Friday, September 28, 2012

Prayers for Helene Benson & Sally Riddle




Received an email from Leigh Cook to let PAK members know that Helene Benson fell and broke her hip and is going to have surgery tomorrow and Sally Riddle is in ICU at River Region and she cannot have visitors per Janie Curtis (Leigh's Mom).

Please keep these ladies in your thoughts and prayers.


Sunday, September 23, 2012

October Keynotes


Pi Alpha Kappa Sorority
Keynote

From Georgia Turnage
October 2012

A letter from Georgia:

Dear Sister,

It is my sad but necessary duty to resign as your National President of PAK.  I have developed some health problems that make it impossible to continue in this position.

I am sending this letter to all members of the Executive Council and the three past presidents.  The Convention has been set for June 1, 2013, in Mansell Hall at First Presbyterian Church.  The meeting has been there before so everything will be familiar.

I know you will carry on with renewed vigor and have a very successful year and convention.

Georgia Turnage



News from the Chapters……

My abject apologies to the ladies of Denver Delta – I completely forgot (again!) to notify you of the Keynote deadline.  I hope you had a grand summer and we look forward to hearing from you in December.  (See the end of this Keynote for deadlines for the year.)

Vicksburg Alpha Beta
Alpha Beta Chapter started off the year on Tuesday, September 18, with a meeting at Southern Sisters’ Café.  Debbie Dottley Brumitt was our speaker and she regaled us with stories from publishing her two cookbooks Tale-Gating with Rebel Greats and Miss Mississippi Cooks. 

Margharita Davis has been enjoying this 2012 summer.  Once again our Davis family attended Water Valley’s annual (first weekend in August) Watermelon Carnival. I kayaked solo on Enid Lake along side of great-grand daughter Karlei Brooke and our daughter Margaret Smith of Brandon. It was a lot of fun. Our vegetable gardens produced plenty of tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant this year.  And frying eggplant dipped in buttermilk is divine.  Traveled to Winston Salem where son Key continues the family business. We go up several times a year for the beautiful weather and view of the Appalachian Mountains in this Piedmont area of North Carolina.  Our latest exciting news came from son Lee and fiancée Rachel Micklethwait who recently became engaged on South Padre Island, Texas. Wedding bells are ringing somewhere in his future.  Grandson PFC Trey Smith will graduate from army basic training at Fort Jackson, SC the first weekend in October. We are very proud of him. Please remember our service men.

Although she has not been active for a number of years, the chapter was sad to lose Kalar Fultz, who passed away in May. 

Pam Gee spent several days this summer at the Wisconsin Dells at a reunion of her late brother’s family and her children and grandchildren.  They had a blast at all the water parks, though the first afternoon was spent at a clinic tending to her granddaughter Anna Catherine’s foot, injured at a waterslide.  She spent the rest of the time on crutches!

Evelyn Harrison has a new grandchild.  Her son Jay and wife Sally of Madison have a baby daughter Evelyn Jane  (Evey) who was born on April 3rd , 2012.  She joins the twins Hank and Hayden who are now in the third grade. 

From Frances Koury: I have had difficulty comprising and written emails or talking on the phone...a slight problem with  speech  and coordinating from the recent "stroke" in early May.  So many have called and sent cards.....I am grateful...for my Sisters of PAK. .....always!!!   I am so grateful ....God has been so good.     I enjoyed the family on my 87th birthday party, at the formal dinner at Anchuca.....the food was delicious. Glenn, Cyndi, Allison,  great-granddaughter Alexandria; Aaron, Elizabeth, great-grandson, Stephen Koury,  Kathy, Steve (Kathy's friend)  Connie, David, John David, and Justin Hosemann.  What a joy on such a happy birthday.  My niece, Terry and son, Graham Pearson visited overnight ..got lots memories shared!  Hope that by the next Keynotes, I will have a "Product" - a  DVD about Vicksburg - available!!  We will share it at the October meetings???

Vicksburg Delta
The Delta Chapter's September meeting was in the home of Joan Morgan.  It was so nice to see all those present and to catch up on the news.  We were sorry to learn of President Georgia Turnage's resignation, but wish her well in resolving her health issues.
The members voted to change the date of our meetings in order to be more convenient to all.  We will now meet on the third Monday at the usual time of 7 PM.  We are planning the following activities for the rest of this year: Community Cupboard, Child Abuse Prevention Center, Haven House, Between the Lions, to name a few.

