Susie Voges
Susan Jeanne Voges moved to the Beach from Terra Haute, Indiana, in 1961, and enrolled in Fletcher High School as a sophomore. She was one year ahead of me in school. Her Dad was an executive with Coca-Cola. They had a nice house with a pool on Selva Marina Boulevard in Atlantic Beach. Susie's uncle, Chapman Root, was also an executive with Coke, and he got Susie's Dad a job. The Voges had a Coke vending machine by the pool, which impressed me a lot. There may have been beer in it too. Sprite and Tab were new products for Coke then. I remember maybe the first time Susie and I really kissed, was out on the deck, on the north end of the pool, or maybe just outside the pool area by the garage. It was dark and no one could see us.
2 Prom Pictures 1964
I had other sweethearts before Susie, But Susie was my first true love. I was crazy about her. When she laughed, it made me happy. She broke up with me twice, and it broke my heart both times. Despite going to Boys State, and getting in the Lifesaving Corps, I was depressed all summer, after we split up in June, 1964. I felt like part of me was missing. I would go to the beach and sit for hours and look at the waves. Susie broke up with me the first time, it seems like around Christmas of 1963. We stayed apart a month or so, and she asked me if we could get back together. I was ecstatic. I did have to tell my classmate Rusty Skinner, who had been dating Susie while we were split up, to not call her anymore. He understood and quit calling Susie, and we all remained friends.
I first became interested in Susie at a high school dance in 1963, maybe homecoming. I don't think either of us had a date, and I may have asked her to dance. I asked her out soon thereafter. I don't remember exactly, but we probably went to a movie or a football game. I had just gotten my driver's license on Halloween, my birthday (at the DMV at 7 am 10/31/63, 1st in line). I drove my Dad's 1962 4 door Chevrolet Impala and also my own 1953 4 door Chevrolet sedan that Jean Gagner had given me, and a blue 4 door Dodge Dart with a slant 6 engine and a 3 speed gearshift on the column, that was Mother's car. The first time I got pulled over by the cops was with Susie on Beach Boulevard, coming back from a movie in town in my 53 Chevy. I don't know whose idea it was, but Susie was in the back seat rubbing my neck and shoulders. The cops thought it looked suspicious and stopped us. After some explanation, the cops told Susie to get in the front seat and for us to get going. We went to the Prom together in 1964.
We hung out at Susie's house a lot, watching tv and studying together. I would not have passed Chemistry if it wasn't for Susie's tutoring. I remember being in Miss Alcorn's chemistry class with Susie, when Ginger Newman came in and told us President Kennedy had been shot. School let out after that period, I believe. Ginger and Carol Stone were two of Susie's best friends, besides her sister, Carol. Jimmy Hayes was dating Carol at this time and we double dated frequently. Once, when Susie and Carol wouldn't sneak out to go with us, we left 2 cigarette fused firecrackers on their windowsill (they shared a bedroom). We parked across the street in the country club parking lot. We laughed when the firecrackers went off and drove away. Susie and Carol didn't think it was that funny and told us so the next day.
Like most high school kids, Susie had a curfew, which I remember being 12:30. I almost always had Susie home by then, but would usually try to prolong our date by smooching and talking in the front seat in the driveway. Her Mother came out on several occasions and told Susie to get in the house and told me to go home. Mrs. Voges didn't stay mad and we always had a good relationship. Mr. Voges and I got along good too, he wasn't home as much as Mrs. Voges. Susie and I went to the Prom together in 1964, her graduation year. I don't remember much about it, but I'm sure we had a good time. We have pictures of us before the Prom. Susie's Uncle Chapman bought her a 1964 1/2 yellow Mustang for graduation. She wouldn't let me drive it, so I swiped her keys when she wasn't looking and drove it around the block. I still feel bad about doing that.
Susie went to Ormond Beach to the Roots, for a few weeks after she graduated, to stay with her cousins and a Nanny. She wrote me a series of very sweet letters while she was there. I think I still have them, but haven't seen them recently. (I think one of my girlfriends found them and threw them away) I drove down to Ormond Beach once to see her during this time. Uncle Chapman and his family had a very nice house on the ocean. I remember driving back from Ormond Beach with Susie in Dad's Impala once, but I don't think it was this time. Susie lay down on her side with her head in my lap, and I remember feeling happy and secure and loved.
I went to Boys State in Tallahassee for a week, and I believe Susie came home then. Jimmy Hayes and I went to the Voges house either Friday or Saturday evening. Dennis Hulihan and Dusty Harrison, two of Susie's classmates were there. Susie told me she was breaking up with me. I said OK, and Jimmy and I went to the Tropical Teen Club on Norwood Avenue to go dancing. It didn't really sink in until the next day or so, and I drifted into deep depression. This was the first, but unfortunately for me, not the last time I would be severely depressed over a relationship break up. I got into counselling in 1991 and have only been depressed once briefly since then, after my Dad passed away. I think I am mildly depressed most of the time, anyway. I take St Johns Wort and think positive and stay busy and am pretty happy most of the time. I have to monitor myself and stay on track. My opposite is my classmate Spook Hulihan (also born 10/31/47), who goes by Michael now, who seems to be naturally happy and nice all the time. I tell him so frequently. I also got severely depressed in 2012 when my back was killing me and I couldn't get it fixed. (for lack of insurance)
I have seen Susie infrequently over the years. She went to college at Emory University in Atlanta in 1964.We had dinner at Mother and Dad's in Tucker, at least once. I took her to a lifeguard Christmas dance in 1965. I got Dad's Plymouth stuck in a ditch on the Old Spanish Trail at the end of Selva Marina Drive, trying to find a spot to make out after the dance. Mr. Kahoe had to come the next morning and get it out for me. He took it to his shop and aligned the front end. He didn't charge me anything and he didn't tell my Dad.
I saw her several times when she was back in Jacksonville for school breaks, visited her once in the Atlanta area, after she married Charles Bacon, and took her to lunch at the Conch House in St. Augustine in the late 70's? We send Christmas cards and pictures and have recently been in touch on Facebook. At this time of life, I cherish old friends and memories, and wish happy times for all of us.
December 29, 2013 - Karen and I are in Otto and go to see Susie and Charles in Martin Georgia, where they live in a beautiful, huge, 3 story house on a lake. We reminisced and got somewhat caught up. Charles and I played a couple of games of pool. Susie fixed some venison chili, which was delicious and hit the spot.
