Bill Hickman

Jim Sandefer

Has anyone seen or heard from Roger Freeman?

The last contact I had with him was when he was living and working in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, but that's been at least 10 years ago.

Thanks,

Jim S--

Nancy Layman (Davis)

How about Linda Bishop Varner, she was living in Lexington, OK?  She is not on the list of classmates.

Bob (Bobby) Bernier

Has anyone heard from Jim Gaines?  (James Robert Gaines) Born June, 1948.  Played coronet in band, (Central Jr. High).  Brother Jack, (two years younger) and two younger sisters.  Moved to OKC.  Joined USN, (Hospital Corpsman), in (1965/1966?).  Didn't finish High School, got GED in military.  Served in Vietnam.....was injured and sent to Corpus Christi Texas.  Possibly Key West Fla.  Lost track after that.............have been searching since 1970.  

Cliff Kirkpatrick

Jim,

According to the list of those attending the reunion Roger Freeman and his wife are going to be attending.

Rich Eubanks

Sad news about James Garner.  But we all know his real name, don't we?

I remember Bret Maverick coming to Jackson Grade School and talking to all of us out on the front patio area.  Little did I know that I'd be meeting the cousin he was staying with a few years later in Junior High!

Good guy and I'm proud to say he was from Norman!

David Walters

During the 9th grade at Central, I used to walk Linda Bumgarner (John's daughter/Principal at West), home after school.  I met her Uncle a couple of times, and as instructed by Linda and her older sister (can't remember her name), never made a big deal about it, but I was in awe and really star struck.  He was one hell of a nice guy.

Francie Reeves (Herring)

He didn't discriminate.  James Garner also visited St. Joeseph School, which no longer exists.  He gave us all Maverick playing cards.  I have shared that over the years with anyone who would listen.  He was a great actor with a tremendous sense of humor.

Francie Reeves Herring

Mike Bagby

James Garner came to Washington grade school as well and visited with his former principal Helen Olander.   He was a class act.   I thought he went to Washington, but I could be mistaken.

Mike Bagby

Judy Pannell (Elkins)

So good to see friends from 55 years ago on here! 

Yes, Mike, James Garner attended Washington. That's why he hugged Miss Olander. 

Didn't finsh school at Norman High but got his GED in the military.  

I hadn't realized that he visited every school in Norman that week. It was such a treat for all of us kids.

What a guy.  

Rainy week here in Charlotte. 

William Wiles

Hello all,

James Garner's grandparents lived on Garfield street and I mowed their lawn.  Hope everyone is doing OK.

Nina Bettis (Williams)

I still have the card he gave us that day at Jackson. In the 80's he bought his brother,Charlie, a new Jeep. It was delivered to the maintenance building and bus barn on 12th street.Everyone loved Charlie as much as his brothers.They are all together again.

Mel Baxter

Gotta love the statue of him at the train station! 

Gary Adams

I was in 6th grade @ Washington elementary and remember he came dressed as Maverick.  Kids had our guns!

Gary Adams

Anyone seen or heard from Lee Jennings?  Colleen Coughlin?  Ann Alley?

Susan Hollon

Ann Alley (Hall) lives in Austin, Texas and I see her from time to time. She retired a couple of years ago.

Don Harral

My son worked in the stadium donor suites when he went to OU and J Garner was in Boren's suite for one game.  I asked my son what he was like and he said "He didn't talk much.  He drank coffee and chain smoked."  I guess Boren relaxed the campus NO Smoking rules for him. LOL

John Powell

I must agree with all the James Garner comments.  He was a class act.  I remember well the visit to Washington, it was a big deal.  I had a chance to talk to him when he returned to Norman to be the Grand Marshall for the 89er Day Parade a few years back.

In case a good article did not make your local paper, there is an excellent article by AP writer Frazier Moore that treats his story well.  Covers most of his career well and some of his Norman life, although no mention of his OU ties.

If I remember correctly, Charles was the West principal, and he was a cousin to the brothers.  Andy Rieger has had some good articles in the past, I'm looking forward to seeing what he prints about James, it should be good.

Great to see some familiar names here.

Jim Sandefer

James Garner was actually the brother of our principal at West, and his birth name was Bumgarner.

We learned about his actual name when he visited our school the first time. He used to pop in to watch some of our sporting events, and he even came into the locker room one evening to offer a few supportive comments. As everyone has mentioned, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy.

Nina Bettis (Williams)

I checked the Transcript.Charles was the oldest died in '84, unexpectedly heart attack. (Ervin Roley took over his job as asst. Supt. of construction) John was the middle son. ;passed in 2011.Jim was the youngest. They are buried at IOOF  in Norman.Still awesome family.