Stay Tuned to This Space for Reunion Details!
How to Post Your Reunion Announcement
VIEW ALL REUNIONS

Class News

Today's Featured Biography

 
Barry Brannen

My classmates probably thought I was stand-offish, arrogant, and (as Kasko put it) had “the big head,” when, in fact, I was quiet, shy and not at all sure of myself. My two really best friends were Carolyn Manning (Poly 1961), the girl I married, and John Fox, my best friend from Forest Oak (we stayed close until we were married and then lost touch). We reconnected at his 25th wedding anniversary and have maintained some contact since. My other really close friends at Poly included Judy Van Sandt, Carolyn’s lifelong best friend (they still have lunch every few weeks), Mack Terry, Larry Kaatz, most anyone that was in our class at Oaklawn Elementary and those who were in both the Forest Oak band and the Marching 100. I am pretty sure Frank Kasko hated both me and John Fox, so he was probably happy on the days we skipped and played pool or went bowling during band class.
What would my classmates think about me today? Of course, they would think I am brilliant, good looking and they are lucky to know me. Or, they might just say, “Barry who? Are you sure he was in our class?”
I actually got into computers in 1962 before graduating from college. I went to UTA, North Texas and ended up graduating from TCU (1968) in Business. I progressed through a career in computers from operations, through programming, and on into management. In 1986, I started my own business as a business broker and, 24 years later, I am still in business. I have now narrowed the scope of my business where I only help owners of trucking companies find a buyer for their business.
What has most surprised me about myself? I am a lot smarter than I gave myself credit for when I was in high school. Carolyn and I thought I would probably go into the service, because I could not afford college, but I ended up working and going to night school. I wasn’t sure I was smart enough to get a college degree and it turned out I made pretty good grades. In the computer world, I wrote some pretty good systems, but soon got into management and rose to Senior Director of Data Processing at Blue Cross /Blue Shield of Texas. I finished my technology career at Sun Oil Company in the mid-80’s and started my business brokerage business. I also really like to travel. Carolyn taught high school Latin for almost 30 years and we took nearly 20 trips to Europe with students and had a ball.
My current relationship status is the same as it has been since we were 16 years old and there are no immediate plans to change that status until “till death do we part,” which seems to be getting much too close.
Carolyn and I have two great kids, Jenny and Jeff, both attorneys. Jenny and Mark have Jack, a wonderfully precocious 4 year old. Jeff and Melinda have Price, 16, and Lillian, 13, both extremely cute and smart. Favorite things about grandkids would be unconditional love, watching them grow, hugs and not having ultimate responsibility for them.
I like to play golf and Carolyn likes to work in the yard (which works out well for me). We both love to be with our grandkids and to travel. We hope to travel a lot more once I retire. I like lots of music, including country, jazz, blues and classical. At football games, I would much prefer they play “march” music, rather than music from plays and operas.
We love dogs, but have not had a pet since the last one died in the early 90’s. We had Cairn terriers and Lhasa Apsos, but we like our freedom to travel, since being empty-nesters.

VIEW ALL BIOGRAPHIES

U.S. Armed Forces

Class Poll

Featured Links

Visit Other Classes