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40th Reunion News 2004

As we wind down from the 40th Reunion weekend. We'll again reminisce those wonderful high school days and all the things growing up mean to us. Have a wonderful tomorrow and the next and the next...
We hope you had a wonderful time at the Reunion and if you couldn't make it we'll try to have some pictures up here soon for you to enjoy it too. Willie's synopsis of the Reunion
                                                                            The 40th Reunion Team

We'd like to thank and give a big cheer to all the committee members that helped get the reunion together: which includes Barb Putta, Chuck Tuegel, Mel Ott, Nancy Doughty, Cal Doughty, Art Rice, Stacy MacDonald, Carol Gerhardt, Sharon Huss Nightengale, Joann Allison, Ray Dickinson, Alan Stock, Siamanto Etian, John Roth, Joy Sweet, Sharyn Woods, Kristi Mizen, Linda Gundelach Wollpert, Ron Flubacker...and anyone else we may have missed. They have worked very hard to make this the best reunion ever, so please thank them for all thier hard work.

Send me your comments on the reuion and I'll post them on the web site. email at john.roth[no spam]@ibuilderz.com

Group Photos from the REUNION

As a reminder, the 11X14 picture that will include both groups (a-m and n-z) will cost $40 for printing and mailing.  The individual 8X10 elementary school group pictures will cost $25 each. 

Bob Kramer said the pictures have been developed.  He thought he would wait until Friday to print the number ordered to let stragglers come in.

Kramer Photographers
101 W. Palatine Road
Palatine , Il 60067
Attention:  Bob Kramer
Phone:  (847) 934-8860

We are letting people know they can call Kramer to order the pictures no later than October 15th.   Even if people could not attend the reunion, ordering a picture would be great!

40th Reunion...

A great synopsis from Willie (Sharyn Wilson Woods) on the Reunion: (from her letter to Greg Luke)

"...I'll now attempt to give you a synopsis of the weekend. Friday night was rainy but we didn't care. The Kelsey Road House has changed dramatically, but the location was good and we weren't going for nostalgia that night -- it came later. I think we had our own floor in the building -- an entry area, "front room" where everyone congregated as they came in to get name tags, a side room with the ever-popular bar, a room where they put out our buffet of pizza and salad and another room with long tables where we could sit down and "dine." No one sat for long because everyone was too busy just catching up. I must say, everyone looked fabulous for being a 58-year-old group. Joy and Stacy Magill kept pointing out that they are still 57! We had CDs with old '60s tunes, but they couldn't be heard. Everyone was too busy talking. And there was a lot of squealing when some one saw a long-lost locker neighbor or math class conspirator appear. It was electrifying.

Saturday morning was the parade and I couldn't believe the great number of classmates who showed up. After a late night (and some went on to a karaoke bar somewhere on Route 22), we must have had 50 people there, counting spouses and dogs. No kids this year. I guess they're all too old to enjoy their parents looking like fools anymore, or else they're just so used to it. Anyway, we had a hay wagon complete with "Class of '64" signs and a banner on the back that Art brought. It said, "Oldies but Ghoulies" because the homecoming theme this year was Haunted Homecoming. Everything was perfect, including the weather, which was clear and cool -- just great for marching in parades and for football.

As we were getting ready to assemble, Barb Putta and Carol Gerhardt showed up dressed to the nines in '60s garish dresses with gray/white wigs, Hollywood star sunglasses and horrible makeup. I'm attaching pictures that I hope you can open. I quickly ran to get my convertible so they could be properly seated for the parade, instead of being in the center of the hay wagon perched on bales. After a little run-in with the police, they let me through at the last minute and the "ghoulie girls" seated themselves on the back as we blasted the '60s CDs through the sound system. It was amazing that our position in the parade was right in front of the "real" homecoming court. Carol was in total whiteface, which showed every smile line and crow's foot. She had on magenta lipstick to match her dress and a tiara on her gray wig. Little children along the route started crying but the adults were roaring with laughter. Barb had on "old-lady" makeup with dollops of red on her cheeks and red-red lipstick. Plus, she had wrapped her calf and ankle with an ace bandage that stuck out along from under her black crinolines. Her ensemble was topped off by a white synthetic wig with bangs and long hair that made her look like Miss Havisham from "Great Expectations" as a Cher wannabe. The hay wagon preceded us with classmates walking and dancing in front of the car, although most opted to sit on the bales of hay. Cookie Rollo, once again, amazed the crowds by walking on his hands and Bob Santoro wore his B Jacket. A photographer from the paper stopped to get all the information about Barb and Carol and I'll bet it's published in the Barrington Courier next Thursday.

