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Mrs Batey passed away in January, 2007 at 104 years old.
MS. ANN BATEY - E-mail
of Jan, 2006
Dear WEHS
Classmates - One of my greatest joys of a long life has been hearing from former
students of our beloved West End High School. I loved you then, and now in my
later years your remembrance of me warms my heart. Thank you for sharing your
thoughts and for helping to make by 103rd birthday so very special. May the Lord
richly bless you and yours in the coming years.
With love and best wishes always - Anne Batey
MS. ANN BATEY - E-mail
of June, 2005
 For
years I have treasued my happy memories of you former West End High School
students, and now your remembrances of me in my sunset years have been so
heart-warming. Thank you for making me so happy. You will be in my thoughts
on Saturday.
With much love and best wishes to each of you,
Anne Batey - Age 102 plus 1/2
MS. ANN BATEY - E-mail
of September, 2003
I do appreciate your
notice about the reunion on October 4 and wish so much
that I could be with you all. Please express my good wishes to the group
and remind everyone that my memories of you West End High School students are
most precious to me. For most of the spring and summer I was not able to
be
out, but I am rejoicing that once again I have been able to attend worship
services at church for the last month. Maybe I'll make that ripe age of
101 on December 19.
My love and best wishes to all, Anne Batey
MS. ANN BATEY - E-mail
of December, 2002
See Anne Batey's Doll Collection
-
details
What a wonderful 100th birthday you have helped me to have by extending your
good wishes to me! Your remembrances have warmed my heart & have helped to
give me even
more zest for worki ng
on the next century in spite of my being almost blind & partially deaf &
with limited energy. Because of my weakening condition, I requested
that the BIG celebration planned for me be replaced by having the first
generation of my brother's children & their spouses for the noon meal which
was catered in my home. After 2:00 p.m. several of the second & third
generations came. What a delightful day with family! A few others
stopped by or
called by phone, & by 7:00 p.m. I was completely, but happily
& wonderfully exhausted. That night I slept soundly. The
next day I slept all day except for meals (I can always eat heartily) &
slept again that
night.
Many friends have stopped by during the days before & after the 19th.
So many
have called or sent cards. It has been such a great feeling that I
recommend that you aim for your hundredth birthday. Thank you again for
your thoughtfulness in sharing this joyous time with me & adding so much
pleasure to my special birthday. May the Lord bless you richly in 2003.
You students are so special to me. Do keep in touch.
With love,
Anne Batey
MS. ANN BATEY
- E-mail of May, 2002
Dear WEHS Graduates of 1959-63,
Thank you for your invitation to join you for your reunion in June. It
would be delightful to be with you, but these 99 years & 5 months I have
stacked up for
almost a century now are catching up with me. Loss of much
of my sight & hearing & the wearing down of my energy are signals that I
need to stay home. My life has been so richly blessed through the years,
& it is wonderful to still be somewhat
mobile & able to be out,
especially on Sundays to attend worship services.
Memories of West End High School days are still a joy to me. I would like
to share some of my 
favorite stories from those days with you. One
day as I was standing by the window with the sun shining through it so
brightly, one of the boys raised his hand & said, "Miss Batey, will you
please
pull down that shade? It hurts me to look at you." Both the class
& I roared with laughter. Another funny thing happened while I was
writing on the blackboard with my back turned to the class. A paper wad
flew across the room & landed by the wastebasket. I said, "Bill, go pick
up that paper wad that you just threw." The class gasped because they knew
I could not have seen him do it. What they did not know was that I saw a
reflection of him in my eye glasses, & I knew exactly who did it. I never
revealed to the students the secret of my "eyes in the back of my head."
Another favorite of mine is about three brothers who were in West End. I
had taught the two older ones, but I had not taught the youngest brother.
I saw him after he graduated & said, "Leon, I never did teach you, did
I?" He responded, "Oh, no, Miss Batey. I had an older brother that warned
me." These three stories & many others have brought me joy through the
years as I have told & retold them. Thank you for all the precious
memories many of you have given me over the years.
Lord willing, I will celebrate my 100th birthday on December 19 of this
year. What wonderful years they have been! I always enjoy hearing from
you. You may call, write, email or visit me. It will be a joy to hear
from you.
