1956 Central Reunion Newsletter

Volume III   Number 1         August   2005

            Four years ago, when Allen Keenan (DDS) agreed to chair the 50^th Anniversary Reunion Committee, little did he realize that the upcoming reunion would commit him to a five-year project that is continuing even today.  Despite that, he organized a 50^th anniversary reunion committee, and with the able assistance of Dick Gable (Gable and Gotwals law firm), as Vice Chairman, the effort to plan and implement the grandest reunion the Class of 1956 has ever had is fully underway.  Meeting every month, with some subcommittees meeting even more often than that, the reunion planning process is heading rapidly toward its last year when final decisions are made, contracts are signed, and dates are firmed up for actions to be taken.

THE CHS CLASS OF 1956
WEBSITE IS SUPER SHARP
If you have not done so already, check out our outstanding internet website originally created by the late, great Paul Peterson (whose memory we all treasure) and then updated, enhanced and maintained by Dick Rapier.  
Go to www.tulsacentral1956.com.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 56’ KIND … FIFTY YEARS LATER – by Fred Benford

 (Ed. Note: As many classmates already know, as Co-Chairman of the communications Task Force “Fast Freddy”
Benford has been amusing himself sending out E-Mail messages from California about our classmates, many of which are hilarious).
            Those who are on the E-Mail list are already aware that some of the activities of their friends and classmates over the last 50 years have been not only interesting, but in many case hilarious. 
            I began the bios as a lark when I initiated the first one on our fellow classmate, Dale Garrison .  Over time, the list expanded and now we have about 80 bios of classmates with their photos from the 1950’s to the present.
            We have also published a list of “most embarrassing moments” at CHS or at the reunions we’ve held (you have got to read Dotty Westby’s moment).
            The key is communication.   We need your E-Mail address because it saves a load of money over snail mail.  We need your bio, too.  Send it to fred.benford@verizon.net and be sure to include current photos if you can.

TAKE A MOMENT AND UPDATE YOUR BIO …  

    Your reunion committee desperately needs every classmate to update his or her biography.  A great deal has happened to all of us over the last 50 years.  It is more than just interesting that many of our classmates, who nobody heard of while we were wandering the wooden floorboards of our school, later turned out to have distinguished careers.  Others have successfully raised families and still others have retired multiple times and are reinventing themselves.  Please take a moment and fill out the following form.  If you have an E-Mail address, please forward the requested information electronically to: www.tulsacentral1956.com.  Otherwise, please mail it to:

Allen Keenan , DDS
3808 E. 51^st Street
Tulsa , OK 74135

BILL BRUCKNER & CHRIS SEGER LEAD REUNION CAMPAIGN TO RAISE MONEY TO REDUCE COSTS

            One of the specific goals of the Reunion Planning Committee is to not only have a grand and glorious 50^th reunion, but to reduce the individual registration costs as much as possible. 

            To achieve that objective, Bill Bruckner and Chris Seger have agreed to lead a campaign to raise individual donations.  For those who would like to help out, send your donation checks to:

CHRIS SEGER

4522 IVANHOE

HOUSTON , TX 77027

            Several $1,000 checks have already been received, but any amount is welcome.

            Of all the reunions we’ve had, this one is going to make history.  Help Bill and Chris in their efforts to make it possible for everyone to attend, regardless of their financial circumstances.  Your contribution may make the difference and it will be very much appreciated by all of your classmates, especially by your Reunion Planning Committee, and then they will know how much costs can be reduced for those who do attend.

REUNIONS … WHY ATTEND???

            Some of our classmates have asked why we have reunions.  It is a legitimate question, but it is most often asked by those who have never been to one.

            The Class of 1956 hasn’t been necessarily unique in having reunions, but it has been active.  Those who have been to our past reunions can recall that in our earliest gathering, we talked about our plans, careers and developing families.

            Then, we were all works in progress.  After another decade, conversations changed to growing families, maybe second or extended families and by then we were developing a sense of “place” in our small portions of the world, which didn’t necessarily impress anybody else.

            By the last reunions, prestigious degrees and financially comfortable careers were irrelevant because we have come to just see old friends and maybe make some new ones.

