Class of 1957 50th Reunion Agenda

Friday, September 14 - Informal Gathering at Amelio's.

Saturday, September 15 - 50th Reunion Celebration at the Logansport Golf Club.
5:00 p.m. Registration: 50th Reunion Tattler book presented to each classmate.
Reception: Hors d'oeurves and cash bar.

6:00 p.m. Class photograph by Rich Voorhees.
Master of Ceremonies - Ron Nazerine

6:29 p.m. Invocation - Tom Castaldi
An Invocation for the Class of 1957 Gathered for a Golden Reunion -
Well, here we are Lord. They say that we were the first Logansport High School Class to exceed 200 students when we came together back 54 years ago.
You know we're not all here tonight.
Some couldn't overcome the traveling distance.
Some are...well, I guess, too shy...and I don't know why.
Some are too sick to make it back, but we're with them in spirit.
Some have passed away. You know best about that. We loved them and we miss them dearly.
We have some new faces among our "ole" classmates...those who chose to share their lives with us and surely are helping make this evening complete and festive.
So for all of us, we're grateful for having been put together in the first place, thrust under the influence of those who taught us in the classroom.
And bless the reunion committee for working so hard to find us and see us together once again.
The Class of 57 asks for Your continued blessings and safekeeping as we continue to experience every sort of life's challenges. We've got a lot to offer so let us know what You want from each of us.
It's been 50 years - we've scattered here and there - but for now, here we are Lord...shine Your grace upon us. Amen.

6:30 p.m. Buffet Dinner.

7:30 p.m. Message and Recognition of reunion committee volunteers from Reunion Committee Co-Chairs - Barb Davis Dingeldein and Susie Parker Whallon. Kent Hall distributed an engraved keepsake "Class Reunion 50 Years" medallion to each class member present. Each classmate, and guest attendee, also received a souvenir red and black pen imprinted with the words, "Class of '57 - 50th Reunion" and an image of Felix the Cat our school mascot.

7:45 p.m. LHS Class of '57 Reunion Service of Remembrance - Ellen Tucker Lail and Jon Hershberger.
    Jon opened with these remarks: This evening, we would like to take a few minutes to remember the 50 deceased members of the Class of 1957. Since we last met in 2002, we have lost another 15 classmates. Each of us, no doubt, will have some unique and vivid memories of our school years at LHS with many of these dear friends
    As Ellen and I read the names of these former classmates, we hope that there will be some fond recollections that come to all our minds. We remember these LHS classmates who are no longer in our company here on earth:
    Ellen and Jon alternately read three names and the dates of the deceased:
Ron Adair, Sharon Beatty, Jim Beety, Ron Beck Jill Billman, Kay Burch, Joe Burgess, Dale Burrough, Jean Coulson, Shirley Culp, Ted Daniels, Janet Fellers, Jim Flory, Fred Foreman, Claudette Forker, Jim Green, Madonna Guckien, Doris Gunter, Roy Handy, Jim Henry, Jim Huffman, Charles Isles, Lewis Alan Irvin, Larry Justice, Sue Klein, Ruth Kline, Carl Leedy, Raymond Lohning, Joe Lombardi, Dave Loner, Larry Long, Raymond Million, Merland Noble, John O'Neill, Jim Paschen, Pat Pasquale, Sheila Peterson, Carl Pickens, Mary Raderstorf, Dale Ristedt, Lynn Rivers, Grady Rogers, Peggy Rohrbaugh, Jerry Roller Joe Sabatini, Fred Schue, Tom Short, Larry Smith, Jim Thompson, Joe Trotter.
    Reflections - Jon Hershberger:  Our friends leave a legacy of friends, children, grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren who also miss their presence! Those of us, who are Christians, know that the Bible clearly states that the only eternal legacy we can really leave behind is in the investment of our lives and love in serving God and others that. He brings across our paths. We, the living, still have an opportunity to leave the legacy of a life well-lived!

Poem - :Ellen Tucker Lail:
A life well-lived
is a precious gift
of hope and strength and grace
from someone who has made our world
a brighter, better place.
It's filled with moments sweet and sad,
with smiles and sometimes tears,
with friendships formed
and good times shared
and laughter through the years.
A life well-lived
is a legacy
of joy and pride and pleasure,
a loving, lasting memory
our grateful hearts will treasure.

Prayer - Jon Hershberger: Dear Lord, we thank You for those of our classmates who are no longer with us and for the good memories that have come to mind. Tonight, we celebrate and remember all our journeys together at LHS and the times over the past 50 years when we have been together. May our fellowship be rich and may our lives be a real blessing to others around us. Amen.

