Colonel White High School Class of 1965 © 2004 :: Featured Alumni

Featured Alumni

Linda Graham

We are pleased to have today as our featured alumnus from the Class of ’65 Linda Graham Pumphrey. Linda, it was good to see you at the June reunion. We were glad you could make it for the Saturday night event. Please tell us where you are living and what you are doing now.

WE’RE AT 12419 WEST ALLEGRO DRIVE, SUN CITY WEST, ARIZONA 85375

And what is your current occupation, Linda?

I’M AN ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE SUPPORT ANALYST

Can you tell us a little bit about your family?

I’VE BEEN MARRIED TO THOMAS PUMPHREY FOR 35 YEARS. WE HAVE NO CHILDREN, BUT OUR CURRENT DOGS ARE MURPHY (AN ENGLISH SETTER) AND COCO (A GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER). THESE ARE DOGS NUMBER 4 AND 5.

Have you been an accounting software support analyst since graduation or have you had other careers?

WELL, I’VE HAD MANY. I’VE OWNED TWO BUSINESSES, AND TWO WITH MY HUSBAND. I TAUGHT ACCOUNTING AT COLLEGE FOR 8 YEARS AND WAS A PAYROLL INSTALLATION SPECIALIST FOR CERIDIAN CORP FOR 8+ YEARS. I WAS ALSO ASSISTANT CONTROLLER FOR SUPER-X DRUGS, AND A TRAINING COORDINATOR FOR A SOFTWARE COMPANY.

You really have a varied background! Will you please tell us what else has been happening in your life during the past 37 years?

WE MOVED AWAY FROM DAYTON TO GREELEY, COLORADO IN 1973 AND LIVED THERE UNTIL 1986. WHILE THERE, MADE MANY LIFELONG FRIENDS. WE ENJOYED A VERY ACTIVE LIFESTYLE, HIKING, JEEPING, GOLF, TENNIS, SOFTBALL, VOLLEYBALL AND SKIING TO NAME A FEW. IN 1986 WE MOVED TO PHOENIX FOR FOUR YEARS TO PURSUE A BUSINESS VENTURE THAT DIDN’T PAN OUT. IN 1990 WE MOVED BACK TO DENVER, COLORADO UNTIL 1994, WHEN WE MOVED BACK AGAIN TO OUR BELOVED DESERT IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA, WHERE WE PLAN TO STAY THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

Did you continue your education after graduation from C.W. ?

I HAVE A B. S., BUSINESS TEACHER EDUCATION.

You would be a fun teacher! What other interests or hobbies do you have?

I ENJOY GOLF, TENNIS, WALKING/HIKING, AND READING MYSTERY BOOKS.

Have you had any memorable trips, job assignments or other activities?

IN 1992, WE HAD ONE MEMORABLE TRIP TO ON OUR 25^TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TO THE ISLAND OF KAUAI, HAWAII, DURING HURRICANE INIKI. THE IRONIC DATE OF THE HURRICANE WAS SEPT 11^TH. AS YOU MAY RECALL, IT WAS A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 170 MPH AND A DIRECT HIT ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI. EARLY IN THE MORNING OF THE 11^TH, WE WERE EVACUATED TO A SCHOOL COMPLEX HIGH ON A HILL. WE WERE SOME OF THE FIRST TOURISTS TO ARRIVE AND WERE PUT IN A COMBINATION GYMNASIUM/AUDITORIUM. IN HAWAII, THERE ARE NO WINDOWS, ONLY BIG WOODEN SLATS THAT COVER THE WINDOWS. THE POWER WAS TURNED OFF TO THE ISLAND AT ABOUT 11 AM. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FIRST BAD WINDS WOULD BEGIN IN ABOUT AN HOUR, WITH THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE PASSING OVER ABOUT 3:00, WITH WORSE WINDS TO FOLLOW. TO SAY IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE IS PUTTING IT MILDY. I HAD A VIDEO CAM AND WAS RECORDING THE STORM (IN THE BEGINNING WHEN WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO LOOK OUTDOORS); AND WHILE RECORDING, I NOTICED TWO HOLES WHERE THE ROOF MET THE WALLS. ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER THAT, I SAW ¼ OF THE ROOF BLEW OFF. ALSO, THE WOOD SHUTTERS BEGAN TO BLOW OFF AND THE RAIN WAS POURING IN SIDEWAYS. FORTUNATELY, THE INITIAL ROOF PROBLEM DID NOT CAUSE ANY INJURIES. THERE WERE ABOUT 250 OF US IN THERE AT THAT TIME; AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WE ALL WENT UP ON THE STAGE (REMEMBER I SAID THIS WAS AN AUDITORIUM/GYM). EVERYONE WAS PRETTY TERRIFIED WATCHING ALL THE WINDOWS GO, PLUS MORE OF THE ROOF AND ALL THE WATER THAT WAS ON THE GYM FLOOR.

