April 2009
Dear 1959 Port Neches graduates,
Although I never attended PNG, I feel extremely close to all of you. It is with great Indian pride that I extend my
heartiest congratulations as you celebrate your fiftieth anniversary. My sister, Vivien Leigh Powers Ingram will be with you
in spirit and shall remain with all of us as a part of our own personal memories of her.
Enclosed you will find a small portion of her PNG collection of memories. In 1959, Vivien was a member of the
yearbook staff and as everything she did, she did with a passion. There is so much more that I could have added, but to
approach all she did would fill volumes in the short time that God gave her to us.
October 14, 1967 Vivien, her husband, Billy Mack Ingram and our Mother, Gladys Powers were traveling from
Malakoff to Corsicana where Mack was scouting a football game. The resulting head-on wreck killed Viv and her unborn
outright. Mack was taken to Waco with a head injury and died two days later. Our Mother was taken to the Corsicana
hospital in critical condition. Vivien, being pregnant, was not wearing a seat belt. Mack would not wear one either, because
Viv did not. The only thing that saved Mother was her seat belt and the grace of God. Mother lived another 28 years.
As I reflect on all that my sister did in her short period on this earth, it amazes me. Here are a few accomplishments.
•PNG Yearbook
•High School band and twirler
•Rainbow Girls (Grand Worth Advisor for the state of Texas)
•PNG plays
•Honor roll elementary through high school
•College (Lamar) Twirler and band
•Kappa Delta Sorority , president
•Lamar Newspaper staff
•Who’s who
•Lamar Thespians
•Member of Lamar debate team that competed and won in a College TV debate
•Married July 4, 1964 to my best friend, Mack Ingram (I had introduced them. Mack and I became good buddies because
we both attended the Malakoff Church of Christ and this was while my great friend, Eddie Nokes was in the Marines)
•Graduate of Lamar
•Teacher Garland, Texas, Drama, Speech, English, Debate coach
•Teacher Richardson, Texas Drama/Speech
These are just a few of Vivien’s accomplishments that I remember. Those of you who knew her know
that she was “one of a kind”. I can testify that everything that Vivien did; she did with pride and devotion. Vivien was very
organized and good at being a leader, yet she was willing to be a simple worker if she needed to. I am not ashamed to be a
braggart. My sister, Vivien Powers, was a hero and deserved all honors that she received. God had a mission for Vivien and
she accomplished it in this life. All of my early memories of Pt. Neches began back in the late 1940’s. After my Dad was
killed in a car accident in 1939, I began living in Malakoff, Texas, with my Grandparents. My Mother married Paul Powers
and they soon were living in the Golden Triangle. Vivien was born in 1941 and I began traveling every summer to Pt.
Neches. This is where I first learned about that great PNG school pride. I remember our trips to McFadden beach and
having the only tree at 1121 McArthur St. This is where all of the kids gathered in the Powers front yard. In 1958 I enrolled
at Lamar and Vivien and I commuted together after she graduated from high school. What a blessing that turned out to be.
Vivien continued her involvement in every college extracurricular that she could and was good at it.
May your graduation reunion be filled with great memories and may God bless each of you in a special way. I remain an
Indian at heart.
Don Henderson
Spring, Texas
RETURN TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO THE GREAT PEP RALLY!!
RETURN TO CONGRATULATIONS
RETURN TO BLAKE'S ART
Dear 1959 Port Neches graduates,
Although I never attended PNG, I feel extremely close to all of you. It is with great Indian pride that I extend my
heartiest congratulations as you celebrate your fiftieth anniversary. My sister, Vivien Leigh Powers Ingram will be with you
in spirit and shall remain with all of us as a part of our own personal memories of her.
Enclosed you will find a small portion of her PNG collection of memories. In 1959, Vivien was a member of the
yearbook staff and as everything she did, she did with a passion. There is so much more that I could have added, but to
approach all she did would fill volumes in the short time that God gave her to us.
October 14, 1967 Vivien, her husband, Billy Mack Ingram and our Mother, Gladys Powers were traveling from
Malakoff to Corsicana where Mack was scouting a football game. The resulting head-on wreck killed Viv and her unborn
outright. Mack was taken to Waco with a head injury and died two days later. Our Mother was taken to the Corsicana
hospital in critical condition. Vivien, being pregnant, was not wearing a seat belt. Mack would not wear one either, because
Viv did not. The only thing that saved Mother was her seat belt and the grace of God. Mother lived another 28 years.
As I reflect on all that my sister did in her short period on this earth, it amazes me. Here are a few accomplishments.
•PNG Yearbook
•High School band and twirler
•Rainbow Girls (Grand Worth Advisor for the state of Texas)
•PNG plays
•Honor roll elementary through high school
•College (Lamar) Twirler and band
•Kappa Delta Sorority , president
•Lamar Newspaper staff
•Who’s who
•Lamar Thespians
•Member of Lamar debate team that competed and won in a College TV debate
•Married July 4, 1964 to my best friend, Mack Ingram (I had introduced them. Mack and I became good buddies because
we both attended the Malakoff Church of Christ and this was while my great friend, Eddie Nokes was in the Marines)
•Graduate of Lamar
•Teacher Garland, Texas, Drama, Speech, English, Debate coach
•Teacher Richardson, Texas Drama/Speech
These are just a few of Vivien’s accomplishments that I remember. Those of you who knew her know
that she was “one of a kind”. I can testify that everything that Vivien did; she did with pride and devotion. Vivien was very
organized and good at being a leader, yet she was willing to be a simple worker if she needed to. I am not ashamed to be a
braggart. My sister, Vivien Powers, was a hero and deserved all honors that she received. God had a mission for Vivien and
she accomplished it in this life. All of my early memories of Pt. Neches began back in the late 1940’s. After my Dad was
killed in a car accident in 1939, I began living in Malakoff, Texas, with my Grandparents. My Mother married Paul Powers
and they soon were living in the Golden Triangle. Vivien was born in 1941 and I began traveling every summer to Pt.
Neches. This is where I first learned about that great PNG school pride. I remember our trips to McFadden beach and
having the only tree at 1121 McArthur St. This is where all of the kids gathered in the Powers front yard. In 1958 I enrolled
at Lamar and Vivien and I commuted together after she graduated from high school. What a blessing that turned out to be.
Vivien continued her involvement in every college extracurricular that she could and was good at it.
May your graduation reunion be filled with great memories and may God bless each of you in a special way. I remain an
Indian at heart.
Don Henderson
Spring, Texas
RETURN TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO THE GREAT PEP RALLY!!
RETURN TO CONGRATULATIONS
RETURN TO BLAKE'S ART
