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Welcome home, soldier!

Levon Ramirez was welcomed home by his two boys Rylan and Regan and wife Roxanne last week. Ramirez is in his 10th year of service after graduating in 2013 and enlisting in the Army the following year.

SGT Ramirez was coming home from a 9 month deployment in Europe. Levon is stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado. Proud parents are Carol & Victor Maldonado.

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Devine HS Homecoming

Devine High School crowned Homecoming King and Queen – Matthew Gomez and Araceli Caceres before the game this past Friday night. Photos by Brigid Howard. These photos and many more available on Devine News Smug Mug site. That is a direct link to the site, which also has hundreds of Sports photos.

You can access these photos at the following link:

https://devinenews.smugmug.com/

Class Reps are as follows:

Freshmen Class Reps- Zachary Ortiz and Greeley Malone

Sophomore Class Reps – Rowdy Esparza and Rylie Wells

Junior Class Reps – Mario Vicente and Valerie Molina

Senior Class Boys Nominees: Aidan Salazar, Alfredo Ramirez, Matthew Gomez

Senior Class Girls Nominees: Dani Gutierrez, Amya Polen, Charlee Rangel, Katie Rios, Araceli Caceres

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Linda Ann Barker Casburn

Linda Ann Barker Casburn, a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, left this world on November 8, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 78. Born on August 27, 1946, in El Paso, Texas, Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur Barker and Mary Kate Reames Barker of Las Cruces New Mexico and her brother-in-law Eli Eliason of Mimbres New Mexico. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Edwin Houston Casburn, her sister, Adel Eliason, a beloved niece Kristen (Donny) Smith and two nephews Art (Sue) Eliason and Carl Eliason.

Linda was raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She came from farming roots as her parents owned and operated a chili farm called FC Barker & Company in Las Cruces, NM. What began as a family vegetable farm later became a successful and well-known chili farm. Linda’s father, Arthur Barker, along with the Department of Agriculture at New Mexico State University, developed a hot chili seed called “Barkers Hot”. The new chili variety gained momentum quickly and FC Barker & Company sold the chili whole, crushed and as chili powder to local vendors as well as national chains. They were pioneers in the farming world as the first to dry, crush and grind chili into a powder. They also sold scraps to Revlon Cosmetics so that the dye could be used in products that Revlon manufactured. Upon Arthur’s death, the farmland was sold as was the business name. Today, you can still purchase Barker Chili at various grocery locations across The United States.

Linda was known for her musical talent. Her parents encouraged her at the young age of six to take piano lessons. Her talent blossomed as she learned to play the accordion in the fourth grade and the clarinet in the fifth. Linda once went on a high school band trip to California, where she played the clarinet in The Rose Bowl. She later attended the Tiffany Music Academy in El Paso and later, while residing in Houston, the Palmer-Hugh’s Accordion Academy. There, she joined the orchestra and performed in a concert at the prestigious Jones Hall. Her musical prowess earned her a guest artist spot on the Lawrence Welk Show, where she shared the stage with Myron Floren in an accordion duet.

Linda married her high school sweetheart Jack Alton Morris in 1963, and they remained married for 28 years. They had three children: Scott (Melissa) Morris, Kathy (Wilson) Korona, and Debi (Kenneth) Capps. They were blessed with many grandchildren: Joshua (Brittany) Capps, Emily (Ernie) Morales, Mason (Alyssa) Capps, Zachary (Ebonee) Morris, Lyndsey Korona, Abbie Capps, Zane Morris, and Zander Morris, great-grandchildren, Elijah, Emmett & Everett Morales, Audrey & Kenneth Capps, Lincoln Capps and Eloise Morris.

Jack and Linda lived in various places over the years including Las Cruces, El Paso, Houston, Galveston and Pleasanton. They moved to Devine in 1976, the place they came to call home where they raised their three children. Linda served as a secretary for Hurley Funeral for many years and as a musician and choir director for The First United Methodist Church. She was active in many community organizations such as The Garden Club, Eastern Star, The Chamber of Commerce and the youth group for the Methodist church. She volunteered her time from everything from accompanying high school band members on the piano for UIL competitions to volunteering at youth church camp to driving cancer patients to San Antonio to receive treatment. She enjoyed entertaining and always kept a beautiful home that was decorated for every season. She had a way of making holidays special and made everyone feel welcome who came into the family’s home. Above all, she enjoyed supporting and cheering on her children in their interest including volleyball, basketball, 4-H, stock shows, high school rodeo and more!

