CURRENT ADDRESS:
Sylvia (Barker) Meeks
Robt. L. Meeks
1500 Robertson Ave
Carthage MO 64836-2965
417.358.7027
Hello to the class of '56
After High School, I attended Arkansas State College in Jonesboro. I hated to leave home, so I picked the school closest to home. While I was in the College Band, I met my husband, Bob. He was a music major and I was majoring in business. After two years of school, Bob and I were married at the Methodist Church in Helena. I went to work at the college for the Public Relations Office and Bob continued his education. In 1960, our daughter, Elizabeth, was born. She, and her husband, Jim, have two, beautiful teen-aged girls. Her family lives here in Carthage, so we have been able to see the grandchildren grow. Liz is an elementary music teacher.
After Bob's graduation, we moved to Hughes, AR where Bob taught High School Band and I stayed at home to care for Elizabeth. During our seven years in Hughes, our son, Robert Franklin (Bobby) was born. Bobby is married to a lovely girl named Lisa and we have two more wonderful grandchildren named Jack and Gretchen. They live in Carlsbad, California (outside of San Diego). Bobby is a computer specialist and works for Motorola. We loved Hughes and had many friends there, but we decided it was time to move on.
Bob accepted a position in Mtn. Grove, MO. 
Since both children were in school, I started back to school to get my degree. I only took a couple of classes a semester. After seven years, in Mtn. Grove, Bob was offered a position at Carthage, MO. I was very pleased because I could attend school full time. I graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Business Education.
I taught school in Joplin until there was an opening in Carthage. Bob and I taught in the same school for a year. He was offered a position at the University as Band Director and Professor of Jazz and Brass Studies. During this time, Bob was elected President of the Missouri Educators Association. In 1980, he was asked to conduct the Jazz Band for the Missouri Ambassadors of Music for their European tours. Every other year, we went to England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Holland. We had such a wonderful time, especially the year Joyce and Bill went with us.
While we were in Paris on one of our trips, I was running across the Place De Concorde to get to the Champs Elyess, when I fell and busted both knees. I will have to say that I survived much better than Marie Antoinette. She lost her head on the Place De Concorde. I had surgery on both knees when we returned. During this time, I also found out that I had the big "C". After five surgeries in six months, I decided it was time for me to retire after 22 years of teaching. I was just recovering at our last reunion.
Not wanting to be a lazy bum, I went back to school and got my Travel Agent's license and opened my own travel agency here in our home. We prepare custom performance trips for music students. Other opportunities became available as our business grew, and Bob soon retired and joined me. Since that time, we have done many custom tours throughout the world. We have repeatedly returned to England, Scotland, France, and Ireland. We have been to Athens, Greece and the Greek Isles. We have been, twice, to Turkey and have seen two different areas each time. On one of the trips, we visited the areas of the seven churches mentioned in Revelations. Both times, our group was on our own private Gullet in the Mediterranean Sea. Turkey is really an exciting country. Two years ago we went on a boat trip throughout Russia. Our two waitress in the dinning room said we were the first Americans they had every met. We still get e-mails from them. Our children and grandchildren have joined us on some of our overseas trips. They enjoy traveling as much as we do.
When we are home in Carthage, we enjoy our daughter, son-in-law, and two teenagers and work in our office most of the time. Bob is still keeping his hand in the music field by judging bands, and giving clinics. Our traveling season usually begins in March and is off and on until about October.
If the world settles down a little more, we hope to go on a Jeep tour throughout Turkey. The picture I am sending was taken in Turkey.
Bob and I feel we have had such a wonderful life. We have made friends throughout the world. We are very grateful for all our blessings.
We look forward to seeing all of you next year, if not before.