Clara and Jack (at the Dole/Kemp campaign's last stop - Pepperdine University)

Jack, Clara, Kara - Pepperdine 1996

I was cleaning out my files and found this photo.  [You can click on any photo to enlarge.  Then click on the X at the upper right of the page to come back to the blog.]  Actually, I found two 8x10's of this photo, which I had intended to send to the two girls shown here but had apparently forgotten to do so.  I decided that I could try to locate them via google and/or facebook.  And that's how I found Clara.  I thought you all would be interested in her story.  Here's her response to my facebook messages.  (Now I have to figure out where I put those darn 8x10's!)

"I am the same Clara Womack that attended that Pepperdine event. I remember that event so fondly. I love my picture with your uncle and was so sorry to hear of his passing...

I married a political consultant so politics is our dinner table talk. When your uncle passed and it was in the news I dug out my college photo album and showed my daughter the picture and told her about that day. It changed my life. I became much more active in politics and ended up on a local campaign in Thousand Oaks. They had a young campaign manager. I joined the campaign, ended up marrying the campaign manager and we've been in politics ever since. We even named our son Jack Reagan. Looking back now I realize this path really started that day, meeting you and your uncle!

Yes, of course, you may share our story. We are actually back in my home state of Texas now. My husband, Brent, worked for the Forbes 2000 Presidential campaign after we were married so we ended up in DC. Then we got involved with a non profit called The Leadership Institute for several years. We moved back to my husband's home state of Louisiana when we our first child. Finally, after Hurricane Katrina, we decided Texas might be a better fit and we moved to our home now, just outside of Fort Worth.

You might also know my cousin, Ron Phillips, at Pepperdine.

I have to tell you my little Jack is hanging on my arm as I try to type so I was telling him about your Uncle Jack. He was most interested in the football part (Jack is 4, and obsessed with sports).


Thank you so much for messaging me! As I said, I remember you and that day so fondly! 

- Clara Womack Barksdale"  

Here are a few more photos from that day.  Sorry for the low res quality.  I am using a scanned print of a notebook I put together for my dad.  Must find the originals!  Enjoy...  [Note: click on photos to enlarge and then on X at upper right to close and return to blog.]

Jack and Jim Wilburn