Helene Benson received her Masters of Theological Studies degree from Spring Hill College in May. Never one to pass up a challenge, she is now working on  her certification in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in anticipation of implementing this program at St. Michael next year. Her husband Richard recently had hernia surgery and is recuperating. Please keep him in your prayers.

From Joan Morgan:  In May the Alpha-Beta Chapter invited me as their guest
to install their officers for the new term. I had a lovely time visiting with PAK members in Pam Gee's home and enjoying the delicious pot luck luncheon.  That evening, our chapter held it's end of the year meeting at Rusty's.  We attended our granddaughter's graduation at Madison Crossing where Adia gave the 6th Grade speech.  She was the recipient of the Maverick Art Award, as well as one for the Honor Roll.  At the end of the month the grandchildren spent a week with us, which provided plenty of activity...swimming and games.  While her brother was at camp in North Carolina in July, Adia visited again for a week and enjoyed a cooking class at Southern Cultural Heritage, swim lessons, a movie, lunch, shopping, and games.  

Josephine Peterson has had a fun summer.  In May she visited Richard’s family in South Carolina.  Aspen, the four-year-old, came back to Mississippi with Josephine for her first visit alone.  Little girls are fun!  In July, the two older girls and Anders came for a visit.  They enjoyed the Miss Mississippi Pageant, the Children’s Museum, and the 4th of July festivities, especially the Eagle Lake boat parade.  Josephine returned the children and had a great visit with everyone in South Carolina.  Josephine’s brother and sister-in-law moved to Ellisville from Jackson.  Josephine was invited for a getaway to see the renovations to Sue’s childhood home, which Sue has inherited.  Josephine toured the Deason home, featured in Mississippi Magazine as one of Mississippi’s haunted houses.  John invited Josephine to come out to Arizona. They’ll see the Arizona Cardinals football team play and perhaps take a short sightseeing trip to parts unknown.  She always enjoys her tours out west.

Joann White writes: “What a HOT summer!  Frankly, I look forward to cooler weather and PAK resuming.  The summer months were filled with fun and not so fun events…lots of family visits – and my surgery.  My daughter-in-law Cheri White was and is an extraordinary nurse!  My grandsons Michael and Paul White were such good company and help this summer.  It was difficult to have them leave this fall for Mississippi State.  I left September 24 to be with my sister-in-law after her cancer surgery.  She and my brother Chesterfield live in The Villages, Florida.  I’m praying for her recovery.”

Vicksburg Omega
Vera Marshall Brown’s granddaughter, Nora Francis, daughter of Andréa and Owen Francis of Mandeville, LA, made the Louisiana All State Honors Choir and will be travelling all over Louisiana performing.  Vera sung with a group at the 175th Anniversary of The Dioceses of Natchez-Jackson at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson on Sunday, September 16, 2012.

Marian Love Phillips and her husband, Bob, flew to Santa Fe, NM, for a five day paid vacation to visit family in June.  While there they got to see three new great grandchildren and also made a trip to Las Vegas, NM, to stay at the families two-story log cabin on their 2,000 acre Cerro Bonita Ranch, in San Miguel County, NM.  Marian also flew to Fredericksburg, VA, with her daughter, Kathy and granddaughter, Lucy, (first flight for daughter/granddaughter) to visit her youngest daughter, Marian Suzanne “Suzi”, son-in-law, Dennis and 5 year old, granddaughter, Emma.  It was Emma’s 5th birthday on Wednesday, July 25, the day they flew up. They also got to make two trips to Washington, DC, to see the sights and to celebrate Emma’s birthday at Great Play with all her friends that Saturday.  Marian’s grandson, Michael “Ethan” Kelly will report to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX, for basic training on October 2, 2012.  Her oldest daughter, Theresa, remarried on May 30, 2012 to Stan Bryant at St. Paul’s Catholic Church by Monsignor Patrick Farrell, Pastor, officiating.  They are making their home in Magee, MS.

Myrtle Curro Alvarado and her husband, Bobby, went to Raleigh, NC, for Bobby’s Citadel O Company reunion.  Afterwards, they plan to make a trip to Virginia Beach for a few days before returning home. In October, Myrtle will join her sister for a trip to Italy for the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekawitha in Rome with a side trip to Assisi.  Myrtle’s family is growing and has a new grandson, Corbin John Curro, born August 28th to Jerome and Caroline and big brother, Kee, who is 2-1/2 years old.  Her oldest son, Joseph and his wife Sarah are expecting a little boy in early February.

