Lyn woke up ill Thanksgiving morning. She fixed one of her dishes but was feeling so poorly that she retired to the bedroom for the remainder of the day. Our grandson drove down to our house and picked up the smoked turkey and the sweet potato souffle.
Saturday is going to be busy and exciting. Stuart, my therapy dog, and I have plans to help The Salvation Army with their Christmas collection program. Check out his article on Page 11 for the details. Stuart’s good buddy, Charlie O’Donkey (a real donkey) is also going to be involved. You really don’t want to miss this.
At halftime of Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. basketball game between Southport and Ben Davis at Southport Fieldhouse, the late Tom J. Hathaway, a legendary cross-country coach for the Cardinals, will be honored. He coached the boys teams to state titles in 1970, ’71 and ’75 and the girls in ’78, ’79, ’80 and ’81.
Tom Hathaway died in April 2010 at the age of 79. He graduated from Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) in 1954 and earned master’s degrees in science education and biology from Indiana and Purdue universities, respectively.
He taught and coached in Perry Township Schools for 46 years, and I remember having him as a physical education teacher when I was in junior high.
Many years later he coached my wife, Lyn, when she was competing in marathons. He was among a small group of runners that competed in a 26.2-mile marathon in all 50 of the states.
It was enjoyable to reconnect with coach Hathaway when he was coaching Lyn.
On one occasion I think I got him pretty good. He asked me why I wasn’t training and participating in marathons with Lyn. I explained that I had already done that a few years earlier. I told him about Lyn and I training to do the Honolulu Marathon. I then told him that I had competed in two full marathons on the same day. He gave me “that look.” I then explained that the two marathons were my first and last ones.
My hope is to see lots of friends and former classmates at both events. Helping The Salvation Army is important, and honoring Tom Hathaway is special. See ya Saturday.
Shonk is a 1960 graduate of Southport High School, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools.