Class_of_1949Bill "Boogie" Burk '49Posted by Josephus at 9:16, on Saturday, April 26, 2008
 BILL EUGENE BURK, 75, Good Evening columnist at the Memphis Press-Scimitar when the newspaper closed in 1983, passed away April 24, 2008, at Baptist Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was a graduate of South Side High School (1949) and Memphis State University (1958). He worked at Clover Farm Dairy, United Press International and Memphis Mirror before joining the Press-Scimitar in 1957. Bill was a gifted writer and a man of many, many talents and accomplishments. An experienced pilot, who was active in aviation circles, he founded PROPWASH magazine, which was read by pilots all over the U.S. When Elvis Presley died, Bill covered the event with his usual newsman’s tenacity and sense for “the story” nonstop for a week with little sleep, and after the Press-Scimitar closed, he became prominent in the Elvis world and founded and published ELVIS WORLD magazine, which had a worldwide readership. He authored 13 books, most of them about Elvis Presley, whom Bill first came to know in his role as a reporter and with whom he developed a friendship. He also contributed to 21 other books. In addition, he was a prolific free lance writer on many different topics. He co-hosted sports shows on Memphis radio stations WWEE and WMPS. He appeared on several television news shows and the Route 66 TV series; he also appeared in five movies and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild. During his long and varied career, Bill was Sports Information Director, Memphis State University; Public Information Officer, Air National Guard; Vice President & President, Sunbelt Public Relations Affiliates; and Public Relations/Advertising Agent for Memphis area aviation dealers. He lectured to journalism students at Memphis State University. He was Tennessee UPI Columnist of the Year twice; Scripps-Howard Columnist of the Month three times, the first journalist to win the Memphis Convention & Visitors Award and Memphis Hotel & Sales Managers Award. He served in the Air Force and retired a Lieutenant Colonel from the Tennessee Air National Guard and saw tours of duty in Korea, Vietnam and Central America. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1969 and was the first winner of the National Guard’s Minuteman Award. After a childhood and youth as an accomplished athlete in baseball, basketball and football, he enjoyed coaching various middle-school sports at St. Paul School, Graves Elementary and various others in addition to summer leagues. Bill enjoyed traveling the world and was an avid photographer. He was preceded in death by his parents Ernest Coy and Virginia Josephine Burk, his sister Carolyn Hopper, and his son Michael Burk. He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Connie Burk; former wife and friend, Frances Burk; his sons Gary Burk (Shirley) of Bella Vista, AR, Randy Burk of Horn Lake, MS, and daughter, Jennifer Royds (Paul) of Fort Lauderdale, FL; and eight grandchildren, Scott Burk, Travis Burk, Hannah Burk, Madison Willis, Megan Royds, Jesse Burk, Jessica Burk and Zachary Burk. Visitation will be from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, April 27, with funeral services 1 p.m., Monday, April 28, both at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar 901-725-0100 www.memphisfuneralhome.net
General_NewsAttendees at the April 2008 Scrapper Dinner.Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 9:31, on Friday, April 25, 2008
We had 190 Scrappers, spouses and guests at the recent Scrapper Dinner at the Piccadilly on Tuesday April 22. If you would like to see who attended, go to the Scrapper Web Site at www.scrapperalumni.org and go to the home page. At the top of the page, you will see Scrapper Stuff---click it and events will come up--click events and then click Piccadilly Dinner. Two things will come up---a long list of those who attended the Dinner with their class year--then, a copy of the last Scrapper Dinner Letter will come up. These two items are changed after each Dinner get-together.
General_NewsTo Friends and Students of Coach Bill Key.Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 14:17, on Thursday, April 24, 2008
We are planning a surprise party in the fall for Coach Key. We need names and addresses of all persons wishing to attend and honor Coach Key for his support and contributions to our lives. Please contact the following:
Joe Roberts--email--joe@cbenefits.com
Cell phone--(901) 569-7799
Donna Briggs--email--missmemaw@comcast.net
Cell phone--(901) 497-5215
Dale Wilson--email--dalewilson15@aol.com
Cell phone--(901) 277-1143
Kevin Key--email--Kevin.Key@shelbycountytn.gov
Cell phone--(901) 545-5349
Thanks and REMEMBER, IT IS A SURPRISE!!!!!