So, that was the start of the day. Maybe I should do this email in installments, but I'm on a roll. Once we got to the high school, Kristi Mizen had arranged for a tour and you won't believe what that school looks like now. Gail Engelking got separated from the group but I found her in the principal's office. Unlike times of our youth, however, she wasn't in trouble but only getting him to share his M&Ms with her. Nice guy. Much younger than Mr. Gillis, or is it that we're older???

After the tour, most of us went to Bologny's for lunch. The people who own it are friends of Joy's or maybe of Art or both. Anyway, they own the Catlow Theater and the sandwich shop is right next door -- actually connecting to the lobby of the movie house. So they set up tables and chairs in the lobby for our class and we spent time there reminiscing about all the time we had spent there as kids. The place hasn't changed much at all and I understand it's for sale. I hope whoever buys it doesn't knock it down. It was designed by the same architect who did the Pick Wick in Park Ridge and that one has landmark status.

After lunch we went back to the high school for the varsity game and the Broncos (no longer the Bronchos) beat the Schaumburg Saxons 42 to 7! There was a pretty good turn-out at the game too but people kept leaving to "go take naps" to rest up for the evening. At the end, I felt like one of the guys because only Jim Condill, Russ Stamm and Dave Evans were sitting in the section with me. Are we getting old or what?

The big event was Saturday night at Biltmore Country Club. Everyone looked fabulous and had a great time. There was a lot of mingling before dinner with people who hadn't come Friday night or Saturday morning and even among the rest of us who had been together most of the day. The food was delicious and we had a great DJ who had a terrific voice. He was accompanied by his "girl singer, " Julie, and it was a nice touch to have live singing along with the music of the era. I danced all night with almost every guy there who could be enticed up onto the floor. We did the stroll and the macarena but Barb Putta wouldn't let the DJ start the chicken dance... We also had pictures taken of the whole group and then those from Hough Street, North Barrington and Countryside Schools. The one from Countryside was so funny. They were sideways to the camera with Rick Knobe seated to the right, Susie Makiewicz on his lap, Jack Train standing next to her, only stooping a bit so their heads made a diagonal line rising to the left, and Wendy Widhelm standing next to him. They all were looking left toward the camera with their arms looking like they were doing the "choo choo." It was really cute!

What else? No one wanted to go home but the DJ packed up at midnight and that put an end to it. We lingered in the bar awhile, promising to get up in time for the brunch the next day. And most of us did! I'm always surprised at how many came on Sunday. It's as if no one wants to say good-by or let the weekend come to an end. Joy thinks we had 75 people there on Sunday morning. Again, it was a beautiful day and the club looked terrific with all the remodeling and landscaping.

At 2 o'clock, the stragglers helped Joy carry stuff out to her car and everyone left. Gerry Weskalnies and I went down to the beach at Honey Lake. When we first moved to Barrington in fourth grade, my dad joined that club and I spent my grade-school summers swimming there (when I wasn't racing to the Paulsons to get a ride on their horses). It's changed a lot but still an idyllic place. There were even three swans who came to greet us. The afternoon was perfect, clear, sunny and breezy. A man and his son were rigging a hoby cat for sailing and three men were fishing out in the middle in a rowboat.

...You missed a good one but I hope this little (long) description wets your appetite to make the long voyage back in 10 years. Some people want to do it again for the 45th, but we'll see who signs up to help when we make the initial calls in 2008. It's a draining activity and I think we should let Joy be the homecoming queen with a diamond crown next time. She's an amazing woman. And she has a huge heart. We're still very close and I'm hoping one day some of her attributes will rub off on me..."  -- Willie

 

Comments from a Bronco..

Dear Joy, I meant to get this off as soon as I got home last week, but I guess I have to admit that it's probably a record that it's only a week later. Anyway, before it's way late, I want to let you know how much I enjoyed the reunion and especially seeing you there. It's amazing how the years seem to melt away in the context of warmth, humor and shared pasts. It was fun. Also, I appreciate all of your work, and yes, the committee's, too. You put together a great weekend.  Cheers,  Carol

 

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