Mishawaka High School |
September 22, 2018, at Castle Manor September:
Anyone who ever was part of the MHS Class of '68 was welcome. It was a come-as-you-are kind of day, in the style of a church potluck. Just like when you'd go home to see momma, there were no tickets sold and no reservations taken. Things began gearing up for the big day on the night before when more than a dozen from MHS '68 gathered for a tour of the high school. The excitement continued in the football stands where the Class of '68 had sat more than 50 years before, waiting to receive diplomas on June 5, 1968, after class president Randy Marks led us in a prayer for Robert F. Kennedy, who had been shot in the wee hours of the morning of our graduation day. The football game for the weekend was Mishawaka versus Elkhart Central; MHS won, 22 to 15. Among the MHS '68 folks at the game were the folks below. Front row, from left: Lori Eiswald, Dawn Housand, Becky Smith, Mary Rhoade, Debbie Werbrouck. Behind Lori is Karen Barber, then Steve Cunningham, Paula Miller, and Mike Bellovich. Behind Mike is Terry DeMaegd, and next to Terry is his wife.
After the game, folks went to the Mishawaka Moose lodge to dance to music by M.G.B., a band that includes Dave Hoskins on bass (center, in photo below) and Doug Overman on guitar (on the right).
Connie Mullins shared a hug with old friend Paula Lampert while the M.G.B. band played:
<> The opus was a day-long family-style
gathering on Saturday, September 22, 2018, at Castle
Manor. At least 104 people from the MHS Class of '68
group showed up at Castle Manor. Terry DeMaegd had booked
the place months earlier. Rental of Castle Manor was paid
by Jim Britton, Suzy Collins, Mary Jane Dexter, Spider
Draves, Marilou Karst, Jim Locke, Mike Natali, Pat McGee,
Debbie Morse, Carolyn Schwartz, Connie Shaffer, Joe
Swift, Jerry Thacker, Eve Thompson, and Mr./Ms.
Anonymous. With donations from the 15, Terry arranged for
the rental of Castle Manor and put his name on the line
for the contract. Separately, Terry also personally
arranged for the beer/wine license for the day. Steve
Cunningham donated cash to cover incidentals.
Some old "Emmons boys" who play cards weekly at the BK Club came through with a cake from West End Bakery: Tom Hummer, Jim Jasiewicz, Larry Karnes, Steve Saros, and Randy Smith.
For the early comers, Jim Jasiwicz got to grilling hot dogs outside. That's Jim Britton in the background, waiting for his dog.
Folks began gathering inside. Below is Susan Hess, standing. Seated, at right, is Carole Signorino.
Below are Kerry Deardorf, Terry DeMaegd, Chris Carlson, and Patti Mills.
When time for the mid-day meal came, folks began lining up. That's Phil Stillson (below) filling his plate, with his wife in pink. Dan Nicolini is towards the back, in the doorway.
Below and in the center is Debbie Morse, with Jim Britton just behind her, and Mike Bellovich at the front filling his plate.
More food -- no one went away hungry. Below are Tom Hummer and Spider Draves, talking on the left. Bob Mead has a full plate and is wearing a red sweater.
The ladies gathered at the dessert table. Below are Darlene Lennox, Debbie Koepke, Pat McGee, Paula Miller, and Debbie Morse.
Castle Manor got a major face-lift and fix-up earlier in 2018, but inside still looked like the old home place as folks visited and remembered being at MHS in 1964, '65, '66, '67, and '68. Photo below shows Paula Lampert in the lower left corner; going clockwise are Paula, Ray Wennerstrom, Jim Britton, Connie Mullins, and Paula's husband.
Below, from left: Cheryl Bobson, Cheryl's husband, Bob Lese, Bob's wife.
Below, from left: Steve Saros, Larry Karnes, Larry's wife, Steve's wife.
Below, Linda DeMeulenaere (left) and Jean Craft (green top), digging into the cake that the Emmons boys brought.
Below, the man seated is Dave Nevel. The man standing is Alan Stafford; Alan is talking to Dave's wife. Standing at the back, on the left, are Bill Daily's wife and Pam Craig (pink top).
Below, all the way from California: Roger Brady and his wife.
Below is Mark Hildebrand, on the right.
Below, from left: Hilary Asher, Bob Mead, Paula Miller, and Debbie Koepke.
Below, from left: Lori Eiswald, Dan Nicolini, and Becky Smith.
Below, from left: Brenda Burkett, Toby Roose's husband, Toby Roose (face partly hidden), and Phyllis Buraczewski. Castle Manor has a newly built patio that looks out over the St. Joseph River.
Below, Spiro Krekelas in front, with Margo Lee behind him, and Al Van Laecke's wife.
And then came the magic! Bob Lese and Dan Nicolini began making music when they were children in Mishawaka. Each has continued his affair with music well into the years of gray hair. Bob brought his mandolin; Dan brought his balalaika, and the two joined to give their old friends the gift of music next to the St. Joe River. <> <> Below: Pam Craig, Connie Shaffer, and Toby Roose.
Below: Phyllis Buraczewski, Suzy Collins, Paula Miller.
Below: Bob Van Arsdale, Scott Hopper (MHS '67), and Becky McCoy.
Below: Peggy Sinkovics and Cindy Waidner.
Below: Paula Miller and Andy Palatinus.
Below, from the right to left: Dave Hoskins, Marc McCray, Jim Thomas (behind Marc with face partly hidden), Andy Palatinus, and Brad Waidner (Cindy Waidner's brother). Cindy Waidner is on the left, back to camera, in a denim jacket.
Below: Tom Grau, Mike Bellovich's wife, Mike Natali, Mike's wife.
Below: Dave Hoskins and Tammy Reed.
Below: Margaret Hutchison, Dan Nicolini, and Janis Crook.
Below: Cindy Waidner and Jim Thomas.
Below: Cindy Waidner and Al Van Laecke.
Below: Marsha Brown, Gaelyn Nelson, and Eve Thompson.
And below, Marsha Brown with her 2006 C6 Corvette -- something of a bucket list come-true for Marsha.
Late afternoon was time for a group photo, and folks gathered on the patio. Before the "official" shot, Dan Nicolini led everyone in singing the Mishawaka High "fight song." Spider Draves' daughter stood behind Dan and got the shot below. All of the people in the photo below are MHS '68 folks; no spouses or friends are in the photo. For ID's, check this: MHS '68 Closeups
<> In the early evening, some folks slipped on over to Battell Center and saw an art and music performance by Debbie Werbrouck's "Patchwork Dance Company": "Artistic Fusion." <> Evening came, and things
moved to Phoenix in the middle of downtown Mishawaka
where folks once more danced to music by M.G.B., with
Dave Hoskins on bass and Doug Overman on guitar. Months
earlier, Dave had gone out of his way to make sure that
his band would be playing in Mishawaka on the weekend.
<> The weekend happened with
no committee -- "official" or otherwise. |
Specials:
|
45 years after MHS: 2013 |
|
| Search this site |
