Sunday, July 12, 2015

Getting together again after all those years


It's always great to get together with old friends --- and those of us who are members of the Russell High School Class of 1964 have always been that, even through most of us don't see each other that often.

This was our 51st year class reunion --- yes, had Frank Myers and Dick Christensen not dropped the ball last year and let it roll off into the weeds, we could have observed our 50th last summer.

But Nancy (Allen) Moss, Gwen Cottingham and Steve Pierce took charge this year and it all worked out beautifully. We got together for an afternoon of visiting among ourselves between 1 and 5:30 p.m. at Pin Oak Lodge, then joined members of the classes of 1965 and 1966 at the C.B.&Q. Freight House for more socializing and a very good supper catered by Carpenter's Hall (thanks to Carol Pierce Coulson for doing the heaving lifting there for the Class of 1965 --- and with other classmates inviting us to ride along).

It was just a great afternoon and evening --- so here are a few snapshots taken at Pin Oak during the afternoon. There were 19 of us in the class. Two --- Albert Johnson and Sandy Walker --- are deceased; five others couldn't be with us: Pam (Johnson) Teno, David Winsor, Kathy (Spoon) Gaffney, Jeanette (Cochran) Buckalew and Linda (Gartin) Whitlatch. That's the entire group present on Saturday afternoon up top.

There's neither rhyme nor reason behind these photos. I was too busy much of the time running my mouth to focus on running the camera.


Dale Stirn (left, spouse of Gwen Cottingham, Redmond, Washington) with Larry and Auvergne Arnold, Bentonville, Arkansas.


Gwen Cottingham  of Redmond, Washington, and Carol (Dawson) Lockridge, of Rogers, Arkansas.


Sue (Price) Vogel (left), of Fontanelle, and Carmen (Dorsey) Schumann, of Chariton.


Donna (Edwards) Coady (left), of Albia, and Barbara (Sibert) Chase, of Boone.


Dick Christensen, of Russell.


Mike Cremeens, of rural Columbia. 


Nancy (Allen) Moss and Virgil Arns, of Waverly, checking their media.


Sue (Price) Vogel again. We had fun reminiscing about that summer after graduation 51 years ago when we sang at the wedding of our classmate, Carol Dawson, and Alan "Ike" Lockridge, who will observe their 51st anniversary a little later this year. The wedding was a Sunny Slope Church of Christ near Confidence --- an acapella congregation then and now --- and that was a challenge for both of us. Then a storm hit and the lights went out.


Donna, Barbara and Carmen all in a row.


The classmates all lined up (seated from left) Sue (Price) Vogel, Carol (Dawson) Lockridge, Donna (Edwards) Coady, Barbara (Sibert) Chase and Carmen (Dorsey) Schumann; second row, Frank Myers, Nancy (Allen) Moss, Mike Cremeens, Dick Christensen, Larry Arnold, Gwen Cottingham and Steve Pierce.


And here's the entire group, including significant others. Front-row arrangement is the same. In the second row are (from left) Virgil Arns, Ike Lockridge, Nancy Allen, Becky Pierce with Mike Cremeens directly behind her, Peggy Christensen with Steve Pierce directly behind her, Dick Christensen, Bob Chase, Larry and Auvergne Arnold, Gwen Cottingham and Dale Stirn.

Fair warning --- the Dry Flat-Rabbit Hill reunion is coming up during August. Barbara (Chase) Sibert and I will meet again!

1 comment:

Katie McGrew said...

I'm looking to get a hold of Virgil Arns. I'm trying to complete my family tree. My dad's name was Homer Arns, born in 1921, father was Harvey F. Arns, mother was Ruth nee McCallister. Looks like Virgil's father is Harvey F. Arns, my grandfather. My cell is 414-467-5828. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Katie McGrew (Arns)