The Front Page
The Risk is Real - Serving our Country
Remembering those that have served and those that are serving our country.
17 June 2005 DoD Press Release
U.S. Army Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester stands at attention before receiving the Silver Star during an awards ceremony at Camp Liberty, Iraq, on June 16, 2005. Hester is assigned as a vehicle commander with the 617th Military Police Company of the Kentucky National Guard and is the first female soldier to receive the Silver Star since World War II. DoD photo by Spc. Jeremy D. Crisp, U.S. Army.
You know sometimes it doesn't hit you until it is personal.
I look at the names on the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count every day to make sure no one I know from Santa Anna or from anywhere else is listed. I don't always look at the Department of Defense link which shows their hometown but I did last Tuesday after hearing the obituary on KOXE of a Brownwood Marine. Up until now, the nearest loss was in Mason. The DOD had this official news release:
The Department of Defense announced last week the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Mario A. Castillo, 20, of Brownwood, Texas
Lance Cpl. Andrew J. Kilpela, 22, of Fowerville, Mich.
Both Marines died June 10 as a result of an explosion while conducting combat operations in Saqlawiyah, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The Abilene Reporter News had this nice write-up and this article about his return to Brownwood .
Please remember the Castillo family in your prayers as they mourn their loss.
Please remember these Santa Anna folks that are serving our country in military combat, training, or support: Maricela (Marty) Siller, Clay Stewardson, Eddie Dawson, Ike Garza, James Watson, Austin Voss, Randy Casey, Mike Montgomery II, Mark Rutherford, Allen Tucker, James Culpepper, Shane Watson, Brandon Beloat, Glen Donham, and Jeffrey Watson.
1728 American soldiers or sailors have died in Operation Enduring Freedom as reported by the Department of Defense and the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count. Pray for our country, its' leaders, and our soldiers and sailors.Please remember the many serving as volunteers for various groups and those that may be working for the media or one of the many Department of Defense contractors that have employees in support roles in Iraq including Santa Anna's Jason Dane. These folks are serving an important part in the rebuilding of Iraq and the danger is just as great if not more for them as it is for soldiers.
The Iraq Coalition Casualty Count has also tracked the deaths of 88 American contractors working in Iraq so the risk is real.
Many service men and women return home safely. Operation Tribute to Freedom Homecoming Photographs.
We must never forget the sacrifices of men and women serving our country from all generations. Tex Wright recently sent me this information:
The Coleman County Historical Commission has started work on a new project.
Since this year is the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, we (Texas Historical Commission statewide) have started a project to honor the ones who served.
We (I) have set up a Web Page to keep people posted on what is being done and to ask for their help in remembering those Men and Women.
The Web Page is:Coleman County Historical Comm.
WW2 Commemorative Activities
Culpepper Reunion
Submitted by Connie Culpepper Massey
The annual Culpepper Family Reunion will be held on Sunday, July 10, 2005 at the Coleman City Park. Lunch at noon, bring a dish if you are family. Come early for coffee and visiting. We welcome friends that grew up with us in Santa Anna, or friends of Lacy and Jean's. This is held annually the second Sunday of July and when most of us are together to visit family and friends. Our brother James, will be coming through Texas the third week of July as he is being transferred from Maryland to California by the Navy. It has been about 8 years since James has been home. Hope you will come by to visit.
Santa Anna Garage Sales
I have noticed a lot of garage sales going on around town the last few weekends. Of course it is prime time for garage sales. Mu daughter Jennifer has become a garage sale maniac! She goes crazy when we pass one up.
So why not list your garage sale on the SantaAnnaNews.com Classifieds?
Here is one sent in by Amanda Ellerbe:
5 Family Garage Sale Saturday June 25th from 8am-?
309 Wallis
Santa Anna
Misc. items, fishing equipment, books, videos, sheets, quilt tops, dishes, kitchen items and lots of other good items.
San Antonio Spurs - NBA Champs!
Well it still isn't really Santa Anna news!
The San Antonio Spurs won a pretty close game seven to win the NBA Championship over the Detroit Pistons Thursday night in San Antonio.
Spurs center Tim Duncan was named the MVP.
I sure would have liked to have been on the River Walk drinking Coronas, margaritas, and celebrating.
What I really like about the Spurs is their teamwork and great sportsmanship.
Summer League Basketball
The Santa Anna Orange and Pink teams were to play in Priddy Tuesday night. The Pink team was to have played at five but none of them made it to the game for some reason. The Orange team played the White team from Priddy and lost by a pretty good bit.
Jessica lays one up under heavy defense. I think she has been watching too much Manu Ginobili!
See the Sports Page for more Summer League game photos.
Spurs drop game six in the NBA Finals
Well it still isn't really Santa Anna news!
The San Antonio Spurs dropped a close game six to the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night in San Antonio. It was the first time since 1997 that the Spurs lost at home to the Pistons and only the fourth home game lost this year for the Spurs. Game Seven will also be in San Antonio and is sure to be a great game on Thursday night.
.Happy Fathers' Day to all of you Fathers!
I hope that all of you Fathers had a happy Fathers' Day. I hope that you got to see your children too. For those of you that didn't get to see or speak to your Father for whatever reason I hope that you got to at least remember him.
