|
|
|
BIO FOR ALICE EUDY CLARY Gee, where did all the years go? After graduation, I went to Hendrick School for Medical Record Librarians in Abilene, met & married Charles W. Clary of Coleman, Texas. He was a senior in Howard Payne at the time, a basketball player...(now I look forward to the Final Four every year...we even celebrated one of our anniversaries in San Antonio at the Final Four games.) I worked as Medical Record Librarian at Medical Arts Hospital until Charles graduated and we moved to DeLeon, TX for him to coach and teach math. We had our first daughter, Jana in August before this move. Two years later, we moved to Austin for Charles to begin work on his Masters in math and another in Education Administration. While doing this, he taught and coached at McCallum and Lanier, then went to Crockett as Asst Principal in charge of boys' discipline. During this time, we had 3 more girls, Lynne, Jennifer and Laura. In June, 1970, God called Charles into the ministry. We had been active in Allandale Baptist Church (now known as Great Hills Baptist Church). Charles had become a deacon, S.S. teacher, and Youth Activities Leader at summer camps. I continued working in hospitals between the birth of our daughters. I was Medical Secretary at St.David's Hospital, then went to Seton (when there was only one) as Medical Record Librarian. Then I was lured away by doctors (more $S) and worked for two Urologists and then office nursed for two OB-Gyn doctors. That is where I was when God called Charles. We took our 4 girls and went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth. While Charles was in school, getting his Masters, he pastored in Sunset, Texas where we lived, until he decided to get a Doctorate. We moved back to Ft Worth where he was an assistant pastor for a year at Travis Avenue Baptist Church and I worked in the Seminary Clinic. In October, 1973, we were called to Tate Springs Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas and were blessed to be there for 28 years until retirement in June, 2001. We raised our four daughters in Arlington, adopted 3 more girls, Marcie, Maxx & Jane Ellen.... have 27 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Our oldest adopted granddaughter just married July 17,2004 and we have 2 more grandchildren getting married in the next 6 months. I'm sure the "baby machine" will be working overtime. Besides being a pastor's wife and raising my girls, I had our two mothers living with us, mine for 23 years and Charles' for 14 of those 23. I also worked for Arlington Independent School District for 23 year's...started out nursing in the clinic for 10 years and then moved to an Asst Principal's Office as secretary and "ran the school"? Ha!! I actually did open and close school for 13 years, enjoyed my students immensely (felt that was my calling & ministry). I still have communication with students that have married and had families...loved them like my own! Now, as for retirement! 1 enjoyed being retired for one whole year. Then one of our friends, Mike Rice, broker for RioRuidosoRealtors.Com, needed a secretary - receptionist for 6 weeks, while his was recouping from surgery. Well, that 6 weeks has turned into 2 years and here I am still at this computer. It was a challenge, learning about real estate, learning to do the agent's computer work for listings, under contracts and closings and doing layouts for the real estate magazines. Also, just working with adults (now teat's a challenge....after thinking like a teenager all those years). I am hoping to retire again one of these days....however, my husband thinks retirement is starting a new church (the JBarJ Country Church), doing a radio program, writing a column for the Ruidoso News, playing with The Good News Band (keyboard) and is now looking at starting another Mission work in an area that has no churches. I might as well be making $$ while he is doing all that "work". My other obsession is being the Queen "Mutter" of The Red "Hat" Mamas of Lincoln County. We have 8 chapters of Red Hatters here in Ruidoso and I have 65 ladies in my chapter, which is quite large (most chapters are 15-20 members). I guess my experience with a high school of 4000 students and a church with a membership of 4000 keeps me from being intimidated. I love everyone of these ladies...so many unique personalities and what fun we have weaning our red hats, purple outfits, red boas and anything else that suits our fancy. Also, I love "Tea Parties" and have one the first Saturday of every month for the ladies at the JBarJ. Then we have a Bible Study. We call it "Special Moments" Time for Tea & Time for God. Here's hoping that I get to come back for our 50th Anniversary....although all of you guys look so-o-o-o OLD.....what happened to you? When 1 look in the mirror, I see my mother....while in my heart, I still feel like a teenager, but my body says NOT! I am grateful to Linda for all her work in trying to keep us "tied together". Charles is celebrating his 50th this September, and I'm thinking I will pass on going with him. He is always surrounded by his "girls" and I end up sitting with the husbands who are nursing their beers....don't think it would look right to see the "preacher's wife" nursing a beer. I'll let him enjoy all his memories and look forward to renewing friendships with our BHS exes at our 50th.
|
