Class of '66's joyous celebration


… with prayers for some 

When we undertake challenging endeavors, we often do not know how they will end.

That was the case of the 50th Anniversary of the Lilly-Washington High School Class of 1966. We started this quest in mid-January without a list of classmates, with just our yearbooks in hand and a hope to celebrate this special occasion with our friends.

On Saturday night, that came to fruition as our class joined one another at the Lilly Sokol Club. We could not have asked for a more joyful event … though some are struggling. More of that below.

Game Plan

With an e-mail and then a phone call from Mary (Cassidy) Kertes, who remembers more about our class than I ever knew, we started our quest.

Mary put forth an herculean task, and coupled with Tim and Marge Panek and Darnell (Yarnish) Steberger, our event came off with joy.

"A little known fact" 

We played a game called "A little known fact" that was named after Cliff Klaven from Cheers fame. Everyone told a little known fact -- or facts -- about themselves.

These included confessions by those unnamed students who painted the underpass in Gallitzin before our last football game in Sept. 1965.

It also included one about how one of our unnamed classmates managed to elude his American Legion baseball manager who was among the Lilly police who managed to break up a kegger in suburban Dutchtown.

Another heartwarming one was when a classmate ran into another in Vietnam. They were Ray Guzic and John Robine. Thanks for their service.

And it included an unnamed classmate who told about putting a garter on a 75-year-old woman who caught the bouquet -- seriously.

How did this event happen? 

My first call was to the person who would travel the furtherest, Romie Robine along with his wife, Patti (Sibis), coming in from Florida where Romie still works at a country club, taking care of the greens and fairways. Thanks to Romie, who was the point guard of our basketball team that defeated Cresson in our final meeting, 70-68, and Patti for making that trip.

Another long trip was by Ruth (Behe) Walter who traveled more than 10 hours from southern Illinois to be there. Thanks to Ruth for that trip.

Another midwesterner Bob Galus made it in from Ohio. Thanks to Bob and his wife for making that trip.

Thanks to all who joined our special 50th Year celebration.

Thanks to the Sokols. All Occasions catering, and John Inman, aka DJ Teach for providing the music from the 60s,

Prayers 

Please say some prayers for our classmate Lillian (Nadolsky) Guzic who was unable to make it. She sent Ray, who told us about her challenge. She was one of the nicest, sweetest classmates in a class filled with those characteristics.

Patty (Martynuska) Orazec was also unable to make it after planning to do so. Her son has been hospitalized and is now preparing for therapy.

Next Reunion 

Three years, 2019

We agreed that to wait for another ten could be challenging since we would be approaching our 80s. Instead, we will go for three years for the next one and then five. That sounds doable.

Photo

Sitting: Mike Seno, Linda (Glenn) Behe, Jean (Seno) Reitz, Ruth (Behe) Walter, Elva (Costlow) Lutton, Mary (Cassidy) Kertes, Darnell (Yarnish) Steberger, Frank Kawtoski.

Standing: Ray Guzic, Fred Behe, Romie Robine, Fred Kuntz, George Klayko, Tim Panek, John Robine, Hugh Conrad, Bob Galus.

Facebook: https/www.facebook.com/hughbradyconrad

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