Submitted by Patricia B. Beck

On Sunday May 30, 1952, 144 seniors from Boyden High School graduated in the school’s auditorium. On Saturday May 20, 2017, 65 years later, 28 classmates and their guests met in the dining room of the Harold B. Jarrett American Legion Post on Lincolnton Road. Former classmates caught up, renewed friendships and talked about old memories. Julius “Pete” Waggoner served as the Master of Ceremony. “Pete” greeted class members and read memos from members who could not attend the reunion. At noon, a luncheon was catered by The Silver Spoon of Rockwell. The tables were decorated with yellow Gerber daisies, wrapped in gold paper, wrapped with black ribbon — the school’s colors. After lunch Patricia Bonds Beck presented the flowers to:

Member married the longest, Dot Lovette and Jimmy Peacock (65 years); members traveling the farthest, Delores Howard Norris, Winter Park (Florida) and B.K. Barringer, Jr and wife Laura (Mexico); member with the most grandchildren, Harold Mowery and wife, Peggy (12); member with the most great-grandchildren, Delores Howard Norris (10); oldest members attending, Harry Garwood (84). Other winners were Charles Kluttz, Jr, Nancy Leonard Powell, Hugh Thompson and James Weaver.

The Rev. Henry Rendleman gave a blessing for the luncheon and later dismissed the reunion with a traveling prayer. To cap off the day, class members ate birthday cake honoring everyone’s birthday. As they left, each class member was given a gift bag containing items donated by local merchants and a book of information on class members — current addresses of surviving members and a list of the 73 deceased class members.

A special gift was a copy of the 1948 Wiley School eighth grade annual, given to those who were featured in the 1948 annual: “Pete” Waggoner, Patricia B. Beck, Harry Garwood, Hank Rendleman, Hugh Thompson, Charles Kluttz, Jim Weaver and John Hill. Copies were sent to Junior Harrington, Jim Eagle, Don Brantley and Bill Broadway, who could not attend the reunion.

Attending the reunion from Salisbury: Patricia Bonds Beck; Harry Garwood and friend Phyllis Richardson, John Hill, Mary Davis Harviel, Bobbie Lentz Melton, Nancy Leonard Powell, Patricia Melchor Epting, Harold Mowery and wife Peggy, Naomi Scruggs Rice, Claudette Shaw Barger, Elaine Sells Stiller, Betty Jean Tutterow Jacobs, Julius “Pete” Waggoner and wife Barbara, and Harry “Boonie” Young and wife Sandra.

Attending the reunion from North Carolina: Bevan K. Barringer and wife Laura of Mooresville and Mexico; Charles Kluttz and wife Susan of Winston Salem; Robert Elium and wife Eleanor, Dorothy Lovette Peacock and husband Jim, Rebecca Marley Wetmore and husband Sam of Woodleaf; John Knox Patterson of Charlotte; Hank Rendleman and wife Susan of Hickory; Mary Ann Shoe Graham of Concord; W. Hugh Thompson and wife Lucille of Raleigh; Jane Walton D’Auvray of Greensboro; James Weaver and wife Christa of Hickory; Mary Nash Wheeler Parker and husband Rut of Gastonia.

Attending the reunion from out of state: George Holbrook and wife Janice of Spartanburg, SC; Charlie Honeycutt and wife Gail of Pawley’s Island, SC; Deloris Howard Norris of Winter Park, FL.

The reunion committee were Patricia Bonds Beck, Elaine Sells Stiller, Naomi Scruggs Rice, Better Jean Tutterow Jacobs, Julius “Pete” Waggoner, Harry Garwood and Harold Mowery.