Okeechobee Joe, you brought back some great memories. I grew up in Jax. on the West side (Murray Hill). We lived on Murray Drive on the south end. I use to go to the Golden Gate to dance. They had great dance bands on the weekends.
Another notable you forgot was Hoyt Axton who wrote "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night & many other songs. He also acted & was in the "Gremlins" movie & some Gunsmoke series on TV. I graduated with him from Robert E. Lee HS. His Mom, Mae Axton co-wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" for Elvis. Elvis once visited Mrs. Axton at her home which I think was over a street or two north of Green St. & I remember sitting on the curb across the street from Hoyt's house so I could see him. He waved at us & I thought i would pass out. LOL My late husband grew up at 3218 Green St. My husband and Hoyt played football together @ Lee & Hoyt received a scholarship to Ok State and my husband received one to Univ. of Miami & later got his masters degree thru classes at Stetson. Hoyt passed away in 1999. His wife still lives on their ranch in Victor, Montana,
My brother-in-law went to school @ Lee with Ronnie VanZant & also knew Mr. Skynard. He said VanZant skipped school quite a bit & was simply on a different grid than everyone else, but was very likable. I think Pat Boone's parents or grandparents lived somewhere off Roosevelt Blvd as a friend of mine from Lee lived near them. I never saw him in Jax, but did see he & his wife in the LaRonda Room of the Fountainebleu in Miami when we went to see Sinatra & the Rat Pack.
Lastly, another notable from our graduation class @ Robert E. Lee is the Gators own Stumpy Harris. I saw Stumpy & Wife, Ruthie, a couple of years ago at our class reunion. Also, another Lee
Grad Gator (although he was younger than we were) is the former president of the Bull Gators, Tommy Donohue.