            Sally Sue Plumer ( Moore ) wrapped up the process very nicely when she described the 40^th reunion as, “…familiar personalities in somewhat different bodies.”

            Reunions provide a great opportunity to not only reacquaint ourselves with those we haven’t seen in a long while, but to make new friends.   

COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR

            Those who have taken the opportunity to review our class website are already aware our reunion planning committee’s activities since the minutes of each meeting are posted.  If you have not yet looked at our class website, www.tulsacentral1956.com, allow me to encourage you to do so.  Simply reviewing the minutes – taken dutifully by Joniel Foster ( Russell ) who drives back and forth from Oklahoma City to attend each and every reunion planning committee meeting – will clearly show how much work, time and        energy is being spent to make this next reunion a really great event.

            The committee is still open to ideas and suggestions, so please share them with us.  The reunion is scheduled at the beautiful Doubletree Hotel at Warren Place in Tulsa .  The setting is a gorgeous, park-like environment which surrounds the hotel on the SW corner of 61^st and Yale .  It features a lighted jogging and walking trail, indoor swimming pool with an outdoor sun deck overlooking a courtyard, a sauna, steam room and whirlpool spa.

REMEMBER … CLASS WILL BE IN SESSION

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER, 1, 2006!

REPORT FROM THE TRENCHES!!!

            The decorative theme of our reunion will be greatly enhanced if all classmates will send at least one glossy photo of themselves to reflect the memorable years that have passed into history.  Send them to Marilyn Miller ( Gilmer ) 3518 S. Winston Ave. Tulsa , OK 74135 .  Print your name on the back of each photo along with a description of what you were doing or where you were at the time.  The photos will be part of our class display in the hotel and will later be included in the 1956 Time Capsule which will be sealed at                         midnight , Saturday, October 1.

1956 STATE WRESTLING CHAMP IS STILL AT IT!

While others may be retired or are taking it easy, Bob Taylor , who won the State Wrestling Championship for CHS 50 years ago, is still wrestling!  Nowadays he wrestles bond jumpers to the ground throughout NE Oklahoma and brings them in for justice.  WHAT A STUD!

CLASS OF 1956 SURVEY – 50 YEARS LATER

            Of the many highlights of our previous class reunions, one of the most prominent and enjoyable – at least based on post-reunion comments made by those who attended – was the unique data that the class had acquired, earned, or otherwise lived through over the years.

            If each classmate will take just a few moments and fill out the followint survey and either mail it (anonymously to our Chairman Allen Keenan, DDS, 3808 E. 51^st St. , Tulsa , Oklahoma 74135 ) or post it to our internet website which you can reach at  tulsacentral1956@aol.com.  Your reunion committee will compile the information and have it ready for your reference when you arrive at the reunion.

TRACER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

            Anyone who undertakes a quick reference to our internet website (tulsacentral1956@aol.com) and looks under “lost classmates” will soon find out that despite the Herculean efforts of previous reunion committees to trace our lost classmates, there are still a little over 200 – out of our 1,023 member class – who we have been unable to track down.

            Thanks to the great dedication of Jacqueline Slagle ( Wilson ) at jgslaglewil@aol.com in Tulsa ; and Dick Rapier  at JRRapier@aol.com (South Barrington, IL ) and Dotty Westby at CapnDottyW@aol.com (Indian Hammock,  FL) through our class website; we have been finding more and more classmates.  But, the effort needs tracer volunteers and through the advantage we now have of the internet, classmates can be located much easier than ever before.  The Tracing Committee needs your assistance, to whatever degree you feel you can provide it. 

            Examine the website and especially the “Lost Classmates” icon.  Look over all the names listed and see if you have any information on their location.  If so, forward that information to either of the above Tracer Committee Members.

            We have a year to go.  Many of our classmates would attend the reunion if they only knew about it.  If we can find them and inform them of it, the reunion will inevitably be even more memorable than it is already scaled to be.  Help if you can … you can make a big difference!

Allen Keenan , DDS

3808 E. 51^st Street

Tulsa , OK 74135

UP

Last updated 12/30/15
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