SONS OF DEWITT COLONY TEXAS Oh, to be home again down in ole "Lake Weir days," Memories The end of each day seems to come quite fast, Forever, that's how long we think our lives will last. Hoping our legacy will forever, a large shadow cast, Quite often the truth is concealed and our feelings we mask. Surely, not gone for eternity, but how shall we find, Written for and in memory of the Class of 1962, Lake Weir High School [Descriptions and photos of reunions are solicited.]
16th Year Reunion 1978, Class of '62
Barbara Hodges Snyder polled the class members who could be located for brief resumes and distributed the results in the above booklet at the reunion. Of those who could be traced, 39 still lived in Florida, 3 in Georgia, 2 in North Carolina and 1 each in Alabama, Colorado, New Jersey and New York. Six members of the class married each other. Of the 33 responding about their resumes, five had batchelor degrees, 3 had a masters and 1 an AA degree. Nine of 19 men reporting had military service, 6 of 14 women said they were busy homemakers and the responders reported 72 children.
33rd Year Reunion
1995, Lake Weir High School Class of 1962 Left to right: Sandra Beck, Arvid Nelson, Eloise Beck, David Snyder, Wallace McKeehan, Barbara Hodges, Manny Rodriquez, Joe Perry, Rayburn Steele, Jerry Wiley, Gail Newsom, Nancy Phillips, Don Phillips, Joan Schmittle, Ralph Nichols, Bunny Monroe, Perry Jacobs, Beverly McNely
38th Year Reunion 2000,
Class of 1962 Front: Eloise Beck, Sandra Beck, Barbara Hodges, Bunny
Monroe
Joint Reunion 2001 with Class of 61 Lake Weir Faculty Front Row:
Kneeling left to right: Hubert Oliver,
Warren Eason, (two blue shirt unidentified), Buddy Fudge, Steve White, Jim Hunt, Ruth
Walewicz, Jack Walton
42nd Year Reunion 2004,
Class of 1962 Back Row, Don Phillips, David Snyder, Arthur Michnowicz, Jerry
Wiley, Ken Hart, Ralph Nichols, Joe Perry, Nancy Phillips, Arvid Nelson, Bunny Monroe
43rd Year Reunion 2005,
Class of 1962 Front to rear, moving left to right: Sandra, Arvid, Jerry, David, (Jerry's wife), Arthur, Barbara, Gayle, Paul, Eloise, Binkie, Joe, Don, Nancy, Glenn, Rayburn What a group. Only a few minor outer appearances have changed, mentally still the same ole kids that said goodbye in '62 to go out in the world and seek their fortunes. (An extra pound, a wrinkle or two, now that's nothing compared to the pimples and insecurity of '62) Despite some inclement weather and the Easter Weekend, 15 Class of '62 alumni and 6 spouses attended a get together at B.D. Bean's Cafe in Belleview, according to some a quaint little coffee shop with good food. Four long lost classmates (Binky B., Gayle B., Glenn H. and Paul M.) appeared who haven't been seen in decades. Loyalist Rayburn S. (known in recent years as The Real Bubba) and his wife Montana Sherry came all the way by RV from Colorado. Eloise B. came down from Atlanta, Sandra B. from south Florida and Arvid N. from north Florida. Local area residents were Barbara H. and David S., Arthur M., Joe P., Don P. (now known as Big D), Nancy P. and Jerry W.
Bubba Ray and Montana stopped by Binkie's (and spouse Gator's) place up in the Panhandle on the way from Colorado and Gayle (and spouse Bobby) came down from Central Alabama and they had a real blowout up on the St. Marks River prior to coming to Belleview (still wonderin' why Binkie of '62 changed the spelling to Binky). According to one report Binkie still had that "beautiful, slow Southern accent" and was still "cute and funny" as ever. Didn't Binkie write most of the Class of '62 predictions? And two reports said that Gayle had retained her"glow" and personality they remembered when she left us prior to graduation to move to Miami. Glenn was overjoyed to see everyone again since '62 (that's him and Big D above right talkin' it over in '62 as the clock ran out in a BB game). Now ole Paul Martin was the talk of the group whose been mostly out of touch since '62. Turns out he just finished off a career with NASA as did his wife. Ole Paul had trouble remembering everyone, but someone had an annual to refresh memories. He was giving out momentos from his workplace which everyone was talking about. So it must have been ole Paul, not Manny R. that lit the fuse down at Cape Canaveral in the "predictions"? Some of the guys are said to have really opened up with tales of the ole Lake Weir days and to tell you the truth some of the gals (and guys) were shocked that all those adventures were going on about them in '62---tales of hunting gators, taming bulls, breaking horses and catching venomous snakes for money for Ross Allen's Reptile Institute. Now that's not to mention all the social escapades and the secret clubs, we'll save that for the next meeting reports as it gets less embarrassing as we get a little older and mellow. Can you believe 43 years have sailed by since graduation?
Special thanks to Arvid Nelson for compilation of contact info. and organization of the gathering. The Class of '62 welcomes new contacts and comments about ole Lake Weir days (Compiled by E.W., Galveston Island, Texas from various reports).
44th Year Reunion 2006,
Class of '62
50th Year Reunion 2012, Class of '62 The 50th Reunion was held Oct 5, 6 & 7 2012 with the Shamrock Thistle & Crowne Bed & Breakfast in Weirsdale as base where out of towners filled the inn to capacity. Friday at noon the class visited the old school (now Lake Weir Middle School) for a tour and cafeteria lunch. Friday evening, we attended the current Lake Weir High School’s home football game. Saturday, we had a pot luck picnic at Carney Island Park on the shores of Lake Weir and enjoyed a boat tour of Lake Weir thanks to Johnny Privett ('61). Saturday evening, we gathered at Gator Joes and were joined by alumni of other years. Resumes were compiled by Arvid Nelson using information solicited from classmates in 2012. The information has been slightly edited and updated since then with some dates of death for deceased classmates. Arvid keeps a contact information database on the class and can be contacted for specifics (141 Mango Ct, Middleburg, FL 32068; 904-272-5244; 904-233-0229 (cell); arvinda@bellsouth.net).
SONS OF DEWITT COLONY TEXAS |
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
