The Memorials

Every forest branch moves differently in the breeze,
but as they sway, they connect at the roots.
-Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

Soon after I was asked to present the Memorial to our deceased classmates, I began to think of ways to acknowledge each of them without reading the growing list of names. We had determined that they would be listed in the Memory Book, but I wanted a little more than that and just the few comments that I would make.

In December, I spotted shiny, glorious purple ornaments in the holiday aisle and I had my answer! I would write the almost 80 names on purple and gold balls and hang them on a tree. I hoped it would work.

On a warm afternoon in February, I wandered the woods looking for just the right tree. I found a beautiful, bare sweet gum, its gnarly branches glowing in the winter sun. I cut three limbs and put them on the porch of my grandmother's old house. I checked them often to see that they were drying well and that the shapes would fit together. Carrying them through the woods had not been a problem, getting them the 30 miles to the Country Club was another matter.

On Saturday night, classmates were asked to place one of the balls on the tree; the list had now grown to 82. I was surprised that it began to matter whose name they hung -- not usually just a close friend, but someone they remembered from third grade or junior high or band. Each deceased classmate was remembered and missed.

I had prepared my remarks and promised not to take more than five minutes, but after we had gathered in the dining room, I knew I needed to allow some other words. Now, I'm not even sure at which point I asked for two sentences from . . . anyone. A few stood in place to remember old friends out loud; others just remembered. I think it was a good part of our time together.

NOTE: Before the Reunion, we did not have the names of Betty June Hendricks (Oglesby) (2004), Julian David King (2008) nor Douglas Granger.

------------
Thanks to Fred Fidler for bringing in the tree and to my daughter Susan for hanging the lights.
AAB

The Official Photo

This is the photo which was taken on Saturday morning. No. I can't identify everyone! Can you?

Tracy Symms did a great job with this. Send her a 20$ check for your copy. Email her if you have questions. Email me for her contact info, if you deleted this week's email.

-0-0-0-0-

While you are thinking of who is on the steps, keep in mind those classmates who had to miss the Reunion for health reasons. They can use your good thoughts.

-- Suzanne Sinsheimer Shapiro, who managed to get to the school for the photo, but could not get to the evening events, says, "Health issues sometimes prevent one from doing things they want to do most, but you have to keep the faith, be optimistic and keep on going." Good thing for all of us to keep in mind.
-- Joy Hughes Mallard has had a whole winter's worth of medical problems. Just when the coast seemed clear, she broke her ankle and Wade got a bad cold which seemed too much like the scary flu.
-- Barbara Myers Garner is under the weather and having tests done.
-- Gay Cox Shaw said, "I really hate that I missed it - I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee and couldn't walk too well."
-- Yvonne King Langley wrote, "I was in the hospital having a heart catherization. That resulted in my fourth stent so it is best that I did not try to come to Augusta. I had looked forward to the 50th reunion since the 45th and planned to be there right up to the last minute."

AAB
--

Our Spirits Soared

For several years, a nervous committee had suggested, rejected and planned for a weekend which would be The Best Ever while classmates marked dates on calendars and set travel schedules in hopes of a great reunion.

On Thursday night, a few of the out of towners and a few locals gathered for a "Beyond Casual®" meal. The first of the HUGS, the exclamations of greetings and the astonished comments about how-good-we-all-looked set the tone for the evening and let us know that we had nothing to fear. As copies of the Memory Book were opened for the first time, the magic began to happen.

On Friday night, Purple and Gold reflected in the old arched windows and off the old polished floors of the Julian Smith Casino. Many of us came early, taking advantage of the announcement that Weatherman Bob Smith (AKA Robert Gordon Smith) would be doing his 6:15 segment from his 50th High School Reunion.

We all felt like celebrities on the Red Carpet as he greeted and interviewed us between giving weather facts. His old neighborhood friend Michael Danish arrived from Maryland; Dorothy Lanier Cravey popped in from South Georgia, Gilroy Garner came from Texas, Madeline Register Bandy came from Florida and . . . and . . . .

Jane Bass Moxley's registration committee checked off names and passed out nametags with BIG lettering! Ron Colvin made sure classmates got the Memory Book as they came in. Laughter filled the rotunda and spread into the great stone-walled casino.

It was just the beginning of a fabulous night of BBQ, memories and dancing -- exactly as planned by Chairman Pete May and his hard-working committee. The magic continued as the purple and gold balloons were released into the night sky. (Okay, it was an accident, so don't get weird.)


On Saturday morning, we climbed the steps of the school -- were they always this high?!!









We sat in desks ready to answer questions, wondered about high tech props in the Auditorium and strolled the halls looking for the 'hottest' guys and gals.



We took floods of memories with us to the front steps in time for the official picture. The photographer atop the firetruck lift was not as 'high' as we were as we squinted past her into the overcast sky.





With the Canal not refilled enough to float the Petersburg boats, Co-chairmen Harry Pund and Butch Murdock and Saturday Event Chairman Don Patterson made the decision to substitute a cruise of the Savannah River aboard The Patriot.

Mary Todd Pyott probably put it best: "We loved everything, especially the river cruise (in all my years I had never been up the river!)"

I didn't get reports from everyone about after-lunch activities, although I heard there were a few small get-togethers of close friends and a few naps. Well, maybe more than a few naps. . . .



On Saturday evening, we all worried a little about dressing for the Augusta Country Club -- Old insecurities die hard, don't they? -- What does "dressy casual" mean anyway? What is too fancy? What is too casual? We quickly learned that whatever we had on was exactly right! (No one cared -- except the CC staff which has rules about denim, no jackets and cell phones.) And as one dear hubby said, to reassure his spouse when she said that she wouldn't know anyone and that she was old and fat, "all of us are old - and half w(ill) be fat, so not to worry."

Well, we didn't worry. And we were all comfortable because everything was perfectly planned by Janice Johnson Dixon and her committee. No detail was left to chance so there were no glitches to make anyone wonder what came next. The flowers, the music, the food (oh, yes! the food!) and the program were spectacular! Helen Gnann Byars' husband Joel said, "I've had more fun at your reunion than at mine. It was really FIRST CLASS!"


Frank Stafford and Jayne Dye Snell began the formal portion of our weekend with the same sense of decorum and humor which made them our student council co-presidents fifty years ago.








Charles Henry* had prepared to serve as our emcee with more gentleness, fun facts and coincidences than anyone could expect.





When we stood for the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and sang out "Glory, Glory, to Old Richmond," we knew why we had come.

And by the way, Bubber Best can still make us swoon, Rae Brown still delights the heart, the basketball teams could still win a few quarters, Joyce Blanchard and Minta McDairmid still have the figures we love to hate, and not a few members of the Sabre Club can still pass muster.

The magic was still around as we called for our cars. Our Spirits Soared.

We stood in the driveway and chatted as if we didn't want it to end.

Somehow, I don't think it did.
---------------------

* For copies of Charles comments, please see my email for his corrected email addy.
For copies of the official photograph, please see my email for the Photographer's info.
If you are not getting the email blasts from me, why not?

Annette
---

It Was SOME Reunion!

I have notes. I have pictures. We worked so hard on the reunion, we were afraid it would do like some we've heard of. We were afraid it would fall flat. The only real negatives are: 1. So many stayed away, could not come or were just missing -- there was a hole in our joy. 2. It was not long enough for spending time with every one!

I promise to get some info up in the next few days. I have just been catching up with things I left undone while getting the book to the printer. See you soon.

Annette