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Here are comments (edited only to remove email addresses) from different individuals after the Reunion -
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From Vicki Keen Moore
Susan-I just wanted you to know that I appreciated all the efforts from the ones
who searched for classmates to the ones who took care of the food. Most people
don't realize how much time and effort go into planning and implementing
something successful. I'm sorry we weren't able to attend the other festivities,
but we had other commitments we couldn't get out of. We would've loved to have
been there. People really haven't changed much, and what's truly great is that
most of us seem to be fairly comfortable in our own skins. LIFE IS GOOD!! Again,
I can't say enough about how thankful I am to have been able to be there for a
little while. Sincerely, Vicki Keen Moore P.S.Maybe we can stay longer at the
next one.
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The following is from Berris
I have a memory from Stories Are Us that captures in a small way what happened
to the Class of '69. It is just a snapshot because we all have our stories.
Tapestry
Most of my stories can get a bit
jumbled and tangled, not like an Amazon rain forest, but like the Pig Trail (for
the uninitiated, this is the twisty road, aka Scenic Byway State 23, from
Brashears to Ozark, on which my dad was almost killed in a wreck). It happens
because I’m an associater or linker. My inward computer files peoples, places
and things into overlapping folders, hence the web. In the storytelling business
this can be a boon or a bane depending on if your audience has had enough sleep
or caffeine. This preface lets you understand me better and agree with my wife
Brenda’s file on Berris which is subtitled Crazy or Zany- I prefer Fun-loving
and Playful, but that is a hazy line. If you can follow digressions, detours,
subplots and self-deprecation, then we are tracking.
The story begins. Steve Ballard
and I played on the same organized baseball teams for six straight years from
Babe Ruth League through American Legion. We had really good teams and our IGA
team in BRL won the NW Arkansas regional tournament two years running to secure
us a free trip to St. Louis where I watched my first professional game and ooed
over Roberto Clemente’s basket catches. Steve went on the play ball at the U and
I faked baseball and football at Henderson State. You may know that he has
excellent hand-eye coordination while I suffer from amblyopia where any
curveball falls off the table. I would swing and miss at so many pitches that
our dugout never needed cooling fans on the muggy dog days of summer.
Playing in our last year of
Legion ball, we faced a touring team from Kansas from a dinky little town none
of us had either traveled through or heard of. This was going to be a good day.
I was on a hot streak because Ronnie Brewer was beginning to break a sweat in
the dugout; Connie Clinehens, my new fling at Wayne Garrison’s urging from the
top of a haystack from the top of a swerving haytruck, was in big attendance
with miniature shorts; and this had to be a sucker, pansy of an opponent that we
would take down as record-padding in a double-header. Pay attention for the
slider. Some thirteen years later I entered the local barbershop off the town
square in Ottawa and plopped myself into one of those swell antique chairs. As
my head swiveled to take in the cluttered surroundings, I focused on a patchwork
collection of baseball photos. They were curious because they came from my
playing days and I could have cut out heads, pasted mine in and I would fit
seamlessly. “Nice photos,” I said. “Pictures of your kids?”
“No,” the Barber replied. “They
are from some of the teams I coached years ago. We had some good teams and
players. Some went on to college. Our Legion team traveled all over and won a
lot. Steve G was our star player.”
“Point him out,” I countered.
“His parents go to our church and I’m friends with them.” I was in graduate
school at the University of Kansas and serving as the youth minister and
associate pastor at First Baptist. My little two year old son, Geoffrey Dale
Webster Samples, was just taking his first Steve Ballard-type, left-handed
swings with a whiffle ball bat. “Pretty neat that they named the high school
football field after him,” I commented. “It’s funny, but my wife, Brenda, went
to college with him at K-State.”
When I saw his picture, my mouth
dropped gaspingly. This was one of life’s unbelievable moments. “Did you travel
to Fayetteville, Arkansas years ago to play Legion ball?”
“Sure did,” he replied instantly.
Clearheadly, he continued, “Those were some close games. We split a couple.”
“I know. I played against you.”
We went on to gabber about our teams, the games, the close plays. “Funny thing.
Steve Ballard’s brother, John, married my wife’s sorority sister, Kay. Yeah, and
I’m going to see Steve G when I take our high school youth group to Providence,
Rhode Island this summer for a national youth gathering.”
