Members Hear Talk on Financial Planning

    Almost 60 members of the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association (STRSEA) attended a presentation by Beatrice and Randy Waesche on retirement financial planning last Thursday, March 15. 

The group's general Spring meeting was held in the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. Ms. Wasesche became a Certified Financial Planner this year after attending the LSU CFP Program in 2011 and interning at Charles Schwab Advisor Services in Florida. She then worked with a wealth management firm in Houston, TX, and moved back to Louisiana last August to work locally with Resource Management LLC. 

      The STRSEA meets regularly throughout the year to provide opportunities for retirees from the school system to hear about the important issues impacting local and state retirees and to enjoy fun and fellowship with new and former colleagues.  Meetings are generally on the second Thursday of September, November, December, March and May, including an annual Christmas party and spring luncheon. 

     For a once-only fee of $45, the STRSEA offers a life-time membership that entitles members to vote on association matters, furnishes an identification card that allows St. Tammany members free admission to all home games at school system athletic events and provides a St. Tammany Advantage Rewards (STAR) card for discounts at participating local businesses and restaurants.

     For more information about this organization, call President Roxanne Lagarde at 985-966-6166.  If present members have a new email address, please send the update to stpretirees@gmail.com.  Retirees may join the STRSEA at any regularly scheduled meeting or may send a check for $45 payable to STRSEA in care of STRSEA at Post Office Box 2992; Covington, Louisiana 70434

The financial planning information provided by the speakers included comments about the current economic cycle, the ongoing economic expansion, and historical risks for investors. "The 38-year decline in interest rates is over; interest rates are on the rise as the Federal Reserve Board addresses a growing economy, historically high and growing federal deficits, and the potential for inflation," they noted.

Overall, they felt that simplicity is a factor in making investment decisions.  "Keep your investment portfolio basic and understandable," Randy Waesche explained. He went on to say how the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) was working, and spoke briefly about annuities and mutual funds. 

Spotlight on Buck and Joyce McKee

By Rhonda Chambers

     What a privilege to sit down and chat with this wonderful couple of 56 years!  Joyce and Buck McKee have been retired together for almost 27 years and are living life with zest and to the fullest.  

     Buck graduated in 1959 from Delta State College in Mississippi with a BA degree in History and in 1967 received a Master’s Degree plus 30 hours in Administration from Southeastern.  His first teaching assignment was in 1959 as a Physical Education teacher and coached the girls’ basketball team at Lee Road Jr. for four years and then moved to Mandeville High where he taught social studies classes and coached the girls’ basketball team.  

      Four years later he was reassigned to Covington High as a social studies teacher and was later promoted to its Assistant Principal’s position.  In 1973 Buck was promoted to the Principal of Schoen Middle where he remained until his retirement in 1991.

     Joyce graduated from Southeastern Louisiana College in 1959 with a degree in Elementary Education.  She returned to Southeastern and in 1969 was awarded a Master’s Degree plus 30 hours in Supervision.  Her first teaching assignment was at Lacombe Elementary as a second grade teacher in 1959.  

     Three years later she was reassigned to Covington Elementary where she taught for the remainder of her career.  She taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders and was chosen to be a supervisor of student teachers from Southeastern during that time.  Joyce retired in 1989.

     They have both chosen to lead a fulfilling second half of their lives after retiring.  Buck worked at his brother’s business, the Covington Nursery for five years and then evaluated 1st year teachers in the LaTAAP program for 10 years.  Joyce has always loved working with children so was a childcare provider in private homes for a few years before being hired to work with babies and young children at the Family Service Center across from Covington High.  This was a daycare for children of girls who were finishing high school or college.  For ten years the couple traveled with friends to east and west Canada, as well as, many states within the USA.

     A typical day for Buck would be to have breakfast at McDonalds around 8:30 and then spend the rest of the morning either gardening or in lawn maintenance.  After lunch he enjoys reading and watching the daily news.  He really enjoys watching and participating in Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.  (Joyce says he holds his own in the competitions!)  He also enjoys watching various sports on TV.  Sundays you will find Buck ushering the attendees at the First Baptist Church of Covington.  Joyce and Buck spend a lot of their time together just enjoying each other.

     An easy question for the couple was “What was the best thing that happened to you last year?”  Their daughters Laura and Pam got together and planned an 80th birthday party celebration for the two of them to include memorabilia from their entire lives from 1937 to 2017. Many friends and family members attended.

     When I asked if you won the lottery what would you do with it?  Buck responded, “I would give it all away, to the church, family, friends, and needy worthwhile causes.”