Class_of_1941Death of a classmate, Nancy Fowler Pace Haley.Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 13:51, on Thursday, April 24, 2008
In the obitauary page on Thursday, April 24, 2008 is a death notice on Nancy Fowler Pace Haley who was in the class of 1941.
Nancy Fowler Pace Haley, age 84, died Tuesday April 22, 2008 at her home in Eudora MS. Born in Memphis, she owned and operated Nancy Pace Bookkeeping Service for over 25 years. A 1941 graduate of South Side High School, she was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mrs. Haley is survived by her husband, James Haley; her daughter Patricia Nelson of Danville CA; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Friday, April 25, with graveside services at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26, both at Forest Hill Funeral Home Midtown. (901) 775-0310.
All_ScrappersRay McMillan ObituaryPosted by KathalineHarbison47 at 9:51, on Thursday, April 24, 2008
RAY EMILE McMILLAN, 81, of Prosper, TX, formerly of Memphis, joined the Lord April 22, 2008. He leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Dorothy McMillan; his daughter, son; and two grandsons. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home Dallas, TX214-363-5401
Published in The Commercial Appeal on 4/24/2008.
Guest Book • Flowers • Gift Shop • Charities
Class_of_1946Death of a classmate--Shirley (Eubank) Williamson MurphyPosted by TerryWilliamson51 at 9:29, on Monday, April 21, 2008
Shirley (Eubanks) Williamson Murphy died April 19, 2008 at her home in Bartlett. She was born to Jack and Ophelia Eubank Sr. at Baptist Memorial Hospital on December 13, 1928. A native Memphian and a member of the Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett, she was the widow of Conrad Williamson and Philip Murphy. She is survived by two sons, Don B. Williamson and wife Dana of Bartlett and Glen L. Williamson and wife Diane of Bartlett and a brother, Jack B. Eubank who was in the South Side Class of 48 and his wife Barbara of Knoxville TN. She leaves 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; 4 step grandchildren, and 10 step-great-grandchildren. She also leaves a host of cousins and friends with whom she was very close. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 22 at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation Will be Monday evening from 5:30-8:00p.m. at the funeral home. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel (901)725-0100----www.memphisfuneralhome.net
All_ScrappersClass of '47 Monthly BreakfastPosted by KathalineHarbison47 at 15:45, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Today was bright and sunny, but the joy at Perkin's Restaurant out-shone the sun! Can you believe it? We had twenty Scrappers in attendance. Those attending were: Erlyne Hensley Oswalt (early, for a change), Eva Webb Donaldson, Helen Stahl, Dorothy McNeil Delugach,Darlene Walker Rikard,Marguerite Kirksey,Dorothy Wilson Hall, Jimmy Ganong, Elmer Ray (late, as usual), Joe Bowen, Donald Arwood, Thomas Gipson, Pat McIlvain, James and Eunice Carr, Dorsey and Evelyn Childress, Charlene Davis Norvell, Doris Jean Wright Tanner, and Kathaline Bigelow Harbison.
God has truly blessed us with His gift of all these long-time friends! If you'd like to join us, just come to Perkins' Restaurant on Park at White Station on the third Tuesday of the month at 9 A.M.
HealthJosephus' Most Recent Health AdventurePosted by Josephus at 12:46, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Want to read about Joe "Josephus" Tully's most recent health adventure? Click HERE and look for the article titled "The Lighter Side".
General_NewsDeath of the Brother of 3 Scrapper Classmates.Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 11:08, on Monday, April 14, 2008
Carl F. Armstrong was born into this world in Memphis TN on December 26, 1932, and entered into Heaven's gate on Sunday,, April 13, 2008 to a long awaited reunion with his parents, Robert and Louise Armstrong. He was a transportation coordinator/manager in the trucking industry, a member of the First Baptist Church in Southaven and a Marine Corps veteran. Carl leaves his wife and companion of 22 years, Alberta, who will greatly miss him. He is also survived by two sons, Robert Armstrong of Cordova TN. and Kelly Armstrong of Southaven, one daughter, Toye Austin of Southaven, one stepson, Steven Azbill of Southaven; three stepdaughters, Lesa L. Scott of Amesbury MA, Sheree Azbill of Bethesda MD and Kasondra Valas of Bethesda; two brothers, Charlie Armstrong of Bolivan, Tn. and Don Armstrong (South Side class of 55) of Hornsby Tennessee; two sisters, Anita Armstrong Hinson, (class of 59) of Austin Texas; and Charlene Armstrong Meadows, (class of 61) of Memphis TN.; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grand-children and many nieces and nephews.Visitation will be Tuesday, April 15 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at Twin Oaks Funeral Home in Southaven. Graveside services will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Twin Oaks Memorial Gardens in Southaven. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Hospice Ministries. Twin Oaks Funeral Home--Southaven MS--(662) 349-9720
Class_of_1949Update on Bill "Boogie" BurkPosted by TerryWilliamson51 at 10:19, on Monday, April 14, 2008
I received this update from Lou Pritchett. Lou received it from Bill's wife Connie Burk.
