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COUNTY NEWS
WWII Veteran Receives Diploma
World
War II put an end to Lon Colvin's graduation plans at Lockney High School.
Now, 56 years later, because of a new law, Lockney Superintendent Raymond
Lusk was able to proudly hand Colvin a diploma from LISD.
During a small ceremony attended by High School government and history
classes, March 26, Lusk presented Colvin with his certificate of graduation
in the school library.
At the head of the diploma was a black and white graphic of how the High
School would have appeared in 1944. The diploma carried the signatures of
the 1944 Superintendent H.P. Clemons; principal Mrs. Henry Hodel; Board
President Hugh Carroll; and board secretary Edgar Hayes.
Colvin left High School in 1944 after he was drafted into the Army. He never
returned to get his degree and was only recently encouraged to do so by his
wife, Lois. "She had seen where other WWII veterans were getting this done
and she told me I should do it," said Colvin. "I called Mr. Lusk and he said
he would be glad to help."
Senate Bill 387, passed by the 77th Legislature in 2001, allows a school
district to issue a high school diploma to a person who was honorably
discharged from the U.S. armed forces and was scheduled to graduate from
high school after 1940 and before 1951, and left high school before
graduation to serve in WWII.
Colvin, 76, was born in Lockney to Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Colvin. Raised on a
farm Colvin said he had never been away from home until he was drafted in
his junior year.
Colvin says he doesn't remember much about what he was thinking at the age
of 18 and leaving for war. "It seems like a dream now."
A classmate, James Taylor, also left with Colvin. "I also met up with a guy
from Ralls--Uel Authur," said Colvin. "We stayed together the whole time we
were in."
After 3 months of basic training in Mineral Wells, Colvin was sent overseas
to Germany.
He served in the 10th Infantry, 4th Armored Division and served in the
European Theater of Operations for 4 months. He participated in the
Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns, where he was directed to destroy
enemy personnel and to assist in capturing and holding enemy positions.
"I served under General Patton," said Colvin. "He was mean, but he knew
what he was doing. If everyone had listened to him I don't think they would
have been in the mess they were in."
Although Colvin had a high regard for his General he did say it was Patton
that was responsible for Colvin being captured by Germans.
"We were sent to get Gen. Patton's son-in-law away from the Germans," said
Colvin. "He had been captured and we were supposed to rescue him. When we
got there the son-in-law had been moved. He wasn't even there--but the
Germans captured us.
"There were about 250 of us captured. We walked for about 25 days as German
prisoners, just ahead of the American line. The Germans knew the war was
almost over and they treated us pretty fair. We just kept moving with them
for 34 days. Then one day an American drove up in a jeep and told us we were
free."
Colvin and the others were loaded onto a truck and taken back to camp. From
there the men were sent to France and then home in June 1946.
"I got out as soon as they turned me loose," laughs Colvin. "I've been
asked if I was scared. I tell people I was scared from the time I left until
the time I got home."
Colvin said not much had changed at home when he returned. He went back to
farming and said he intended to get his G.E.D. "I just messed around and
never got it."
Colvin quit farming in 1965 and worked at cotton gins for 40 years--first at
Lockney Gin and then Lockney Co-op.
The small graduation ceremony for Colvin was held in the new Lockney High
School Library. "This used to be the old gym," said Colvin. "It sure looks
better now."
Hernandez Brings Home the Gold
Floydada Whirlwind Frank Hernandez won the
"Gold Medal" at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association State
Championships last Saturday in Fort Worth. Two hundred and sixty four
lifters representing two divisions competed for honors at the meet. Division
1 includes 5A and 4A schools while Division 2 includes 3A, 2A, and 1A
schools. Hernandez, a senior, finished in first place in the Division 2
Super Heavyweight class. Frank is the first Whirlwind Powerlifter to win an
individual State Championship.
Hernandez set a personal record with a squat of 720 pounds and tied a
personal best with a bench press of 395 pounds on his way to winning his
weight class. According to Coach Kennedy, "Frank set this as a goal after
the state meet last year, then he worked to attain just that. Frank set the
standard for future lifters in Floydada by winning the gold medal. His work
ethic, dedication and determination is an example that all can follow".
"I can't express the excitement that was generated by watching Frank develop
as a lifter. I will always remember Frank as a freshman and the way I had to
motivate him to reach the potential that I knew was in him. This year was
especially fun because Frank reached new totals with each meet. The 700
pound squat at our meet, the regional records in each lift and the gold
medal at state are just examples of great effort by Frank", stated Kennedy.
Coach Kennedy commented, "He will always be the standard for our
powerlifting program and his accomplishments will motivate others to "Dream
Big". But the most important thing about the four years with Frank is the
relationship that we have developed. All I can say is "thanks for the Ride,
Big Man."
He is the son of Elda Hernandez.
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OBITUARIES
JAMES C. AUSTIN
Funeral services for James C. Austin, 77, of Plainview was held at 2:00
p.m. Thursday, March 21, 2002 at the College Heights Baptist Church in
Plainview. Reverend Don Robertson, pastor of College Heights Baptist Church,
officiated.
Burial was in the Lockney Cemetery under the direction of Lemons Funeral
Home of Plainview.
Austin died Tuesday, March 19, 2002 in the Prairie House Living Center.
He was born on June 11, 1924 in Collingsworth County. He married Melba
Ragland on August 5, 1949 in Hereford.
