Tue 10/14/2008 3:57 PM

"Oh, What a Class" was the song written and led in singing by Lana Martz Hagan and was the best way to describe the Bosse 45th class reunion.  It was sung to the tune of "Oh, What A Night" recorded by the Four Seasons in 1963.  The words to the song written by Lana are in the Classmate Info Booklet.

I will start by giving you my recollections on classmates.  For those that couldn't attend, I was the size 4 beautiful blonde.  For those that were there, please keep your mouths shut!!  Seriously, we came together in all shapes and sizes, some with/without hair, gray hair/still a little color left, some limping (me) and some that looked like they had just participated in the Boston Marathon.  BUT, everyone had a huge smile, handshake, hug, kiss, and a story to tell.  We were all just thankful to be alive and at our 45th reunion seeing old friends and making lots of new ones!

Our total was 103 classmates registered and a total of 164 people.  WOW!!  A couple of classmates couldn't attend at the last minute due to illness, etc., but my guess is about 95 classmates made it there.

On Friday, some of our classmates had a fun and beautiful day for golf at Oak Meadow golf course which was hosted by Dan Hewins.  I didn't hear who the winner was, but Larry Hamilton admitted to being the loser and "even the girls beat him."

The Pub hosted our Friday night "Meet & Greet" and was filled with laughter and a few tears of happiness to see someone.  Teachers, Garland Aramowicz and Ella Shelton, showed up looking like our classmates instead of teachers.  The appetizers were plentiful and very good.  Billie Wright and Jane Voight made our name tags for both days.

The tour of Bosse led by Jack Shriber on Saturday morning was once again a hit as it has always been in the past.  It is so amazingly renovated, architecturally beautiful, and kept in perfect condition by the students and staff.  Janet Melton, Pam Gelhausen, and Kendra Beesley kept our brain cells hopping remembering which classrooms held which classes along with the teachers.  Lana Martz still remembers where her locker was and opened it remembering her combination on our last tour.  Yep, it's true!! No "CRS" (can't remember s _ _ t) for that girl.  Garland Aramowicz joined us and gave us some 'juicy' stories about some of the teachers we had.  She hadn't been back to Bosse since she transferred in the late 60's and really enjoyed seeing the old school once again with us.

Saturday was beautiful, but a little warm on a typical, fall day. The registration tables on both days were hosted by Judy Reed, Gayle Smith, Carol Vaught, Nancy Hays, Barb Fowler, Linda Bailey, Ann Comstock, Sharla and Marla, Billie Wright, Jane Voight, and Jack Shriber.  Jenny Hawkins designed and provided our table decorations of real, hollowed out pumpkins filled with assorted, colorful, live flowers, with berries and cat tails. The gold table cloths were also scattered with colorful leaves which Marla and Sharla White, and Carol Vaught decorated.  Carl Kuebler welcomed the classmates to begin the evening and we immediately went for our photo session set up by Jane Voight which included our Bosse picture and elementary school pictures.  Ella Shelton, Ted Hitch, and Jerry Canterbury (teachers) joined in the fun for the evening and pictures.  Mr. Jennings wasn't able to attend, and Jack Benjamin wasn't able to attend due to his wife's poor health. 

Ann Comstock hosted a table for our Bosse memorabilia which had a large crowd around it all night.  Classmates donated a lot of things for viewing.  Of course they were also viewing the continuous showing of the '62 Championship Basketball Game.  We were honored to have Gene Lockyear, Ken Rakow, and Jerry Southwood all in attendance.

Roger Griffin and Mike Oliver  had been grilling ribs and chicken since noon for us and the meat was especially tasty and moist.  Those poor guys didn't have a dry spot on them between the heat of the grill and the heat of the day. Our food committee (Linda Bailey, Barb Fowler, Nancy Hays, and Ann Comstock) presented us with side dishes of cole slaw, a whipped cream/fruit/nut salad, German and American potato salad, baked beans, pickles and onions, bread or buns, and nacho chips/salsa.  Jack Shriber provided two sheet cakes (chocolate and strawberry) with a beautiful picture of Bosse air brushed on them.  The committee also provided (along with Carl Kuebler and Dee Dee Vote's help) beer, wine, soft drinks, and water.  With our tummies full, we settled in for the auction of Evansville and Bosse items.  You will have to see pictures of our 'own' Vanna "Blight" (aka Jim Snyder) to believe it.  He is undoubtedly one of the ugliest woman in drag you have ever witnessed.  His stubble beard and hairy legs just curdled your dinner!  Our Vanna, however, was NOT very well "endowed" and my guess is he/she could have used a 36 AAA cup training bra.  Pat Sajak or "Say Jack" (aka Jack Shriber) had some of the best one-liners for Jim ever heard and the auction was off and running.  We raised funds with the auction and selling the extra food and table decorations to hold down costs for the 50th reunion and did well with it.   

Let's keep the trivia going with recollections and stories you heard at the reunion.  It's such fun to find out things you didn't know were happening at the time.

I hope you all are enjoying the Classmate info booklet in learning what has been going on in the lives of your fellow classmates for the last 45 years.  The more you send in updated information, the more interesting the booklet will be in future years.

If you didn't fall asleep reading this tome, I'm proud of you.  I just wanted to share the major happenings and people that made them happen if you were unable to join us.  I didn't want you to feel left out.  You missed a good one (we always say that though)!!

THE END (finally)

Carolyn