Connie Greer and her husband, Homer, celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary by renewing their vows at 5:30 p.m. Mass on August 25, 2012, at St. Michael’s Church and had a wonderful reception afterwards.   They were married on August 26, 1962 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Gulfport, MS.  Connie graduated from Mercy School of Nursing in Vicksburg and is retired from Parkview Regional Medical Center after 30 years of employment.  Her husband graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in Electrical Engineering and is retired from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers after 40 years of service.  The couple has two children, Laura McCallum (Walter) of Vicksburg, MS and Brock Greer of Tahlequah OK.  They have one grandson, Ryne McCallum. 
 
Joan Donovan and husband Mike traveled to Carmichaels, PA, in June to a model airplane contest (Brodak).  This is an annual event for them and they always have a great time.  Mike competes in the competition.  They see a lot of friends there that they have met over the years at other contests.  The ladies get together one day and go on a trip.  This year it was sightseeing.  They went to an antebellum home that was occupied by a government official in the early 1900’s.  It has been turned into a very interesting museum.  The grounds were beautiful.  They also went to an old coal mine museum.  There were a lot of artifacts that were used in the mines.  The history there was also very interesting.

June Emerson’s son, Paul, has gone back to college at night to get his degree in Business Administration at Belhaven College.  He works for GE Medical which supplies equipment, etc., for St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson, MS.

Cathey Lee’s mother, Lenora Aulenbrock, will be turning “100” years old on October 3rd.  She was born in 1912.  Congratulations to her Mom!

Janey Seabergh and her husband, Bill, took their granddaughters, 7 and 14 on a motor trip to Mountain View, AK in the Ozarks and then onto Denver, CO, for a wedding.  They continued to Grand Junction, CO, to see her sister and then to Salem, Oregon to drop the granddaughters off.  From there they drove on to Las Vegas, NM to visit a sister and then came home.  It was a month long odyssey for sure. 

Anita Hossley along with her daughter, Margaret, and granddaughters visited Ocean Springs for the Fourth of July holiday.  While there they went to Horn Island for a picnic, to Ship Island to swim, and toured Jefferson Davis' home Beauvoir.  Anita's brother, George Zorn, his children Stacie Armer and George Zorn, Jr., and their families also live in Ocean Springs. 

Our dear Sorority Sister, Katherine Meyer Turcotte died Thursday, September 13, 2012, at River Region Medical Center. She was 71. She was the daughter of the later Edward C. Meyer and Dorothy Jones Meyer and the widow of Roy V. Turcotte, Jr., who died on June 18, 2012.  She was a graduate of St. Francis Xavier Academy in the Class of 1959.  She was a Chemical Dependency Counselor, Level II at Marian Hill Chemical Dependency Center in Vicksburg for the past 18 years and served as counselor at Pine Grove Chemical Dependency Unit in Hattiesburg and St. Dominic Chemical Dependency Unit in Jackson.  She is survived by four sons, Jeff Turcotte, and wife Doris, of Albuquerque, N.M., Greg Turcotte and wife, Sherrie, of Seminary, Tim Turcotte and wife, Lisa, of Lexington, KY, Steve Turcotte and wife Candy, of Vicksburg; a brother William Charles "Buddy" Meyer of Savannah, GA; 15 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Rosalie Garner and husband, Jack, of Oxford, and a brother-in-law, Randy Turcotte of Vicksburg.  A funeral mass was said 11 a.m. Monday, September 17, at St. Michael Catholic Church with Rev. P. J. Curley as celebrant.  Burial was in Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Riles Funeral Home.  Honorary Pallbearers were members of the Vicksburg Lions Club and members of the Pi Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter.

DEADLINES FOR FUTURE KEYNOTES:
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday, March 18, 2013

Mark your calendars – the Convention will be Saturday, June 1, 2013! 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Our Sorority Sister Katherine's Obituary


Katherine Meyer Turcotte's Obituary

Katherine Meyer Turcotte died Thursday, September 13, 2012, at River Region Medical Center.  She was 71.

Mrs. Turcotte was the daughter of the later Edward C. Meyer and Dorothy Jones Meyer and the widow of Roy V. Turcotte, Jr., who died on June 18, 2012.  She was a graduate of St. Francis Xavier Academy in the class of 1959.  She was a Chemical Dependency Counselor, Level II at Marian Hill Chemical Dependency Center in Vicksburg for the past 18 years and served as counselor at Pine Grove Chemical Dependency Unit in Hattiesburg and St. Dominic Chemical Dependency Unit in Jackson.