He has lived in Lockney, Spur and Dimmitt. He moved to Plainview in 1968. He
worked for the Hale County Sheriffs Department for 18 years. He also worked
in Lockney as a Deputy Sheriff and served as Municipal Court Judge in
Lockney.
Survivors include his wife, Melba Austin; three daughters and sons-in-law,
Cliffe and Doug Bryan of Bloomfield, New Mexico, Vickie Stewart of Plainview
and Debbie and Mike Belk of Plainview; one son and daughter-in-law, Ronnie
and Elaine Austin of Kress; two brothers, T.D. Austin of Amarillo and Jerry
Austin of Childress; one sister, Modene Horton of Wellington; nine
grandchildren; one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or College Heights
Baptist Church Building Fund.
CECILIA BAZALDUA
Memorial services for Cecilia Bazaldua, infant daughter of Jose and
Martha Bazaldua of Dougherty were at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church with Father Phillip deFreitas,
officiating.
Cecilia Bazaldua was still-born on Thursday, March 21, 2002 at Covenant
Medical Center in Lubbock.
Survivors include her parents; paternal grandparents, Emileo and Guadalupe
Bazaldua of Weslaco; maternal grandparents, Alfonzo and Celia Hernandez of
Mexico and one brother, Luis Bazaldua of Dougherty.
VICTORIA MARTINEZ
Rosary for Victoria Martinez, 65 of Lockney was held at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at the San Jose Catholic Church of Lockney.
Services were held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2002 at the San Jose
Catholic Church of Lockney. Father Jim McCartney officiated.
Burial was in the Lockney Cemetery under the direction of Moore-Rose-White
Funeral Home of Lockney.
Mrs. Martinez died in Lockney on Tuesday, March 19, 2002.
She was born on November 17, 1936 in Honda to Ascension and Vickie Rendon.
She moved to Lockney in 1955. She then married Oscar Martinez on December
30, 1957. She was employed with the Lockney Independent School District for
22 years. She was also a member of the San Jose Catholic Church of Lockney.
One daughter, Debra Martinez, preceded her in death in 1978.
Survivors include her husband, Oscar; one son, Oscar Martinez, Jr. of
Plainview; three daughters, Zulema Gonzales, Bertha Hooten and Gloria Luna,
all of Lockney; 17 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren; her mother, Vickie;
three brothers, Tomas Rendon, Manuel Rendon and Ascension Rendon, Jr., all
of Lockney and four sisters, Ortencia Luna of Plainview, Pauline Vasquez,
Eloisa Rendon and Maria Perales, all of Lockney. |
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A
VIEW FROM THE LAMPLIGHTER
Now the Vice
President is back from the Middle East, where he went in search of peace and
tranquility. We can only offer a prayer of hope that, this time, progress
was made, or will be made.
Readers of the Lamplighter may well complain that we have written of the
Mideast all too often in these columns.
The Mideast is a long way off. They (the Jews and Arabs) buy little cotton
from our farmers. They buy little beef or pork from our farmers. So why
bother? Indeed, some have attributed evil motives on our part as being the
reason we have commented so often on problems in the region. Some seem to
think our attention to the region is the result of "hatred" for Jews and
Israel. (We published one such letter, from a reader in Lubbock, in last
week's paper.)
Well, we don't hate Jews, and we don't "hate" Israel. Even if we wanted to
work up sort of "hatred" for the Jews, we wouldn't know what kind of Jew to
hate. Would it be a "Reform" Jew, a "Conservative" Jew, or an "Orthodox"
Jew. There is a difference, as anyone who reads the Jewish press soon finds
out.
No, we have written of the Mid East so much simply because we regard that
region as a cauldron that could well involve the whole civilized world. The
result could well end up costing many American lives in conflicts we have no
business being party to, all because economic interests are involved. The
economic interests of huge international corporations are at stake. The
eventual location of oil pipelines out of the former Soviet Union is of
tremendous interest to politically powerful interests. Whether the pipelines
go down through Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean, or through Turkey and on to
the Mediterranean is of extreme interest to many business interests.
The American taxpayer has already funneled billions upon billions into the
region, all the way from aid to India, to Pakistan, to Turkey, to the war
against Iraq, the war against "terrorism" in Afghanistan, to $130 Billion
for the state of Israel with no end is in sight. But all those $Billions
aside, for many years we have spoken, or rather, we have written, about the
potential for bloodshed throughout that region if someone, any one, did not
exert some effort from without the region to curtail the passions that are
inherent within the region. Now we see what happens when the Jews and Arabs
are left to fight it out on their own. American made, American financed
tanks, airplanes, bulldozers, artillery on one side and suicide bombers on
the other.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, decided months ago, and publicly
stated, that he would reduce the Palestinians to the bended knee, until they
came begging for mercy, and that he, like some King from the Old Testament,
would then decide what should be done with them. Sharon looks upon the
Palestinians as "vermin", and has no compunction about eradicating them. It
may be remembered, by some, that Sharon was in charge of the Israeli
military establishment when it went north to Beirut, against American wishes
and advice, and in the process slaughtered over 600 helpless Palestinian
women and children in a refugee camp along the way. And the Israelis have
elected that man to lead their government.
So we are happy our President has finally bestirred himself to concern
about peace in that region. Perhaps, just perhaps, he will look to the
interests of the United States in helping fashion some sort of peace in our
lifetime. If he does so, he will not only help the Jews and Arabs, he will
help America as well. That is our primary concern.
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BY
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