2024.03.21 THROW BACK THURSDAY - HISTORY IN THE HEIGHTS - PLUS CLASS NEWS
THROW BACK THURSDAY - HISTORY IN THE HEIGHTS -
PLUS CLASS NEWS
Another wonderful story by Jim Pfeifer aia
Sports can have a positive effect on the life of a community. When the University of Arkansas athletic teams are winning, people in some circles of our city seem a little happier and conversation may be a little more upbeat and friendly. The Super Bowl has become something of a national event. Even those of us who are not inspired by athletic excellence, may socialize with family and friends during this broadcast and watch a display of music and spectacle. While such gatherings start to give credibility to President Mandela's unification theory, our own community lacks a key component - obviously, we have no team of our own! Dallas is our closest city with a team, but we have waited many years to see the Cowboys make it to the big game. Despite its distance away from us, there may be a case for the city of Little Rock to embrace the San Francisco 49ers as “our dog” in the professional football fight.
After all, this team has been owned for decades by a local boy - Little Rock Catholic High School graduate John York and his wife Denise. Not only was Mr. York raised and educated here, but his life seems to have followed a path of high standards. Called “Johnny” in his youth, York had his earliest sports experiences on the grass at Prospect Terrace Park on Southwood Road in the Heights area. About a hundred years ago, Prospect Terrace developer Sidney Kahn generously left green space around the edges of the neighborhood which the City of Little Rock continues to manage as park land. In the 1960s Johnny York’s mom, widowed at an early age, would beckon her son from football games in this neighborhood park when dinner was ready in their bungalow on Harrison Street. Little did Mom or any of his teammates know that young Johnny would someday be an owner of a Super Bowl team.
York's attendance at Little Rock’s Catholic High School showed diverse and exemplary accomplishment. As an honor society scholar, he and nine other boys represented Catholic High at the prestigious Boys State, where he was elected Lieutenant Governor. He was editor-in-chief of the Cicerone, a publication with long tradition at his school and he played on the 1967 varsity basketball team (a credible five-and-four winning year against tough competition).
Despite having accomplished everything asked of him at Catholic High, he was disappointed to receive notice that he was only on the waiting list for the college of his choice, Notre Dame. His response was to borrow his mother’s car, drive to Indiana, and wait for an appointment with the Dean of Admissions to present his record and plead his case. The Dean responded that his record was good, but that there were so many good applicants and they had limited space; but he went on to say, “The fact that you drove all the way from Arkansas to speak with me personally to make your presentation, impresses me as the type of man we are looking for. Welcome to the freshman class of Notre Dame!" After graduating from Notre Dame, John completed medical school in Chicago, established a large and successful Cancer research laboratory, and married his college sweetheart, Denise DeBartolo. When death and personal misfortune struck his wife’s family, he was asked to step in and manage their family businesses - (which included racetracks, shopping centers, AND the 49ers). John and Denise have remained as co-chairs of the 49ers for several decades, while their son Jed has now assumed the CEO position. Their extended family has led the 49ers to five Super Bowl wins and an overtime loss in the big game this year.
John York never forgot his Heights and Hillcrest buddies or the place which helped him develop his values and provided his education, Catholic High. His generous gift to the school of their new math and science building and a large joint donation to upgrade the original educational facility, are but a part of the substantial public service commitment of the York family. UAMS has also benefited from York generosity. By their donation of a “chair” in the tie pathology department, the institution has been able to attract the most highly regarded scientists in that field.
Will the story of the Little Rock boy's exemplary life and successful leadership of the San Francisco 49ers be enough to sway you to cheer for them in 2025's Super Bowl game? I guess they have to get there first! The rest is up to you!
1956 CLASS NEWS
Mary Lou Hosack Billingsley and Dean Stoddard McMillan went to Dallas last weekend to visit
Lynn Hanson. They say Lynn is doing great and they had a wonderful time! Here's a picture.
Lynn's daughter who drove down from Fayetteville and took Mary Lou and Dean with her to Dallas.
We've just received the news that Betty Sue Johnson Stanley and Jim have lost their daughter, Karen.
She had suffered a massive heart attack several days ago and was on a ventilator. Our deepest sympathy to
Betty and Jim. That's the second child of a classmate to pass away in two weeks. Annette Brown lost her
daughter recently.
1955 CLASS NEWS
Donald D. Gephardt
Donald David Gephardt, born March 28, 1937 in Denver, Colorado, passed away on March 17, 2024 at the age of 86. Don lived in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Don lived in Colorado and Texas before moving to Arkansas, first in Brinkley and then Little Rock. He graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1955. He studied at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and then received a bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma State University. He had a long career at IBM as a Hardware Support Specialist. Following that career, he held various positions including mission coordination work at Park Hill Baptist Church. Don was an active worshipper, volunteer, and Deacon at Park Hill Baptist Church. He was also an active volunteer with statewide efforts including Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief. His Disaster Relief service included radio communication which utilized his long-time amateur radio enthusiasm and expertise. He loved the outdoors and hikes with friends. He was a distance bicyclist with uncommon stamina and biked across the country as part of the American Lung Association Big Ride. He also was a gold and silver multi-medalist in the Arkansas and Mississippi Senior Olympics. Don loved music and he performed with a string band and the choir. Don was the son of Marion Tichenor and Robert Gephardt. He is survived by his loving companion Anna Faye House and sons Douglas (Allison) and Dennis (Ansley Samson) Gephardt, and his grandchildren Caitlin, Christopher, Benjamin, Warner, and Audrey. He was preceded in death by his wife of over 60 years, Carol Dian Warner, Class of 1956 (d. 2019) as well as five siblings Nellie, Marguerite, Esther, Maesel and Ernest.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Park Hill Baptist Church, Missions Fund, 201 East C Avenue, North Little Rock, AR 72116.
Visitation will be at 10:00 am, March 23th, 2019 at Park Hill Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Following that, a memorial service will be held at 11:00 am in the same location.
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IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR OUR CLASS 85TH BIRTHDAY PARTY APRIL 19 AND 20, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU STILL HAVE YOUR NAME TAG AND IF SO, THAT YOU WILL BRING IT WITH YOU FOR THE PARTY. THANKS!!!!!
IF YOU HAVEN'T REGISTERED YET, YOU'RE GOING TO MISS A GOOD TIME SEEING OLD CHILDHOOD FRIENDS. 104 OF THEM ARE COMING!!!!! ATTACHED IS A REGISTRATION FORM!
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