A Belated 60th Reunion Wrap-up
by Marsha Henry Goff
Feb. 23, 2017 — Bob Lockwood did such a masterful job managing our reunion that LHS’s Class of 1957 has cajoled him into doing the same for them. He’s a busy boy, so I’ll attempt to recount the reunion for you while I still remember most of it. As the only girl on the Reunion Committee, I can tell you it was a lot of work for all of us, but we had fun, too, meeting at a study room at the new public library. Boy committee members were Bob Lockwood, chair; Daryl Beene, treasurer; Chuck Borgen; Fred Deay; Don Gardner and John McGrew.
Friday night at Johnny’s Tavern, we climbed upstairs while the Class of 1966 partied downstairs (that is wrong on so many levels that even Rick, the owner, questioned why a class ten years younger was on the first floor while we were on the second). The fact is we are tough and physically fit, but Leila Leary thinks than none of us will be able to climb those steep stairs in five years.
She may be correct, so — at the suggestion of a great many classmates — we are considering having a daytime class get together at the first floor of Johnny’s for our 61st reunion. You read that right. If the event materializes, it will be an order-off-the-menu, pay-for-your-own-lunch for anyone in or out of town who wants to stop by and visit with classmates.
But I digress.... Friday night at Johnny’s was fun … crowded, but lots of fun. Bob was insistent that our 60th reunion would be inexpensive … and it certainly was. There was plenty to eat in the form of hamburgers and pizza. And drinks, too; soft drinks were upstairs and wait staff took care of orders for those who wanted drinks from the cash bar downstairs. Ray’s and my view of the throng was from our seats at the backside of a corner table — couldn’t get out if we wanted to, but we didn’t want to because we were enjoying those classmates who shared our table. I especially remember chatting with Larry and Shirley Freeman who traveled from Oregon, and Barbara Hodgson, everyone’s favorite Homecoming Queen.
Saturday night at Lawrence Country Club was special — all the more so because those in attendance can relive it, while those who didn’t can pretend they were there — because Ruth Bramble Humphrey, our superb webmaster, assisted by her husband Bruce, videotaped the entire reunion. It is posted on our class Facebook page which you may join by emailing Ruth (ruth@humphreyfam.com).
You can watch Bob’s stellar Elvis performance, enjoy once again hearing Will Owens’ beautiful rendition of Ebb Tide and see old friends and two of our teachers, Jerry Rogers and Jerry Waugh. Jerry’s wife, Jane Rogers, who has the world’s greatest smile, was a bonus guest. In my introduction of them, I said I thought the Jerrys were old when they were our teachers, but the fact is they are, respectively, only 12 and 11 years older than we are. Jerry Rogers, LHS’s poet laureate (who knew?) wrote a poem for our reunion which was read by John McGrew. If you want to read it, click HERE.
The buffet was good and the tables were beautifully decorated with red and black balloon arrangements by Fred Deay, who also made our name/picture badges. I once wrote that the advantage to having such badges or nametags is that anyone close enough to read them can pretend they knew who you are all along.
Here’s a downside to every reunion or party I attend. I never get to talk to as many people as I want or not for as long as I want. I would like to have had the opportunity to talk longer to Mary Woodhead Finney with whom I spent a few high school nights playing Monopoly (haven’t played it much since). We can always count on Raymond and Betty Pippert, Yin and Betty Yeh and David and Susan Paul to attend every reunion. There are probably others who do not miss, but those are the ones I would be shocked not to see in attendance.
Barbara Hodgson would never miss a reunion. She danced with several guys under the watchful eyes and hands of John’s Rita (if you read Jerry’s poem, you’ll understand) and Martha Hammig Patterson. Julie Harner Hammond was there and I’m pretty sure stayed past her bedtime. It’s always fun to watch Blossom and Dick Laing, who dated each other in high school and married 50+ years later after the death of their spouses. They’ve proved that love really is wonderful the second time around.
Ruth even videotaped the taking of the class picture(s) which involved many photographers and seemed to take forever. The process was aptly described by Ruth Ann Pippert Owens as “herding cats.” To me, standing beside Ruthie in the second or third row, it looked more like musical chairs with all the people on the front row standing or kneeling, then sitting, then moving again as more chairs were delivered. (You had to be there … but, wait, you can watch Ruth’s video on Facebook.)
My husband Ray won the beautifully crafted Shaker Box made by Danny Helm (Thank you, Dan), who wasn’t able to attend. I don’t know how many tickets Ray bought in the effort to win, but he bought a lot, thanks to Cathy Nieder Dunlap who had change for an additional twenty.
So there you go. My advice to you is to join the LHS Class of 1956 group on Facebook and watch Ruth’s video. When Bob Lockwood is less busy (yeah, that’s gonna happen), he may write a better recap. I am ending mine with several comments made by attendees or those who couldn’t attend, but watched the video (Bob Bee and Janice Wulfkuhle Lamb):
Alice Rurode Medina: Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Hilda Miller Poort: Wonderful show, Bob.
Bob Bee: Enjoyed the video in Connecticut during a winter storm. Thank you to Marsha and Elvis and Ruth. Who are all those people anyway?
Janice Wulfkuhle Lamb: Fine job Bob!!! Enjoyed so much!!! Way to go Will!! Wonderful!!!!!
Ruth Ann Pippert Owens: Memories came alive that evening. Thank you for letting us enjoy it over and over with the videos. Congratulations to the committee for an outstanding job putting the 60th Reunion together!!!! PS loved the class picture, it looked like someone herding cats but fun to watch.
