Betty (Fielder) Dowell, VHS '53

Well, it's been 55 years which I absolutely cannot believe.

Hope I don't give anyone cardiac arrest since this is the first correspondence I have sent over the years. But I figured it was about time. I think this is the first I've written since I've moved out to the Hemet/San Jacinto area.

Sorry I have never been able to go to any of the reunions or other get togethers. I don't know how well anyone remembers me, but I was the quiet, introverted one in the Class of '53. And I haven't changed much, still quiet and not much for large functions, except family get togethers.

I'll try to make this reasonably short....since I have to cover 55 years. But I was dating my first husband while I was still in school, met him when I was 16. Got married soon after I graduated, and we had two boys, Ed and Fred, and eventually divorced.


Kevin (youngest)  Fred     Myself     Ed (oldest)
 To view the background
Click here

Have you noticed the tree trunks are a little older and wider around the middle.

Guess after 55 years everything is.  Even us.

Remember all those long skirts and duck tails the last time we were all here? - Ron

I remarried and had one son, Kevin, and eventually divorced. Tried marriage one more time, acquired the name Dowell in that one, and that lasted about six years.

Met a nice guy in 1974, we both had grown or almost grown children and decided that maybe, since both of us had not done too well with marriage, that it wasn't for us. We lived together for 27 years, and unfortunately he passed away in December, 2001.

My friend Sherry helped me get this apartment in San Jacinto since she lives out here, and I'll probably be here forever. I don't ever want to move again.

I moved to Yuma, AZ with my son, Kevin, and family after that for about six months, but couldn't take the heat. It gets warm out here, but nothing compared to the 110 or 115 deg they get in the summer in Yuma.

I have the three sons, and eleven grandchildren. You asked for a picture, so I sent quite a few. Thought I might catch you up on my entire family.

Kevin has his own mobile auto repair service in Yuma.
Patty (daughter-in-law), Daughter Victoria, youngest son Kevin
Twins Hannah and Ellen with Crystal (center).

Kevin's oldest daughter, Stacy (right), lives and works in Arcata, CA, graduated last year from Humboldt University with a BA in Psychology.


Kevin's son, Kevin Kyle, lives in Temecula but was not able to be at the reunion.

Kevin Kyle, got a new computer and camcorder for his 16th birthday, 12-26-06

Daughter-In-Law Theresa, Granddaughter Joy,
My middle son Fred and Me.



Fred, Theresa and Joy all work at Disneyland.

This is Joy at her Prom in April 2008 with her boyfriend, Jesse.


Fred and Theresa's oldest daughter Dana, in the white dress (right), has Tuberous Sclerosis.

This photo (right) of Dana with her Mom and sisters Joy and Amy at a Prom which they had for her in May 2008. She just turned 19.


My middle son Fred with daughters Amy (left) and Joy (second), and
daughter-in-law, Theresa.


Amy works for Warner Brothers.

My oldest son, Ed, and Grandkids, Logan and Rachel

Ed is the Manager of the Service Department for a Subaru Dealership in Orange County.

Logan,
Freshman Football, 2007-08, 9th Grade






Rachel graduated with honors and will be going to UCSD in September 2008



We had a family reunion last July ('07), only four of my grandkids are
in the picture, as the rest are scattered around the West.

Family Reunion 7-22-07 (I took this photo.)
(Rear) Amy, John, Fred, Karen, Logan, Ed, Rachel, Steve, Gabby, Flo, Kenny
(Front) Joy, Theresa, Kevin, Sherry, Matthew, David, Jimmy

My good friend, Sherry, is kneeling in the front row, and her friend, Steve,
is standing in the back row.

Kevin's four young daughters and wife were off on a trip with his in-laws in a motorhome, so he made the trip up from Yuma, AZ for the reunion.

Thus, they are not in the reunion photo.

Victoria, Ellen and Hannah, and Crystal


I've mentioned all of the family members in the first reunion picture (above), except for my brother John's family.

John's daughter, Karen, (with the long dark hair in the above photo) took this picture and I took the above photo.
                    My Brother, John, and Me


Family Reunion 7-22-07 (Karen took this photo.)
(Rear) Amy, John, Me, Fred, Logan, Ed, Rachel, Steve, Flo with Gabby, Kenny
(Front) Joy, Theresa, Kevin, Sherry, Matthew, David, Jimmy (kneeling).

My brother John's family are all on the right side.
Brother John's ex-wife, Flo, son, Kenny and Karen's husband,
Jimmy, kneeling with their three kids, Gabby (Gabriella), David and Matthew.
They live in Santa Monica.

Virginia "Gee Gee" Fielder (Stearns), VHS '43 (right)

Also sent a photo of my Cousin, Virginia Fielder, who now lives in Camino, CA, which is about 50 miles from Tahoe. She also graduated from Venice High about ten years before I did.  She is in excellent physical health.

Gee Gee!  Now twice the striking a lady! - Ron


I never did get a Yearbook, so don't know which picture of me is in there, so sent one graduation picture.

Betty, later found and sent a yearbook photo (left). - Ron

I really didn't make this all that short did I? But it's hard to cover 55 years in one email.

Thanks for all of the invitations I've gotten and other letters. At least I can keep in touch by email. I was a word processor for many years, so typing is my thing.

By the way, I hope sending all of these pictures at one time doesn't blow up your computer. I normally don't like to send so many at once. I do take a lot of pictures.

Take Care,

   Betty (Fielder) Dowell

( Betty, modified this photo herself. She looks great in blue, don't you think? - Ron )
Submitted to and Designed by Ron - June 7, 2008

Here is the text of Betty's email sent regarding our efforts. - Ron

Ron - Thanks so much. I went into the new Fifty-Five Plus Club site and it was fun to find our bios in there. You did such a great job. Let's hope some of the others from the Class of '53 will do the same. I really do appreciate you doing such a great job setting up my Bio in there. I emailed it to my entire family and they will get a big kick out of seeing it also. I will attempt to get involved with the message board when I have a chance. --- Betty (6/17/08)

? Now, will the rest of you join our new club ?