Posted: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 9:03 pm

ATTEND 50 YEAR REUNION — Graduates of the Dresden High School Class of 1959 recently held their 50 year class reunion. Those attending were (front row, from left): Jerry Dan Parham, Thomas Spence, Ron Blakemore, Sarah Isbell McFarland, Gertie Parker She

On a beautiful Labor Day weekend, the Dresden High School Class of 1959 celebrated their 50 year reunion.  This class graduated 47 students and through the years have only had four members to pass away: Barbara McClure Cherry, Betsy Herron Hickman, Jimmy Reagan and Viola Puckett Winchester.
The remaining forty-three were contacted and responded with pictures and biographies for the reunion book and class video.  The reunion committee was excited to have 100 percent participation and expanded their search for students that had been in their classes at any time during their twelve years.  They found twenty-one and twelve responded with biographies and pictures.
The Liberty Retreat was the setting for Friday night’s festivities.  The rustic atmosphere was carried out by having the meal outside on the deck.  The school colors of black and gold and the lion mascots were used in decorating the cabin porches surrounding the deck and centerpieces of sunflowers on all the tables.  Music from the fifties was played throughout the night.  Inside the common room, the class video depicted then and now.  Each classmates’ senior picture was used to show the “then” and pictures each had sent in was used for the “now.”  The senior pictures were also used on the nametags.
Friday night was a time for getting reacquainted and catching up on fifty years.  Registration started at 5 p.m. and at 5:30 the Dresden High School cheerleaders entertained us with their routines and led us in singing the Alma Mater.  Following at 6, Matlock’s took group pictures.  A delicious meal of grilled hamburgers, hotdogs and all the trimmings were served by Richie and Reggie’s.  Dessert time was fun time where everyone made their own ice cream sundae.
Laughter, changes and memories were the theme for the rest of the night and all left, looking forward to the activities on Saturday night.
The Lindell in Martin was decorated with the black and gold theme and many items of memorabilia on Saturday night.  Memories of wearing those “D” jackets, the homecoming queen, barn-warmings, the senior play, Beta Convention, were brought to mind as you walked by the memorabilia tables.  Some special items were the list of students in Mrs. Maiden’s 1948 first grade class written in their own hand and a grade school annual from Welsh School.  The list was from a scrapbook kept by Joel Mosley’s mother.  The annual was brought by Gertie Parker Sheffield.
Master of Ceremony, Jimmy Westbrook welcomed everyone and introduced Gertie Sheffield who did a tribute to the four deceased members of the class.  This was an inspiring and informative presentation as she told about each one’s family and their accomplishments in life.
Tom Spence came forward and gave the invocation.  A delicious meal was prepared and served by Sodexo.  Upon completion of the meal, Westbrook introduced our special guests, former teachers, Paul Kelley and wife Martha Neal and Mrs. June Wright.  Other guests were Dick and Barbara Hutcherson and Billy and Wanda Powell.
Westbrook then turned the podium over to class president Ron Blakemore.  He took us down memory lane in his address.  He remembered many of our teachers and fun things that happened in their classes.  He reminded us how little things could trigger lost memories.
Awards were given to Sandra Lawson Tessier for traveling the farthest, Palm Beach, Fla.; Ed Lee Goodman for purchasing the first ticket; Sue Isbell McFarland for the first to retire; Sonny Smith for the newest newly-wed; Nancy Snyder Bennett for the most grandchildren, nine; and Jerry Reed Rickman for the most great-grandchildren, six.
Five couples were recognized for having celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and fifteen classmates were recognized for starting in Mrs. Maiden’s first grade and continuing through graduation.
The floor was opened for anyone to speak.  Many fun times were recalled by classmates and teachers.
One of our classmates, Barbara Rogers Powell had crocheted a beautiful black and gold afghan to be raffled.  She drew the winner, Nellie Jo Thedford Gross.
Excitement was high when the reunion books were given out to all classmates.  Now the perfect ending to the perfect night came when Josephine Jolley Caudle led the group in singing the Alma Mater.
The class of ‘59 was pleased to have thirty-six out of the forty-three classmates attend the reunion.  The seven unable to attend were: Gene Hamlin, Kenneth Gary, Joel Mosley, Jimmy Simpson, Peggy Collins Parmer, and Peggy Tucker Waller.  The weekend was complete with twelve former classmates joining us.
We appreciate Mrs. Pat Phillips’ Dresden High School FCCLA class for helping us with all the decorating and to Bowlin Funeral Home for producing our class video.wcp 9-22