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Education: B.S. degree form UL in Lafayette, LA (back
then SLI) in 1958. Graduate education courses in 1979-80.
Career:
My first year teaching was the 58-59 school year at Houma
Jr. High School in Terrebonne Parish. The following year, I
taught one semester at Crowley High School
in Acadia Parish. My teaching ended in 1960 due
to the birth of my first son, and resumed in 1980. I
recertified in another
area, teaching children and adolescents with
Learning Disabilities until retiring in 2001.
Spouse: Charles Henry Cowen, Jr. I met my present
husband in Crowley, LA, many years before I
married him. After my divorce, we started dating
off and on, for about 7 years! I wanted to be VERY sure this
time. We married in November 1988.
Spouse's Career: After graduating from UL in 1957,
and completing the ROTC program he entered the Air Force.
He was discharged in 1960 as a Captain. He returned to his
hometown of Crowley to become involved in rice farming and
various agricultural ventures. He also obtained his
commercial pilot rating and taught flying for a time. He is
now semi retired and likes fishing, hunting and spending as
much time as possible on our sailboat
Name of
parents: Willlard and Ruby Jeannsonne (deceased)
My personal interests include reading, working out at
my health club, going to Yoga classes, gardening,
sailing, and spending time with my family and grandchildren,
I also volunteer at my church, for example I deliver
Meals on Wheels.
Personal Info: Children 3, Grandchildren 2 – My
husband and I together
have 6 children, and 7 grandchildren.
Leisure Activities: Travel - when I'm really vegging
out, I like to read. We have been fortunate to have taken
some wonderful trips in recent few years. We've been to many
foreign countries and have also done quite a bit of coastal
cruising on our sailboat, from Florida to the Mexican
border. My husband sailed across the Atlantic with three
other guys in 1988. Not being that adventurous, I flew to
England to meet him in Plymouth.
Major Events After BHS: Surely the births of my
three sons were big events, as well as
going back to college
when I was 43, during a traumatic time in my life. My
second marriage was a huge event, as well as the birth of
grandchildren.
Recollections of BHS in the fifties: I have so many
wonderful memories of growing up in Bunkie. As some of us
said at our 50th reunion, it was truly a magical
time. I remember trying out for the basketball team and was
excited with making second string. I remember cheering at
football
games, the Red and White Formal, Winter Carnival, reading
The Trumpet, being afraid
of Mrs.
Hatley, Mr. Sharpe telling us how to throw away typing
paper, classes with the St.
Romain's,
and "Peaches" Franks ! I also remember how much we laughed
and the friends that have enriched my life. Just some of the
memories that continue to make me laugh - dancing the Bunny
Hop in the gym, Louis Witty
blowing his graduation
hat tassel out of his face (continually during graduation,
as Mrs. St. Romain looked on displeased), dancing to
our first rock-n-roll record at the Avoyelles Country Club
(Senior party, and I think the record was Rock Around the
Clock). I can't forget walking to
school every day, study hall, our all night senior party ending up at
breakfast at my house, the Blue Moon, and the time we
went to the gravel pits at the end of our senior year.
Aside from BHS, there are the wonderful events of
graduating from college, a first marriage, and three
wonderful children,
teaching, remarrying and having a great extended family,
retiring and loving every minute of it.
At this point in my
life, I hope I will continue to be healthy,
active, and productive.
At times, I still feel the same way that I did in high
school (perhaps a stretch) and don’t feel my age. I enjoy
life, still love to dance and try to keep up with my
classmates as much as possible. I had so much fun at our
reunion and wish I could have talked to everyone more. I
feel like the time we had at Leodocia's went by so quickly
that I'd like to do that part over again. I felt emotional,
at times, during the reunion and I wasn't expecting that. I
think going home is bittersweet. I believe we had
exceptional people in our class. Everyone was special in
their own way. I don't believe in looking back, and I like
where I am right now, but my memories of high school are
happy and vivid, and I cherish all the friends that shared
that time with me. |
