aaron and Leon and Janette Aaron.

Reunion Invitations are in the Mail

I know I said reunion invitations would be mailed "on" August 1, but I just couldn't wait any longer! I've been so excited to start receiving responses, the invitations were actually mailed yesterday (Wednesday)! Most of you should receive them by Friday or Saturday unless they get lost in route.

On a similar note, we really would like to include everyone's full contact information in our Directory of Former Members, so please include your phone number and email address on your reply card before returning it (and your donation if you are able to attend) in the envelope provided. If you do not wish your contact information to be included in the directory, check the "No" box on your reply card. Our plan is to have a directory for each family that is present at the reunion, but additional directories will probably be available by request for those who are unable to attend. We will provide details on that later.

Just a reminder, we are requesting your reply by August 31, but would appreciate your reply as soon as possible while it is still fresh on your mind. We hope you are looking forward to this reunion as much as we are. See you soon!

Funeral Arrangements for Bob Grigg

Robert “Bob” Grigg, a long time minister of the Word and former minister of Sun Valley, died in his sleep on July 25, 2008. (Click on the following link to view his obituary and guest book: http://www.legacy.com/News-Journal/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=114463261.)

Visitation will be held on Wednesday evening, July 30, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Croley Funeral Home located at 401 N. Center Street in Gladewater, Texas (903-845-2155). Services will be held on Thursday morning, July 31, at 10:00 a.m. at the Quitman and Center Street Church of Christ in Gladewater (201 E. Quitman Avenue, 903-845-2531)

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the African Mission c/o Benton Church of Christ, 3091 Main Street, Benton, KY 42025.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to his wife, Dee, at the Texas Nursing & Rehab of Gladewater, 300 N. Money Street, Room 12, Gladewater, TX 75647. Dee's direct phone number is 903-844-8303.

(The photo of Dee and Bob was taken on their 50th wedding anniversary.)

Family Update from Greta

I, Greta (Justus) (Trumbo) Houseal started going to Sun Valley almost at the beginning while still in the schoolhouse. I was married to Oma Ray Justus (now deceased) and we had two children Patricia Jean (Jeanie) and Danny Ray Justus.

What an exciting time and hard work when we moved the barracks to start our building. Each thing accomplished was great, some great meals and fellowships were had in those barracks with services and classes. The auditorium was then built and the barracks was used for classrooms. The building was then built with classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, and a large space for dinners, teen worship, and games. When the barracks were torn down that was both a happy and a sad time; sad for all the memories, hard work, and bonding of the members; happy for the new building with so many classrooms and special things the building would hold dear to all of us.

My son Danny lives in Jacksonville, Florida and has two children. Jerob who is not married and Kelly Garza who lives in Houston and has given me three special great grand sons. Before my Mother passed away we were blessed to have a 5-generation picture.

Patricia Jean lives in Caldwell Texas and had given me 2 beautiful granddaughters, Tanya going to court reporting school and Diana going to college and upon graduation will be in the nursing field. Diana just returned from a 6-week mission trip to Bangkok and other point with the Aggie’s for Christ.

I divorced Oma Ray in 1979 and in 1980 married that special man Harry Trumbo and we had 8 beautiful years together with the last four in Jonestown next door to my parents. I retired from the airlines and worked with travel agents until 1994. In August 1988 my dad passed away and Sept. 1988 Harry passed away just six weeks after Dad. How sad and lonely Mom and I was.
In 1994 I met another special man William (Bill) Houseal and in March 1995 we married and had 13 wonderful years together. Dec 31, 2007 my Mom Estelle Jones passed away and March 9, 2008 Bill passed away. Now I am all alone but have a wonderful family and church family. Bill gave me a great extended family of 3 children, 8 grandchildren and one great grand daughter.

I am thankful for Debbie Blackburn for the hard work and also her co-workers for all their hard work for this reunion. Hope to see you there.

Love ya Greta

Robert "Bob" Grigg Called Home to the Lord

I just received the following email from Ted Grigg which was written an hour ago:

I am writing this for my father who died last night in his sleep (Friday, July 25). He had just come from the hospital after being there for 15 days and was recovering during the last 4 or 5 days in Mom's room at the nursing home. Yesterday I hugged him and told him how much I loved him. Then this morning while I was mowing his lawn, they drove down three blocks away to tell me there was an emergency. I then saw him on his bed where he had died. He told me several times he was ready and had fought with bad health for a number of years. But this was unexpected since he seemed to be recovering. I live in Dallas and had been coming back and forth as had my brother Bob who lives in San Antonio. Please spread the word. Final arrangements are not made. But the funeral home is: Croley Funeral Home, 401 North Center Street, Gladewater, Texas 75647, 903-845-2155.

