with Melea Beshires
Hope all the mothers had a pleasant Mother’s Day this year.
Graduation time is here, and that makes for lots of proud parents and grandparents. Carolyn (Chandler) Vales, Linda (Hatch) Russell, Mary Lynn (Stack) Lambert and Richard Crowley all attended Silerton Elementary School together. They are all proud to share graduation/achievement news of their children and grandchildren.
Zoe Vales was recently named to the Tennessee All State Honor Choir of 2022. She performed at the Opryland Hotel as part of the Tennessee Music Education Association Conference. She is the daughter of Jason and Linda Vales of Cordova and the granddaughter of Carolyn Vales of Bolivar and the late Danny Vales. She is a junior at St. Benedict at Auburndale High School in Memphis.
Steve and Linda (Hatch) Russell have two grandchildren graduating this year. C J (Charles) Russell graduates May 12 from Middleton High School. His parents are Anthony and Kelly Russell. Grandparents are Gary and Debbie King and Steve and Linda Russell. He intends to pursue a career in lineman school. Madeline Young graduated from Indiana University May 7 with a Bachelors of Science in Arts and Management. She is the daughter of Gregory and Jama Young. Her grandparents are Steve and Linda Russell, Jim and Ann Kleeman, and the late Carl Wade and Ludell Young. Both students are great-grandchildren of the late Elvis and Sue Hatch.
Merry Ashlyn Gatewood is the daughter of Todd and Shannon Gatewood of Cordova. She is the granddaughter of Mary Lynn Lambert and Billie Gatewood of Grand Junction and Jerry Gatewood of Middleton. Mary Lynn Lambert shares Merry Ashlyn’s exciting achievement with the debate team on April 26. “Union University’s debate team was named season-long champion for the third consecutive year and the national tournament champion of the International Public Debate Association national tournament for the second consecutive year. Union ranked first for its season-long debate tournaments — competing against nearly 200 teams and over 1,000 individual competitors this season — and during the 2021-2022 debate championship that took place April 8-11 in Abilene, Texas. Rebekah Whitaker, assistant professor of communication arts and director for debate, praised the hard work and resiliency of these students, who have strenuously practiced, researched and competed for hundreds of hours this season. She said while she is proud of the students’ excellence in the tournament, she is proudest of their humility and love during these competitions.”
Richard, Rita, and Rick Crowley traveled to Austin, Texas, to attend the graduation for their daughter Whitney Crowley who received her doctorate degree in Education from Concordia University. Rita said it was a wonderful trip, and they enjoyed seeing many old friends. Whitney is the first descendent of a Silerton resident in recent decades to receive a doctorate. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Paul Crowley.
Another proud grandparent is Anthony Larry Lambert. He is presently rejoicing that he is recovering from a recent neck surgery. Please continue to pray for him. A big thanks to Mary Lynn Lambert for compiling all the graduation news for me this week!
