| Class of 1968 Biographies |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Bios L-O |
Michael (Lail) Vance
Michael Vance (Lail) was first published in The Professor's Story Hour chapbook at the age of
eleven and became a professional freelance writer in 1977. He has been published in dozens of
magazines and as a syndicated columnist and cartoonist in over 500 newspapers. His history
book, Forbidden Adventures: The History of the American Comics Group, has been called a
"benchmark in comics history". His magazine work has been published in seven countries, and
includes articles for Starlog, Jack & Jill and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
He briefly ghosted an internationally syndicated comic strip, and his own strip for five years
called Holiday Out that was reprinted as a comic book. Vance also wrote comic book titles
including Straw Men, Angel of Death, The Adventures of Captain Nemo, and Bloodtide. His work
has appeared in several comic book anthologies, and he is listed in the Who's Who of American
Comic Books and Comic Book Superstars.
His twenty three short stories about a fictional town called "Light's End" have been published in
Media Scene, Holiday Out Comics, Dreams and Visions, Maelstrom Speculative Fiction, Whispers
From the Shattered Forum, On Spec, Lovecraft�s Mystery Magazine and many others.
They have also been recorded by legendary actor William (Murder She Wrote) Windom and are
being released on cassettes and CDs. One of these stories was nominated for the international
2004 SLF Fountain Award for Best Short Story. With novelists Mel Odom and R.A. Jones, he co-
wrote Global Star, a tabloid in a world where werewolves and babies born with bowling balls in
their stomachs are reality, and the New York Times and Washington Post are "trash journalism".
Vance�s weekly comics review column, Suspended Animation, has been continuously
published for almost nineteen years, currently reaching more than 700,000 readers in fanzines,
newspapers, and in over eighty websites.
In addition, he worked in newspapers for twenty-two years as an editor, writer and advertising
manager, creating three successful newspaper magazines. Vance also created the new
Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection housed in the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley,
Oklahoma.
He is currently communications director of a nonprofit agency, the Tulsa Boys' Home, in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. He is a Christian.
====================================================================================
Louise Manuel Lakin
I have been married to Alan Lakin for 17 years (3rd time is a charm). Currently live in Tampa,
Florida but consider Pensacola, FL my home with the white beaches and Gulf of Mexico. I have
lived in Florida for 14 years.. I have 4 daughters, 1 son, 4 granddaughters and 1 due in
September 08. I am a construction accountant with a commercial property management firm. I am
active in my church, The Crossing, sober 18 years and loving life. Gotten older, rounder, maybe a
little wiser but hey what do you expect for a 57 year old broad. Have a boat and enjoy the water,
love gardening (get that from my dad) spending quality time with the family since they are
scattered from Phoenix, Pensacola & Tampa. God had been good to me.
===================================================================================
Walter Long
I have been married for 36 years to Kathy (Crowder, Grant '69) and have a son, Jason and his wife
Tammy, and their children -- our grandkids, Savannah and Garrett. We are members of Saint
Andrews United Methodist Church. I worked forty-years civil service and recently retired. I have
been on the Board of Directors of Hope Community Services for the past 23 years. I am an
alumni of the University of Oklahoma -- both bachelor and master degrees. My wife Kathy, a
retired teacher, and I enjoy watching our grandchildren during the week. We enjoy church
activities and travel.
===================================================================================
Charlotte Lynch Chandler
Hard to believe that I have worked for the University of Oklahoma since January 1990 and in the
School of Drama since July 1991. Worked in the Texas Independent School Systems for four
years and before that I worked thirteen years in the Norman Public Schools.
I have two great sons that have extended my world, Robert (39) & his wife Cherry have two
children Presley (9) and Justus (2) and my son Steve (35) & his wife Deborah have two children
Abigail (8) and Garrett (5). Ten years ago my son’s were married the same day in Eureka Spring,
Arkansas, two hours apart, everyone’s family was there and what a treat, we had so much fun.
We still all have lunch together after church every Sunday!
Reading the bio’s we all say the same thing! Family, family, family.
My daddy, my friend, went to be with the Lord April 2002. I miss him everyday.
Mom is still going, still driving and living alone at 88 years old.
My brother Bobby (seven years younger than I) has made his home just up the road in Wichita,
Kansas.
Single, I am involved and active in my church life group and participate in most church singles
events. I see about my mom and oversee the care of my x-father-in-law, who moved to Oklahoma
three years ago to be near my sons.
Life is just plain good. Looking forward to taking early retirement in a little over two years, I’ll be
home doing all the things I really want to do, spending time & being Granny to those four
grandchildren, making memories together. And hopefully addressing all those projects I have
been purchasing and storing away for now!
Looking forward to a wonderful evening and seeing everyone.
====================================================================================
Nona LeClaire Newman
I was married for 10 years during and after high school. I was a homemaker taking care of my 3
daughters, Tanya (39), Michele (36) and JoAnna (35) for those 10 years. I married Steve Newman
in 1982, so we are celebrating 26 years of marriage. Steve has 2 sons, Tommy (34) and Tony (32).
We have lived in Moore, OK for the last 39 years. Four of our children live here in the Oklahoma
City area and a daughter (Tanya) lives in North Carolina. We have 9 grandchildren and they all
live here in the Oklahoma City area. They range from 16 years of age to 5 years of age. We are
very busy all year long going to Soccer games and school programs. Our grandchildren are very
important to us.
In 1977 I started working for Continental Federal Savings and Loan as a teller at their Moore
Branch. I worked as a New Accounts Associate, Auto Loan Processor and Mortgage Loan
Processor for about 10 years. Then was promoted to Branch Manager of the Moore Branch for 5
years. Midfirst Bank bought Continental out in 1990 and I worked for Midfirst for 5 years as a
Branch Manager.
I am now semi-retired working at Benson Sound Inc part-time. I am over their Soundtrack
Division. Benson Sound is a recording studio, Christian Soundtrack dealer, and we install Lights,
Sound and Video in churches,
schools, and businesses. I have worked for Benson for the last 10 years.
Steve retired from the Oklahoma City Fire Department after 31 years of service. He now works
part-time at the Oklahoma County Election Board.
We don't travel a lot but we always attend the Baseball College World Series in Omaha, NE every
year. For me that's all the baseball I can handle.
We are very active in our church, South Lindsay Baptist Church. This is where Steve and I met.
Steve is our Soundtnan and I am the Women's Ministry Director and GA Director (Girls In Action,
Missions Studies). I worked in the Children's Dept. (1st thru 6th grades) for the last 15 years. I
also teach a young women's Sunday school class. This is the most rewarding area of my life,
besides my children and grandchildren.
===================================================================================
(Click here to return to top of page - Bios L-O)
| Let us know what you have been up to all these years. Email your information and current picture to: melvonna@sehsokc1968.com |
Click on letters below:
