HOW IT ALL BEGAN GOTCHA GIRLS & 60 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIPS

The Girls of Texas City High Alumni was the brain child
of Dolores Geaslin Murray TCHS class of 64. We had
so much fun planning our 40th reunion and she did not
want it to end, so this society was formed. On January
15, 2005 we had the inaugural GOTCHA! Meeting at
Gaidos in Galveston. 44 gorgeous women of the TCHS
class of 1964 attended that initial meeting. Over the
next seven years, Dolores planned many wonderful
meetings, parties, and excursions and has grown the
group to a membership of over 70.
We are fashioned after the Sweet Potato Queens of
Mississippi. The GOTCHA!’S goal is to enjoy and preserve
the friendships that we formed as girls years ago.
We have a connection. We have history. We all know
who Mrs. Neyland, Mr. Martin, Ms. Holden was and the
names Corky Kenter, Mack Hayes, Ray Young could
make our hearts beat faster. Although the group was
originally started by the TCHS class of 64, we now have
members from class of the 30’s, 50’s and 60’s.
We are a fun group like our idols the Sweet Potato
Queens, and therefore, thought we needed to be in a
parade. The Sweet Potato Queens are always in the St
Patrick’s Day parade. So Queen Dolores found there
was such a parade in Texas City. She signed us up. Did
anyone tell us it is around St. Patrick’s Day, but it is truly
to officially open the Little League season, a parade for
all the teams? So on March 19, 2005 20+ GOTCHAS!
showed up dressed in orange and black and green,
feathered boas, tiaras, carrying our GOTCHA! banner.
We sure looked strange in a parade of all young Little
League teams!!! In addition we were older, walking the
parade route, and had no idea we were a mile behind
the float ahead of us until the police began to blow
their whistles to hurry us up!! Our drivers Mike Gilbert
and Lewis Sholmire swore they would never show their
faces in Texas City again.
We are a travel group. Throughout the year we try to
at least go on one excursion.
We are a “be there for you” group. As we grow older
the GOTCHAS support those who are ailing and those
with ailing family members. We send care packages
and are there for each other to grieve, dressed in our
orange and black finery, sending a message of unity.
We always send an orange and black spray to honor
our departed members, parents, or immediate family.