Thorndale Ex Student News
What a wonderful rainy week we have had. I poured 3 1/2 inches from my rain gauge earlier in the week, and today, Saturday, April 4, my Jeff poured out another 1 3/4 inches. It may have rained just a bit more after that. We sure needed it and can use even more.
I hope you had a blessed Easter Sunday and that the kiddos found lots of Easter eggs, even if they were a little wet. Mine was great as I went up on the Hill and watched the kids (I think the youngest is 12 or 13) hunt money- filled eggs. Quite profitable for them. I got to spend some quality time with my wonderful family, and that was the best.
Our condolences go out to the family of Lou Ann Shavers Towery, Class of 1954, who passed away March 27, 2026. We know she will be missed by many loved ones. It breaks my heart to lose another one of my classmates. Rest in peace, dear Lou Ann. Among her family, exes who have passed include her late husband, Jackie Bohn Towery, Class of 1953; her late sister, Doris Grubbs Campbell, Class of 1941; and her late brother, Bert Shavers, Class of 1948. She has a daughter and three sons who survive and are all exes. She also has a brother, Billy Wayne Shavers, Class of 1952. She leaves behind 11 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. A wonderful, sweet lady who helped so many and leaves all these to remember and honor her.
I finally got some results from a question in last week’s paper. Our wonderful webmaster at Thorndale schools, Lindsay Franklin, reached out to the yearbook sponsor to see if they could at least get the years of the Homecoming Kings and Queens in the 2000s that were listed as missing. She was so nice to make a list and email them to me. I’ll incorporate them with what I have and add them later to my newsletters. Many, many thanks to Lindsay for going out of her way to help. What a thrill it is to have that much more to add to our history.
Our condolences go out to the family of Neva Caffey, who passed away Jan. 28, 2026. Such a lovely lady, as the obituary had a picture with it. She was the wife of the late Charles Caffey, Class of 1963. We know she will be lovingly missed by many family members and friends. A service was held at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale, with graveside services at Salty Cemetery.
There was a lovely color picture in the paper of 11 members of the Town and Country Club, along with 19 beautiful blankets they made to donate to CPS, which is so nice. The picture included Darleen Tucker (wife of Durwood Tucker, Class of 1963); Barbara McWhirter; Pat Holder Simank, Class of 1963; Patsy Davidson; Paula Johnson; Anita Ogea; Rosemary Lawrence; Pat Walters; Linda O’Brien; Sandi Nordhausen; and Susan Adkins. Not pictured but contributing blankets were Jean Hejl (wife of Allen Hejl, Class of 1968); Shannon Tucker Senteno, Class of 1983; Peggy Weise; and Patsy Hengst Palm, Class of 1971.
These ladies are so nice to donate all the wonderful homemade cookies, along with many of our exes, that we serve at Homecoming, and we thank them so much. They are a real service club, as they do so many other things for the community, too.
I saw this article in the Taylor paper this week and cut it out. I am so floored that I didn’t know anything about it and no one called to tell me. There was a picture of Anita Anders, Class of 1990, speaking of her daughter, Jensen Anders, Class of 2013, who died of illicit fentanyl about March 15, 2025. The Williamson County sheriff called a press conference to highlight the case. The man, 33, was arrested March 19, 2025, charged with murder, now a first-degree felony. If convicted, he will serve from five to 99 years behind bars. Jensen’s body was found at a residence in Thrall. She was only 30 years old and had a small son. Law enforcement spent the past year making sure their case was solid. There was a beautiful picture of her in the paper as she competed in several beauty pageants.
Our belated condolences go out to the family of Jensen Anders, Class of 2013, who passed away about March 15, 2025. We know she will be missed by many loved ones, including her young son. So sorry this is so late. Our hearts are broken. Way too young.
Now for a little athletics: Thorndale Bulldog Cooper Gray took first place individually in golf in last week’s Brenham tournament with a score of 78. The team finished in second place overall.
Case McDaniel was named to the TABC 2A All-State basketball team. I guess we will get more information on this as time passes.
Thorndale Lady Dog powerlifter Jordyn Stutts, Class of 2026, became a three-time state champion last week at the Edinburg Class 2A State Meet. She set three new state records and hit four new personal records. She brought home plaques for best squat, best bench and best lifter on the lightweight platform. Three Lady Dogs were named to the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association Elite Academic All-State Powerlifting Team. They are Jordyn Stutts, Riley Shock and Addyson Bland, all seniors, Class of 2026.
The Thorndale Bulldog baseball team is doing well. The basketball teams keep receiving honors even though their season ended some time ago.
We can be found on the web at www.thorndale.txed. net, or you can email locojo@ austin.rr.com. You can call 512-898-2072, and if I don’t answer, leave your school name and phone number and I will return your call as soon as I can. You can always write to Thorndale Ex-Students Assn., P.O. Box 393, Thorndale, TX 76577. We love to hear from our exes.