I read about Corporal Castillo's family and wondered how his father must have felt on Father's Day and how hard it must have been for him. Cindy has a friend that works at Brownwood High School where Mr. Castillo is a custodian so I am sure that he has a lot of friends. He must be very proud of his son but I would imagine that he is also angry. But then who am I to even begin to imagine how he felt. I know that it is all I can do not to cry myself as I write this and I don't even know Mr. Castillo or his son.
I have been very lucky as far as fathers are concerned. I have had two great ones since I was about five. Since I got married I have had two great fathers-in-law too.
Since my parents divorced when I was young I don't really remember my Dad living at our home too much. But I do remember that he lived on a small three acre place that we called "Crooked Creek" near Lucas which is near Plano. Back then places like Lucas, Plano, Mesquite, and Rowlett were way out in the country and today they are just part of the big ole city as Alan Jackson would say. My Dad and I would go riding around the country roads in his Chevy Suburban or pickup truck which was one of my favorite things to do.
My step Dad was really cool too. He drove a truck for a living and he would take me with him in the Summer sometimes. I got to eat my favorite, grill cheese sandwiches, in every truck stop in ten states before I was ten years old!
Both of them were in the military too, which I am very proud of. My Dad was a Seabee stationed in post Korean War Japan and my step Dad was a radio man in the Air Force stationed in Germany.
My fathers-in-law are great too with one of them working overseas in the oil field and the other retiring from TU Electric.
I guess that I am a father too, and that is the most important thing that I have ever been. I am very proud of my children and I hope that I have set a good example for them.
You might be from Santa Anna if..
You might be from Santa Anna if.. your idea of nice smelling man or woman wears Deep Woods Off for after shave or perfume!
We have been repainting our house the last couple of days and with the rains of a few weeks ago the mosquitos have been pretty bad. The various Off mosquito repellant fragrances just don't seem to keep them off like they used to but they sure smell better!
Whatever Happened to..? Part II
Whatever happened to the Class of 1980? Sure the photo is not a very good scan, and some of you are like me and can't remember that far back..
Whatever Happened to..? Part III
The class of 1980 was a couple of years older than I was but I knew most of them. In the photo above I will try to identify them.. L-R Standing: D'Aun Arp, Carl Squyres, Suzette Cozart Wristen, Curtis Fellers, Janice Cupps Fellers,Alice DeLeon Buzzard, Robert Barton, Mary Bible, Leslie Wilson, and Belinda Phillips. L-R Sitting: Jerry Don Culpepper, Tracy Benge Sewell, Raul Salazar, Wayne Kuykendall, Danetta Jackson, Dalia DeLeon Wetsel, Shari Buse Craig, Nelly Siller, Rhonda Brown, John Frausto, Sherry Curry, and Gary Morris.
Several still live here in Santa Anna.. my neighbors Curtis and Janice Fellers who work for Coleman County Telephone Coop, Dalia Deleon Wetsel who I think is working at the school, John Frausto and Gary Morris who were working for a manufacturing company in Coleman, Wayne Kuykendall who works at Kohler in Brownwood, Judd Stewardson works for Johnson Implement - John Deere in Coleman.
Several live in Coleman.. Robert Barton working in oilfield construction I think, Shari Buse Craig I believe is working at the Coleman Library, Alice DeLeon Buzzard just moved to Coleman with her husband Rusty who is the new Athletic Director at CHS, and Carl Squyres was also a police officer in Coleman for a while.
I knew that one of this bunch would finally give up some more info as I know a couple of them read SantaAnnaNews.com. Most of these folks haven't got too far away from Santa Anna and I have seen quite a few of them over the past 25 years. My neighbor Janice Fellers sent me these photos and a little more information about some of the members:
The majority of The Class of 1980 still lives here or within 30 miles. Sherry Curry lives in New Mexico so she is probably the one that lives the farthest, but Suzette Cozart Wristen lives in Flower Mound which might be just as far the other direction but still in the State.
I am not sure where DeAnn Arp lives. We lost Tracy Benge in 1984. We have had a reunion every 5 years, which many of the later classes (if you can call us that) don’t do that. I think we took pictures in 1990 and 1995 but I not sure where they are, maybe some other classmates might have some.
Class of 1980 at their 1985 Reunion
Class of 1980 at their 2000 Reunion at Football Game
Class of 1980 at their 2000 Reunion Luncheon
We have been busy with life and kids. I think a lot of our kids are grown and we are entering stage three of our lives. Some of us have Grandkids, but I know I am still too young for that!
Thanks for sharing this with SantaAnnaNews.com Janice!
Spurs win game five in the NBA Finals
Well it still isn't really Santa Anna news!
The San Antonio Spurs won a very exciting game five in overtime over the Detroit Pistons Sunday night in Michigan. They will travel back home for games six on Tuesday and seven if necessary in San Antonio.
Robert Horry was the hero of the game nailing a three point shot to give the Spurs the lead with 5.8 seconds left in the overtime.
One of my other favorite sports, Nextel Cup Nascar racing, was in Michigan Sunday as the Michigan International Speedway hosted the Batman Begins 400. I saw the start but didn't get to see the finish of the race as Greg Biffle won it in the Roush Racing Charter - National Guard Ford
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