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Biographical updates on people attending the reunion:
From Mollie Leenhouts: Much has happened since our days at Centenary. I took my degree at the University of Tulsa in Art History and lived abroad (Algeria and France) befor finally coming to Spain in 1980. A Spanish man appared in my life six months after my arrival and we have been together since that time. We have a house outside Madrid with a back porch and garden. No, there are no children, nor pets, but there is a lovely elm and a beautiful quince tree which blooms in late April. As for my professional life, my work involves teaching English to children, teenagers and adults. This involves private tutoring on a one-to-one basis at the students' homes where each class is organized depending on the needs of the student. When not teaching or preparing classes I am a collage artist and have been fortunate to have had several important shows in the city centre as well as several national publications about my work. To round things off, I go to the municipal pool three times a week where I struggle with freestyle, but get great cardiovascular exercise in the bargain.
From Mollie, about Nicasio: Nicasio is a name of Greek origen, but it's his name because his grandfather was also called Nicasio. Actually, his family and friends call him Nika, which seems easier, especially for non-Spanish speakers. He is from La Mancha, a town by the name of La Villa de Don Fadrique. It was founded in 1343 which takes us back to the Middle Ages, but the history of his town can be saved for another time. He works for the Spanish Airlines, Iberia, in the area of quality control for services. This allows him to travel now and then, mostly to Central and South America. When not working, he is involved in an amateur theatre group and, at the moment, they are performing a comedy by a 20th century Spanish playwright named Mihuera.
From Michael Marcell:
Mike Marcell, Federal Correctional Institution, Edgefield, South Carolina (a medium security facility for male offenders) was recently promoted to trustee and elected Cell Block 3C Representative to the Prison Library Committee. Before his incarceration, he served as chief financial analyst for a former major Wall Street firm, where his creative auditing techniques first brought him national attention. Beloved author of the best-selling coffee table book, "Dead Dogs and Dashboards," Mike's personal life has seen a host of setbacks � 3 failed marriages, bankruptcy, unsubstantiated claims of bicycle theft and plagiarism. Nevertheless, there have been successes. Daughter Queenie has completed her first year of rehab, and the twins � Dirk and Cletus � finally finished high school. Dirk recently moved to South Korea where he hopes to break into the adult film industry, and Cletus wants to be either an astronaut or an obstetrician. Old friends will be happy to know that Mike's seizures following last year's hippocampal surgery have abated, and that he hopes to make parole in December. Mike looks forward to taking his pet lemurs and otters in his popup camper for long visits with each of his Centenary friends upon his release.
From James Edmunds:
James Edmunds was in the newspaper business for a while, we know that because there are old copies of what he wrote. But these days nobody is quite sure just what it is he does with his time. Something to do with the internet, although not, very sad to say from at least the financial perspective, anything to do with porn. He is mostly known around New Iberia as "Mr. Susan," in reference to the fact that he is married to Susan Hester Edmunds, whose wide-ranging public programming activities have helped make the Iberia Parish Library a cultural hub of the region.
From Steve Leenhouts:
Steve left Centenary in a drug-induced state of non-ordinary reality, attempted a degree in film and television production at U of Iowa that eventually turned into a BA Religion at U of Illinois (go figure), was fatefully bade farewell at the Lafayette city limits by Paul with the prophetic words, "Young man off to see the world", joined a religious cult with science fiction-like humanitarian dreams, and ended up living and working in seven foreign countries, married/two kids/divorced, rescued by the gracious Filipina, Hermie, then adopted by Australian 'sheep shearers turned road builders' on a variety of 'let us buy some international cooperation' projects sponsored by the Funder from Down Under leading to living and working in six more foreign countries, two more kids raised and sent off to stumble into reality, and lately finally �found� by a Mission Tour fairy scouting the Internet. In a disarrayed haze of memory confluence, Steve now longs for his peaceful life back in New Iberia: sleepy guitar-graced days at 515 Loreauville Road, floating down Bayou Teche on a pierug peerog peirig peirough pirogge peirrug peeroad pieroog pirouge pirogue!
From Sheila Johnson:
I was born a poor black child then I attend Centenary for 4 years. I am no longer black but for 4 years I was a Methodist. I graduated from Centenary and moved to the Pacific Northwest. I was shanghaied from a dock side restaurant on the tide flats of Tacoma. To make a short story shorter I got married and had two children. I am still married and still have 2 children who are now adults. For entertainment and money, I teach first grade. Post Centenary education consist of 2 years at Pacific Lutheran University where I some how was granted teaching credentials as a Lutheran and a Masters in Curriculum and Instructions as a Catholic from Gonzaga University (go ZAGS!). After perusing the other biographies, other than Mollie's which was stellar I might add, it has taken a long time to come up with a satisfying blend of fantasy and or fiction. In conclusion, I miss the South, my southern friends, and the nonsense peculiar to Centenary. NOT, I am really only coming to see Mollie as you might have heard, I am not a member of the infamous NY7.
Sheila's own Editor's note: Due to the full moon, Advent of Christmas, and Homeland Security the following corrections need to be made. It was Steve Martin in the movie, The Jerk who was born black. I sometimes get us confused. I met my husband in that restaurant. Administration rather than Instruction for my post graduate education. Our district lawyer just last week reminded me of that, something to do with No Child Left Behind. James your bio was right up there with Mollie's; I should not assume the others were anything but the truth. And I miss the south so much I go back every 2 years!
