Our recent alumni newsletter inspired Bette Butcher Topp to send me a photo and summary of 1950’s 60th reunion. Read on, and when you’re through, be sure to visit Bette’s site, chock full of photos and memories.
In the shade of the overhang, Fran & Graham Grande, Richard & Ruth Cullum, Bob Stillman, Roylene Wiegand, next to Harold, with Ann Carpenter Lindstorm, Joyce & David Evans in the back row.
Angel Vargas, Joe Balsley, Tom Clotfelter, Jack Overton. Middle row: Bette Butcher Topp, Rachel Ricardo Michel, Clara Wilson, Lova Ellefson Drake, Mike Gonzales in the middle row.
Front row:- sitting. Mike Corrales, Herb Ela, Betty Woodward Neal and Andie Gabel (standing on the rail) with the beautiful San Diego skyline.
2 September 2010
To all who missed a great time!
Well, the 60th year reunion of the class of 1950 is now over and we have only our memories of fun & joy at seeing our classmates and just glad to be alive.
Everyone will want to know WHO was there and what did we did! So here are my memories.
First day we met at Joe and Jan Balsley’s home in Escondido and it is a very lovely home/ yard that held the 24 classmates plus spouses and friends who attended. “Mr. Taco” was a super idea – the girls definitely had everything down-pat to serve the masses. Pity any one who carelessly got a finger under the cleaver of the one who chopped the meat for great tacos. The food was very good as were the desserts and Jan’s cookies took the blue ribbon medal from us all. That was a great idea for everyone was served in a very short time. We even had Margarita’s to drink as well as sodas.
Those Attending:
Art & Martha Lopez (who has not aged one minute since I first met her, as I tell her every time), Joe and Nancy Hart. Bob and Jeanette Kundinger, Ann Carpenter Lindstrom, Beverly Clark, Ernestine Buman Biddlecomb, Andriana Sims Gabin with her son/wife, Rachel Ricardo Michel and Lova Ellefson Drake, Graham & Fran Grande, Bob Stillman, Herb Ela, Jim Phillips, Mike Gonzales, Tom & Karen Clotfelter, Richard and Ruth Cullum, Mike Corrales, David & Joyce Evans, Jack Overton, Joyce Moore Clark and husband Bill, Betty Woodward Neal and Harold & Rolyne Wiegand and of course, Joe and Jan Balsley. Hope I haven’t missed anyone.
Cannot forget the “older” guys – Don Balsley and Jim & Patsy Downs. Was nice to visit with all of them. Several friends – Betsy Ash and Joan & Dan Mote.
Joe had fixed some neat nametags that used our annual pictures and then turn into magnetized bookmarks. Think that Joe “builds” them and they are a neat thing to use later. We even had margaritas as well as sodas.
Several of Jan’s neighbors helped her out and I know they were invaluable.
We arrived about 3 p.m and think that we left about 7:30. Nice visiting by everyone.
Friday morning at 10:30 we all met down at the San Diego Harbor to board the sightseeing Harbor boat for our Champagne Brunch. IT WAS WONDERFUL! I cannot say enough good words about it. The boat was elegant, very wide inside and the food serving stations were scattered all over the main deck inside. They first served us mimosa’s which are champagne and orange juice. Hummmmm – very good. They served everything from meats of all kinds, any type of omelet you wanted as well, as waffles, crab legs, breads, salads, desserts with a chocolate fountain. We sure did not go hungry. The sun came out and we cruised around under the Coronado bridge and around San Diego Harbor – the whole event was over 2 hours and we then went out on the back deck to soak up the sun and have pictures taken.
Cannot say good enough reviews of how well Joe planned it for us and I know that you would all have loved it as much as we did. We talked about a 62nd year reunion and I, for one, would like to do almost the very same thing again. It was wonderful just to be able to walk around and just plain visit and catch up with everyone’s lives.
Some of you asked to have one of the booklets that I made up for the class reunion so decided to send one to those who didn’t make it. If you don’t want it, just chuck it.
Hope you will keep in touch. I love hearing from each and every one of you. Stay well and plan on trying to attend in a couple of years.
Hugs to all –