Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Waldon notes three generations of cheerleding tradition

Some mothers look at the careers chosen by their children and see a common link, but one Gurdon mother found her common link for the three generations to be cheerleading.

Mary Waldon, of Gurdon, came across three pictures of three cheerleaders and said, "It made my heart glad."

Mary and her late husband, Bruce Waldon, of Gurdon, are the parents of Wava Gail Waldon Stinnett, who was a Gurdon High School 1966 cheerleader.

Wavas daughter, Ashley Stinnett Carlow, was a cheerleader in Maud, Texas, in 1986 and Ashleys daughter, Shelby Carlow, also of Maud, Texas, is a cheerleader today.

"I am not sure where all of this interest is coming from, but I am glad they have it," Mary said. "What gets me is there is exactly 20 years between the dates when they started cheering."

Ashley, Marys granddaughter, is married to Brad Carlow of Maud, Texas. Brad is a tractor dealer. Ashley is first grade teacher.

Shelby is a 12-year-old student at Maud Junior High School.

Wava works in the office at Maud High School.

"Wava and her husband Robert lived here a long time. Robert Stinnett taught 12 years of math in Gurdon High School. He is now the superintendent of schools at Maud, Texas and has been for the past 15 years."

Mary said being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her family means dealing with a lot of school jobs and activities.