Central High School, Phoenix, AZ
50th Reunion 2015
POST YOUR 2015 REUNION PHOTOS, CLICK HERE.
Also check out photos from Ellie's brilliant slide show presentation, click HERE.
(Note: if you click on the forward arrow on any of Ellie's 421 pictures they will run as a slide show.)
'65 Bobcat 50th Reunion Committee:
Bob Box Jim Davidson
Ellie Finn Stan Friedman
Will Mies Dave Healey
Susan Hubbard Herman
Lyle Schilling Martha Starsmann Zervas
Karen Klapp Stigers Ava Rubenstein Stralla
Helen Toporek Karen Davy Woods
Website Administrators:
Bob Box
Jim Davidson
OUR 50TH REUNION—ANOTHER MILESTONE
Our long anticipated 50th reunion weekend finally arrived and it was a HUGE success! It began Friday evening when an estimated 100 Bobcats from '64 to '67 showed up at Aunt Chilada’s and classmates got reacquainted over drinks while trying to make themselves heard over the din. Surprise guests included retired French and Spanish teacher and former language department head Rosa Rochin who chatted with former students. Then Saturday evening over 170 people attended the big banquet. The food was outstanding and the camaraderie was even better. During dinner we even had some talented classmates put on a “half time show” and astound us with talents we never knew they had. English teacher Charles Sahnas and wife Kathy also joined us. Charles got to talk with several of his former students and eventually stepped to the microphone and addressed the class, this time without the benefit of a blackboard.
So much went into this weekend and everyone enjoyed it immensely so that it would be impossible to describe it here. We’ve set up a place for all of you to upload the photos you took and share them with everyone. Meanwhile, we’d like to mention and, more importantly, thank some of the people who made a special effort to create this once in a lifetime event. In no particular order:
Lyle Shilling was our Emcee Saturday night and kept our presentation light, entertaining, and professional. Ellie Finn put together an absolutely incredible Power Point slide show that included photos that classmates posted on the website, elementary school pictures, nostalgic photos of Phoenix, and much more. Ellie did a fantastic job. Look for her slideshow to be posted elsewhere on this website.
Dan Fridena played the guitar and sang during dinner and reminded everyone how folk music was such a big influence on the ‘60s. His rendition of “Puff the Magic Dragon” would have delighted Peter, Paul, and Mary. Greg Faris and June Willis Faris managed to research the last five decades of several classmates’ more noteworthy activities and Greg humorously summed them up for us as he presented a few special awards. Doug and Judith Haggar came all the way from Alaska so that Doug could finally give a 2015 version of his hastily cancelled valedictory speech. He kept us laughing but the humorless folks in the Central High administration office probably wouldn’t have appreciated it back in 1965 or ever. To make the evening truly retro, we had a personal appearance by ‘60s pop icons Sonny and Cher (Shirley Levendusky Sullivan and husband Richard Sullivan). They lip-synched “I’ve Got You Babe” and absolutely won the award for best costume design.
We’d also like to thank Dick Coffinger for providing the jukebox and Gordon James (Gordon James Public Relations) for the class banner and the two great collages of CHS ’65 highlights. Thanks also to Bill Simon for organizing the vintage car display just outside the lobby which caught everyone’s attention whether they were part of our class or just passersby. A special thanks goes to Terry Pavey who provided some great pieces from his memorabilia collection so everyone could reminisce about the Phoenix we used to know.
Especially, thanks to our reunion committee who made this weekend possible.
Bob Box, Jim Davidson, Ellie Finn, Dave Healey, Susan Hubbard Herman, Wil Mies, Lyle Schilling, Bill Simon, Karen Klapp Stigers, Ava Rubenstein Stralla, Helen Toporek, Karen Davy Woods, and Martha Starsmann Zervas
Photographers: Cinthia Gonzalez, Leidy Gonzalez, Dulce Aguilar, and Teacher--Cole Laswick
Lastly, thanks to all who attended from around the globe because you are the ones that made this an unforgettable weekend. We at the website will do our best to keep everyone connected but we’ll need you to keep your profiles updated and advise us of your future address changes. To those who couldn’t be with us, we hope to see you at the next reunion and please stay in touch. Thanks again, Bobcats!
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