I recall a bright and sunny,
bluebird baseball day at Legion Field in Fayetteville. Connie drove up in her
pale yellow ’68 Mustang- I had no inkling then that I would date her off and on
for the next seven years with our defect being that we were more like brother
and sister than “couple”. But I was in peacock, show-off mode. I owned the
first pair of white baseball shoes in town (it was the Oakland Athletics’ look);
I was on a hitting streak; Connie was oogling over my tight-fitting uniform (I
hoped); and the catcher for the other team from Ottawa, Kansas had a odd-looking
way of throwing the ball- just perfect to steal on. I led the team in steals my
last year and stole home three times- not fast, just quick. The first game I hit
the ball sharply to deep short, tear for first, the throw is off a bit and their
first baseman lands on my foot and rips my white Ricky Henderson model shoes.
Smarting a bit from a cleat bite, I’m ready to burn one to second base, get in
scoring position and let Steve Ballard, our RBI leader, knock me in. The pitcher
had a slow, deliberate delivery and the aforementioned gangly catcher with the
goofy arm wasn’t a problem. The pitch, the runner breaks for second, the throw,
and a cloud of dust- I’m out. Embarrassing (or em-berrising). How did that
happen? We went on to lose to top it off. ‘Don’t leave, Connie,’ I hoped. ‘We’re
playing two.’
I rarely got thrown out while
stealing. Who was that Catcher? I looked on the lineup card and found Steve G.
If I had the chance, I would show him up and impress the City Park girl. Whether
it was by hit, walk or error, I was back on first base. Ok, the wry grinned
catcher could be a slight problem, must take a bigger lead. Leaning, inching,
off I fly. It is a marvelous baseball sensation to feel your cleats biting the
soft earth, gasping and blowing air as you sprint head-down, tunnel-visioned as
you aim for the white, sun-emblazoned prize. The crowd and dugout players are on
their feet; Connie is screaming, “I love you my Berris.”- ok, a bit of poetic
reconstruction. I was thrown out again. It was a long, looooong way to the
dugout. I was shunned like swine flu (or Hog fever) with my teammates. Who
knows, they might catch my dumb cleat-in-the-mouth dis-ease. I hated Steve G. I
was em-bare-assed, double-header style. The short-cut, perfectly manicured
lawn at Brown University had a stadium-like appeal. He was tall,
broad-shouldered and athletically trim as he was striding towards me. I broke
into my Berris-patented smile and reached out to shake his hand. “Hi, Steve, I’m
Berris Samples, your old nemesis.” He laughed easily for I had already recounted
our story by phone. He looked upon our high school crowd and Brenda from his
home state, his home school, his home town and his home church and responded,
“Hi, I’m Steve Grogan. I’m the quarterback for the New England Patriots.”
Stories are kinda funny sometimes
as they wind and weave through life. Much more than a box of chocolates, life’s
stories, filled with the past and present, reshape our DNA, the essential us,
you and me. Oh what a tangled web we weave and live.
The Crow Indian grandmother was
sitting on a buffalo-skin with her granddaughter as she knit. The tepee interior
was lit by the eastern morning sun. “It’s not very pretty,” the little girl
remarked. “It’s all tangled and messy.”
“Yes, but you do not see it all
from where you sit,” responded the sage. Grandmother turned over the rug to
reveal a display of the Big Horn Mountains, a buffalo, a horse and a tepee.
“Oh, it is a picture of where we
live in the Land of the Chiefs,” granddaughter cried. “It is who we are.”
“Yes,” the Crow grandmother
replied. “We are who we are because of the knots and tangles that
people cannot see.”
______________________________________________________________________________________
We, FOS Project Band, want to thank the FHS class of 1969 for having us to play
their
reunion. We had a great time, and what a great group of people in the good ole
class of
1969. If you have any pictures you want to share we'll be glad to post them on
our site.
We hope to see everyone again at one of our club gigs!
Thanks again,
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Larry Lipe
It was great to hear from each of you – I thought I had just missed the reunion.
Unfortunately, Nina and I have commitments for this weekend we cannot break. I
appreciated
the website, and was shocked and saddened to see the names and numbers of our
class that
have passed on.