8:00 p.m. Program - Ron Nazerine, who related "Some Fascinating Facts about the Fifties" along with several stories including ones concerning a stray pet dog that needed assistance returning home, as well as anatomy discussions about graying hair and drooping parts "had virtually every one in stitches."

9:00 p.m. Drawing was made that could not have succeeded without the direction of Susie Parker Whallon, Dee Kasch, Martha Hensell, Bev Hall, Betty Chambers and Ida Wolf Gunter. Included in the drawing were cast models of the "real" Logansport High School building, an excellent framed illustration of the grand old structure as well as the several decorations...and Tom Knight's stuffed "Scottie Doggie" he won for selling the most magazine subscriptions for a class project when we were Juniors.
    Co-chair Barb Davis Dingeldein had one special gift to be presented in absentia. She explained that on display at the podium table during the evening, a seated teddy bear wearing a LHS letter jacket was "Dave Bear" to be given to Pat Wolf Loner from the Class of '57 in memory of her husband and our classmate, Dave Loner. The action was unanimously received by all present.

Sometime later - after enjoying an evening of genuine 1950's music and trivia of the era presented by DJ Steve Schwering...everybody went home but with thoughts of returning for our next reunion in 2012.

Report from Co-Chair Barb Davis Dingeldein:
    Seventy-seven people crowded into Amelio's function room at the Friday night reception. Thirty-three women came to the Ladies' Luncheon on Saturday; and ninety-five, including sixty-five classmates, enjoyed the Reunion Dinner held at the Logansport Golf Club. On Sunday, thirty three came to the breakfast at the Silver Lake Restaurant. Unfortunately, we had received word that three classmates and two spouses had to cancel their attendance at the last minute because of illness.
    Several emails, notes and telephone calls have been received from classmates to thank the Reunion Committee "for the best reunion ever," "for a wonderful weekend," as well as, to express their appreciation for the effort involved to locate classmates, and "for the hard work it took to make it all happen." During the buffet, several spouses expressed the notion that although they were not "classmates" they were enjoying our evening! One classmate wrote that she has talked about her weekend so much that her husband's eyes glaze over…so, she stops for a while and begins it all again.
    Thanks to the Decoration Committee, our outstanding fall decorations gave a festive look and a feeling to the evening as we enjoyed prime rib, chicken breast, pork roast enhances with three choices of cheesecake for desert. We even had two anniversary cakes decorated with our "Felix" mascot.

Editor's comment:
    Barb noted that the small group that comprises the Reunion Committee was, "both happy and thrilled that the event was received with such generous accolades. The Committees truly achieved our goal: to make our 50th Reunion an exceptionally wonderful and memorable experience." Even though Barb commented that in the days following the event, as the fatigue and relief of organizing an event so well received by those who attended set in, everyone involved was exhausted. However, she followed with this comment, "We have now recovered, and have some of the most wonderful memories ever. As some have stated, we have some very wonderful and nice people (and spouses) in our class and it was a pleasure to spend a weekend together. We already miss you and hope to see each of you again in five years…if not before.
"P.S. Carolyn Bailey said she and Pat Baker Dekker would co-chair the 75th because they think they'll still be around if they follow their mothers' life spans that's one worry off this Committee's shoulders." : - Barb Davis Dingeldein

50th Class Reunion Committee
Co-Chairpersons: Susie Parker Whallon and Barb Davis Dingeldein
Golf Scramble: Eldon Hensel and Felix Parkevitch
Ladies' Luncheon: Margaret Fitzgerald Brooks
Telephone: Karen Crook Cunningham, Ellen Tucker Lail and Ida Wolf Gunter
Books, Letters, Printing: Barb Davis Dingeldein
Mailing: Karen Crook Cunningham, Margaret Fitzgerald Brooks, Ellen Tucker Lail, Ida Wolf Gunter and Barb Dingeldein
Gifts: Kent Hall, Ida Wolf Gunter and Susie Parker Whallon
Reservations: Mary Dee Riggle Overley and Ellen Lail
Finances: Mary Dee Riggle Overley, Susie Kumler Selvio and Ron Nazerine
Decorations and Setup: Ellen Tucker Lail, Evelyn Baer Byers, Mary Dee Riggle Overley, Susie Parker Whallon, Bev Hall, Joe and Dee Kasch.
Picture/Name Takers: Dee Kasch, Martha Hensell,
Bev Hall, and Betty Chambers