We will post funeral arrangements as soon as they become available.

Reunion "Postal Workers" Prepare Invitations

Including myself, we had eleven people (Leita Rue Baten, Jack Blackburn, Barbie and David Carlisle, Cammie and Randy Doyal, Juanita McBee, Janice Pearson, and my parents, Betty and Tom Richter) to attend our first reunion workday on Saturday, July 19, to prepare 400+ invitations to put in the mail on August 1. Thankfully it only took us about an hour and a half to get the job done with so many helping because it was quite a multi-step process. Just putting tabs on the invitation mailers to meet postal regulations in addition to keeping the inner reply envelopes from sliding out proved to be the most tedious task of the process. Without giving names or ages, some of us had trouble just getting the tabs off the sheets not to mention being able to see the perforation mark to correctly affix them to the mailers, but it was fun to reminisce about certain individulas as we came across their invitation. Keep in mind these "postal workers" were volunteers! Please be understanding and forgiving if your stamp is upside down, you get two reply envelopes instead of one, or if your tabs are slightly skewed and not porportionantly placed on your invitation!

The last few minutes of our time together was spent preparing the table decorations. This task was a little "too girly" for some of the guys, but they gave it their best shot anyway. Enjoy the photos below and be watching for your invitation to hit your mailbox in the next week or so.

Their smiles say it all for this happy couple!

Cristen Murphy and Jason Kirksey were married in The Woodlands on Saturday, July 12. They will be making their home in downtown Houston. They first met at Harding University while they were both students. Both have been working in the Houston area for several years. Jason is the son of Debi (Baten) and Mike Kirksey. Congratulations! May the Lord bless you with a long life together.

Where in the world is _________?

We will soon be sending out the invitations for the reunion, and I must say that I can't wait to start receiving responses to see who plans to attend. There are still quite a few families and/or individuals that we have been unable to locate or find out if they have passed away or not, but we are very pleased and excited with the number we have been able to find.

Have you asked yourself "I wonder what ever happened to _______?" or "I sure would like to get back in touch with ________."

Who are you hoping to see at the reunion and reconnect with?

Please leave your comments for this post, and just maybe you will encourage that person to make a special effort to be present on Saturday, September 20!

Camp Mohawk vs. Camp Columbus-May the best one be chosen!

I know our parents' generation isn't in to blogging all that much, but for their kids (us) and those of you even reading this, I'm curious as to which summer camp you had the best memories from? Was it Camp Mohawk with the real lake, swimming pool, chapel, crafts, etc. or was it the Gulf Coast Christian Youth Camp in Columbus with the more modern dorms, multi-purpose building on the hill, and "The Grove"? Did you have your heart broken by a summer camp romance or did you find your one and only true love and marry them!

Although I had great memories at both camps, for me the best Camp was Mohawk hands down. I attended mostly as a camper with my mom being a counselor and my dad being the cook. I remember sneaking around the lake to raid the boys only to be surprised by them coming around from the other side to raid us. One night in particular, we surprised each other unfortunately in front of the caretakers house waking them up. They threatened to make us all leave in the morning, but thankfully they reconsidered and we went on to enjoy the rest of our week. On another night, our attack was executed perfectly, and we scared the boys half to death. They had been telling ghost stories late that night and when we screamed at the top of our lungs, dropped the window shutters, and used coke cans to bang on their corrugated tin dorm, they thought the Lord had come for sure!

Another favorite memory was going to chapel everyday and having skit night at the end of the week. It was a real treat back then because it was the only building that was air conditioned. This was also the time when the dorms were checked, and it was always interesting to see whose clothes, bathing suits, or undergarments had been hoisted up the flagpole after leaving chapel for other activities.

Not believing my story, I also got pushed in the deep end of the swimming pool despite my warnings that I didn't know how to swim. After I went under and came back up spitting and sputtering several times, the other girls realized I was telling the truth and pulled me out. I certainly don't recall who pushed me in or pulled me out, but whoever you are, YOU are forgiven. Believe it or not, I love to fish, but I still don't know how to swim today.

On the spiritual side, it was always a very emotional evening with lots of responses when we gathered down by the lake and heard the story of the crucifixion. The visual finale was when a cross was set on fire on part of a little island on the lake.

Those were such great times. Which camp was your favorite, and what memories do you have that still seem like it was yesterday?

Is It Really A Small World?