Nina (Burge – Class of 68) and I will be celebrating our 38th anniversary this
January. Two
daughters and four grandkids (5,3,3 and 9 months). Our oldest daughter (Carrie)
and her
family (husband and two girls) live in Tulsa, and the youngest (Stephanie) and
her family
(husband, and one girl and one boy) live in College Park, Maryland. My brother ,
Ken Lipe
and his family have been in Tulsa for 25 years, and Nina’s sister, Linda Burge
Orr, moved to
Tulsa six years ago. We have been blessed with a good life with great kids and
grandkids.
I am practicing law – concentrating on civil litigation in a 100 person law firm
with the
main office in Tulsa, and have historically and continue to have cases in a
number of states
with the accompanying business travel which has long since lost its appeal. Tell
everyone
Hi for me, and I will try to make the next reunion.
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Susie V. Magee
I really wish that I could get away from work in Atlanta to go to the reunion. A
few months
ago I thought that I'd be able to go, but this is an exceptionally challenging
year in my
public school system. We even elected to miss the Hogs vs. Dawgs football game,
which we
attended last time it was played in Fayetteville, choosing the reunion over
football. You
and your committee have done an incredible job organizing the festivities. So
many memories
as I read through the names!
At 3:40 P.M. as classmates start to gather, I'll be chairing a meeting with
parents, a
general ed. teacher, an Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist. Wish I could
be in
Fayetteville.
Thanks again for all you have done.
Sincerely,
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Layne Smith
As far as getting you up to speed; my wife, Vali, and I live in Manassas, VA. I
have a
married daughter who teaches kindergarten in a Christian school in the area and
another
daughter who started college this fall in Knoxville, TN (NOT UT!). I retired
after a 32
year career in the Navy as a Naval Aviator and stayed in the area following my
last
assignment to the Pentagon. After retiring in 2007, I co-founded and serve as
president of
a non-profit organization, The Institute for Combat Wounded Policy, which is
committed to
changing and improving the policy surrounding the treatment and care of wounded
warriors.
You can take a look at our web site at www.woundedpolicy.org. It's small but
we're getting
there. My "day job" is working at FEMA Headquarters, in Washington, DC.
Once again, thanks for the hard work you all have done planning the reunion; I
sincerely
wish we could attend. Please give my best to all and have a great time.
Warm regards,
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Fran Featherston
I had a GREAT time in Arkansas. It's hard being back at work. One friend thinks
my accent
came back :)
Your hard work over many years has kept us together as a unit, and there's no
way we can
ever repay you. If you think of something I can do to help out from long
distance, let me
know.
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Luke Coker
As I sit in my office on Monday morning in Colorado (blue sky, about 55
degrees), I am so
grateful for all the work you and the committee did to make the weekend so
wonderful. I
will tell you truthfully that I almost backed out. I figured my mother-in-laws
stroke would
be good enough. It was wonderful to reconnect with people I grew up with. I hope
you get
lots and lots of kudos for outcome. Thankyou so much.
Stay in touch.
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Dale Garrison
Thanks for all the hard work and donation of so many peoples time. It was indeed
memorable
and the game was proably the best High School game I've seen in a long time.
Best wishes to
all of you----
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Kathy Rose Stewart
I think the reunion was a smashing success and all the hard work you guys put in
really paid
off big time. I did not hear one negative comment...food was great, everyone was
friendly
and seemed genuine about being glad to see old classmates. I wish we had even
more time to
socialize and catch up but I understand many are not locals and had to return to
their real
lives and jobs. Maybe we won't wait so long to do another...
Thanks again and I am glad I found you guys!!!
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Lisa Spies Swinford
I just wanted to say thank you to you, Steve B, and Cathy F. Hall for posting
all the things
about the reunion. You, and ALL the planners, did an amazing job. I am so sorry
I could
not be there!!!!!! I loved the video, and I hope you will forward this on to
Cathy. It
looked like this reunion was just as good as the previous ones, with the
exception that we
are a little bit older. Honestly, I remember graduation night like it was
yesterday. Then
again, I know the mind plays a lot of tricks on the elderly.
Thank you again for keeping all of us who could not be there, informed. I hope
everyone
goes to the site and spends some time there. And no, we will not forget those 26
people
whose Senior pictures could never foretell their fate.
