The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 172, Ed. 1 Sunday, September 4, 2016 Page: 4 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Baytown Sun and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Sterling Municipal Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
4A The Baytown Sun
Viewpoints
Sunday
September 4, 2016
MIKE
CASEY
GUEST VIEW
Friends of
Mike Clement
As a former Sterling center I still have my 1979 football
scouting report on the Lee Gander defense. There among
the names of guys I had played with and against for many
years is a special name. The entry for the right defensive
tackle says “Two year starter. 197 lb. senior. #66.” That
information is punctuated with a star to let us know this is a
good player. There is also a name: Mike Clement.
1 didn’t need that scouting report to know the person
on the other side of the line from me. Mike and I became
friends at Cedar Bayou Junior many years before where we
played football together and spent time in
each others’ homes. In eighth grade we
were on the CB yearbook staff together in
what was a very tight-knit group. Like all
of our classmates we were growing and
learning about life. We were sharing the
awkward teen years together and starting
I to develop into the people we would ulti-
mately become.
There was never a more maroon Gan-
_der than Mike Clement, but when our high
school years took him to REL and me to RSS, our friend-
ship continued unabated. Long before the days of smart
phones or social media, we actually spoke on the phone
regularly discussing our high school experiences and ath-
letic trials and tribulations. He was a true friend with a pos-
itive outlook on life and a tenacious work ethic.
Sometime during our sophomore year 1 remember Mike
telling me about vision problems he was having. He was
not only an excellent football player, he was also a serious
power-hitting baseball player. Poor vision present a prob-
lem for a hitter. He sought medical help, but got no conclu-
sive diagnosis.
Mike battled through football and baseball his last two
years, graduated, and headed to Sam Houston State. His
symptoms increased, and during his time in college, Mike
was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis..
Despite taking powerful drugs and feeling the effects of
the disease, Mike maintained his positive outlook and bat-
tled. He was a man of faith, and his approach to his chal-
lenge was a direct result of that faith and the support of his
family. Mike graduated from college with an accounting
degree and began working as youth minister for Central
Baptist Church in Baytown.
In his 1987 book, “Rise to the Challenge,” Mike de-
scribes hitting rock bottom physically and emotionally.
From that pit he prayed and determined not to wallow in
self-pity. He threw his energy into his ministry and even-
tually was elected to the Goose Creek CISD school board.
He was an example of making a difference regardless of
the challenges we face.
We lost Mike to this life in 1998 to an accident related
to his disease. His memorial service was like a reunion of
the REL Class of 1980 and those of us from Sterling that
knew and loved him. Since that time his family has award-
ed scholarships to Baytown students in Mike’s name. It is
fitting that he continues to impact the lives of Baytown’s
youth.
We loved Mike and what he stood for. So today we are
standing with him to help others. The non-profit organiza-
tion Friends of Mike Clement was many years in the mak-
ing. Mike’s friends and family believe it is important to
continue his legacy of excellence by raising money to give
back to deserving students in the Goose Creek district.
Beginning in the spring of 2017 Friends of Mike Clem-
ent will award scholarships to students at all three high
schools in the GCCISD. We need to your help to raise the
funds necessary to make this an annual reality.
The best way to help is to support our 2nd Annual Friends
of Mike Clement Charity Golf Tournament on- Saturday,
Oct. 1 at Eagle Point Golf Course in Mont Belvieu. We
are in need of golfers (individuals and foursomes). We also
need hole sponsors and contest sponsors. Hole and contest
sponsors get their name or company name on a sign at a
hole to show their support. Details and an entry form can
be found at www.friendsofmikeclement.org.
You may also make an online donation to support our
effort at www.friendsofinikeclement.org/give. Friends of
Mike Clement is an IRS 501c3 organization.
Feel free to contact Mark Casey for more information:
mcasey @baselodge .com.
Please help us pay honor to a Baytown legend and sup-
port the next generation of Baytown scholars.
Mark Casey is a former Baytown resident and organizer
of the Friends of Mike Clement Charity Golf Tournament.
Baytown Sun Survey
A lot of readers responded to our survey question
about how to handle illigal immigration, with more than
a third — nearly 40 percent — favoring a wall and de-
portation. However, results were far from unanimous.
• Allow pathway to
citizenship
• Wall and deportation
• Deport criminals
22.2%
38.2%
only
11.1%
• Heavier employer
pentalties
17.4%
• No wall; increase
border security
11.1%
Lee vs. Ross S. Sterling game continue?
Respond at www.baytownsun.com
True Texan? Lois wants to know
The former invaluable Baytown
Sun newsroom staffer, now the web
editor of Texas Highways Maga-
zine, Lois M. Rodriquez, poses an
important question:
“Are You a True Texan?”
In the magazine’s September is-
sue, Lois probes what defines our
Texana persona, roping us in with a
delightful, insightful quiz regarding
the way we are.