In 1994 she was awarded the Hilda Dehan Award, and in 2000, Mrs. Turcotte was awarded the MAADAC Counselor of the Year Award.  She served as SE Regional Vice President of the National Association for Addiction Professionals.  Mrs. Turcotte was an Internationally Certified Clinic Supervisor.  Since 2007, an award named after her has been given to the Addiction Professional of the Year.  Mrs. Turcotte was founder of the Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals and had served as past president of the organization.  She was a member of the Pi Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter and the Vicksburg Lions Club.  The Turcotte was a communicant of St. Michael Catholic Church.

During her high school years she was known throughout the state as a premier athlete, highlighted by her outstanding basketball talents for the St. Francis Xavier Blue Streaks and was known as Katherine "Speedy" Meyer.

She is survived by four sons, Jeff Turcotte, and wife Doris, of Albuquerque, N.M., Greg Turcotte and wife, Sherrie, of Seminary, Tim Turcotte and wife, Lisa, of Lexington, KY, Steve Turcotte and wife Candy, of Vicksburg; a brother William Charles "Buddy" Meyer of Savannah, GA; 15 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Rosalie Garner and husband, Jack, of Oxford, and a brother-in-law, Randy Turcotte of Vicksburg.

A funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Michael Catholic Church with the Rev. P. J. Curley as celebrant.  Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Riles Funeral Home.  Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. with prayer service at 6 p.m.  Visitation will be from 1 a.m. until service time Monday at the church.

Memorials may be made to Vicksburg Catholic School, 1900 Grove Street,  Vicksburg, MS,  39183 or to National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, Central MS Chapter care of Jenny Crutchfield, 875 North Park Drive, Suite 600, Ridgeland, MS.  39157

Pallbearers will be Randy Turcotte, Tyler Turcotte, Tessa Turcotte, LaShay Meyer, Darrell Jones, Michael Jones, J.B. Edwards and Dr. Robert Lee Giffin, Jr.

Honorary Pallbearers will be members of the Vicksburg Lions Club and members of the Pi Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Our Dear Sister in PAK Died, Katherine Turcotte

Via Caring Bridge


Heaven just received another angel!!
Written 50 minutes ago
Katherine is now soaring with the angels in heaven with Roy. She passed away at 10:21 this yesterday evening... She was certainly one of a kind, that truly left this world and the people she touched a better place... 

With my Love and Respect!  







Here are some of the tentative arrangements for Katherine and as they are finalized I will post them. 

The Funeral Home is:
Church:
Tina's Flowers & Gifts LLC
  • (601) 638-4747

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Our First Meeting Tonight


Meeting:  Wednesday, September 12th   
Time:  7:00 pm
Place:  Senior Center
Hostesses:  Anita Hossley, Chris Patin and Janey Seabergh

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Latest Updates on Katherine

Via Caring Bridge 

Super Saturday

Written 41 minutes ago
Greetings Katherine Followers:
Tonight we have many updates, but first things first. Katherine had to return to surgery yesterday, there was a problem with her incision from her heart surgery that they discovered.  Once they made this correction, she is taking baby steps to improve. They have Katherine off all medication except her BP medicines.  She is still sedated, but not so much. Tonight Tim asked if he knew who she was when she opened her eyes and she shook her head yes.  They have been taking her off the vent some but she is still struggling.  The nurse asked her was she having a hard time breathing and she shook her head.  
Truly our prayers are being heard.  This is more than she has been able to do in sometime. Again, this is baby steps.
Tim, Greg & Buddy are there this weekend.  
Keep those Prayers pushing. Our God is an awesome God!!
Have a good weekend!!!

Thankful Thursday

Written Sep 6, 2012 8:33pm
Good Evening Katherine Followers,
A couple of quick things.  Steve and his girlfriend are in GA and made in in time to be with Candy's father.  Tim is in route from KY and should get there on Friday.  Greg & Sherry will be coming on Friday.....
They are looking to move Katherine to Regency Hospital, which is located on St. Dominic's in Jackson, MS.  The hopefully will happen in the next week or so.  We need your prayers for a door to open and for her to be admitted to this facility. 
Thank you for the ones that have sent me pictures to post on this site.  It's wonderful.   You are wonderful family and friends and we appreciate you more than you can know.
We will leave you with this quote: Language of Letting Go:
The Good in Step Ten

Step Ten says: "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it." It does not suggest that we ignore what is right in our life. It says we continue to take a personal inventory and keep a focus on ourselves.

When we take an inventory, we will want to look for many things. We can search out feelings that need our attention. We can look for low self-esteem creeping back in. We can look for old ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. We can look for mistakes that need correcting.

But a critical part of our inventory can focus on what we're doing right and on all that is good around us.