Terry, Here is the latest on Bill Burk from his wife, Connie. Lou Pritchett
Hi Lou:
Got your phone message -- I am in and out, visiting with Bill at Baptist Restorative Care Hospital and working as best I can at UT, too, so not home a lot these days...
Bill just got out of the ICU on April 8 -- he's been there since March 16! He had a VATS surgical procedure for pleural effusion around the right lung on March 13, then started to have low blood sugar while in the step-down unit in the hospital on March 16, and they moved him back to ICU. On March 17, they discovered he was not getting rid of enough carbon dioxide, so he was intubated and put on a ventilator. Then he went into complete kidney failure, and eventually they started dialysis, which he is still getting 3 times a week. He got a tracheotomy on March 27, so now he is being weaned off the ventilator and physical and occupational therapy are working with him on getting out of bed for starters after just lying in bed, unable to move himself for weeks. So, he has been through a LOT, after expecting to be in the hospital 3 days following surgery....
And he still can't talk with the trach, since he has too many secretions to get a speech valve yet. Also, he got a multi-resistant bacterial infection while in ICU that he is still fighting off...
Apart from this, now that he is in Restorative Care, all is looking up, and Bill feels better about it. He is also motivated to get active again and is excited to see the therapists walk in the door, so that's really great.
We have take it one step at a time now, and let it take as long as it takes for Bill to get well. Baptist does have wireless computer access, so I hope that some day soon he may be strong enough to be able to send e-mails to a few people...
In the meantime, you can reach him at this address:
Bill E. Burk, Room 1443
Baptist Memorial Restorative Care Hospital
6019 Walnut Grove, 1 West
Memphis TN 38120
Connie
General_NewsPLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE!!!Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 11:27, on Friday, April 11, 2008
Almost everyone who is a Scrapper knows what Joe Tully has done for us. Joe, who was in the class of 53, started and is maintaining our beautiful SCRAPPER WEB SITE. I know that everyone who went to South Side does not have a computer and they may not have every seen our web site, but, those or us who look at it really loves it. I do not want Joe to spend HIS money to maintain the site, and he has been doing just that. From what I can pull out of Joe, I think he is spending between $700 and $1,000 per year on the site. What I am asking in this message is for US to send Joe a contribution to take care of that amount. NOW---I do not ask you to send Joe a LARGE amount of money. NO---I ask you to send him an amount that is reasonable. IF, a group of people sends him SOME money, it will be enough to replace what he spends. If you would like to help in this project, send Joe Tully a check (Payable to Joe Tully) at 4904 West County Road 796, Lepanto Arkansas, 72354 and mark it for the Scrapper Web Site. Go Scrappers Go
Class_of_1949An update on Bill "Boogie" Burk, class of 49.Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 10:40, on Friday, April 11, 2008
Bill 'Boogie' Burk, class of 49, has been in the hospital for quiet a while. Here is an update from his wife Connie Burk.
___________________________________________________________
Just to update you -- Bill has now been moved out of ICU and down to Baptist's Restorative Care Hospital, where the goal is to get him off the ventilator he has been on since March 17 and also to get some physical therapy and get active again.
He still can't speak due to a tracheotomy and the ventilator, but that will hopefully be remedied soon. I know he has a lot he wants to say! ;-)
His address there for the next few weeks is:
Bill E. Burk, Room 1443
Baptist Memorial Restorative Care Hospital
6019 Walnut Grove, 1 West
Memphis TN 38120
Connie
All_Scrappers1958 Lost ClassmatesPosted by HenryAlexander58 at 9:41, on Thursday, April 10, 2008
The '58 Class is having their 50th Class Reunion on June 6, 2008 at Colonial Country Club. Below is a list of our missing classmates and we are asking if you may know where they are please contact Henry Alexander at 251-955-1116 or at shirhank@gulftel.com and give him the information. Thanks for your help!
