45th Class Reunion Information

Back Row: LaVonne Noll, Patsy Doheny, Jeanette Sullivan, Roger Anderson, Wayne Wolter; Front Row: Bob Mitchell, LaVonne Schultz, Glenna Schultz

Not much more to say. This was the 47th anniversary gathering; our 50th will be in 2013, and it would be great if we got almost everyone possible to that landmark one. Pass this on to other classmates.

Send your email address to Roger (rogerwmanderson@msn.com) to get on the mailing and email list!!

The 46th Reunion" was held in Belle Plaine on Saturday, August 1st, 2009. Those in attendance were LaVonne Schultz, Jeanette Sullivan, Karen Westlund, Bob Mitchel, Mike Hessian, Wayne Wolter, John Mahoney and Roger Anderson. Can you identify them on the picture?

Scroll down for more details on what happened,
and a few pictures from the event.

When you subtract 1963 from 2008, you end up with 45. This is a large number when you are talking human years, especially to me, because they are my own personal human years.

I attended my 45^th high school reunion Saturday night. I am sad to report that there were a number of old people there, many of them having but a vague resemblance to people that I knew so long ago. A few memories came back as I recognized faces, and truth be told, some folks had changed so much that it took some time to recognize them. Name tags are a good idea at reunions.

I graduated from Belle Plaine High School in 1963. There were 46 of us who graduated. 19 people were in attendance at the reunion, 19 did not attend, and eight poor souls have died, some of them so very many years ago. Car accidents, Viet Nam, cancer, death did not discriminate because of age, sex, nation of origin or graduating in 1963.

The reunion was interesting. I was extremely shy in grade school and high school, and felt very intimidated by anyone female, and by most of the popular athletes, and by anyone who could easily intimidate me. I had a few close friends, Darrell being my best friend. He chose not to attend because he says he has no good memories of high school.

I did not date in high school, I did not own a car, I did not participate in sports. I was in some of the non-athletic extra curricular activities. I was active with the class plays, the school paper, and was co-editor of the annual.

I did ask a girl to my senior prom that I was infatuated with, but that is a story for another time.

45 years later, I have overcome some of my shyness and insecurity, so I could approach my former classmates on a little more level playing field in my mind. Because of that, I enjoyed the reunion, I enjoyed talking to people that I once knew so well, and hadn’t had any contact in 45 years.

There were sad stories of spouses who had died, happy stories of travels and grandchildren.

Having only 46 people in my graduating class, I knew everyone. I had gone to school with most of them since the second grade, when we moved from Wisconsin and a one-room schoolhouse where there were three in my class.

The ones who were nicest to me, and I liked 45 years ago were the ones who were nice to me at the reunion and I chatted with the most. The ones who ignored me, and had their own friends 45 years ago gave me a friendly hello and went to talk to their friends. Perhaps people really do not change.

I am glad I attended. After 45 years, no one is greatly trying to impress anyone else. We are all getting old, with many, including me, retired.

I once heard an author talking on public radio. He said, "The older we get, the more we live in past. Let me repeat that. The older we get, the more we live in the past."

I have no glory years from high school that I long to return to. I love my life as it is. I love my family, my friends, my use of free time exactly like it is. I do not want to start living in past and regretting what I hadn’t done.

The next official reunion will be in five years, 2013, I may have to consider thinking I’m getting older when that date rolls around, and we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of our graduation.

Oh, that picture in the corner is of Glenna and me. We are holding an enlargement of a picture of the two of us from our 8th grade confirmation class. Haven't changed a bit!

Do you have an email address? Send it to: rogerwmanderson@msn.com as a way of keeping in touch until the next reunion. Mark your calendar for AUGUST 1, 2009. More details later!

Here's a photo from Roberta Perkins of 5th grade in the elementary school. Mrs. Hermann was the teacher!

Top row: Colleen Hughes, Larry Kahle, Alice Jean Hoelz, Beverly Thomason, Paul Stier, Alivin Busch, Jim Harsh, Judy Dressen
Middle Row: Patsy Doheny, Darrell Bieder, John Spellacy, Judie Hoelz, Tim Melchoir, LaVonne Noll, Judith Voss, John Mahoney, Mike Hessian
Front Row: Roger Anderson, Arnold Wolfe, Jim Diers, Glenna Schultz, Art Hahn, Roberta Perkins, Mary Ellen Murphy, Gary Schmidt, Janice Brenke

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:44 PM

From Roberta Perkins:

Well, I didn't make it to the reunion (absolutely know I was missed by all - not), but, the Aug. 1 plan sounds like it might be fun. So, I will plan on seeing some of you guys then. It should prove to be quite an interesting event, since I haven't seen any of you since 8th grade. And, to Paul Stier, I will never, ever forget you telling me to stop stepping on your toes when we had dance class....and ya know what? I still can't dance...go figure.

And Roger does an excellent job keeping up his website. I'm out here in Parker, Co. and anybody is welcome to mail me. And Shirley O., I still have a picture of you, me and Donna W. sitting on a bench when we were at Girl Scout camp. We're all so adorable; now I look in the mirror and wonder why my mom is looking back at me! Yikes! Robi Perkins

telloll@comcast.net

WAYNE WOLTER <>
Sent : Thursday, August 7, 2008 12:18 PM

Roger and fellow Classmates,

Had a great time at the reunion and hope to see everyone next Aug. 1 --Roger, great job on the website. Cheers to all.

whwolter@msn.com

Sent: Monday August 04, 2008 7:45 AM

From Mike Hessian:

Roger: Thanks for the E-mail. Looks like you all had a great time! Everyone looks great! Sorry I couldn't make it. I was on a 6,000 mile motorcycle trip. (BUTTS SORE!) I went to Prince Edward Island (Lot's of Irishmen, full of "Bullshit" like me) and Nova Scotia ,Canada. Then went to St. John, New Brunswick to Bar Harbor, Maine thru Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island to Boston, Mass. to New London, Conn. (Neuclear submarine base) ferry boated to Long Island, N.Y. to Manhatten Island (Treacherous riding a motorcycle in Manhatten) (Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island) thru Holland Tunnel in Manhatten to Newark, N.J. to Atlantic City. (Casinos-lost lots of money) to Philadelphia, Penn. (Independence Hall and Liberty Bell) "Awesome History place" to Pittsburgh, Penn. to Canton, Ohio (Pro. Football Hall of Fame) to Galena Ill. to Farmington, Mn.

I probably missed a couple places but had a lot of fun also. My home E-mail address is mfhessian@frontiernet.net I will try to make the next class reunion "God Willing". ,