I hope we continue to be aware of how luck we are to actually make it to our
40th
anniversary year.
Love,
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Charlee Redick
You guys did such a great job putting everything together. Thanks so much for
everything.
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Anne Gray James
Dear All, It was a fabulous time. Those that missed it, we missed you. There is
such a
connection, even after all of these years. Thank you all that worked so hard.
The tribute
Saturday morning was so special. Thank you, Berris.
Now all of us need to take our baby aspirin, and girls take your calcium so we
can all be
back for the next one. Love to all.
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Cathy F. Hall
I too enjoyed the reunion weekend. It was so good to see everyone, catch up, and
walk down
memory lane. Monday morning was like having "postpartum blues". What a let down.
We did
make some great memories though. I really wanted to chat with everyone, but the
time got
away so quickly. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to attend, especially
those from
far away. Until next time.
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Jane Tackett
Hello. Susan, and the class of "69. I just want to say what a wonderful weekend
this past
one was!! It was so good to see all of you. Thank you, Susan, Berris, Johnny
Mack, Jim
Scarbrough, and all the others that worked so hard to make this thing happen. I
have one
person to add to the list. Jackie Miller is living in Martinsburg , W VA. She
really wanted
to attend, but it just was not possible. It was sad to hear of the ones who had
died that I
didn't know about. I have such fond memories of the Vic Mon, A&W, Hortons and
all the
parties I went to and the friends and fellow classmates I came to know. Even
though I went
to Farmington most of my life ( I always wanted to go to Fayetteville because I
had so many
friends there) I finally got to spend my senior year in the "best school ever."
I guess we
showed them that PURPLE DOGS RULE!!!!
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Sheri Burgin McBride
What a wonderful time that Gary and I both had. All of you that did the work,
congratulations on a great job! It was really nice to see all of our friends but
even more
precious to see all the people that had never attended a reunion before. I would
like to
make a bet that when we do have the next one that we, will again, have a great
attendance,
especially if you guys are in charge again! Do not know how many of you are
aware that the
class of '68 did not even try to put together their reunion. We knew we were
COOL! Love
and kisses to all, and thanks again for a fantastic time.
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Jim Woolley
What a joy it has been to read thru all of the positive comments that have been
shared ! Berris said it well when he spoke of all of us sharing a point in time
that would always remain a constant in each of our lives. This was only the
second reunion for my wife and I, but she remarked how kind many of you were to
include her in conversation, although you knew nothing about her other than she
is married to me. As I listened in on so many conversations, I was impressed at
how much of a mark the class of '69 has made in so many areas of life. So many
of us that have made it a point to make what difference we can in other peoples
lives, and to make our little part of the world a better place, rather than just
being satisfied with the status quo. Thanks to all of you that did all of the
'behind the scenes' work to make it all possible. I walked away feeling truly
blessed to have been a part of the class of '69 !
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Ronnie Porter
Hey , a Big Thanks to all of you for everything you did to pull this off . I
only got to go
to a little of Fridays events , but I really enjoyed it . I wish I could have
gone to more .
I enjoyed seeing and visiting with everyone while I was there . Thanks Again .
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Eric Kraemer
Dear Fellow 69’ers,
I have been trying hard to think of what to say about the wonderful reunion last
weekend.
And then Allen said it all and said it very well.
Thanks very much to all who worked and to all who participated! It was a grand
event!
Best,
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Jon Siegel
Vickie and I thoroughly enjoyed the reunion. In this era of divisiveness it
struck me how
wonderful it was to have spent the entire weekend focused on what we have in
common. That
was especially true for the moving memorial to our departed classmates. Thanks
Berris!
It was great catching up with long-time friends and learning about the
interesting lives of
many who I barely knew when we were in school together. There wasn't nearly
enough time!
Kudos to the organizing committee for making possible this very meaningful and
enjoyable
weekend. They set the tone and did all the hard work. Thanks to you and to all
the
attendees.
All this was more than enough to make the trip to Fayetteville worthwhile, but
then there
was the bonus of that amazing 50 - 49 football game victory. If I saw a movie
with an
ending like that I would have thought it contrived. Unbelievable!
Cheers and see you at the next reunion,
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Alan Carney
Dear Classmates,
Thank you for making our reunion so successful!
