Great weather, a little more grey hair ( sometimes less hair), riding in the Salisbury High Homecoming Parade, beach music, fun times, lots of fond memories and a true celebration of long term friendships marked the 50th reunion of the Boyden High School Class of 1961 on Oct. 6 and 7.
One hundred and five classmates, from all parts of the country (15 states) came back home to Salisbury for the reunion weekend.
Friday afternoon, reunion activities started off by riding a trolley in the Salisbury High Homecoming Parade, and then on Friday evening over 100 classmates, spouses and friends gathered at the home of Margaret Harry and George Kluttz for an informal “reunion warm-up” party.
The highlight of the weekend was Saturday night’s official reunion event held at the Holiday Inn. Over 150 members and guests of the class of 1961 were greeted by memorabilia, photos and decorations in black and gold school colors and of course beach music. A special tribute was made to a number of former Boyden High teachers who also attended the celebration and a touching remembrance of classmates who have died was made by Rev. Gilmer (Binky) Miller and the Everlasting Class President, Ron Hager. Reunion attendees were treated to surprise entertainment provided by Patsy Cline (aka Ann Harris Magnum) who gave a memorable performance of “She’s Got You.”
The announcement of two scholarships being established by the men and women of the Class of 1961 was made at the conclusion of the program. The idea of the scholarship was started by a group of boys from the class who dubbed themselves as the “Bottom Barrel Boat Club” back in high school. They then challenged the other men in the class to join their efforts and the girls to do something similar. Plans are for the scholarships to be awarded each year to a graduating senior boy and girl from Salisbury High.
Terry and Penny Gerock Sides, Chalk Tyree, Sara Robinson Banish, Wayne Kennerly, Bonzie Harris Everson, Sandy Wagoner Harjes, Betty Foil Carter, Martha Sue Carlton Lewis, Margaret Harry Kluttz and Ron Hager worked to organize the reunion.
Classmates attending reunion from Salisbury were: Ben Beaver, Martha Sue Carlton Lewis, Arnold Chamberlain, Ray Corriher, Perry Crowell, Linda Dent Sullivan, Terry Ennis, Jane Eagle Hege, Ed Hege, Penny Gerock Sides, Terry Sides, Patty Hamm Morrison, Margaret Harry Kluttz, Bonzie Harris Everson, Carolyn Jacobs Cooper, Wayne Kennerly, Walter Kincaid, Jeanie May Beaver, Carol McKinny Watkins, Ruth Phillips Small, Kathy Pittman Fain, Bob Poole, Gail Pring Mintz, Sara Robinson Banish, Robert Torrence, Chalk Tyree and Patsy Weddington.
Out of town attendees from North Carolina were: Wayne Eidson of Supply, Carl Satterwhite of Granite Quarry, Brenda Cashwell Hemperly of China Grove, Donald Koontz of Mt. Ulla, Linda Leslie Campagna of Stanley, Kaye Moore Orrell of Linwood, Tony Shoaf of Lexington, Toni Holshouser Dew of Bermuda Run, Joan Richards Anderson and Ann Harris Mangum of Huntersville and Betty Foil Carter of Mooresville.
Attendees from Charlotte were Jim Brower, Jackie Cline Armour, Mary Lib Harrison Capitano, Jim McGee and Margaret Guy Dunn.
Also attending was Sara Lou Thomas Faulkner of Thomasville. Attending from Greensboro were Binky Miller, Janet Marsh Shepherd, Kay Rufty Pring and Paul Wamsley.
Also attending were Fred White of Winston-Salem, Diane Smith Lowery of Mount Airy, Kim Flora of Wilkesboro, Gee Gee Sapp Christmas of Burlington.
Attending from Chapel Hill were Barbara Parker Fuller, Eddie Fuller and Sylvia Cress.
Also attending were Hal Coggin of Cary, David Jones of Wake Forest, Danny Page of Garner, Joan Wilson Holshouser of Efland, Webster Collett of Ocean Isle Beach, Frances Hartline Bowyer of Fayetteville, Jeffrey Goodman of Asheville, Chris Martin of Waynesville.
Coming from out of state were: Delores Hahn Heyd of Tega Cay, S.C.; Sandy Wagoner Harjes of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Sandra Wright Bridges of Florence, S.C.; Betty Garrison Yearout of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Joyce Pittman Mower of West Columbia, S.C.; Wiley Ruth of Richmond, Va.; Bill Deadwyler of Colonial Heights, Va.; Stephen Moose of Mechanicsville, Va.; Tommy Cope of Morristown, Tenn.; Brenda Julian Lentz of Memphis, Tenn.; Wayne Shepherd of Jonesborough, Tenn.; Ed Goldman of Grantsville, Md.; Jimmy Carter of Cumberland, Md.; Gail Libensburger Kohn of Tokoma Park, Md.; Sandra Auffrey Bonneau of Rochester, Me.; K.C. Norris of Milton, Vt.; Rick Rochelle of St. Simons, Ga; Ron Storey of Marietta Ga.; Harvey Kline of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Ray Eller of Palm City, Fla.; Ron Hager of University Park, Fla.; Kathy Steen Kershaw of Deerfield, Fla.; Susan Brady of Aspen, Colo.; Angelo Mitchell of Escondido, Calif.; Gale Moone of Oak Groove, Calif.; Connie Myers Halliday of Newport Beach, Calif.; Dorothy Jean Kirk of Palm Desert, Calif.; Karl Rimer of Los Angeles, Calif.; Clara Jane (C.J. Neal Lipski of Talent, Ore.