10/24/11updated Feb 11, 2021 after 10 years. This post was originally 7pages of word doc and i have converted it for easier reading. I received several emails from brothers after the post, and the one Art LeCoq's was the most memorable one as he reminded me that Ron Goodwin was Roy NOT Ron, which I have now corrected. To read all of my comments you will need to access 8 sections.
Dear Sigma Chi Brothers,
The stars were lined perfectly this weekend. How else does A&M, The Texans, The Cowboys, The Texas Rangers, and U.H. all win in the same weekend? In addition to this, Texas Tech beat Oklahoma!! It was a weekend when our Epsilon Chi chapter of Sigma Chi had our outstanding 50 year reunion! Brother V.J. Harper laid the ground work ahead of time and we all planned for a weekend of reuniting with old friends and fraternity brothers; some we had not seen in 50 years, some we had never met. Of course, sadly, we lost one of our dear brothers, Danny Sudduth, only a short time before. A few weeks before the reunion, my heart was filled with great anticipation and yet some apprehension. One thing we all knew… everything would be planned and done perfectly, because V.J. had taken it upon himself to do so. VJ is the perfect example of a self-starting leader, driven only by the love for his brothers and the ever present desire to do things right. I know all the brothers will share in a hearty “Thank you, brother V.J.”!!!
I began renewing conversations with some brothers on the phone, calling people on the list V.J. had given me. I also was able to contact several other brothers that I had not spoken to in years. Mike Smith and I had a nice conversation on the phone a few weeks before the reunion and I learned several things that I never knew before. Mike was from Jasper (which I knew) and when he came to Lamar he was a Chemistry major, but later changed to business. He also worked one semester, I think he said 40 hours/week and carried a 12 hour load at Lamar. ..Hats off to him for that!! He shared his story with me about when he was a freshman pledge. V.J. borrowed someone’s convertible for him (must have been about 1960) and I guess it was a double date for homecoming. Perhaps another pledge (not clear on that) and Mike had dates with senior girls. One was Lois Witt (Charlie’s sister) and the other girl who was the Lamar mascot (could not remember her name). They thought they were stepping in high cotton; them being freshmen and the girls seniors. I had always wondered what happened to Lee McGowen and I learned that Mike had visited with him before he had passed away. He said that Lee jogged every day, but after his jogs he enjoyed a nip or two. I learned that Lee was a college teacher and had lived in Georgia (?) and Canada. Lee died of colon cancer several years ago. I remember Lee was one of the pledges that was from Beaumont, along with Chuck Paggi, Jack Windlow, Taylor Fuller, Duke James and maybe some others. Sadly I learned that Taylor Fuller had also died of colon cancer. I think they were all recruited by Ross Wilder. Unfortunately, Mike was unable to attend the reunion.
Duke James was playing golf when I called him and his wife gave him the message. He left me a message saying that he was going to see his grand kids that weekend and would be unable to attend. Jack Windlow, also, could not be with us. I never knew why Paggi was unable to be there.