The big bash for Gary Jacobs, Mr. South Texas 2002, at the Laredo Country Club recently was prefaced with a colorful invitation showing him in cowboy attire. Josephine Brand reported the Country Club event: "It was all done in a South Texas motif with cactus décor, men wore blue jeans, tuxedo coats, and boots. Stetson type hats were favors. Beer was served in tubs. Quail and other South Texas foods were served. Music was continuous for hilarious dancing. Great dancing."
Wonderful Max Mandel and Roslyn, parents of Jessie Lee, were there, as well as Gary's parents, who came from San Antonio.
Claudia Kowalsky reported 48 hosts and hostesses: Messrs. and Medames Peter Arguindegui, Ben Barnes, Tad Brittingham, Buddy Bruni, Joaquin Cigarroa, Jr., Ricardo Cigarroa, Russell Deutsch, Seymon Deutsch, Michael Galo, Enrique Hinojosa, Jerome Jordan, Ricardo Longoria, Douglas MacDonald, George Person, Evan J. Quiros, Eduardo Salido, Hank Sames, Carroll Summers, Pepe Treviño, Abe Wilson, Renato Zapata, Fernando Zuñiga, David Killam, Bill Luft, Anita Martin, J. C. Martin III, and J. C. Treviño.

Abe and Cecilia Ramirez
push scholarships

In San Antonio are many former Laredoans, here for a larger stage, for medical reasons or because of family ties. As an émigré from my beloved home, I am searching out people I once knew and taught.
Abe Ramirez, Martin '47, who lived in Houston for 38 years, came to San Antonio five years ago. He was a former Municipal Court Judge and his wife Cecilia was District Superintendent for the Houston Independent School District.
They will celebrate their 50th anniversary this summer. Their children were Abe, now deceased, and Sandra Ann, a paralegal in Houston. They have three grandchildren.
Abe is a member of the San Antonio Board of Adjustment and a volunteer for United Way. His graduating class of 1947 has begun a scholarship foundation to give scholarships to deserving students from Martin High School.
The Tiger Foundation is headed by a committee consisting of Ramirez, chairman, Olga Flores, vice-president, Consuelo F. Lopez, 2nd vice-president, Viola M. Moore, secretary, Gustavo García, treasurer, Graciela P. García, board member.
Abe said, "We would welcome you to become a partner through a generous contribution to our Tiger Foundation, which is committed to the need for higher education for Hispanic youth, graduates of Martin High."

Guest of Nancy Smith

The pleasure of lunching at a Chinese restaurant near the Medical Center was mine with Berta Prieto García, former Laredoan, and two friends, Nancy Smith, friend of Claudia Kowalsky, and Shirley Hecht.
Bertha invited us to visit her husband Alex, retired engineer, who was home from the hospital after a heart bypass. Their daughter Berti, who sings professionally, came from Cincinnati with her three children for the holidays. A video showed her singing at a wedding, still a superb vocalist. The Garcías have a pleasant home, shaded by great oak trees. Within was a beautiful baby grand piano which Berta plays.
Shirley Hecht has a son, Harrison, who teaches at United Middle in Laredo, and a daughter, Doris Hecht, director of Texas Careers, a private school in Laredo.
Nancy Smith, the hostess for the luncheon, lived in Laredo when her husband was judge advocate at the LAFB. She is a former Air Force Nurse and now lives in Helotes. She is a close friend of Sam and Claudia Kowalsky.
Sheila and Chris Glassford came to San Antonio to see their daughter Kristina Hanley and Robert and grandchildren. They attended a performance of South Pacific on Saturday and on Sunday, Christ Church Episcopal. Kristina sang in the choir. Bob and Patti Gunn, well known in Laredo, and Pat Yates, former Laredoan, were in the congregation.
Lee and Frances Harr have sold their picturesque home near the Country Club and Frances will soon undergo surgery in Ft. Worth. They plan to settle in Georgetown.
Carmina Danini, once the editor of the Martin High newspaper, is the obituary editor of the San Antonio Express-News. She produced a fine front-page story about the death of Judge García.
Veronica Castillon writes that her co-worker Matias Arambula is having foot surgery and will be out of his office at LISD until February.
The Rev. Al Narvaez, retired episcopal minister, and Dabney celebrated their wedding anniversary by going to Italy.
While Father Al assists at St. Paul's Episcopal Church and helps build homes for the needy through the local Habit for Humanity, Dabney is working at pottery-making. She even sold some of her art pieces.
Barbara Leonard Baugh, former Laredoan, works in the Episcopal Center in San Antonio.
Haven't seen these people yet, but plan to: Annie Bruce Babb, who taught speech and drama at Martin, lives here in the Meadows, a retirement home. She often plays the piano for a religious group.
Gil Treviño, retired colonel, and his wife also live here at the Towers. They go down to Laredo every two weeks, so he does not have to miss his ranch. Once he repaired a chair for me and once I saw a beautiful table, which he made of mesquite wood.
Güera Offer's daughter, Mary Girard, also lives here, but she is concerned now with the illness of her husband.
Roberto Flores, former Martin principal, operates a Mexican products store on Commerce Street, which we wish to explore.
Prissy DaCamara Hancock lives in Castroville where she and her husband, the mayor of the little town, have a beautiful home on the Medina River, which we shall visit soon.

Latecomers to a party at the George Neels included Frances Salinas, Margaret Hopson, now of San Antonio, Jessie Lee and Gary Jacobs, and Gerry Salinas.

Cecilia and Abe Ramirez, now of San Antonio, after successful careers in Houston have organized a scholarship fund for Martin High students.

At a recent party in the Laredo Country Club were Celita Borchers and Robert Summers and wife Tami.

Shirley Hecht, Bertha García, former Laredoan, and hostess Nancy Smith, former Laredoan at a recent lunch in honor of Elizabeth Sorrell.

Visitors from Laredo, Sheila and Chris Glassford came to see Elizabeth Sorrell and meet her granddaughter, Virginia, and husband, Dr. William Scott Lynn. Children are Henry, Isabelle, and Emma.