Princeton High School class of 1959 celebrates 50th reunion
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| Charlotte Saletzki submitted this photo of PHS class members of 1959 at their recent 50th reunion during Homestead Festival weekend. Classmates include (front row, from left) Marylee (Fredrickson) Adams, Sharron (Lawton) Consuelos, Charlotte (Bevington) Saletzki, Carolyn Espel, Carole (Fultz ) Johnson, Barb (Griffith) Mayo, Ruth (Horton) Dunnell, Margaret (Bird) Stanfield, Jeanne (Coulter) O’Melia, Jim Saltzman (sitting), Erik Lee, Gerald Schultz, Helen Burrows and Jean Lawton; (second row) Richard Eckdahl, Bill Cain, Patt (Lampkin) Fleming, Jeriann (Peters) Sharkey, Pat (Freeman) Sparks, Pat (West) Lane, Julie (Miles) Brown, Lois (Conradt) Gaydos, Sandy (Hulteen) Finn, Mick Finn, Mary (Lawes) Beil, Steve Ross, Ken Brandt and Gordon Townsend; (third row) David Roth, Howard Behrens, Nancy (Johnson) Ebersoldt, Phil Schlindwein, Betty (Alm) Hedgespeth, Judy (Heuer) Mugerdichian, Pam (Batson) Grenier, Joellen (Russell) Mack, Leota (Jontz) Carlson, Donna (Bailey) Dalrymple, Francis Barker, Judy (Sapp) Forman, Gary Carter, Jim Edwards and Dave Malsbury; and (back row) Norm Riley, Rich Anderson, Jim Peterson, Dwight Shank, Dave Anderson, Lee Huey, Merle Sapp, Doug Sergeant, Dick Diller, Fred Erickson, Doug Zunkel, Sylvia (Nelson) Finch, Keith May, Keith Rockey and Vern Magnuson. (Photo contributed) |
PRINCETON — Members of the Princeton High School class of 1959 celebrated their 50th class reunion during Homestead Festival weekend.
The three-day celebration began on Friday morning with a golf outing at Hunter’s Ridge hosted by Steve Finn of Galesburg. The first-place trophy for 18 holes of golf was won by Steve Ross of Elephant Butte, N.M., and Emily Diller of Belvidere. The second-place trophy was awarded to Tom Sharkey of Granbury Texas, and Dianna Magnuson of Champaign. The Longest Drive for Women trophy was won by Jean Lawton of Santa Fe N.M., and Doug Zunkel of Vancouver, Wash., received the trophy for driving the furthest.
Carole (Fultz) Johnson was hostess for a ladies tea at her home in Lake Thunderbird on Friday afternoon. Betty (Alm) Hedgespeth of Loveland, Colo., Pam (Batson) Grenier of Tiskilwa and Margaret (Bird) Stanfield of Princeton assisted.
On Friday evening, a cocktail party was held for classmates and spouses at the Elks Lodge. Carolyn Espel of Princeton and Vern Magnuson of Champaign each created a memories DVD, which were projected and shown during the evening. Each classmate was given a copy of both DVDs.
Classmates decorated a class float and rode in the parade Saturday afternoon. On Saturday evening, the reunion banquet was held at the Elks Lodge with 57 classmates and 29 spouses in attendance, which was a record turnout. As classmates arrived, they each had their picture taken standing beside Dick and Judy Nelson’s 1955 Chevrolet convertible, which was on loan for the evening. Lyle and Carole (Fultz) Johnson of Putnam served as photographers for the evening.
Lee Huey of Ames, Iowa served as master of ceremonies. He presented awards to Pat (Freeman) Sparks of Mason City, Ill., for being the 50th classmate to make a reservation; to Marylee (Fredrickson) Adams of Bakersfield, Calif., for being the first one to sign the guest book and to Norm Riley of Chicago for having perfect attendance at all the reunions, including all the special birthday reunions.
Patt (Lampkin) Fleming and Charlotte (Bevington) Saletzki gave a candlelight memorial service in memory of the 18 deceased classmates, Doris Larson, Tom Reiland, Don Nave, Ruby Elliott, Lee Rosenow, John Reavy, Joyce Rayfield, Lawrence Langstrom, Rita Farley, Connie Townsend, Larry Lewis, Bill Mecum, Anne Pullen, Karen Nelson, Everett Knepp, Roger Josephson, Rolfe Cooper and Robert Herron.
Class president Dick Diller read the commencement speech he originally gave at the 1959 graduation. He also read a thank you note from former teacher Evelyn Graham for gifts and a program given in her honor in 1959. Graham was a favorite teacher, who retired at the end of the 1959 school year. Diller read another thank you note from Rosella Howard for dedicating the yearbook to her husband, Bill Howard, who died while the classmates were still students.
Vern Magnuson of Champaign presented Fleming with with a custom designed pendant that replicated her class ring. The ring, presented on behalf of the class, was a thank you for her dedication of keeping the class together over the past 50 years.
A picnic was held by the class on Sunday at Zearing Park.