Go ahead, take the quiz, and to thy
own Texan self, be true. It’s based
on a point system. Lois giveth ex-
tra points for truly Texan responses
and taketh away points for the not
so true.
Before the actual quiz starts, Lois
makes a few observations about pro-
nouncing proper names, including
Burnet. Aha! That happens to be one
of my favorite subjects — the fact
that Baytonians and Lynchburgers
and nearly all East Harris Countians
accent the second syllable in Burnet.
That’s the way we say it, folks. We
don’t correct the pronunciation of
Pedemales in the Hill Country — do
we? — so leave us be. (Actually we
go along with Perdanales.)
Lois also mentioned Mexia in
regard to pronouncing names with-
out raising a true Texan’s eyebrow.
That reminded me of the joke about
this dude from up north driving into
WANDA
ORTON
Mexia, stopping at
the Dairy Queen
and asking: “How
do you pronounce
this place anyway?”
The employee an-
swers, slow-lee so
I the stranger will un-
derstand: “Dair—
eee — Queeeen.”
_______ I digress.
Let’s get back to the write-up (a
word still in style in our state) writ-
ten by Lois M. Rodriguez, former
Sun staffer —^jpd yes, I know 1 al-
ready mentioned she worked at The
Sun. Just call that a Baytown Texas
brag.
Reaching for a Lone Star ideal
menu, Lois claims it would include
some of the key Texas food groups
such as chicken-fried steak, barbe-
cue, Tex-Mex, and chips and salsa. I
agree, and I’m getting hungry.
If you can name something that
cannot be deep-fried, Lois says to
subtract 5 from your quiz grade, be-
cause everything can be deep-fried.
Hmmm ... this is where I fail as a
true Texan. I’d rather bake, broil,
boil or steam food. Sorry.
Returning to the good graces
of Texas-hood, I’m in favor of the
friendly wave to drivers who allow
us to move into their lane. Add 10
points for the polite and friendly
wave, the quiz lady says, and if you
don’t wave, subtract 20.
However, to wave or not wave
may be a moot question. How many
drivers in these jittery times will let
us into their lane in the first place?
Lois describes the proper reaction
to hearing “Deep in the Heart of
Texas” — the clapping, the shout-
ing, all of which bring an addition-
al 10 points to a true Texan’s score.
But take away 20 points for thinking
the lyrics only direct us to grab a
telescope and go star gazing.
I won’t continue with rewriting
the write-up that Lois wrote. Neither
Texas Highways nor Lois would ap-
preciate paraphrasing every topic in
“Are You a True Texan?” when read-
ers really must read the real thing in
the magazine or on the magazine’s
web site that Lois edits.
In the meantime, go treat yourself
to another Texas food group at a fast-
food place called Whataburger —
that is, if you can say Water-burger.
Did I mention that Lois M. Rodri-
guez once worked at The Baytown
Sun?
Wanda Orton is a retired manag-
ing editor of The Sun. She can be
reached at viewpoints@baytownsun.
com, Attention: Wanda Orton.
Time and illnesses do fly by quickly
Time flies when you’re battling
cancer. Or having fun.
Not that I’m trying to equate can-
cer with a fun old time. 1 wouldn’t
dare.
It’s just that I was reminded by the
calendar the other day how import-
ant Sept. 1 is to my family.
“Jimbo,” the calendar proclaimed,
“Sept. 1 —- or this past Thursday to
you, old man — marked six years
since you had the first of five cancer
surgeries, and you’re still kicking..
Did you forget?”
I didn’t forget, I told her. (Is that
sexist?)
Sassy woman, that calendar.
In some ways, it all seems like
week before last. I remember so
much.
In other ways, it seems like years,
and years, and years ago, compara-
ble to Commander Obama’s time in
office.
It began in the early morning hours
of Wednesday, Sept. 1,2010. Daugh-
ter Robin Richards drove me to Me-
morial Hermann for my date with
destiny. Naturally, Wife Margie and
granddaughter Katie Erikson were
there also to hold my hand.
Meanwhile, Drs. Ron Kami, Tang
Ho, and Sancak Yuksel had their
staffs sharpening pointed instru-
ments with a water stone knife sharp-
ener. Ouch.
I can’t remember much about the
actual surgery, which lasted more
than 14 hours. I was asleep, see.
I wondered later what they did if
they had to go to the potty.
And food? Did they send out for
McDonald’s?
I remember waking up surround-
JIM
FINLEY
ed by family. They
love me so much.
I figured it was
the next day, a
Thursday. Then a
friendly nurse said
something that
blew my mind, or
what was left of it.
“We had a cake
________ for your birthday
yesterday,” she
told me.
YESTERDAY? Did she just say
YESTERDAY?
She did, which meant it was now
Sept. 4 since my birthday is normally
Sept. 3.
I’d been to sleepy-town for
THREE DAYS. (Wish I could get
that kind of rest nowadays.)
At least I woke up.
1 soon learned that half of my right
ear was gone (I never recovered it)
and my ear canal no longer existed. I
think they cemented it in.
