Gary Duncan:
CLASS OF 1966
Westside High SchoolClass of 1966
Memphis, TN
Frayser High SchoolClass of 1966
Memphis, TN
Gary's Story
Life -
Update 9/26/16 (tomorrow is my 68th birthday) - I had a wonderful time at the 1966 class reunion last Saturday evening at Jim's Place in Collierville, TN. I sincerely and thoroughly enjoyed every minute, except I was deeply saddened when I saw the photos of all of our classmates that has passed; I came very close to crying. However, all of my classmates that did attend the reunion were fabulous (definitely a 1966 term). All of the ladies were still beautiful and most of the guys still looked pretty good too. I recognized most of my classmates, but having name tags with senior photos definitely helped. A few of the guys appeared to have aged very little - Lonnie Caldwell and Gene Williams especially (why did the tall guys age so well?), but some of the guys were unrecognizable - Allen Hammet (now much taller and bigger than high school and with 40 years of football officiating WOW!) and Shelton Fuel (trying to pass as Kenny Rogers). I got to hug and/or put my arm around just about every one of the girls attending (I admired them all, but was too shy to do so in high school (Annetta said I was too "quiet" in school; I say it was hard for us guys to talk to a girls so pretty, especially Annetta). I probably PO'ed a few husbands, but then I may never get the chance to show my admiration for these ladies ever again. And how about Al Cannon, he could have been a great TV evangelist! Al was an excellent choice for our blessing of the meal. I regret that some classmates like Susan and Barbara who could not attend due to care-giving obligations; hopefully we will all have future chances to meet again. Finally, the organizers did a GREAT job in picking the place (the food was outstanding), getting out the info, decorating, etc. I hope I am around for the next one!!!!
Note to all classmates - If you are in the extreme North Central part of Arkansas (lots of people visit Hardy, AR about 20 minutes from our home) please contact me; I would love to see any of you. We are in the telephone book under Kathy Duncan (she's the boss) in Horseshoe Bend, AR.
Quick bio - married twice, 20+ years now with 2nd; son 42, Tenured Professor of English at University of Houston. Vietnam Vet lots of medals, no bulletholes; BBA/MBA from MSU; Big 6 CPA for 15 years; CFO/COO jobs since; worked everywhere; lived Florida to Arizona; bass fish, motorcycles, guns, golf; gamble and travel. I am now semi-retired and busier than ever. Oh yeah, I still ride motorcycles (Harley Streetglide Special, Triumph Bonneville T100 & a Honda now) and now have a Corvette (2004 C5 with tag WAYCOOL); bought it new the day I came home from last heart attack. Work hard/play hard/spend it all and die young (well I guess I have passed the die young part). I rolled a Chevy Tahoe 7 times in 2004 and have had 3 heart attacks - still recovering now 12 years later. I'm a grandparent now; boy, Luke Michael Duncan born April 2015. I still have all of my teeth and hair even if most of it is white like it was when I started in the first grade at West Frayser Elementary. Just interested, anyone else out there who did the full term at West Frayser and Westside? Most recently purchased a lake home on Crown Lake in Horseshoe Bend, AR (population about 2,500 in the Ozark Mountains). I always wanted to live right on a lake so I could fish off of my own dock), but I bought a bigger, rather than smaller house. But the lake is fun - 70 mph on a Jet Ski will make you feel young again. I had the biggest covered boat dock built for me that the lake would allow and keep the jet skis, my bass boat and now a new tri-toon pontoon boat with a 200hp outboard (wild 60 mph pontoon boat) at the dock. The local community also has two golf courses and allows residents to drive their golf carts on town streets.
My wife (8 years younger than me) has a wealthy daughter in Hernando, MS and two granddaughters living in Oxford (one who graduated from Ole Miss 5 years ago and another who is sophomore). A 15 year old Bichon Friese (Munchkin) is ...Expand for more
the family pet - by far the best dog I have ever seen; until he got old, he looked exactly like the Bichon that won the Westminster show.
I buy, sell and trade guitars on the side now too. I go by ARGARY on ebay; tried the internet site thing, but its too expensive for the small guy to make it work.
I really enjoyed my high school days at Westside; the day I turned 16 I started partying hard and I tried very hard to go out and do something every night, even if it was only cruising the McDonald's, Shoney's and Whopper (Filler Burger) Burger route in Frayser - when we wanted to be really cool, we did the Kay's, Leonard's route in Midtown. My favorite place to go was the Roaring 60's club in the old former Synagogue on Poplar Ave. downtown, but the CYO dances were fun too. I dated 2-3 nights a week, but almost exclusively girls from other schools in Memphis as I felt a bit funny about dating a girl I had known since the first grade or someone I was likely to be in school with every day, but I made a few exceptions. I definitely regret I didn't date more girls from Westside.
I remember making about $20 a week working at Kroger's and and $5 being plenty for a date - two movie tickets at a downtown movie (Elvis or James Bond probably) or at a Drive In (who cares what was showing), or the cover at a teen club, ten gallons of gas at 19 cents a gallon and supper for two at McDonalds for less than a buck.
One of my favorite times at Westside was the summer of 1965. I saw a beautiful girl at Northgate shopping center with long blond hair and asked around and found out she went to Frayser High School and her name was Debbie. So I called some for my friends at Frayser High and told them I wanted to meet and date this girl. The next day I started getting names and telephone numbers for blondes named Debbie. I don't know how many beautiful blonde Debbies were at Frayser High, but I dated 9 of them that summer and learned a wonderful way to get lots of dates with incredible girls that I used later at other schools.
Maybe, its just me, but I remember my high school days to have been somewhat like the movie "American Grafitti" with some adventure awaiting me every night out on the town.
I love retirement. It was going to be the first time since high school that I would have had enough time to do the things I want to do - have fun! However, my employer asked me to "help out a little, part time" after I retired; so I asked for the moon and stars to do it and he blinked. I'm having some regrets about giving up any of my time, regardless of compensation; and as my kids now "have got their own", I can't see the point in building up any more inheritance for them. I'm starting a bucket list:
1) Play in the World Series of Poker,
2) Buy a hot rod at a televised Classic car auction ('32 HighBoy roadster?),
3) Live long enough for the researchers to find fixes for all my ills.
4) Ride the Harley to Sturgis (maybe have it shipped there)?
5) Attend another Westside class reunion.
6) Write a book on my Vietnam experience.
7) ?????
I now find I am becoming more and more like my father was (which is OK as he was a fine man). Earlier this year I bought the complete collection of Jimmy Rodgers (really old country tunes, 1927-33) and right now I have The Sons of the Pioneers (30's, 40's and early 50's) on the Stereo. I just can't connect with modern country or rock, and I'm certainly not a fan of rap music.
I am an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church, but I have pretty much let that go since the Church decided to ordain LGBT ministers. I am NOT LGBT friendly; they're abnormal, unnatural and offensive. I plan to look into the much more conservative Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Now I am mainly an amateur "prepper" as the world is getting crazy IMHO. The government continuously lies to us; the media is absurdly biased in favor of extreme liberalism and the price of everything is getting out of hand (and they say there is no inflation, ha!!!); I am for Trump 100%.
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