Here we are five years ago at the Wilsons home for our 35th Reunion Party.
And hopefully we will have an even larger group coming this Saturday night.
The calendar says after 40 years this should be the eighth time we have gathered for a Reunion. That's once every 5 years. But if we had a five-year reunion in 1974, I wasn't there and I have never heard anyone in our Class talk about such an event.
I know by our ten-year anniversary in 1979, there was a reunion. I think it was held at the Dabbs Avenue K.C. Club near the Airport. But other than that, my memory is hazy of that evening. I can't even remember if we had the gathering on a Friday or Saturday night. I know I came to the event solo because my first child, Katie, had just been born in late March and my wife was home with her.
By 1984 for our 15th Reunion, my memory is of attending an All-Class Mass at the Elliston Place campus, followed by a dinner held at the nearby (and still new) Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel.
1989 for our 20th Reunion is the first time I remember working to help organize the event. I also remember the late Will Martin being involved as we held a festive Friday night party and a dance at the University Club near Vanderbilt, followed Saturday evening by a big All-Class Dinner at the Opryland Hotel.
Here's a photo from that evening of our class members who attended. It was taken on the steps of the Opryland Hotel.
In 1994, it was time for our Silver Anniversary, 25 years after leaving Father Ryan. The old school building and campus on Elliston Place was gone and so we held a Friday night reception for our class in the gym at Saint Bernard Academy. Saturday afternoon we organized a picnic in Centennial Park, followed that evening by a Memorial Mass for our deceased classmates in the Chapel at the new Father Ryan in Oak Hill, and then a Social, Dinner and and Dance in the new FRHS Dining Hall.
Here are some photos from that special evening....
Our Libarian, Sister Mary Bonaventure joined us for dinner along with our Principal, now Monsignor James Hitchcock. No, Sister did not bring her scrapbook of deleted items from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.
Joe Williams and Gino Marchetti were in attendance along with their wives, Mary and Jeanne.
Here we are at the end of our 25th Reunion evening with a group photo in the Dining Hall.
By the way, this 25th Reunion was the only one we've had that was not held the first weekend in June. These celebrations occurred the weekend of June 24-25, 1994.
In 1999 for our 30th Class Reunion, we began our celebration with the first All-Class Reception held on Friday evening at the Norwood Drive campus, followed by our Class Party at the Boundary Restaurant near Vanderbilt held on Saturday night. Here are some photos from that evening....
Bill Carver and Tim Templeton talk it over.
Bob Nelson and Pat Nolan work their way through the food line.
Mike J. Carter and his wife Anna Shugart Carter greet Bob Campbell.
Pat Cook and Phil Jones remember old times.
Mark Mogan greets Bill Carver upon arriving at The Boundary for the Class Party. Unfortunately, just a few weeks later, Mogan passed away.
That brings us back to our last Class of 1969 Gathering in 2004 for our 35th Reunion. Here are a few more photos from that party at Jimmy and Sarah Wilson's home...
Phil Jones visits with one of our teachers, Pat Langdon and his wife.
Phil Mattingly, Mike Grant and Pat Nolan talk some politics during Reunion. I promise I am not wearing that shirt again!
And so we await our next Reunion this Saturday night. Please bring your digital cameras, so we can take some pictures and help make some more memories for our Reunions yet to come.
NOTE: If you want a better look, you can click on any of the photos above,or any of the photos on this blog for a magnified view.
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