I really enjoyed seeing everyone. It was so nice to look around and see so many
faces
smiling. I heard several people comment on what a great time they were having
and I hope it
was the same for you. Everyone seemed so at ease, and comfortable talking with
others. It
was fun talking with people I didn't really know in high school as well as old
friends. And
I found out I could summarize my last 40 years of life into about 15 minutes!
Maybe that
says I'm not very interesting!
A big thank you goes out to Susan Williams for keeping "the list". Without her
dispensing
information (and her Chamber of Commerce narratives) we wouldn't have been able
to keep
everyone up to date. Also, Pam Stiles worked the hardest from start to finish on
pulling
this thing off. And of course Cathy Frans did a great job on the slide show.
Steve Ballard
did a fantastic job of building and keeping up the web page - by the way, he's
put the slide
show on the web page (www.fhs69.com) - just scroll down on the main page and
click on the
picture. Another bit of imformation.... the picture you click on is a water
color that Phil
Leonard painted of the front of FHS. Dang we're a talented bunch! Several other
people
helped with various aspects of the planning of this event, and a big thank you
to them,
also.
Last, but certainly not least..... thank you Berris Samples for giving the
memorial for our
deceased classmates. Your words and poems were very timely. And the stories that
were told
were a true celebration of their lives.
If you see others who couldn't attend, please tell them what a great time we
had. Maybe we
can get more people to attend our next reunion.
And don't forget to send Susan an email if you update your personal
information/email
address or find others to add.
No matter what the teachers said about us.... the class of 69 turned out great!
See you soon,
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Pat (Bailey) Page
What a wonderful reunion! In my humble opinion -- the best ever!! The only thing
missing
was the classmates that weren't there -- those that left us too early, or those
who could
not (or chose not to) come. You missed a wonderful time -- but you were in our
thoughts.
Many thanks to those who planned and implemented the reunion. I shouldn't start
naming
names, because I will undoubtably forget someone -- but I must.
Susan, Pam, Allen, Johnny Mac, Phil, Cathy, Nita, James, Jim, Craig, Marsha,
Berris, Anne,
LuAnne, AND EVERYONE ELSE who helped -- thanks so much for your hard work!
What a great group of classmates we have -- we have become Moms and Dads who
raised children
(a noble profession), teachers (who guide young minds -- so important), doctors,
nurses,
lawyers, members of the Armed Forces protecting our freedoms, protectors of the
environment,
professors, artists, performers, business owners and financial gurus, and many
more noble
professions and trades. Without an exception that I can think of -- every one I
saw has
gotten better and better through the years -- which was hard to do, considering
where we
started! I plan to stay in better contact with folks that I reconnected to. That
is a
promise and a warning!!
I heard this Rascal Flatts song on my way home and wanted to convey this wish to
you all:
I hope the days come easy
and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads
you where you want to go.
And if you're faced with the choice
and you have to choose,
Hope you choose the one
that means the most to you.
And if one door opens
to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walking
till you find the window.
If its cold outside,
show the world the warmth of your smile.
But more than anything
More than anything
My wish for you,
is that this life becomes all that you want it to.
Your dreams stay big,
Your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than.you can hold.
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah this
is my wish.
Hope you never look back,
but you never forget
All the ones who love you
and the place you left.
Hope you always forgive
and you never regret
And you help somebody every chance you get.
Oh, you find God's grace in every mistake
And always give more
Than you take.
But more than anything,
More than anything
My wish for you,
is that this life becomes all that you want it to.
Your dreams stay big,
Your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold.
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah this
is my wish.
Glad I am not an emotional person!!
-------------------------------
Jon Wagner
Since I was not there, I thought I would share a memory of my favorite teacher.
Mr. Krie
(cry, pretty sure I spelled his name wrong) was the head of the science
department and
taught chemistry. I was one of his lab helpers and enjoyed it so much. When he
was
teaching a lesson on gas expansion, us labbies set up several test tubes with a
tiny bit of
water in each, then corked them and put them over bunsen burners, so when he
started making
his point about expanding gases, he and his class were showered with a hail of
1/2 inch
diameter corks. He thought it was funny in front of his class, then busted our
rears after
class over all the things that could have gone wrong.
I also lived 3 houses down from him on Duncan street and played ping pong in his
basement
for most of my senior year. Great guy.
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