Part of our codependency is an obsessive focus on what's wrong and what we might be doing wrong - real or imagined. In recovery we're learning to focus on what's right.

Look fearlessly, with a loving, positive eye. What did you do right today? Did you behave differently today than you would have a year ago? Did you reach out to someone and allow yourself to be vulnerable? You can compliment yourself for that.

Did you have a bad day but dealt effectively with it? Did you practice gratitude or acceptance? Did you take a risk, own your power, or set a boundary? Did you take responsibility for yourself in a way that you might not have before?

Did you take time for prayer or meditation? Did you trust God? Did you let someone do something for you?

Even on our worst days, we can find one thing we did right. We can find something to feel hopeful about. We can find something to look forward to. We can focus realistically on visions of what can be.

God, help me let go of my need to stay immersed in negativity. I can change the energy in my environment and myself from negative to positive. I will affirm the good until it sinks in and feels real. I will also strive to find one quality that I like about someone else who's important to me, and I will take the risk of telling him or her that.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Wednesday Update on Katherine

From Caring Bridge ~

Happy Wednesday,

Katherine is still fighting the fight as she has all encouraged us to do many times over.  Katherine's son Steve's girlfriend Candy's father has suffered an aneurysm and they will leave for GA today.  Please lift them up in your prayers also.  Tim is coming this week from KY and Jeff will be here this weekend and Buddy will return.  I hope that you go and also read the posts here from other followers.  I love what Ken Sucharski wrote " Katherine, Special Human, One Day at A Time".  Anna Booth stopped by to see her on 9/3 and kidded her about her snoring.  Charles Calhoun writes " OK!! Get over this already, we need you back at the Lion's Club.  Sarah Pardue is posting daily.  Thank You! Your post are all encouraging and we read them to her.  We have been waiting for them to put a stomach tube in, and this will be done soon if not already.  A special shout out to Dr. Giffin who has been taking care of here.  Katherine many are seeing why your truly love Dr. Giffin.  Please encourage members from St. Michael's to also visit this site.   Let's send some Energy Prayers today for hope and healing.  We continue to PUSH!!!
So if you get a chance stop by this week, sign the guest book in her room, thank you for finding it, things get moved around in her room.
We will leave you with this today:   Perceptions and Possibilities:
You are living through a day that is filled with countless possibilities. And you can act right now to bring the very best of those possibilities to life. ~Ralph Marston

Monday, September 3, 2012

Latest Two Updates On Katherine

Here are the last two updates on Katherine via the Caring Bridge site. Please continue to keep Katherine and family in your prayers. ~Marian

Sunday's Update

Written 2 hours ago
We hope that you are enjoying this Labor Day weekend.  Sister Paulinus and I went to See Katherine Yesterday.  Her eyes were opened when we arrived and you could tell that she was tired.  She suffered a hemorrhage in her eye this week, so her eyes are very red and inflamed, Please be sure and sign the visitor book, it is on the dry erase board in her room.  Also please encourage everyone to sign her caring bridge everyday. Katherine's family is checking this daily for updated messages to read to her.   We know that she is on many prayer lists, please keep those prayers coming.  I saw Steve and Candy while we were there and Greg was coming this weekend and Jeff is coming soon.  We have had 379 site visits.  Yippee.  We really would like to have picture if you have them, you  may e-mail me at ruthannrigby@bellsouth.net.
Keep PUSHING Katherine followers:  You are a miracle and the miracle continues through you:
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind.
  —Bob Dylan


Fab FRIDAY UPDATE

Written Aug 31, 2012 1:43pm
Happy Friday Katherine Followers,
Sorry for the delay in the updates, but Issac had other ideas.  Today our girl has finished dialysis and they pulled off 2.8 lbs of fluid. She is going to get 1 Unit of Blood today.  We do asked that if you can, please go and donate blood in her name, you can do this at Ms. Blood services or your local blood bank.  Her X-ray's are still showing no change at this time.  She is continuing to take baby steps and with your thoughts and prayers she will.
Lisa her daughter in law has returned home this past Weds and her brother Buddy has also returned home to Georgia and will return soon.  Steve and Candy are there daily and Greg & Sherry will be here this weekend.  Jeff is getting his schedule settled so that he can return as well. 
KEEP PUSHING!  Praying until something happens! It's working.
Parts of this am mediation::
What can I give and take:
I'm a trader at heart. . . except that I don't like trades that come out equally--that's too much like borrowing. I'd rather trade a strong hand for a patient ear or a story for a meal: anything that keeps things turning over.
  —Gordon Bok

Have a great weekend Ya'll!!!
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