The Green Bank High School Class of 1964 held its 50th reunion at the Arbovale Community Center Saturday, October 4. The organizing committee, consisting of David J. Cain, Jane Carpenter Gordon, Donna Riley Depue, Kay Sheets Bream, Lucy Brown Hughes and Norris Long, did an excellent job organizing the event and the classmates had a great time. The team decorated the hall with the school colors – blue and gold. Alternating blue and gold table cloths and a large blue and gold Green Bank High School Class of 1964 banner established the mood for the event. Fifty-six people attended and had a great meal and a great time reminiscing about the way things were back then.
Twenty-seven classmates out of a graduating class of 57 (50 still living) and two teachers attended. Two students and two teachers had to cancel at the last minute due to health issues.
The teachers who attended were Keith and Jean Cronin and Harold and Betty Crist. Although most of the class had not changed in the last 50 years, Carolyn Howell Moore made really nice name tags, for recognition purposes, for the ones who looked a little older. Carolyn also provided the table decorations that were given as door prizes. Attendees were: Harry and Brenda Aldridge, Karen Kane Arbogast, Larry and Linda McCutcheon Beres, Kaye Sheets Bream, Harold and Rebecca Brooks, David J. Cain, Peggy Campbell Carpenter and Bessie Eberbaugh, Sam and Donna Riley Depue, Lloyd and Ruth Anne O’Brien, Ronald and Jane Carpenter Gordon, Frank Hickson, George and Rosemary Hipes, Calvin and Lucy Brown Hughes, Betty Jean Wilfong Lambert and Clyde White, Norris Long, Doug and Ginger Dickenson Monk, Glenn and Carolyn Howell Moore, Dale and Sandra Curry Mullenax, Franklin and Barbara Hoover Murphy, John and Patricia Paterson, Richard and Sara Moore Raines, Sam and Beverly Sheets, Becky Rexrode McCarty, David and Charlene Whanger, Thomas and Monique Grimes, Jake and Lee Kimberling and Millie McLaughlin Gragg.
Mr. Cronin and Mr. Crist addressed the group and Jane Carpenter Gordon read a letter from Gary Gillespie during the introductions. The teachers stressed the fact that even though they taught at various locations, their favorite was Green Bank High School.
Following the introductions, Reverend Lucy Brown Hughes conducted a Memorial Service for those who have passed to the great beyond. They include: George Brewster, Jackie Plyer Butler, Roy Lambert, Gracie Rexrode, Steve Plyler, Mike Waslo and Beverly Wooddell Workman.
David Cain presented the class with an 80 page, Fifty Year Memory Booklet that included the history of Green Bank High School, group pictures of the class of 64, and stories from each student who chose to submit family information and a brief graduate/family history of the 50 years since graduation. There were a lot of interesting stories that included drama, mystery, comedy, tragedy and entertainment. Twenty- eight students and two teachers contributed stories/history for the book, making for some very interesting reading.
After the blessing from Rev. Brown, the class had a delicious meal prepared by Veda Gum.
The remainder of the evening was spent sitting around talking about our high school years and what we had been doing in the 50 years since.
The Class of 1964 holds an informal reunion each year on the first Saturday in October. Our next semi-formal will be the first Saturday of October 2019 – our 55th.