WHEN THE EYE PASSED, THE NATIONAL GUARD CAME AND EVACUATED US TWO AT A TIME TO A NEARBY SCHOOL BUILDING. THE WINDS WERE STILL ABOUT 80 MPH WHEN THE EYE PASSED AND WE HAD TO DODGE FLYING METAL ROOFS, TREES, ETC. THE PLACE WE WERE MOVED TO SEEMED MUCH MORE SECURE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ON THE TOP FLOOR, BECAUSE IT WAS A CONCRETE BLOCK STRUCTURE. AFTER THE EYE PASSED, THEN THE REALLY DAMAGING WINDS CAME BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WAS LOOSENED ONE WAY GOT RIPPED APART WITH THE WINDS GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. IN THE ROOM WE WERE MOVED TO, CEILING TILES BEGAN BECOMING PROJECTILE MISSILES; FORTUNATELY, WE HAD IN OUR GROUP OF AROUND 50 A COUPLE OF TALL GUYS THAT WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY REMOVE THE TILES. THE WINDS FINALLY LET UP ABOUT 7 P. M., AND WE WERE ABLE TO GO OUT ON THE BALCONY AND WITNESS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL COMPLEX AND NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND US.

IT IS TRULY INDESCRIBABLE…YOU WOULD HAVE TO WITNESS IT. THE MAIN THING I REMEMBER IS THAT ONE TYPE OF BEAUTIFUL FIR TREE THEY HAVE THERE HAD BEEN COMPLETELY STRIPPED CLEAN. COCONUT PALMS LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE HAD TAKEN A CHAINSAW TO THEM. BUT, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I REMEMBER WAS THE INCREDIBLE KINDNESS OF THE NATIVES OF THE ISLAND. AT 3 A. M., THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOMES (WITH NO ROOFS ON THEM AND HEAVILY DAMAGED), MAKING COFFEE ON CAMP STOVES FOR US TOURISTS. THAT SPIRIT CONTINUED OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS, AS WE RETURNED TO TORN-UP CONDOS WITH NO FOOD OR WATER AND WERE MET BY THE LOCALS, WHO SERVED SEVERAL COOKOUTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE HAVE RETURNED TO HAWAII SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN, BUT NEVER DURING HURRICANE SEASON!

ANOTHER MEMORABLE TRIP FOR US WAS TO SEE THE ATLANTA BRAVES IN THE EARLY 80’S (MY HUSBAND’S BEST FRIEND WAS THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER). WE SAW THE PLAYERS’ LOCKER ROOMS, TED TURNER’S OFFICE AND HAD A BALL SIGNED BY THE ENTIRE BRAVES TEAM, WHICH INCLUDED THE DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL AT THAT TIME, HANK AARON. (HANK NEVER SIGNED BASEBALLS; AND THIS BALL, NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF MY NEPHEW, IS VERY VALUABLE).

You’ve really had some exciting times! Linda, do you still have parents or siblings in the area?

I HAD ONE BROTHER NAMED TERRY THAT ALSO WENT TO C. W. (GRADUATED IN 1960, I BELIEVE). HE LIVES IN FLORIDA, AS DOES MY MOTHER, WHO IS STILL LIVING AND IN GOOD HEALTH.

What do you feel are some accomplishments or achievements?

GOING TO COLLEGE AT THE AGE OF 32, BEING IN "WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA’S JUNIOR COLLEGES," AND BEING A HARRY TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP WINNER.

