JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL

CLASS OF '62 - 35th REUNION

Last July I promised Keith Westbrook I'd write a report on our 35th reunion. Now I need to hurry to get it out before the news is a year old. Also I need to write this down before my 53 year old brain forgets everything that happened. Then again...since you either didn't attend and don't know what happened anyway or you did but since you're also about 53 you've probably forgotten too I should be able to do OK.

One group that will not soon forget the reunion was the organizing committee. John Theisen (Chairman), Jerry Jensen, Bill Winters, Sandy Reier, Judy Sullivan, Carol McCurdy, and Nancy Pontious put this great weekend together.

It really was a great weekend and most unforgettable. Friday night we got together at the home of John and Joann Theisen. We knew we were getting close when we began to see the purple and gold balloons!

When we got there we enjoyed seeing old friends, terrific food and a garage filled with very interesting memorabilia. For me the "JHS" from center court of our old gym, the curtain from the stage and an old band uniform brought back memories. A special thanks to JoAnn Theisen (John's wife), our hostess on Friday night.

Saturday night we had dinner at the Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino in Altoona. I don't know how many of us played the ponies (see photos of the race our class sponsored) and/or the tables but we had a great meal and took a ton of pictures. A special thanks to Jan Jensen (Jerry's wife) for the table decorations.

A few of us also got together Sunday morning for breakfast (and of course) more talk.

Altogether 22 former members of the class of '62 attended one or more of the events. The attendees were: Nancy Pontious, Mary Theisen, John Theisen, Bill Winters, Sandy Reier, Carol Kinsey, Keith Westbrook, Jerry Jensen, Fred Robinette, Karen Doden, Carol Glider, Carol McCurdy, Marilyn Gilligan, Ed Sweeney, Sue Strauss, Ken Jarvis, Donna Thompson, Fred Watne, Tom Chadwick, Denny Elwell, Judy Sullivan, Ralph Keltner.

As I've thought back on the weekend I've tried to figure what made it so special. Of course we all enjoyed getting together for a journey back in time. For those of us from out of town it's always nice to come home.

But I think it's more than that. It's more than seeing which gravel roads got paved and who looks the same and who doesn't. A lot of us spent 13 or more years of our lives together. Some of us joined the class as we went along. Whether we met sooner or later...we grew up together. We were either a very small class or a very large family...or a little of both.

As much as I enjoyed cruising the old roads of Johnston last summer and reliving past exploits with you guys, I enjoyed talking with you as 53 year old adults. We seemed to have more to talk about than just old times. I liked hearing about your lives today, your kids and grandkids, your jobs or retirement, your hobbies and your opinions on current events. We still have a lot in common.

Well, this may not be much of a report but frankly, it wasn't so much where we met and what we ate (although it was very good!) that mattered, it was that we had time to just talk. Nancy Pontious commented that the best part of being on the planning committee was the time spent together.

So, if you haven't been to a reunion for a while or forever...please come in 2002 for our 40th. At the Saturday dinner we had an informal business meeting. I distinctly remember Keith volunteering to organize the next one. Regrettably my 53 year old brain has forgotten (I wish!) who volunteered to be his assistant.

The folks from around Des Moines felt they were making it hard on the rest of us by always having the reunion close to their homes. Those of us who traveled insisted that the trip home was a big part of it. My guess is we'll get together in, or near Johnston in the summer of 02. "02"!?! That really sounds old. Well no matter...GO DRAGONS!