Here come the 70's
Boy Meets Girl - 1973
Just like a movie, this all begins with this picture of Bill and Bettye's beautiful wedding. As the movie unfolds, we flashback to reveal the plot and build the background. (Cut to Scene one)
Scene one - Bettye (the Bride) and Demetra (Bridesmaid, 2nd from the left) are roommates at TCU.
Scene two - Bill (the Groom) and Bob (Best Man) are in the same class and friends in Army Infantry OCS.
Scene three - Bill, Bob and Ron (Groomsman, 2nd from the right) are stationed together at Ft Hood, TX and living the good life in the BOQ.(Stick with me we are getting closer)
Scene four - Demetra introduces Bettye to Bill.
Scene five - Bob and Demetra get married.
Scene six - (Now we are almost back to the wedding.) Bill asks Ron to be his sister Patty's (Bridesmaid, 3rd from the left) escort at the wedding. (Bring up the music)
Scene seven - (Now we are back to the present and here comes the big finale.) Bill and Bettye get married. The wedding is gorgeous and joyful. Patty catches a highly contested bouquet, Ron is hit between the eyes with the garter and the rest ... well it's in this album.
Acapulco - 1974
The honeymoon in beautiful Acapulco de Juárez Mexico. We stayed at the Las Bresis which was located in the mountains overlooking the spectacular vista of Acapulco bay. Our casita had a private pool and a spectacular view of Acapulco.
Abilene - 1977
A reunion of the Fort Hood group at Bob & Demetra Pender's beautiful Abilene, TX home. No trip to Abilene would be complete without a resupply run to Buffalo Gap for much needed supplies.
Moving on to the 80's
Alaska - 1981
My introduction to Alaska was made by accompanying Hubert Lasiter to fish for Coho Salmon. He was a gentleman and a man's man in every sense of the word. He was in the class of the last real cowboys and a learned man who never finished grammer school. Extremely successful and just as humble, He was a man to admire and a special honor to know. Several movies could be made about
his life and the stories he told.
Ron's 40th - 1986
What a bash!! This event was made special by the people who came to help me celebrate. Bob & Demetra Pender, Bill & Bettye Hussey, Bob & Gaye Williams and Ron & Belinda Byer. I am truly grateful for these photos because at the time things were a wee bit fuzzy.
Toot Group
Gaye and Patty founded the Toot group in 1984 as a monthly social gathering. Comprised mostly of friends who worked together at Texas Instruments, each member was responsible to organize one IN'ee (at their house) and OUT'ee (at some place that hadn't ban us) on a rotating basis. SubstiTOOTS were acceptable and ImpostiTOOTS were tolirated.
Here we are at the 90's
Hawaii - 1990
Never ones to let a good opportunity go by, we returned to Hawaii in May of 1990 with our good friends Bob and Gaye Williams to visit Bill and Bettye.
Far East - 1991
This trip started as a visit to Bill and Bettye in Korea where they were stationed. The four of us continued on to Thailand, Hong Kong and China.
Hawaii - Christmas 1993
Escaping the cold of New York with Brian and Kevin to visit the Hussey's on Oahu because they are back in Hawaii.
Virgin Islands - July 1994
Guess who didn't get to go on this trip. Business kept me away and it sure looks like it was fun.
Hawaii - Christmas 1994
The Hussey's, Bill, Bettye, John and Alizabeth, were still stationed on Oahu. Patty, Patty's mom, Brian, Kevin and I flew over. We rented a house on the island of Hawaii that came with the boat that you see pictured here. The result was an epic good time that ranks as probably the best trip ever. The stories from this trip have been told and retold many times.
Ron's 50th - 1996
New Orleans was the scene of another wild birthday bash. Joining Patty and I were Bob and Demetra Pender, Jack and Cheri Musser, Bob and Gaye Williams, Bill and Bettye Hussey. Stan Stanfield, Mark and Debbie Palmer
Into each life some rain must fall
Near the end of the decade, We lost Patty's mom, Ruth, in May 1997 and her brother Bill suddenly in July 1998. Uncle Roy followed in 2000.
Caribbean Cruise - Christmas 1998
Reservations for this trip were made before Bill's death. Uncle Roy joined us and was a real treat as we remembered and celebrated Bill's life in a manner that Bill would have liked.
The Bahamas - 1999
After Bill's untimely death, I took a year off. This was a very nice trip early in the year.
Our western swing - 1999
Arizona was a wonderful change of scenery. Highlights included Sedona, the Grand Canyon and the Monument Valley
Key West - 1999
Our first and last family RV excursion. All because of one little incident, with the emphasis on "dent".
Announcing the double 00's
UK and Ireland - 2005
I was working in London and had an apartment in South Kensington while Patty and the kids stayed in Atlanta. This provided a great opportunity for travel. This section of the album contains photos from
Alaska - 2008
This was the trip of a lifetime and ranks as the most beautifully scenic of all our trips. Alaska is so big and overwhelmingly gorgeously that it is hard to fully comprehend in the moment. We made this trip with our great friends John and Maureen Capobianco who made it special and fun. Who knew the word "Armageddon" could cause convulsions from laughing so hard. John was the trips official photographer and is the creator of the amazing photographs you will see here.
Breezing on into the 10's
Gatlinburg - 2018
A great reunion of the Dallas Toot group. A wonderful setting and the group came back together like we had just seen each other last week.
The Trail of Houses we have owned
- Springhill Drive - Pensacola, FL
- Bell Lane - Allen,TX
- Los Robles - Plano, TX
- Sandy Trail - Plano, TX
- Eagle Creek Circle - Lake Mary, FL
- Quintin Court - Port Jefferson, NY
- Cobblers Lane - Armonk, NY
- Watersedge Court - Safety Harbor, FL
- Featherstone Drive - Alpharetta, GA
- Herons Nest - Savannah, GA
Blarney Castle County Cork, Ireland
Ron and Patty
Photos of our life, family, friends and travels