     I asked them if they could remember having one favorite gift as a child…Since they are from rather large families, Buck has 7 siblings and Joyce has 8, they both said that they didn’t receive many as children.  The one that stood out for Buck was a BB gun, and Joyce at 7 years old received an orange hardback book, Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates.
If you could only eat one food for two weeks what would it be?  Joyce’s response was, “I would have McDonald’s sausage biscuit-well done!”   

Legislative Update Held on January 25

    The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association held a special "legislative update" meeting on Thursday, January 25, at the David Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville.

     The special  guest speaker was Dana Vicknair, the new Executive Director of TRSL,  the Teacher Retirement System of Louisiana. She presented the latest information pertaining to retirement benefits and the most probable upcoming Legislative considerations on retirement issues.  Formerly the assistant director, she recently replaced Maureen Westguard as TRSL executive director. Vicknair joined TRSL in 1995 and was chief financial officer for six years before her appointment as assistant director in 2004. Ms Westgard retired from TRSL to become the executive director for the National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR).

     The STRSEA meets regularly throughout the year to provide opportunities for retirees from the school system to hear about the important issues impacting local and state retirees and to enjoy fun and fellowship with new and former colleagues.  

    STRSEA Meetings are generally on the second Thursday of September, November, December, March and May, including an annual Christmas party and spring luncheon.  The next meeting of the group will be on March 15 at 10 a.m.

     For a once-only fee of $45, the STRSEA offers a life-time membership that entitles members to vote on association matters, furnishes an identification card that allows St. Tammany members free admission to all home games at school system athletic events and provides a St. Tammany Advantage Rewards (STAR) card for discounts at participating local businesses and restaurants.

     For more information about this organization, call President Roxanne Lagarde at 985-966-6166.  If present members have a new email address, please send the update to stpretirees@gmail.com.  Retirees may join the STRSEA at any regularly scheduled meeting or may send a check for $45 payable to STRSEA in care of STRSEA at Post Office Box 2992; Covington, Louisiana 70434.

Spotlight On Ann and Jim Murphy

     Ann and Jim Murphy have chosen to lead an exciting second half of their lives after retiring by joining different clubs to meet a lot of people.  They love to dance, disco, jitterbug (any fast dancing).  They go to the gym together.  

Jim and Ann Murphy

     Every week their son-in-law Steve cooks and they are invited over to eat.  They get to visit with their two grandsons, and Ann gets to visit with her daughter.  They also talk everyday over the phone.  She loves to hear her voice, and she has been told that their voices sound alike, but Ann would disagree; she believes her daughter’s voice is better.  Maybe could it be that Ann loves her very much?

     The couple of 33 years have also travelled a lot…Canada, all over the USA, Central and South America, cruises, as far as, Caracas, Venezuela, Aruba, Puerto Rico, and to 12 different countries in Europe. 

     They bought a new 2013 Mustang, bright green with black stripes, and joined the local Mustang Club (with all young people).

     Jim and Ann are having fun and enjoying life together.  They thank God for their good health and believe in living one day at a time, trying to get all the gusto out of life that they can!  They both love each other very much and tell each other this every morning sealed with a kiss.

     In 1992 they moved to Mandeville.   Ann worked for Ochsner Hospital on Jefferson Hwy, in the accounting department, and after two years of crossing the bridge, she thought all of that time was being wasted.  She began thinking that she could do something worthwhile.  Then she started to think about how much she loved to be around children since she always had children in their home.  What was needed on the North Shore was another good teacher.

     At this time the Special Education program was looking into ways to better meet the individual challenges of the special needs children within the St. Tammany Public School System, and Ann knew that was where she wanted to be.  She had three successful children, and she would use them as her resume.  She went to school for special education classes and took the test and received her certificate as a Certified Para Educator.  

     Then she thought of how she could make a difference and where she was needed.  She chose to work with children with behavior problems.  Ann did make a difference working with her students at Mandeville, Covington, and Pontchartrain Elementary.  She later took sign language classes.   Since she used her hands to express herself, she wanted to see if she could help the hearing impaired students; and she did.  

     Ann really enjoyed teaching and noted that she should have been a teacher from the start.  She saw herself as a problem solver, a listener for the children, patient and encouraging.  She liked to set a good example and gave advice, especially from past experiences.  She always loved being around children; she needed them, and they needed her.  Those years were very happy times for Ann.

     Jim joined STRSEA as an associate member.  He was a mechanical engineer and worked as a Supervisor for a cement plant.  Later on he began working at his second son’s company as an interpreter (he speaks fluent Spanish). 