In 1992, Linda’s journey continued with her marriage to Edwin Houston Casburn, with whom she shared 32 years of love and music. Together, they formed a jazz band called “The Nova Tunes”. They played for numerous assisted living communities over the years, bringing much joy to the residents. Ed and Linda served in the choir for Blanco United Methodist and Bulverde United Methodist Church.

Linda also embraced her role as a stepmother and grandmother to Ed’s children Mark (Irene) Casburn, Kyle (Julie) Casburn, and Karen (Jewell) Gravell-Morris, and their children Annie (Brad) Buysee, Sarah Casburn, Benjamin (Ann) Gravell, Alexander Casburn, Amy (Noah) Austria, Garrett Casburn, Mackenzie Casburn, and great-grandchildren Willow and Violet Buysee, and Annika Austria.

Ed and Linda enjoyed a quiet life in Bulverde for many years where they hosted many family events, reunions, Christmases and grandkid sleepovers. They went on many adventures in their fifth wheel and planned many special camping trips just for the grandchildren. The grandchildren have fond memories that they will treasure of many special occasions that Grammie planned just for them. She will be dearly missed but her legacy lives on in the lives of those she loved.

There will be visitation for family and friends at Porter Loring North of San Antonio, Texas on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 10am until service time at 11am. Interment will follow at Hill Country Memorial Gardens.

If you would like to express your condolences, or share a memory, you may do so at www.porterloring.com

Devine HS Homecoming Nov 8-9

For the past 72 years, the Devine Ex-Students/Teachers Association (DExSTA) has honored ex-students and teachers who attended school or taught in Devine over the years, from “way back when” to the newly graduated class of 2024!
This November 8th & 9th will be the 72nd Homecoming of the Association and you are invited to attend this special celebration. 
It all starts on Friday night, Nov.8, at Warhorse Stadium as the Devine Warhorses take on Memorial HS in the annual Homecoming football game. Come early to sign in at the DExSTA table and sit with your school friends before the 7:00pm kick-off!
At halftime, the ex-students of the Honor Class of 1974 will be on the track to be introduced and recognized for their 50th Class Reunion. Be sure to hoot and holler with them to show that you are glad they are there to celebrate!
On Saturday, Nov. 8th, Homecoming festivities continue at the Devine VFW hall (Old Green alamo) starting at 1:00pm! This is again a special gathering for all Devine alumni to visit and catch up on old friendships and spend time with former classmates; and refreshments will be served. Also, at this event the 50th Reunion Class of 1974 will be honored again and will give a class presentation. This is always a treat, not just for the honor class, but for all of us in attendance. If you were in school with the class of ’74, this is a great opportunity to come and see the big group of them and reminisce about your school days back in the 70s!


This year all former Band Members will also be recognized and honored! So many of you were in the Colt and Warhorse Bands and marched in parades, at halftime at football games, and performed at contests and concerts during your years at DHS and DMS/DJHS. Those special memories can be relived with your bandmates, and at our Band Memory table, which will include lots of pictures, instruments, and even band uniforms!
Another special thing at the Saturday event will be the annual display of hundreds of pictures and posters of students, teachers, classrooms, etc., from the over 100 years of school in Devine. This is the once-a-year time that these are displayed for everyone to see, so please come by to enjoy things from the DExSTA archives. You are also welcome to bring any pictures, class posters, old school newspapers, uniforms, yearbooks or school memorabilia to display too.
OK, now that you are interested, where can you get more information??
If you are already a member, fliers were mailed to you, but if you are not, just come by the DExSTA table at the game on Friday night or to the Saturday event and we can help you out! You can also check out the Devine Ex-Students/Teachers Association Facebook page and the Devine News for more information or contact DExSTA at 210-289-6205 (Pres. Nancy Saathoff)!
WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU @ DEVINE HOMECOMING 2024!

