Boyden class of 1953
Boyden High School class of 1953 celebrated 55 years since their graduation on July 25-26 at the Holiday Inn of Salisbury.
An informal get-together on Friday night gave the classmates and guests time to renew friendships, some they had not seen in five years since the last reunion and a few they had not seen in over 50 years. Of the 91 attending on Friday night, 57 were classmates.
On Saturday morning, around 40 gathered at the high school and took a tour to see how the school had changed and how it had remained the same. They were told beforehand that the air conditioning would not be working as it was being repaired, which amused the group as there was no air conditioning in the school when they attended.
Some of the group also traveled to Spencer on Saturday afternoon to tour the North Carolina Transportation Museum and those from out of town were interested in seeing where portions of Leatherheads were filmed.
Saturday evening events began at 6 p.m. with a social hour, and the group totaled 124. Name tags made by Phyllis Murdock Myers were given to the group with a picture from the 1953 yearbook.
Seventy-three were classmates, 46 were spouses, two young men accompanied their moms and there were two guests: former teachers Coach Joe Ferebee and Bob Greenland.
The invocation was given by the Rev. Bob Fogner of Conway, S.C. Charles Floyd read the names of the 10 deceased classmates since the last reunion and had a moment of silence in their memory.
There was a table containing pictures of the 41 deceased classmates in the past 55 years and a book containing obituary information on each.
The flower for the memorial table was given by Brenda Malone Zimmerman in memory of her mother, Nancy Stoner Malone Smith. Favors were placed at each plate in memory of her husband, Malcom Redwine by classmate Gretchen Weber Redwine.
Floyd also introduced the former teachers with a small “roast” of each and also the entertainment for the evening, Michael Thomas impersonating Elvis.
Those attending the weekend activities from Salisbury were Tom Austin, Roy Campbell and wife, Norma, Betty Coburn Gillespie, Dick Earnhardt and wife, Stewart, Connie Gardner and wife, Corinna, Billie Hartman Kluttz, Joel Hubbard and wife, Jayne, Bill McSwaim and wife, Nancy, Phyllis Murdock Myers and husband, Carlton, Barbara Page Earley and husband, CharlesLenora Porter Ridenhour, Ken Ritchie and wife, Ruth, Barbara Robison Waggoner and husband, Julius “Pete” Waggoner,Bevis Safrit Norris, Jeff Thompson and wife, Mary Jane, Gladys Van Poole, Julia Wagner Queen and Jim West and wife, Jean.Out-of-town members attending were Jerry Gobble and wife, Mary of Skipperville, Ala.; Anne Lawson Ratliff and husband, John of Jacksonville, Ala.: Bill Aaron and wife, Jenny of Surprise, Ariz.; Jimmy Don Williams of Castro Valley, Calif.; Charles Hattaway of San Diego, Calif.; Ruth Kepley Parrish and husband, Buddy of Bell, Fla.; Dr.Wayne Miller and wife, Pat of Pensacola, Fla; Jim Peeler and wife, Mazie of Eustis, Fla.; Joe Eagle and wife, Sherry of Gainesville, Ga.; Frank Foil and wife Billie of Roswell, Ga.; Julie Riley Staley and husband Carl of Marietta, Ga; Denton Ward and wife, Kathy of Homer, Ga;
Dr. JoAnne Safrit, Silver Spring, Md.; Dr. Pat Davis, Bay St. Louis, Miss; Patsy Ruth Bernhardt McDuffie and husband Carl of Reno, Nev.; Gretchen Weber Redwine and son Scott of Yearington, Nev.; Melba Perkins Goldsby and husband, Dr. Joel of Asheville; Charles Floyd and wife, Becky of Barber; John Bankett and wife, Barbara, Frank Cothran and wife, Nancy, Tom Frick and wife, Todi,Mary Lou Harrington Paterson, Bill Heck and wife, Emily,Mona SpargoHayes, Charles Walker, all of Charlotte;
Mari Hege Rink, Cornelius; Carolyn Ketner Penny and husband Wade, Durham; Tom Graham and wife, Polly, Gastonia; Sylvia Miller Hoffner of Gibsonville; Bob Graham, Greensboro; Ed Safrit and wife, Trully of Hendersonville; Jean Cauble Browning and husband, Dr. Don of Jacksonville; Ellen JusticeThomasson, Kernersville; Ervin Allen and wife, Betty Jean, Lexington; Frances Barringer Gamewell, Laura RodgersBarringer and husband, Bevan, all of Mooresville; Charles Stevens and wife, Carolyn of Pinehurst; Bill Epting and Carolyn Strong Fanjoy, both of Raleigh; Nancy Murphy Roberson and husband, Don and Barbara SwaimCrouch and husband, Dick, all of Rockwell; Eddie Lee Smith and wife, Polly of Wake Forest; Sue Fryar Hardee and husband, “Bo” of Waxhaw; Charles “Buddy” Monroe and wife Susan of Winston- Salem;
Bryant Walser and wife, Kathie of West Chester, Pa., Gary Cooper of Spartanburg, S.C.; Homer Fesperman and wife, Linda of Lexington, S.C.; Bob Fogner and wife, Maggie of Conway, S.C.; Jim Hegler and wife Judy of Blythewood, S.C.; Gail Seibert Honeycutt and husband, Charlie of Pawley Island, S.C.; Mary Ann Artz Livengood and Jim Livengood of Smithfield, Va., Sylvia Hayes Brown of Chester, Va.; Mary Virginia NewsomeBroughton and husband, Tal of Daleville, Va; Carol Ward Thomas and son, Ward of Springfield, Va.; Carol Cope Odell and husband, Carl of Charles Town, W.V.
A number of the group met on Sunday morning at Jasmine’s in the Holiday Inn for breakfast and to say their goodbyes, planning to meet again in five years.
Rusty Fisher award
Rusty Fisher, 15, won the Lakewood Idol Singing Contest in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on July 21.
He competed among 12 singers between the ages of 8 and 65. Fisher won the contest by singing “I’ve Been Watching You” by Rodney Adkins.
He is a rising sophomore at East Rowan High School where he is vice president of the Key Club and a member of the East Rowan Marching Regiment Band.
Fisher is a member of Faith Baptist Church in Faith, where he takes an active role in the youth group and has participated in several mission trips.
He is the son of Wendell and Jill Fisher of Faith.
Granite Quarry reunion
The Granite Quarry class of 1945 celebrated its 63rd anniversary on Aug. 2 at St. Luke’s Fellowship hall. The ladies of the church had decorated the hall with colors of blue and white and red roses, which were the class colors and flower.
Peggy Roseman welcomed the members of the class.
After a blessing, a delicious buffet dinner was served by St. Luke’s Women’s Fellowship to 17 class members and their spouses and guests.
This is the year when everybody has reached or will reach their 80th birthday, so a great emphasis was made on this year with a birthday cake and balloons.
A memorial service was held for the 16 deceased members by ringing of the bell as each name was announced.
After reminiscing and hearing from everyone, door prizes were distributed.
Attending were Rosalie Adams, Frances Harper, Joe Lyerly, Jim and Frances Staton, George and Virginia Kluttz, Gene and Betty Miller, Bobby and Helen Rogers, Pat Fraley, Pete and Frankie Bost,Mary Lesley and Joanna, Pearl Lieurance and Sherry, Rachel Sifford, Vonnie Agner, Perry and Eleanor Suttle and son, Marion Melton, Betty Shaver, Doris Faggart, Peggy Roseman and Connie Gordon.
The next reunion is the first Saturday of August 2009.