Joanne Murray - 1962
BIO & Pictures

Joanne Murray McBryer - 2003-10-12
My name in school was Joanne Murry. I lived with my mother, Ruth Murry. I never remembered my father because he died before I was two. Mom passed away in 1998. I had three brothers and two sisters. My oldest brother [Gene] died in 1991, my middle brother [George] died in 1983, my youngest brother [Bob] lives in Louisiana, MO., my oldest sister [Pat Wallace] lives in Houston, Texas, and my youngest sister [Janet Bufford] lives in Hannibal, MO. I am the baby of the bunch and I live in Bowling Green, MO.

I was born March 21, 1945. [old as dirt aren’t we?] Inside I still feel like a teenager but my body deceives me. I went to Bond School first through third. Then we moved to town where I went to Merriweather, Field, and Louisiana High School. My all time favorite teacher was Mrs. Schapher. I had a great respect for that lady. She didn’t take no sass, like they say, she was a tough old bird. If we had teachers like her today our kids would be better off. Also I liked Mrs. O’Conner, Mr. Dorsey, and Mrs. Norvel. Actually I liked them all. I tried to get along with all of them. After all they graded my grade cards.

I married Jim Hays over the holidays in my senior year of school. I continued school until the first semester ended. That way I could pick up from there if I decided to go back to school. [Which never happened.] So that is where my edcuation ended and my new life began. Together we were blessed with three sons. Rick is 40 years old and lives in Bowling Green where he works at the prison as a guard. Rodney is 38 years old and lives in Red Lodge, Montana where he works as a janitor of the school and side lines with his own lawn service. Randy is 28 and is stationed in Bagdad where he is a MP with the National Guard. Rick has a daughter [Tiffany age 14] and a son [Joshua age 9] by a previous marriage, and two step daughters [Ann age 21] and [Amanada age 19] by his present marriage, plus two granddaughters [Elizabeth age 4] and McKenna [age 8 months]. Rodney has a daughter [Kayla age 15] and a son [Jamie age 13] by a previous marriage and a daughter [Tori age 9] by his present marriage, plus two step sons [Marty age 22 and Patrick age 13]. Randy has a daughter [Chloe age 7] by a previous marriage, and a son [Reno age 1 1/2 months] by his present marriage. He had never seen him until this past Saturday when he come home on leave from Bagdad, he will have to return there the 19 th of the month.

During that period of my life I worked some as a car hop and also a nurses aide. Later on I became bookkeeper-secretary-whatever I needed to be as Jim operated his garage. Also I was chief cook-bottle washer-home maker and all the other jobs of being wife and mother. Then [sadly] after 13 years of marriage my husband died.

After some time I met and married Jerry McBryer. With this began a different life for me. All of a sudden I became Mother to 3 girls ages 15, 13, and 10. My husband had custody of them so they became part of my family. All of a sudden we were the mixed -up “Brady Bunch” with no Alice. Help!!!!!!! at this point in my life I really became busy, twice as much of everything to do . We had a bunch to feed and it seemed like I was cooking for an army. They were all big eaters and still are. What a change and adjustment for all of us. We were determined to create one family out of two. We had our problems, but by the grace of God, we did it. So here’s the info on the rest of my kids. Cindy H Pruitt is 41 and lives in Lexington Park, Maryland where she works in supplies [on the Naval Base where her husband is stationed]. She has a son [Marcus age 8]. Joyce Mc Bryer lived in Cape Canaveral, Flordia where she [a RN] does private care. She has a daughter [Jessica age 20]. Debbie Martin is 34 and lives in LaGrange, Kentucky where she does private care. She has 2 sons [Justin age 16 and Nathan age 13] Our house was always over-flowing with kids, Never knew who they’d drag in next. Always had to Sit an extra plate or two at the table. Now that it’s just Jerry and me, I can’t seem to cook the right amount. We have left-overs all week long.

So here you go, were you keeping tract? I have 6 kids, 3 daughter-inlaws, 1 son-in-law, 8 grandsons, 7 granddaughters, and 2 great-granddaughters. Boy when we have a get together its a houseful. When we run out of room we just stack them up like cordwood.

I didn’t attend the 15th reunion, I didn’t know they were having one. I’d probably like to attend another one. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. I guess we’ve all changed. I know I have. I look in the mirror and see Mom.

I liked all the songs that were popular during high school , anything you could dance to. Give me that good old Rock and Roll. We used to hang around a Zooks after school and dance. It was great being young and carefree.