Classen High School Class of
1960 55th Year Reunion
By Leon DeSpain
Planning for the Classen High School Class of 1960 55th Year Reunion started back in January with a survey of
how many classmates would be likely to attend. We had a positive response from 53 so the planning started.
Leon DeSpain and Gene Holman combined efforts to organize the reunion. After consulting with the hotel, we
chose June 26-27 for our reunion.
Scott Chapline took care of the financials, Mary Lou Bramblett Freeman and her husband, Jerry, asked to help.
Leon and Gene with help from Mary Lou and Jerry worked with the Marriott Waterford on the plans for Friday
evening and Saturday evening events. As in the past, we planned to meet at Johnnie’s for lunch on Saturday and
the Classen Museum was going to be opened on Saturday afternoon for us. Mary Lou and Jerry took care of
arranging for those two events.
After setting the prices and sending out registrations the plans progressed. We ultimately had 53 sign up for Friday
evening and 50 for Saturday evening. A couple of days before the reunion, Roberta Reed Sutton called me and said
that she had taken a fall and had a somewhat minor break in her hip. Two screws were installed so she was not going
to be able to attend the reunion. That reduced our count to 51 for Friday and 48 for Saturday, still plenty to support
the event.
The reunion started on Friday at 4pm with a reception at the Waterford. They have a type of sun room at the back of
the hotel so that’s where we met. Gene Holman made laminated bookmarks and refrigerator magnets that were placed
in each classmates’ packet. Margaret Lewis Kelsay and her husband Ed provided flower arrangements for each table.
Classmates filtered in for more than 2 hours. There was only one no show. We had a soft taco bar that started at 7pm.
We had the choice of several different tortillas, ground beef, beef chunks, chicken chunks and pork. There was also
black beans and Spanish rice. Also included were lots of toppings for the soft tacos. Churros were for dessert. There
was plenty of visiting and laughter. The fun wound down by 9:30pm. At the end of the evening, Margaret announced
that the table bouquets could be taken home by anyone who wanted to take one.
At 11:30am on Saturday, we met at the Johnnie’s on Britton road. In 2010, we met at the Johnnie’s on the NW
Expressway but the separate banquet room proved to be too small as it only held about 30 and more than that came.
The Britton Road Johnnie’s has a room that will hold up to 75. The food was great as was the conversation and it
brought back many memories of the Split T.
The museum opened a 1pm and was open for 2 hours. There wasn’t a large turnout for that. We got to see the
renovated museum and look through yearbooks and laminated copies of pages from “The Classen Life” plus a lot
of other pictures and items that were on display.
Back at the hotel, we started meeting in the main banquet room at 6pm with dinner starting at about 7pm. Phyllis
Massad Abraham decorated the tables and they were quite fancy. Mary Belle Hunt Sterling, Carolyn Pearce Gillson
and Sue Stewart Scholz helped Phyllis. We had a buffet with a chicken and a beef entrée. Both were quite
good. Along with that, we had 2 types of salad, roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli. For dessert we had
chocolate cake and apple tarts.
We hired Dale Wehba as our DJ and the hotel had set up a dance floor. Leon DeSpain read a list of the classmates
who had passed away since the 2010 reunion (there were 7) and also the names of those who had helped with the
reunion. After that the music started up in earnest and there was a lot of dancing. A couple of times, just the ladies
got on the floor and boogied. The evening ended at 9:45pm and most everyone left at about the same time.
We had a great time. I heard lots of positive comments about the reunion and some were even looking forward to
our 60th reunion.
I am too!