Remember. . .
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift:
That's why they call it the present
----
I graduated # 45 out of 453 in 1960. (Last person in the top 10% of our class.)
Since I married Joan Hasty my senior year, I chose not to take any of the scholarships I was offered for my grades or football. I went to work as a longshoreman at the Port of Houston in June of 1963 and never looked back. To supplement my income I played music in numerous clubs around Houston, causing the break up of two marriages to two beautiful women during that ten year period of my life.
Thanksgiving night, November 1973 I met Cherita Howell~Golden. On my birthday, April 3, 1974, we joined our families of two children each making us the Butcher Bunch. The children were all told at the ages of 8, 9, 10, & 11 that I was their father, Cherita was their mother, and they were brothers & sisters and that if that was not okay they could go live with their other parents.
Thirty five years and seven months later Cherita and I are still on a honeymoon and the children have always been brothers and sisters, not step anything. Cherita and my two previous wives are all good friends. We have 3 grandsons, 2 granddaughters, and 3 adopted granddaughters. We are truly blessed.
Since starting our life together I have not played music professionally, but I do enjoy sitting in with different bands. Cherita and I both work at the Port, as does my brother and one of my grandsons and numerous cousins, uncles and my dad before he passed away in the early nineties. Cherita and I have had several successful businesses that we sold at a profit.
My mother still lives in Park Place where we moved when I started attending Deady in the eighth grade in 1958.
Two of my brothers & my sister are still alive and well. We lost my brother Staff Sgt Davis Carroll Butcher in Viet Nam.
I truly believe that every day is a great day and that other days are even better. LIFE IS FANTASTIC! I am so thankful to be alive right now and know that we all should be thankful for everything in our lives.....'cause:
What YOU THINK about & THANK about YOU bring about.
ONE thing for sure, "if YOU think YOU can or YOU think YOU can't, YOU are absolutely right".
Thank YOU, Thank YOU, Thank YOU!
Tommy Butcher
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Hey Tommy, I love your story and how the Lord has blessed your family. You are so right, life is to short to not be happy. I look forward to seeing you and meeting your wife at the BIG 50 REUNION.
Gladys Payne Bohac
Posted by: Gladys Payne Bohac | November 16, 2009 at 08:45 PM
Tommy,
This is Ray Prichard from the reunion committee. I am very perplexed that I not have any listing for you in our database. Could you please contact me at [email protected]. Please send me your addresses, both snail mail and email. Also your home phone and/or cell phone numbers.
I work very diligently to maintain our class database and would really appreciate your help. We will be mailing out the formal announcement for the April 2010 reunion in just over one week and I want to make sure you are included.
Posted by: Ray Prichard | January 09, 2010 at 02:43 PM
Hey, I didn't know you went to Milby. I was there 58&59.
Got a group picture Christmas 2010. Send me your e-mail & I'll send it to you. Small world I Longshored 1961 till sept. 1966. Quit a few times with Ed Brune. I don't remember seeing you hiring out, you must have got key jobs all the time. kinfolks????
catch you later, got your picture you sent.
Posted by: W D Moore | March 05, 2011 at 01:32 PM