SCHEDULE :

Welcome Home….Vietnam Veteran tells his story, set to speak Nov. 11

By Catherine Richard
Cris Vieyra, Marine Corps Sergeant and veteran of the Vietnam War will be speaking at the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans ceremony on November 11 at 10 a.m., at the Natalia Veterans Memorial.
The goal of the event is to “welcome home the veterans who never got the recognition they deserved,” said Ruby Vera, a Natalia Alderman and one of the main organizers of the event.
“I want the small community veterans to come together,” Vieyra said.
Vieyra pointed out that many veterans return from their service and feel estranged from the people they once knew and the place they once called home, not speaking about their service or seeking support.
This is especially pronounced for Vietnam Veterans, who were in many cases ostracized upon their return from service by anti-war protesters.
“I never told anyone I was a Vietnam Veteran,” Vieyra said.
Vieyra had joined the Marine Corps on August 2, 1964, mere months after graduating from his high school in San Antonio.
“No draft, no war, strictly volunteered,” Vieyra said.


The military was offering four years of school for four years of service. Wanting to go to college but lacking the funds, it seemed like a good deal for Vieyra.
Because of this, Vieyra, a private first class at the time, did not expect much when he departed with 30,000 other marines from Camp Pendleton on Sept. 2, 1966 on a ship for what was supposedly a training exercise.
It came as a surprise, then, when on the second day at sea, he and the other marines were told by their captain that they were being deployed to Vietnam.
Sure enough, weeks later, Vieyra landed with the second wave of Marines on the beaches of Chu Lai, which was only 30 miles away from the Ho Chi Minh trail, one of the supply lines for the Viet Cong fighters.
“It’s a different world,” Vieyra said.
The first wave of U.S. troops had come through already and had secured the area. The job of the second wave was to hold it.
Part of Vieyra ended up working with the Navy Seabees, guarding them as they cleared out the dense jungles to prevent ambushes from the guerrilla fighters.
“Their job was to move the jungle back. And they did,” Vierya said. “My job was to ride with this guy on the bulldozer and make sure he doesn’t get shot by a sniper.”
“All you are doing is looking,” Vieyra said. “You better hope you are not the Marine who fails to do his job.”
With the placement of their base next to the Ho Chi Minh trail, one of his unit’s jobs was to cut the supply line which was bringing resources from north to south.
Eventually, in the November of 1967, Vieyra’s deployment came to an end. He was sent home with around 270 Marines, back to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, a base which is no longer open.
It was at this point that he was faced with the realities of the anti-war sentiments that were raging in America.
As they stepped off the plane, the Marines were greeted by protesters.
“They were screaming ‘go home, baby-killers, we don’t want you here,’” Vieyra said.


It was because of this pressure that Vieyra and other veterans felt compelled to conceal their military service and time in the Vietnam War.
Vieyra decided to finish his four year enlistment and then retire.
“The good Lord had blessed me with coming home,” Vieyra said. “I did not need to push my luck again.”
After serving as an sergeant for a year at Camp Pendleton in California, Vieyra returned to San Antonio with his wife and son.
Vieyra got a job as a construction worker, partly because the company did not require him to talk about his military record.
After about six years in construction, he decided to apply for a job that could utilize his skill set from the Marine Corps.
“I can run forever and shoot whatever I’m aiming at,” said Vieyra. “So I became a San Antonio police officer for the next 30 years.”
It was not until 2009 that he began to look at his time in Vietnam differently.
After his retirement from the SAPD, he and his wife went on a road trip to Mount Rushmore.
While they were there, a ceremony was held to honor veterans. The announcer of the ceremony named the America’s different wars, and any veterans from that war would stand up. That is, until she asked veterans of the Vietnam War to stand up.
Vieyra looked around him. No one stood up.
The announcer repeated herself. Finally, one veteran stood up. Suddenly, dozens of others stood up along with him. The announcer asked them to come up to the stage and say their name and rank.
“Some of them couldn’t even say their names, they were bawling.”
This experience changed Vierya.
“In 2009, my whole goal changed,” Vieyra said. “I was now a veteran who was proud to be a veteran.”
After years of hiding his military history, he began to get involved with his local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Now, Vieyra has made it his mission to help other veterans, both young and old.
“So many times, we fall through the cracks,” said Vieyra. “Some don’t get the help they need.”
In 2012, the national Commemoration of Vietnam Veterans was authorized and launched by the president at that time, Barak Obama.
The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Ceremony aims to bridge the divide between the different service members and the communities they live in.
With the past few ceremonies, this event has drawn in anywhere from 300-500 people from all over Medina County. Music will be provided by the Mustang Band. Streets will be closed at 9 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Veterans will be honored and relatives of veterans will be able to commemorate their loved ones.
“The help we never got is the help we give now.”

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