I also remember an “up” day and a
“down, down, down” day.
The upbeat day came on Sunday
afternoon when grandson-in-law
Christian Erikson, a critical care
pediatrician at Memorial Hermann,
came by for a really nice visit with
Wife Margie and me.
Even though I wasn’t a child
(haha) in need of a pediatrician,
Christian gave us comfort. We also
talked about good places to eat, etc.
The real downer came the next
day, Monday, which was Labor Day.
For a good portion of the day, my
room was filled with family. There
was a festive atmosphere.
Importantly, my great-grandba-
bies, Kamille, Connor, and Collin,
joined the frivolity. It was their first
time to see me, and I had this giant
skin graft thingy (think cantaloupe)
sticking out of my neck.
So as not to scare them, someone
placed a towel over the “cantaloupe.”
Great day!
But then, little by little they all
began to leave. Someone took Wife
Margie home to rest.
Suddenly, it was 4 o’clock, and I
was alone. The joy and laughter dis-
appeared. The silence was deafening.
I felt so alone, it was like I was in a
hospital in Hawaii. Boo-hoo.
. Main thing is, though, with good
doctoring, I left on Day 10. Christian
drove us to Baytown.
See, Miss Calendar, I do remem-
ber.
CANCER BOOK: I highly recom-
mend the new book “When Breath
Becomes Air.” As a noted writer my-
self, you can trust me on this.
The book is written — most of it
anyway — by Dr. Paul Kalanithi, a
well-respected neurosurgeon who
died at age 37 of lung cancer. His
wife Lucy, also a doctor, finished it
for him.
The tome details how, as a doctor,
Paul treated the dying, and then, sud-
denly, how he reacted to being a pa-
tient struggling to live.
It’s a powerful, gripping book, so
have a hankie handy for the final 24
pages written by Lucy.
“When Breath Becomes Air.”
Jim Finley is a retired managing
editor of The Sun. He can be reached
at viewpoints@baytownsun.com, At-
tention: Jim Finley.
Th?%aytown Sun
Main office:
281-422-8302 • Fax: 281-427-6283
1301 Memorial Drive, Baytown
Look for us online:
www.baytownsun.com
facebook.com/baytownsun
twitter.com/thebaytownsun
MANAGEMENT
Publisher'...........................Janie Gray
Managing Editor...........David Bloom
Advertising Director.... Carol Skewes
Business Manager........Carol Skewes
EDITORIAL BOARD___
Janie Gray
Jim Finley, Jay Eshbach
M. A. Bengtson
David Bloom
. Mike Wilson
ADVERTISING
281-425-8009
NEWSROOM
281-425-8026
BILLING QUESTIONS
Hours: 8am-5pm M-F
Accounting..................281-425-8056
Circulation...................281-422-8302
WRITE TO US
The Sun welcomes
letters of up to 300 words
and guest columns of up
to 500 words. We pub-
lish only original ma-
terial addressed to The
Baytown Sun bearing
the writer’s signature.
An address and phone
number, not for publica-
tion, should be included.
All letters and guest
columns are subject to
editing, and The Sun re-
serves the right to refuse
to publish any submis-
Send signed letter
to: The Baytown Sun,
P.O. Box 90, Baytown,
TX 77522; fax them to
(281) 427-6283 or send
an e-mail to sunnews@
baytownsun.com.
Items featured on
this page are the views
of the persons identified
with each submission
and do not necessarily
reflect the views of The
Baytown Sun or its ad-
vertisers.
NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
281-422-8302
Hours: 8am-5pm
M-F, 8-10am Sun
For same day delivery of a missed
or wet paper in Baytown, call by
10 a.m. For redelivery the next
publication day, call by 2 p.m.
(Monday - Friday).
HOME DELIVERY__
By 6 a.m. daily & 8 a.m. Sunday
Periodical postage in
Baytown, Texas 77520.
Published 5 days a week by
Southern Newspapers Inc.
dba The Baytown Sun located
at 1301 Memorial Drive
Baytown, Texas 77520.
Subscription Rates: By
carrier, daily and Sunday,
$10.75 per month suggested
retail price. By mail, daily
and Sunday $13.45 per month
in continental U.S., Outside
U.S., quotes upon request.
Postmaster: Send address
changes to The Baytown Sun,
P.O. Box 90 Baytown, Texas
77522. Editorial Policy: News
reporting in this newspaper
shall be accurate and fair.
Editorial expressions shall
always be independent,
ways tx
outspoken and conscientious.
C 2016. All rights reserved
NOTICE
TO ADVERTISERS
The Baytown Sun reserves
the right to edit or cancel any
advertisement at any time.
Should an advertisement be
rejected, any deposit will be
promptly refunded.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View 10 places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Bloom, David. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 172, Ed. 1 Sunday, September 4, 2016, newspaper, September 4, 2016; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1066146/m1/4/?q=green+energy: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.