Beach_Boys

1941-1942
Three of the original Beach Boys were born in 1941 and
1942---just as we were---and their music was the background for a lot
of our fun times. We didn’t have surf, but we had music on our transistor
radios as we nurtured our tans on the beach at Lake Belton. The beach
was so much nicer back then. Besides the sun and sand, there was
swimming, boating, water skiing, and Frank’s Place, which started as a hot
dog stand and became a regional institution.

But back to the Beach Boys. They recorded 36 U.S. Top 40 hits and had
at least nine gold albums. They've sold more singles and albums than any
other American rock band. Just a group of kids harmonizing around the
Wilson family piano, the original band consisted of Brian Wilson and
his brothers Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love, and their
friend Alan Jardine. They called themselves “The Pendletones” after the
woolen Pendleton shirts that they wore back then.

1960---We graduated right along with Brian and Alan, who were from
Hawthorne, CA, a suburb not far from the Los Angeles airport. They
formed their group this year, and we got our first jobs, Sue and Brad got
married (Gladys and Wayne had married in 1959), and some of our
classmates went off to school.

1961---The group changed their name to The Beach Boys,
and some of us changed our names, too. Their first record,
“Surfin’,” was released on December 8 by Candix Records---just as we
were starting to make our way in the world, too. Marie and Jeanne had
their first babies this year, Nick, Jr., and Don, respectively. Sammie and
Fletcher were married, and so did Cherry and Jerry, out in Arkansas.

1962---The Beach Boys signed with Capitol Records, changed to
short sleeves, button-down collars, and white pants---real preppies. The
only surfer in the group was Dennis, but despite their lack of authenticity,
they hit a nerve in Southern California. "Surfin'" went to No. 75 nationally.
They were on their way! Charlotte married Hal and Lynn married Judy---
and they're still married. Linda W. got her AA at TJC.

1963---Jeanne had daughter Kimberly. Jan got her B.A. in Spanish from
North Texas State and got married. Judy E. got her degree from U.T.,
married Frank, and began teaching high school English and history in
Harker Heights. Linda M. married. Linda W. started work for civil service
at Ft. Hood. Shirlene and Millard and Will and Janean were married---
and they're still together to this day. Bill St. enlisted in the U.S. Army. BB
lead singer Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown; Glen Campbell
subbed for him for 3 months on tour. Nov. 22, JFK was
assassinated. Do you remember where you were?

1964---Cecelia got her B.A. in Secondary Education, English, and
Journalism from Baylor U., and went to work for the Corpus Christi Caller-
Times. Gary finished his B.S. in math at South West Texas in San Marcos,
got work in San Antonio, married, and had two boys, but not all in the same
year. Beerwinkle finished A&M and went to work in feedyard manage-
ment. Linda M. had a baby girl, Beth. Gladys finished high school.
Jimmie Nell got married, and so did Bill St and his pretty Diane.

1965---Dale and Helen were married. Marie had her second baby,
Vicky, and Shirlene had hers, Robert. Sammie had her baby boy,
Kevin.

1966---“Good Vibrations” went platinum as a single, selling over a million
copies. It was nominated for three Grammies, but lost to “Winchester
Cathedral.” Gary changed careers to become an aerospace engineer for
Lockheed in San Jose, CA. Jan had her first baby, Andrea, in Maryland.

1967---The band began to fail, and their creative genius Brian
Wilson fell apart, stopped performing, began using coke, later was
diagnosed as bipolar. Cherry started work as a high school secretary.

1968---The Beach Boys' tour of the Southeast was canceled when
Martin Luther King was assassinated. David and Sidney were
married. Sue and Brad
moved to Angleton. Jan's
son Jonathan was born.
Jimmie Nell had her
first son, Scott. Terry
Washburn died at 27.

1969---Cecelia took a job
in Austin with the State
Dept. of Education.

1970---The Class of '60
had its 10th Reunion!
Linda M. was graduated
from Lamar U. and began
teaching in Beaumont.

1971---Jimmie Nell had
her second son, Steve.

1972---Linda M. went to
work for the Texas Dept. of
Human Services as a family
services caseworker and
supervisor. Linda W.'s first
baby, Mary, was born.

1973---Dick and Nancy
moved to Garland.

1974---Billboard named
The Beach Boys Band of
the Year. Jan was busy
teaching high school
Spanish and didn’t notice.
Shirlene was expecting
her third child, Erin.

1976---Cecelia married
Ewell, former Salado
football coach. Bill St. got into
Human Resources, which
became his career.

1977---Ray Bell died of
leukemia.

1978---Popular BHS algebra teacher Don Anthony died of cancer.

1979--Beerwinkles moved back to Moffat from Pecos so Amy and
Rachel could attend school in BELTON!

1980---The Class of '60 had its 20th Reunion! Judy E. and Frank
discovered tennis.

