As told by Charlie Huggins (MHS Class of 1964)

Eddie Klatt graduated the same year as me, 1964.  We had gone to school together at South Elementary, Cowden Junior High and Midland High School, Odessa College and North Texas State University. I was friends with him until his passing in June of 2020. I used to love calling him to talk about old times. We had a lot of good memories. I remember the first year that we arrived at North Texas University in 1966. Eddie, another classmate of ours, Butch Parks, and I all roomed together in an apartment close to the North Texas campus. The three of us shared the very small apartment with three half beds.  There was not very much room there. At the end of the semester, I decided to stay in the same apartment complex but to move to an efficiency apartment by myself. This would allow Butch and Eddie to remain in the first apartment and have more room. We all hung out together and we had some good times. Eddie went to school at North Texas until 1968, and then he moved back to Midland. Eddie joined the fire department shortly thereafter. He remained with the Midland Fire Department for 32 years and his last held position there was Assistant Fire Chief. Eddie’s father had been a Fire Marshal back in the day, and Eddie was familiar with being a fire fighter. My son, Josh, is also a fire fighter and he is a Captain. Eddie and I used to talk about my son and Eddie was glad to know that my son was also a fire fighter. Being a fire fighter was Eddie’s life and he was really well respected. When Eddie died in June, they had a graveside service and they played “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes. It was very beautiful. Even though his service was during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people came to the service because many people knew him. He had lived in Midland almost all of his life. Eddie was married to Cindy Shoeman. They were married for over 30 years and lived on West Holloway.