Sue Barnes, Barbara Bateman, Anita Black, Mary (Boggs) Smith, David Boston, Linda (Bryan) Cadwell, Clarine (Cantrell) Easley, Laura (Chandler) Myers, Donald Cole, Virginia Collins, Jimmy Crass, Willie Cross, Dorothy (Crowson) Bennett, David Dixon, Jack Eaton, Sandra (Etheridge) Winthrop, Carol Fortner, Ruby (Franks) Wolff, Mike Gainer, Gloria Gibson, Joan (Greer) Skidmore, Barbara (Griffin) Bounds, Francis (Harrison) Morris, Gerald Holland, Phyllis Hollingsworth, Mary Sue Hope, Barbara Inzer, Josie (Irwin) Sides, Donna Rae (Jackson) Boucher, Mary Helen Lane, Johnny McPhail, Dan Melton, Shirley (Moore) Gallina, Lynda (Moran) Crouch, Jerry Oswalt, Jesse Owens, Julie (Palazola) Whiteacre, Betty (Patton) Barnett, Monnie (Peek) Curtis, Earl Porter, Jean Robison, Jerry Robison, Rosie (Russell) Cargile, Jimmy Simpson, Emery Smith, Elizabeth Sneed, Patricia Snyder, Lara (Towles) Kilpatrick, Peggy (Tunnell) O'Brien, Paul Vaillancourt, Roland Vaught, Kay (Waldon) Bedway, Charles Walton, Mary Evelyn Webb and Carol (Wilson) Savage.
Henry Alexander '58
General_NewsDeath of Aubrey Pollan's (class of 51) sister,Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 19:51, on Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I received the following email from BilY Goodman, class of 51 today April 8, 2008.
___________________________________________________________
There was an obituary in Sunday's paper
Margaret McCarthy ,this is Aubrey Pollan’s (class of 51)
sister .Her funeral service will be at Forrest Hill
midtown Thursday twelve noon 4-10-08.I think she
went to Southside ,she was ninety years old.
All_ScrappersPRAYER REQUEST CONTINUESPosted by JanHolleyLong57 at 14:21, on Monday, April 7, 2008
Morris Brooks is going through some aggressive chemo. He and Beverly really need your continued prayers. They really appreciate the cards and e-mails and they really seem to brighten up the days for Morris. Please continue with the cards and e-mails if you can. Their address is 5109 Choctaw Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32507 and their e-mail address is mobebrook@cox.net.
Many thanks,
Jan Holley Long
Class of 1957
General_NewsClassmates Son met with President Bush.Posted by TerryWilliamson51 at 16:02, on Thursday, April 3, 2008
Andy Fletcher, Major League Baseball Umpire #49 and the son of Aintree residents in Germantown Tennessee, Riner Fletcher, South Side class of 54, and Carol Odom Fletcher, class of 56, was on the crew selected to umpire in this year’s opening game at Washington, D.C.’s new stadium on March 30, 2008.
Andy had the honor and privilege, along with his crew members, to receive a thirty minute visit in the umpire’s dressing room prior to the game with none other than President George W. Bush who was there to throw out the first pitch of the season opener. President Bush, the former owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team, is a big fan of the game.
Andy and his crew had an opportunity to meet and visit with the President, as well as have their pictures made with Mr. Bush who presented each of them with a personally autographed baseball.
All_ScrappersPRAYER REQUEST FOR A SCRAPPERPosted by JanHolleyLong57 at 15:59, on Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Beverly Salmon Brooks of the Class of 1957 married Morris Brooks. I think Morris was in the Class of 1955. Morris is quite ill and needs all our prayers. You will recall they just lost a daughter last month. I know they would appreciate hearing from anyone who would like to contact them. Their mailing address is: 5109 Choctaw Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32507. Beverly's e-mail address is mobebrook@cox.net. Please put these two wonderful people on your prayer list and pray for them.
Many thanks,
Jan Holley Long
Class of 1957
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