With love & affection,
Anne Batey
WEHS English Teacher, 1932-1962
1100 Morrow Avenue
Nashville, TN 37204
615-298-1989
smithsaraf@juno.com
(click on link to send her an
email)
MS. ROB SPURRIER
- E-mail of March,
2002
My daughter, Nancy, just showed me this
wonderful website. I remembered almost everybody on the pages. I am living
in Huntsville & am now 92 years of age, but I am still active. I knit,
cook, enjoy baseball (go Braves) & I have a great grandson that plays ice
hockey & baseball, so I go to most of those games. If anybody has a few
minutes, I would love to hear from you. My email address is
spurrier@hiwaay.net
MS. ANN BATEY - Letter of
September, 2001
Dear Marie & Mel,
Thank you so much for the invitation to the
reunion of the '59-'63 classes of West End High School. I have been able to
attend many of the class reunions up until two years ago. My memories of my
years at WEHS are treasured. I wish so much that I could be with you &
renew acquaintances. My retirement years (since 1962) have been very
active, fruitful, & happy. I will be 99 years old on December 19. Old
age is finally about to catch up with me. During the last two years my
eyesight has faded & during this year my hearing has gone down
tremendously. I am beginning to tire quickly & am limited in what I can
do because of my failing eyesight. Therefore, I shall not attempt to make
the trip to Birmingham even though I would enjoy seeing all of you again. Please give my best wishes to each &
everyone & let them know how much I treasure my memories of their response
to me & my efforts to share my love of the English language with them.
Their courtesy, character, & desire to learn made a lasting impression on
me. I would be happy to hear from any of you by phone, letter, email or
visit. May the Lord bless all of you richly.
My love to all,
Anne Batey
1100 Morrow Avenue
Nashville, TN 37204
615-298-1989
smithsaraf@juno.com
(click on link to send her an email)
MS. BETTY PASS BROWN
- Letter of September, 2001
Dear Marie & Mel,
I am very appreciative of the invitation to
attend the grand reunion of classes 1959-1963. I have very special reasons
for wishing I could attend. Firstly, I spent twenty five wonderful
years within the classrooms of West End High School. I have memories of
happy hours I spent with my students from 1942 through 1967; many of you,
I'm sure, struggled with me through the different courses assigned to me to
teach. Secondly, prior to 1959 I had two sons & one daughter to receive
their diplomas from WEHS. I attribute their successful completion at
outstanding colleges & their successful careers to the standards set by
WEHS. After ending my teaching career, my husband
& I did some traveling then we took on the role of doting grandparents -
nine grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, & as of April 9, 2001 a
great great grandson - only boy with the name Brown! My husband passed away in 1994. After a
year I sold my home in Vestavia Hills. I moved into assisted living -
Chateau Vestavia Manor. My daughter & her husband decided that I should
come live with them here in Raleigh. For the last few years I have become
more handicapped from diabetic neurophy in my arms & legs from which I
have been coping since my sixties. They wanted me with them so they could
feel sure I would be more protected from falls or accidents. I have been
confined to a wheel chair for several years. I will be ninety-two in
October & I have to have a sitter or companion at all times. It is with
deep regret that I have to decline your invitation. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to
attend this reunion & see all of you students who graduated from WEHS, a
school for which I hold so much affection. I have had a good time. I always wanted to
become a teacher. I loved my career & I loved all the students of WEHS
who shared their lives with me. Congratulations & best wishes to all of
you. I shall be thinking of you on October 6th. Have a great reunion!
Sincerely,
Betty Pass Brown
137 N. Lord Ashley Road
Raleigh, NC
27610
MS. PEGGY S. HEADLEY
- Letter of September, 2001
Dear Marie & Mel,
Thank you for the
invitation; however, I will be out-of-state.
Peggy S. Headley
6996 Parc Brook Lane
Trussville, Al 35173
205-655-9627
MS. CHRISTINA TAYLOR FREDERICK
- Letter of September, 2001
Dear Marie & Mel,
Thanks so much for the invitation, but I already have plans for that
evening. I'm sure the reunion will be a huge success & a really fun
evening!
Christina Taylor Frederick
2609 Tyler Road
Birmingham, AL 35226
205-822-4757 |