As I mentioned in the previous post, I believe that God places us in just the right place at the right time to serve His purposes. Coincidence? Maybe. A God thing--more likely. A few weeks ago, the Clear Lake Church of Christ took 48 people on a mission trip to Bayfield, Colorado to work with the church there. They conducted a week long Vacation Bible School in addition to helping with some service projects for the church members and local community. Jolinda Murdock, one of our mission team members from Clear Lake told me about a lady she had met named Gladys. Jolinda couldn't remember her last name, but learned that her husband had died several years ago, that she lived in the Houston area at one time, and that she attended the Sun Valley Church of Christ! Come to find out, it was Gladys Laas. Jolinda was excited to tell her about the reunion she thought we were planning. Although I had Gladys' address in Bellville, Texas, she actually lives in Colorado for the summer and attends the Bayfield Church of Christ. I got Gladys' phone number from our Bayfield contact, Doug Hooten, who is the cousin of our worship minister, David Layman. Gladys sounded great when I talked to her on the phone, and she is looking forward to attending the reunion before she heads off on another trip to Europe with her sister. Anyway, this is just another God-thing in my book. You can call it a coincidence, a small world, or whatever you would like.

Surprise! An Update from Sun Valley's first Preacher

Do you ever really stop and think about just how often God puts us in the right place at just the right time? I believe there is a reason for how and why everything happens even though we can't see it at the time. Saying that, I will tell you how "we" came to locate the man (and his wife) who became the first preacher at Sun Valley and provide you with the following photo and personal bio.

Although I wasn't able to contact my source to make sure that I had remembered the details correctly, I remember that Barbie (Cooper) Carlisle had gone to visit her son, daughter in law, and more to the point, her new grandbaby in Surprise, Arizona (you will see how fitting the name of the city is). Barbie had attended church at a congregation where she had seen Sandra and Don Humphrey's names in the bulletin regarding a mission trip or some other effort. Barbie told me about it after arriving back home and wondered if it could possibly be the same people from Sun Valley. Well, as it turned out, Barbie called the church and got an email address. I then made contact with the Humphreys asking if our Sun Valley connection could possibly be a blast from the past! To my surprise and theirs, it was! Even more ironic, when they responded, I was confused with the details they gave since they had helped start and preached at another congregation in the Phoenix area also named Sun Valley Church of Christ!

Anyway, for those of you who were old enough to remember Sandra and Don Humphrey and wondered where they are, now you will know.

Don Humphrey Bio

Having graduated from Harding in 1958 and then marrying Sandra Herrington in 1960 while preaching in Wichita, Kansas, Don moved to Houston, Texas, to work with the Oak Meadows congregation on a mission project. When they started the Sun Valley congregation, he became the first preacher and worked with them for their first year while still meeting in the school house. Sandra enjoyed taking art lessons from Senia Atkinson that year.

Don eventually worked with the Wynnewood Hills church in Dallas to move to Massachusetts with 55 families as Exodus: Burlington, creating the largest church in New England on their first Sunday to meet. From there, they moved to Colorado where Don started the successful religious publishing company, “Christian Communications, Inc.” and preached weekends in Estes Park and Salida.

After a fire destroyed their publishing business, they merged with the Gospel Advocate Company in Nashville. Don became Vice President of the Gospel Advocate and Sandra the Editor of Christian Woman magazine. Later, Don preached 10 years in Phoenix and then retired. They then moved to California and preached for a small congregation near Yosemite for five years but have now “retired” again and returned to Nashville.

Don is still working, however, starting a preacher training school in Sudan, promoting his “Missing Peace” evangelism video, and hosting tours to the Bible lands. They have six children, all graduates of Christian colleges—and eight grandchildren.

Sandra and Don are still living in Tennessee. Although they are not sure of their attendance at the reunion, they may be reached by regular mail at 839 Ridgetop Dr.Mt. Juliet, TN 37122 or emailed at sandra.humphrey@comcast.net or don.humphrey@comcast.net.

Freedom

Just a quick post to extend our blessing to each of you and your families wherever you may be today on this Independence Day 2008! May your celebrations be uplifting and your travels return you safely back to your individual homes.

We stayed home this year, and the annual parade in Friendswood was again held down the main street running through our town. We thankfully managed to avoid the congestion in order to accomplish other tasks on our list while we had a day off. In the afternoon, we had quite a good rain and wondered about the fireworks show planned for tonight. But not to worry, the sun is now shining and the earlier rainstorm will hopefully not cancel this other small town tradition which after all these years has turned out to be a really big deal. I think we will just view the fireworks from our front yard and watch the downtown fireworks show from the comfort of our own living room. We thank God and our servicemen and women for the freedom to do just that!