KILGOROUND

"I have watched Kilgore's Christmas parade for many years," said Lynn Johnston. "And as a child, I had the best seat in the house; I watched it with my grandparents through the corner windows on the second floor of the old Kelly Dickson building. And through the years, it was always the lights that fascinated me the most…"

Her grandparents were Dr. and Mrs. John C. Graves. "Doc," as she fondly refers to him, "was Kilgore's optometrist and his office was located in the building. He shared the upstairs with Dr. Harckwrider, the dentist, and Dr. Echols, M.D.," she added.

Although not all the offices belonged to the medical profession, Reuben's Drug Store was located under the corner for the building, which made things convenient at the time, she said.

Lynn's father was Major Warren L. Kirkland who

was instrumental in the building of the National Guard Armories in Kilgore and in Lufkin. "The armory was built in 1957," said Lynn, "and it was dedicated to him in 1958.

"So, I was an Army brat all of my life. I never hit a public school for a long period of time and for the most part I was home-schooled by my mother, Ann Kirkland, who was a school teacher. But, we were always on the road. In fact, we were all over the United States until my father died.

"Summers and holidays were always spent in Kilgore with my grandparents. I can remember sneaking down the back stairs of that building to the alley which was supposed to be a dangerous place for kids to play. We thought we were doing something really big," she laughed.

"Grandfather took lots of pictures and he had his own darkroom. He and Jack Elder did a lot of stuff together and it was in his darkroom many of Jack's pictures found in his book were developed. Doc was totally involved in Kilgore's activities and was a member of many organizations."

Lynn and her parents also raised Arabian horses in the Houston area. In 1968, after the passing of her father, Lynn and her mother returned to Kilgore with the horses. Their horses have become part of the Christmas parades throughout the years.

Lynn met her husband, Joe Johnston, chief of the Sabine Fire Department, quite by accident.

"I was at a gas station fuming over blowing the tail lights out of my truck just prior to the Nationals being held a few short weeks away in Oklahoma. I blew them from the stock trailer as well. Joe was at the station and offered to fix them. 'Right,' I remarked. He crawled underneath and fixed them. The next thing I know we were at the Nationals with horses and trailers and Joe and I ended up getting married."

Soon after, the Sabine school caught on fire and the community met at Joel David Camp's house to plan a fire department for the area. A dispatcher was needed and Lynn attended schooling to fill the position, which she continues to do 37 years later. Her husband, Joe, can still be seen at the fire department although he claims to be officially retired. Lynn also dispatches with the Overton Police Department and has been with them since 1992.

The family continues to raise a few of the Arabian horses and last evening, now a family tradition, Lynn watched the parade again, only this time with two of her grandchildren, Hunter and Cami Bundrick.

Blowing out the birthday candles today are Annelle Jones, Kalie Kinlaw, Catherine Henderson, Melody Bagwell, Mike Wingfield, Mark S. Dickey, Leta Wade, Janet Jones, Veronica Sanders, Steve Tanner, Van Elaine Stephenson, David Sudweeks, Michael Clements Jr., Justin Harris, Lisa Wallace, Odessey Pace, and a belated happy birthday to Mary Nevan Wright (90).

Happy anniversary today to Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hedges, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Blanchard, Tiffany and John Hardt.