1982---Dewey retired from the U.S. Navy and went to work as a Safety
Specialist.

1983---U.S. Secretary of the Interior banned The Beach Boys
from performing at the July 4th Celebration at the Washington
Monument. (Jan remembers that. She was working in downtown
Washington, only a block away from the Monument, at the U.S.
Customs Service as a graphic designer. This was also the year she
and Len were married.) Glady got her MS in Nursing at TWU. Beach
Boy Dennis Wilson drowned while swimming off his boat in
Marina del Rey, CA.

1984---Nancy Reagan personally invited the BBs to perform for
July 4th on the Mall. Rob moved from communications work into the
convention business and met Paul, his life partner.

1985---Deanna McPherson died. The Class of '60 had its 25th
Reunion. See photos.

1988---The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame. Dewey moved to Idaho to be with his sick mother, and went to
work for the Union Pacific Railroad---you know, the one in Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid. Wouldn't it be surreal to be riding along on the
train, the conductor says, "Ticket, please," you look up into his face, and
it's Dewey?

1989---Linda M. and Fred were married and moved to Houston. Linda
determined eligibility for applicants for food stamps, Medicaid, and AFDC.

1990---Nick Moore died---heart attack.
The Class of '60 had its 30th Reunion. See photos.

1991---Jeanne survived the massacre at Luby's in Killeen.

1992---Donna Devine died.

1993---"Good Vibrations: 30 Years of the Beach Boys," went gold.

1994---Dewey was promoted to Locomotive Engineer. He got to toot
the horn!

1995---The Class of '60 had its 35th Reunion! S ee photos!
Marie was working at Kings Daughters Hospital. Walt claimed he wasn't
old enough to have grandkids yet. He reported a highlight: a week on
the Nimitz with his Navy son.

1996---Anton Moy died.

1997---Beerwinkle's wife Sidney retired after 15 years as medical
secretary at Scott and White.

1998---Beach Boy Carl Wilson died at 51 of lung cancer. Charlotte
started selling collectibles on e-Bay.

1999---Lynn and Judy retired to Colorado. Call them at 303-933-7268!

2000---The Class of '60 had its 40th Reunion! (Send photos.)
ABC TV did a docudrama, “The Beach Boys: An American Family.”
Jan started teaching ESL to adults.

2001---“The Boys” were turning 60, and they got a Lifetime
Achievement Award Grammy. We were turning 60, too. Janean retired
from teaching high school math. The Bakers' first grandchild, Campbell,
was born. Linda M. retired from the Texas Dept. of Human Services with
almost 29 years' service, and she and Fred moved to Baton Rouge.

2002---Dewey had quintuple bypass surgery and retired to Fresno, CA.
Cherry and Jerry retired in Arkansas.

2003---“Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys,” a 30-
track CD, was the fastest-selling album ever, made Billboard’s Top
200 Albums, and was on for 104 straight consecutive weeks.
Our English teacher, Mrs. Rosemary Johnson, retired after 44 years in
education. Rebecca Brown died.

2004---Eva Jaye died of lung cancer. Melba Tolkmitt died. Linda M.
and Fred moved back to Texas (Baytown), where she now spends a lot of
time with her mom, who's in assisted living. Bill St. retired as Vice
President of King's Daughters Hospital.

2005---R.H. Owens and Judy PS's husband John died. Linda W.
retired from Xerox.

2006---Gladys retired "for good." Bill St. came out of retirement to work in
his field of expertise, Human Resources, for Central Texas C4, Inc. Dale
and Helen moved to Wichita Falls.

2007--- Dick and Nancy moved to Dallas. On May 22, 2007, The Beach
Boys' “The Warmth of the Sun” collection was released. Two of the
original Beach Boys still "get around" with the re-constituted band.
See www.beachboysband.net.

To hear “Surfin’ USA” (their first album to go gold), “California
Girls,” “I Get Around,” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” while you read their
more detailed timeline for yourself, go to www.thebeachboys.com.
There’s also a black-and-white video of “California Dreaming.”
They took the theme for the video from the line that starts, “I
walked into a church...” Neat.

Our beautiful, beloved Lake Belton

Be True to Your School!

When some loud braggart tries to put
me down
And says his school is great,
I tell him right away,
"Now what's the matter buddy--
Ain't you heard of my school?
It's number one in the state!"

So be true to your school now--
Just like you would to your girl or guy.
Be true to your school now--
And let your colors fly!
Be true to your school!

I got a letterman's sweater
With a letter in front,
I got for football and track.
I'm proud to wear it now
When I cruise around
The other parts of the town.
I got a decal in back.

So be true to your school now--
Just like you would to your girl or guy.
Be true to your school now--
And let your colors fly!
Be true to your school!

On Friday we'll be jacked up on the
football game,
And I'll be ready to fight.
We're gonna smash 'em now!
My girl will be working on her
pom-poms now
And she'll be yelling tonight.