ISLAND FALLS, Maine — Since the early 1970s the first Saturday in August been the time that former students of Island Falls High School (1897-1973) come home for the Alumni Banquet Reunion.
This year the event was held on Saturday, Aug. 5 with 71 alumni and 31 spouses and guests attending. The evening began with the flag salute led by Vice President Verna White Jones (Class of 1971) and an invocation by Paula Gellerson Lilley (1964).
The excellent buffet meal was provided by Big Valley Sno-Club of Island Falls. Following the meal, a business meeting was held with reports of past events and the treasurer’s report.
An election followed with officers for 2018-2019 elected. They include President Verna White Jones (1971), Vice President Sharman Drew-Ball (1969), and Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Joy Drew (1967).
The Scholarship committee elected Hollis Edwards and Candy Newman Rupley (1967) to meet with the officers in the spring. Entertainment committee is the Vice President and Darlene Hartin (1969).
The roll call of classes began with Malcolm Palmer 1943; from 1945 was Carl Shields; 1946, Mabel Lenentine Desmond; 1947, Marion Lane Hoar and Lillian Clukey Little; 1948, Harold Sherman and Raymond Porter; 1949, Derald Pelkey.
From the 1950 the class of 50 attendees were Jeanne Porter Smallwood, Edward Quinlan and Almon Townsend; From 1951, Merlyne Porter Ryan; 1953, Virgil Lynch, Richard Ryan and Carletta Pettengill Nevers; 1955, Sandra Morrison Shields; 1956, Charles Pelkey, Gary Pettengill; 1957, Terry Dwyer, Jeannette Cameron Sherman, Sylvia Morrison, Shirley Pipes Sides and Ted Roberts; 1958, Beverly Dickinson Long, Merrilee Sherman Kirby, Susan Berry Prescott, Priscilla Stevens Young and Eric Pettengill.
From 1960, Leslie MacKenzie and Connie Walker Hollis; 1961, Phil Curry; 1962, Sandra Pipes Anderson; 1964, Paula Gellerson Lilley, Keith MacKenzie, Richard Armstrong, Cheryl
Sewall Connelly, and Susan Tingley Widden; 1965, Ted Pettengill, Dianne Curry, Brenda Webb Willette; 1966, Gail Webb Davis, Sheldon Cote, Norman Grant; and 1969, Dan Joy, Winnie White Desmond, Valerie Lake Powers, Barbara Grant, Steve Porter and Darlene Hartin.
From the 1970’s, guests included 1970, Laura Jones Farnsworth; 1971, Verna White Jones, Charlene Hartin Cram and Elizabeth Ryan Lord; 1972, Patti Desmond Hartin, Randy Curry and Dale Webb; and 1973, Marsha Webb Bouchard.
Spouses and guest made up the attendees. Present also were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Joy. Henry taught many of those present from the 60’s and 70’s and served as principal for the final years of the school.
The Class of 1967 was honored as the 50-year graduates. Seated at the head table were Pam Smith Watson, Dianne Porter Buckingham, Kathy Mooers Beran, Candace Newman Rupley, Nancy Palmer Kennedy, Rebecca Joy Drew, Gaynor Grant Sewell, Hollis Edwards, Steve McNelly and Royden Hunt.
Each shared an update for the past years and school memories. On Friday, Aug. 5, the classmates had met at the Newman camp for a seafood/steak feed and enjoyed good food, stories and fun together. Other classmates there were Phil Desmond and Dave Beran.
Tim ‘the Tune Man” Humphrey offered the entertainment with 60’s songs for listening and group singing. The evening ended with a singing of God Bless America and a benediction.
