FRIENDS ON AND OFF THE COURT

In 1940 Barry not only had lots of young boys but they had lots of giggling little girls.  What one couldn't think of - the other did.  If one talked the parents out of the family car for awhile, there was never just one in it, it was crammed full of laughing little girls driving around town having fun.  The girls pictured here all went to the Baptist Church and they went to school together, studied together, and most importantly, played basketball together.  They look rather delicate but you had better watch out because when they played basketball they played to win one way or the other.  Some were tall and some were short but they each took care of one another especially on the ball court.

These girls, Billy Dale McGraw, Mary Luther, Joyce Ragan, Jane Ragan, Edna Earl Simpson and Ann Waldon were all active in school, church and community activities.  One Halloween, somehow a cotton wagon was put on top of the Massengale Service Station and cotton wagons were circled up downtown like the Indians were about to attack.  Now the men of the town had a bit of trouble getting the wagon down intact, but they did and no one ever knew exactly who did it.  Today when it is mentioned there are just smiles.

All these girls left Barry and married and only Joyce Ragan (Fields) has returned to Barry with her husband Rufas to live.  They have built a lovely brick home on Highway 22 about a mile from Barry.  Mary Luther lives in California but has bought a house next door to her mother and she and her family spends the family there.  The other girls visit their loved ones often and the Barry folk think of them as homefolks.  These girls are loved by all.

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BASKETBALL TEAM MEMBERS RETURN

The Barry community loves basketball, especially when the girls play.  The little darlings are so meek in the school room but when they get out on the court, the team they are playing had better watch out.  These girls run, hustle and follow.  They put all their energy of the day in a game.  The folks watching loved it.  A girl can be dainty in the classroom but its a different story when she plays basketball.  These girls are Mary Luther, Velma Derryberry, Orlena Farmer, Lavern Roberson, Edna Earl Simpson, Ann Waldon, and Joyce Ragan.

Two of these ladies live in the Barry community today.  Joyce Ragan is married to Ramsey Fields and they have built a new home west of Barry on Highway 22. retiring in the near future is on their mind.  The couple have one daughter Carol Jane who is now married and they have a granddaughter Windy.  Joyce and Ramsey both work in Dallas but enjoy country life.  The Couple are looking forward to retirement.

Velma Derryberry was married to Elton McClure.  The couple had two children, Sandy and Joel.  Velma lives on highway 22 and has just remodeled her home.  Velma is just a country girl at heart.  She enjoys taking care of her ranch and tending to her cows.  Its no big deal to get up in the middle of the night and see to something that needs to be seen about.  Velma has been made a director in the crime commission in Navarro County.

Mary Luther is married to John Lambert.  The couple live in California but have bought a house in Barry.  Mary and her husband keep foster children and every summer Mary puts the kids in a van and brings them home to spend the summer.  From California to a small community in Texas is an amazement to the children.

Not so long ago three of these girls were seen sitting at the Over-Sixty Club across from the Post Office.  It was a hot day and the girls had put their cane-bottom chairs out front.  They were talking softly and laughing.  The people of the town coming to the Post Office waved at the girls and called greetings.  A little group gathered in the Post Office and they talked about how nice it was to see these young ladies at home again.  Times were remembered when they were in school together and of the various things they had done and most talked of was their basketball days.  It is a wonderful feeling to see young people grow up and become good parents and upstanding citizens.  These young ladies are among Barry's finest.

 

Notes:

• Clippings Submitted by Anne Walton Wilson - June 2004