Do you have any regrets, Linda?

NONE

Would you say that your job and life are where you thought they would be when you were in high school? And why or why not?

WELL, PROBABLY NOT. I ENVISIONED MYSELF WITH CHILDREN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE ANY. BEFORE I MET MY HUSBAND IN THE SPRING OF MY SENIOR YEAR, I WANTED TO BE A NEW YORK CITY ROCKETTE AND THEN BECOME A CHOREOGRAPHER ON BROADWAY. PRETTY FAR REMOVED FROM ACCOUNTING, WOULDN’T YOU SAY!

If you could start over, would you or would you not make the same choices you did the first time around?

I’VE HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE AND CAN’T IMAGE CHANGING ANYTHING REALLY. OH, I’M SURE I WISH I HAD INVESTED IN THAT LAND THAT BECAME WORTH SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS; BUT NO, NOT REALLY.

Tell us about some of your favorite memories of Colonel White.

MY FAVORITE TEACHER WAS MISS KENNEDY, WHO I HAD FOR HISTORY. I ENJOYED HISTORY, ALGEBRA AND GYM CLASSES; MY FAVORITE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WERE CHEERLEADING AND PEP CLUB.

We sure enjoyed you and Eileen leading us in the fight song at the reunion! You haven’t lost your touch. Who were some of the classmates you particularly remember?

CINDY COUCH, SUE NEIGHBORS, KATHY KEEFER, KAY BRANSON (MY ROOMY AT BAND CAMP), SHERRI DOUGLAS, SHERYL PETRY, KAREN MOORE, JOANIE EISENSTODT, KAREN PAVOLSKY (ALSO MY EJ BROWN BUDDY) AND MANY MORE TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION. I GUESS I NEED TO MENTION THAT THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME THE FIRST THREE YEARS AT C. W. WERE TAKEN UP BY TOM DEVELBISS (CLASS OF 64). I REMEMBER HOW MUCH FUN I HAD MY SENIOR YEAR AFTER TOM HAD GONE ON TO COLLEGE AND WE HAD BROKEN UP. I THINK I DATED JUST ABOUT EVERYONE POSSIBLE!!

What were some favorite weekend activities for you?

FOOTBALL GAMES; WHITE HOUSE DANCES; GOODY GOODY RESTAURANT; DRIVING THROUGH PARKMOOR WITH SUE NEIGHBORS IN HER LITTLE BLUE TR3; FOREST PARK DANCE CLUB, WHERE WE GOT TO SEE ALL OF THE BANDS…EVEN ONE THAT BECAME FAMOUS (HANG ON SLOOPY!); STEALING THE TAU GAMMA DELTA FLAG FROM THE TOP OF FAIRVIEW HIGH SCHOOL AND SPENDING THE NIGHT UP THERE (WITH CINDY COUCH).

Linda, what are your future plans:

TO HAVE AS GOOD A TIME AS I’VE BEEN HAVING AND TO (HOPEFULLY) STAY IN GOOD HEALTH.

Have you made any retirement plans?

WE'VE ALREADY MOVED TO A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT RETIRED. WE DID SO PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE GREAT GOLF PACKAGE OFFERED AND THE 7 COURSES. WE ALSO PLAN TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN THE SUMMER IN COLORADO.

Do you have any words of wisdom, comments, or messages for classmates?

COMMENT TO MY BEST FRIEND…. IN HIGH SCHOOL AND NOW…CINDY (COUCH) JENNENS. ALWAYS KEEP ME LAUGHING WITH THAT INFECTIOUS LAUGH OF YOURS AND ALWAYS BE MY FRIEND. THANKS TO ALL MY OTHER C. W. CLASSMATES THAT STUCK BY ME WHEN I HAD THE ACCIDENT WITH THAT PERMANENT JUST BEFORE WE STARTED SENIOR YEAR. REMEMBER THAT I WAS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AFRO…EVEN IF IT WAS A BLONDE ONE.

Linda, thank you so much for spending a little of your day here with us here on the Web. Sounds like you have been very busy over the past 37 years, Best wishes Linda and we hope to see you at our 40th Reunion. That's it until next time. Till then this is.....

Carol Flinspach Yinger