Biographical updates on people attending the reunion:
From Mollie Leenhouts: Much has happened since our days at Centenary. I took my degree at the University of Tulsa in Art History and lived abroad (Algeria and France) befor finally coming to Spain in 1980. A Spanish man appared in my life six months after my arrival and we have been together since that time. We have a house outside Madrid with a back porch and garden. No, there are no children, nor pets, but there is a lovely elm and a beautiful quince tree which blooms in late April. As for my professional life, my work involves teaching English to children, teenagers and adults. This involves private tutoring on a one-to-one basis at the students' homes where each class is organized depending on the needs of the student. When not teaching or preparing classes I am a collage artist and have been fortunate to have had several important shows in the city centre as well as several national publications about my work. To round things off, I go to the municipal pool three times a week where I struggle with freestyle, but get great cardiovascular exercise in the bargain.
From Mollie, about Nicasio: Nicasio is a name of Greek origen, but it's his name because his grandfather was also called Nicasio. Actually, his family and friends call him Nika, which seems easier, especially for non-Spanish speakers. He is from La Mancha, a town by the name of La Villa de Don Fadrique. It was founded in 1343 which takes us back to the Middle Ages, but the history of his town can be saved for another time. He works for the Spanish Airlines, Iberia, in the area of quality control for services. This allows him to travel now and then, mostly to Central and South America. When not working, he is involved in an amateur theatre group and, at the moment, they are performing a comedy by a 20th century Spanish playwright named Mihuera.
From Michael Marcell:
Mike Marcell, Federal Correctional Institution, Edgefield, South Carolina (a medium security facility for male offenders) was recently promoted to trustee and elected Cell Block 3C Representative to the Prison Library Committee. Before his incarceration, he served as chief financial analyst for a former major Wall Street firm, where his creative auditing techniques first brought him national attention. Beloved author of the best-selling coffee table book, "Dead Dogs and Dashboards," Mike's personal life has seen a host of setbacks � 3 failed marriages, bankruptcy, unsubstantiated claims of bicycle theft and plagiarism. Nevertheless, there have been successes. Daughter Queenie has completed her first year of rehab, and the twins � Dirk and Cletus � finally finished high school. Dirk recently moved to South Korea where he hopes to break into the adult film industry, and Cletus wants to be either an astronaut or an obstetrician. Old friends will be happy to know that Mike's seizures following last year's hippocampal surgery have abated, and that he hopes to make parole in December. Mike looks forward to taking his pet lemurs and otters in his popup camper for long visits with each of his Centenary friends upon his release.
From James Edmunds:
James Edmunds was in the newspaper business for a while, we know that because there are old copies of what he wrote. But these days nobody is quite sure just what it is he does with his time. Something to do with the internet, although not, very sad to say from at least the financial perspective, anything to do with porn. He is mostly known around New Iberia as "Mr. Susan," in reference to the fact that he is married to Susan Hester Edmunds, whose wide-ranging public programming activities have helped make the Iberia Parish Library a cultural hub of the region.
From Steve Leenhouts:
Steve left Centenary in a drug-induced state of non-ordinary reality, attempted a degree in film and television production at U of Iowa that eventually turned into a BA Religion at U of Illinois (go figure), was fatefully bade farewell at the Lafayette city limits by Paul with the prophetic words, "Young man off to see the world", joined a religious cult with science fiction-like humanitarian dreams, and ended up living and working in seven foreign countries, married/two kids/divorced, rescued by the gracious Filipina, Hermie, then adopted by Australian 'sheep shearers turned road builders' on a variety of 'let us buy some international cooperation' projects sponsored by the Funder from Down Under leading to living and working in six more foreign countries, two more kids raised and sent off to stumble into reality, and lately finally �found� by a Mission Tour fairy scouting the Internet. In a disarrayed haze of memory confluence, Steve now longs for his peaceful life back in New Iberia: sleepy guitar-graced days at 515 Loreauville Road, floating down Bayou Teche on a pierug peerog peirig peirough pirogge peirrug peeroad pieroog pirouge pirogue!
From Sheila Johnson:
I was born a poor black child then I attend Centenary for 4 years. I am no longer black but for 4 years I was a Methodist. I graduated from Centenary and moved to the Pacific Northwest. I was shanghaied from a dock side restaurant on the tide flats of Tacoma. To make a short story shorter I got married and had two children. I am still married and still have 2 children who are now adults. For entertainment and money, I teach first grade. Post Centenary education consist of 2 years at Pacific Lutheran University where I some how was granted teaching credentials as a Lutheran and a Masters in Curriculum and Instructions as a Catholic from Gonzaga University (go ZAGS!). After perusing the other biographies, other than Mollie's which was stellar I might add, it has taken a long time to come up with a satisfying blend of fantasy and or fiction. In conclusion, I miss the South, my southern friends, and the nonsense peculiar to Centenary. NOT, I am really only coming to see Mollie as you might have heard, I am not a member of the infamous NY7.
Sheila's own Editor's note: Due to the full moon, Advent of Christmas, and Homeland Security the following corrections need to be made. It was Steve Martin in the movie, The Jerk who was born black. I sometimes get us confused. I met my husband in that restaurant. Administration rather than Instruction for my post graduate education. Our district lawyer just last week reminded me of that, something to do with No Child Left Behind. James your bio was right up there with Mollie's; I should not assume the others were anything but the truth. And I miss the south so much I go back every 2 years!