Lois Van Liew: Do appreciate all the people who worked so hard to make the reunion stellar! Thanks to all! Special thanks for making this sharing site possible, Ruth! Anxiously awaiting other people sharing like I have done. [Lois shared some of her lovely works of art.]
Poem by Jerry Rogers for the Class of 1956
Feb. 20, 2017 — Below: John McGrew getting ready to read the poem Jerry Rogers wrote for the Class of 1956's 60th Reunion.
Poem for the LHS Class of 1956
by
Jerry Rogers
Listen my kids as we pass in review
And maybe some news that you never knew.
I don’t know, but I’ve been told
That your bodies constantly expect to grow old.
I was your teacher and coach if you please
And would like very much to speak and to tease.
So let’s start with the man called Johnny McGrew
Your own Captain Cash and isn’t it true ...
He has built up our city and made lots of dough
But the best thing to happen is Rita, ya know!
MORE....
Video From the 60th Reunion
You must be a member of the Class of '56's Facebook Group to view the video.
To Join the Class of '56's Facebook Group page:
From your Facebook page search for the "Lawrence High School Class of 1956" group page, open it and click on "Join". Your request goes to the group Administrator who will OK your request. Group members will be able to view messages posted to the page, post photos and add comments AND view video from the 60th Reunion's Saturday's event..
If you have difficulties in finding this page, please send an email to ruth@humphreyfam.com.
Video From the 55th Reunion
Nov. 26, 2001 — Click on the video screen below to view a video of photos taken by Bob Lockwood's daughter-in-law Shannon. (You may be directed to YouTube to watch the video. If so, just close the YouTube window to return to this site.)
Reunion Tid-bits
Nov. 22, 2011 —
60 classmates registered, representing 103 attendees 3 additional registered, but had to cancel at the last moment. 51 of 60 registrants list an e-mail (85%) 88 of 196 total classmates list an e-mail (44.9%) 58% of those listing e-mails attended 35 of 60 registrants list a cell phone number (58.3%) 42 of 196 total classmates list a cell phone number (21.4%) 83.3% of those listing cell phone numbers attended 27 of 60 registrants made a donation (45%) 10 non-attendees made a donation 37 classmates donated $1395, averaging $37.70 Attendees came from 14 states 52 classmates live in Lawrence 27 Attended the reunion 9 responded, “no” 16 didn’t respond Kansas had 70 attendees (42 from Lawrence) |
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Pennsylvania was the only represented state with just one attendee |
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Others/numbers: |
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MO/5; CA, GA/4; TX/3; AR, CO, IN, MI, NJ, NY, OR, UT/2 |
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Comments about the 55th Reunion
From Yin and Elizabeth Yeh |
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Wow! That was indeed some very special weekend for our 55th reunion! Liz and I thoroughly enjoyed reacquainting with everyone once more! You guys who planned for the entire weekend (with the gal's help), must have enlisted Mother Nature to preserve the weekend's weather so perfectly! The Allen Fieldhouse visit brought back even further memories for me, having lived on Sunnyside Avenue. The Saturday evening was such a thrill and surprise with the Lockwood band, topping it with Bob (Elvis) doing the songs. That voice, Bob, is definitely better than Elvis' in his best days! Thanks so much to reminding us of all those 56 songs! Fred, thanks for the marble collection. I will need to brush up on my techniques so next time we can have a marbles tournament. Finally, Kendall and all the rest of this amazing committee, thank you one and all! This was definitely a weekend for the memory lane. Liz and I went from Lawrence to Ann Arbor, my second home town in the USA. We had a nice visit with my aunt and uncle (93 and 94 respectively), living with their three children and families nearby. They who have survived the Great Cultural Revolution in China deeply appreciate the freedom and livelihood here in the USA. – Thanks to all. |
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From Alan and Margie Coombs |
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Just one more voice (well, two) to add to the chorus of appreciation for the outstanding 55th reunion and all the hard work that obviously went into it. We're still on the road ourselves (Margie's Hutchinson High reunion is the weekend after next), so it will take us a while to go through the stuff we have collected, including a few photos, in response to Kendall's request, but we've never been happier to be part of such an outstanding group. Thanks, everyone, for everything. |
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From David and Susan Paul |
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Susan and I would like to add our thanks to you and the committee for the great reunion. Susan says she has more fun at our reunions than she does her own, a tribute to the great fellowship and big hearts of a great class. At the end of the party on Saturday night there was an awful lot of “See you in 5 years” going around. I almost wish we could do this yearly since I’m not sure how many “5 years” I’ve got left in me. We’ll all be 78ish at the next one and then 83ish. I used to think 73 was old but now that I’m here, it doesn’t seem that old after all. Oh well, see you in 5 years. |
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The 55th reunion of the LHS Class of ‘56 is History
The response of attendees at our 55th was overwhelmingly positive. Turn-out was outstanding for each event. The Friday night “Meet and Greet” gave everybody a chance to relax, mingle with classmates, catch up with old friends, and to recall shared experiences of 50s Lawrence.
Over 30 of us gathered to tour the Allen Field House and the Booth Hall of Athletics on Saturday morning.
On Saturday night over 100 congregated in the Alvamar dining room to remember deceased classmates, have a bit of fun, and share a fantastic buffet dinner. The surprise of the evening was being serenaded by our own Elvis impersonator, Bob Lockwood. Who would have thought!