Spotlight On Kathy and Leroy James

By Rhonda Chambers

     It was such an honor to sit down and interview this charming couple of 67 years!  At 92 and 89 years young it was definitely a privilege to hear of where they have come from and how they have chosen to fulfill their lives since retiring.  

Leroy and Kathy James

     Leroy was educated through the Washington Parish School System where he attended a one room schoolhouse from grades 1-5.  He graduated at age 16 and attended LSU until he was called into the service during WWII.  He served in the Pacific US Army, and we applaud his service!  

     When he returned home from the war he attended Southeastern La College and graduated in 1949 with a degree in Agriculture.  He was hired by the Washington Parish School Board to teach in the “Vet on the Farm” program.  In 1953 he was hired by the St Tammany School Board and began teaching 5th graders at Lee Road Jr High where he remained for 7 years.  

     In 1954 he received his Master’s degree in Elementary Ed from Mississippi Southern College.  Leroy taught at Madisonville Junior (1-9) for 4 years until he was named its Principal in 1964.  In 1978 he began his tenure as the Principal of Madisonville Elementary where he remained until his retirement in 1986.

     Kathy graduated from Walthall County School (MS) in 1946 and received an Associate Degree from Perkinston Jr. College in 1948.  She began her teaching career in 1948 at Thomas High in Washington Parish serving 2nd/3rd grade special needs students.  In 1949 she was assigned to teach 54 3rd/4th grade students at Walthall and then went back to Washington Parish to teach for the second time in 1950.  

     Kathy began writing Leroy when he was in the service, and in 1950 they decided to tie the knot. They had their son in 1951, and she became a stay-at-home mom.  In 1953 the James family decided to move to St. Tammany parish and settled in at Barkers Corner.  They eventually moved into Covington where they live today.  

     Kathy received her BS in Elementary Ed in 1954 from Mississippi Southern and was hired to teach 3rd/4th graders at Lee Road Junior in 1959.  In 1966 she became certified in Library Science and became the school’s librarian where she remained until her retirement in 1976.

     Leroy rises at 4:00 am four days a week to get to the gym early.  Back in 1959 Leroy began participating in the St. Tammany Jail Ministry program, an activity that he still finds himself in every Tuesday night.  He views himself as an “encourager” and is there to celebrate recovery with the inmates.  

     Kathy enjoys cooking, where miniature fruit cakes and pies were her claim to fame.  She loves to work with the art of stained glass and making junk art.  After retiring Leroy put his woodworking skills to work by cutting pieces for an Adults with Special Needs group to paint and then sell to help raise money for their cause.  Kathy would pick up the unused scraps of wood and turn them into beautiful art pieces.  

     Leroy and fellow members of the 350th AAA Army Battalion had a reunion once a year, and in 1998 the James’ hosted the event in Covington.

     When asked, as a child what did they want to be when they grew up Leroy said, “a farmer” and Kathy either wanted to be an interior decorator or a pathologist.  

     What are 3 qualities that got you where you are today?  They both agreed on respectful, kindness, and a relationship with God.

     They both agreed that their greatest extravagance was eating out!





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Retired Teachers Hold Christmas Holiday Luncheon

Eighty one persons attended the annual Christmas Holiday Luncheon held by the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association (STRSEA) on Thursday, December 14, at the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. 

Dee Wild, director of RSVP for the Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans, told the audience of the many opportunities to volunteer their skills and time, naming specific non-profit organizations that need those with teaching experience. Some of the groups she suggested were the Council on Aging, Faith in Action, Forest Manor Nursing Home, Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Lacombe Nursing Home, Park Provence, the SALT Council, the Senior Medicare Patrol and the Windsor Senior Living Center.

Other groups in need of volunteers are the local schools in the area, CASA, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife agency for their center in Lacombe, the New Heights Therapy Center, Habitat for Humanity, the Boys & Girls Club of Slidell, and the St. Tammany Humane Society. The Volunteers of America have a "RSVP Office" at 823 Carroll Street in Mandeville. People wishing to volunteer their time can contact that office and be matched with an organization that needs their particular skills.

President Roxanne Lagarde welcomed those present, with Bill Brady giving the invocation, Ron Caruso giving the treasurer's report, and vice presidents Lyn Monteleone and Cheryl Beaver giving membership reports and introducing the guest speaker. 

The group now has 808 members, with 63 new members signing up in the last 12 months, the largest annual increase in membership ever accomplished. The next meeting will be held on January 23, 2018. 

Here are some pictures from that event. Click on the images to make them larger.