Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, June 15, 2011

The Mount Ayr Community high school class of 1961 met at Ramsey's Pavilion on Friday evening, May 27, with happy hour at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.

Larry DENNEY greeted the guests at the sign-in table with each guest receiving a 50th anniversary booklet of letters received from classmates, their 1961 class poem and prophecy and their school songs.

Carolyn DRAKE SCOVILLE and committee of Ed HOFFMAN, Cathy NORRIS WARD, Janet WELLS FOX, Larry DENNEY, (Louise BURCHETT SACKETT not able to attend) and Jim WARD welcomed the group of 43 classmates and 22 spouses and friends.

Following the meal, served by Ruth and the RAMSEY banquet crew, a short business meeting was held.

Classmates were recognized as to when they joined the class, some since kindergarten, some from country schools after graduating from eighth grade and some when students from Tingley, Beaconsfield, Ellston and Redding joined them to form Mount Ayr Community high school.

A Mount Ayr Centennial book, Rings of Gold book, a replica of a 1961 Chevy two-door hardtop and a real ostrich egg were prizes for lucky winners.

All joined in for rousing renditions of the old and new school songs.

A letter from Bill REED was received and read to the class. A table was set up with a memorial book and pictures of classmates who had passed on. The 18 deceased classmates were honored by their names being read by Jim WARD and a moment of silence.

A fellowship brunch was servedat Ramsey's Pavilion Saturday at 9 a.m. with 28 attending.

Special guests at the brunch were teachers Grace MOSER and Arlen BROWN.

The class of 1961 was honored at the Mount Ayr alumni banquet Saturday night at the high school.

Cathy WARD arranged local tours of the Princess Theater, Mount Ayr Library, Ringgold County Hospital, Mount Ayr Depot Museum and Aunt Jenny's Attic. All tours were very good and made them all proud of the new changes to the community. The town square renovations, buildings, sidewalks and streetlights, were equally impressive.

Those who enjoyed the reunion weekend were Edwin HOFFMAN of Schertz, TX; Jim and Joyce WARD of Maryville, MO; Carolyn (DRAKE) Scoville of Cedar Falls; Carl and Janet (WELLS) FOX of Indianola; Dave and Linda (WILLEY) MATHANY of Woodburn; Bill and Patty (RICE) WIMER of Grant City, MO; Bob and Louise REASONER of Chillicothe, MO; Kenny and Thelma (BLACK) AMES of Branson, MO; Dale and Marla BICKEL of Diagonal; Joe and Julie DENHART of Shenandoah; Helen COMBS of Redding; Bill and Pat HUNT of Blockton; Richard WAUGH and friend Beverly CHAPMAN of West Des Moines Judy STERLINE of Dallas, TX and her mother, Helen McGAHUEY of Mount Ayr; Val BRANT of Windsor, CO; Dorothy (DUKES) BURGHER of Kellerton; Connie (STEPHENSON) WAMBOLD of Bloomfield; Dale and Karen MAGEE and Roger and JoAnn (STRINGHAM) NURNBERG of Creston; Glee (BEAR) TONEY and friend; Don and Barbara (WOODS) CORLL of Estero, FL; Don and Cham CRAWFORD of Ponca City, OK; Linda (SWANK) SWANSON of Kellerton; Don and Kay (MOTSINGER) HOVE of Benton; Marcia (NOLAN) CABEBE of Morgan Hill, CA; Jerry and Jean BARKER of Mount Pleasant; Kay (JARVIS) PRATT of Sun Lake, AZ; Alice (SICKELS) HANSEN of Evanston, IL; Ron and Lucille (FERRIS) DEEMER of Davis City; Kay (HARTMAN) ROTHERT and friend Ron DAVIS of Des Moines; Robert and Martha (SICKELS) PALMER of Decatur, IL; Dick and Jeanne STEPHENS of Clearfield; John and Anne PETERSON of Saint Johns, FL; Jane (GIRDNER) PALLAS of San Rafael, CA, and Denny JOHNSON of Omaha, NE.

Classmates from Mount Ayr were Larry DENNEY. Cathy WARD, Bill and Kathi BLUNCK, Gerald CANNON and Max and Joyce (DEEMER) SMITH.

The next class reunion will beheld in 2016 with Dick STEPHENS, Bill and Patty WIMER, Dale BICKEL, Cathy WARD and Jane GIRDNER PALLAS serving as the committee.

This year's committee did an excellent job of planning the event.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2011

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, September 08, 2016, Page 5

The Mount Ayr class of 1961 met on Saturday, Sept. 3 at the Mount Ayr Legion for their 55th class reunion.

There were 53 classmates present along with spouses and friends. Wagon Wheel Cafe catered a delicious meal.

Following the meal was a short presentation. The night concluded with lots of conversation and laughs.

Members of the class present were: Marcia Nolan Cabebe, Joyce Smith, Roger and Joan Nurnberg, Betty Wallace Porzuczek, Dale McGee, Mary Black Owens, Jim Ward, John Petersen, Martha Sickels Palmer, Kay Garvis Pratt, Larry Denney, Kay Rothert, Dale Bickel, Thelma Black Ames, Joe Denhart, Lucille Faris Deemer, Janet Wells Fox, Donald Crawford, Linda Swank Swanson, Donald and Barbara Corll, Bob Reasoner, Bill and Patty Wimer, Dick Stephens, Ed Hoffman, Linda Willey Matheny, Cathy Ward, Kay Motsinger Hove, Bill Blunck, Bill Hunt, Jane Girdner Pallas.

Class mates traveled from California, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Florida, Illinois, Arizona and several from Iowa.

It was decided to meet again in five years.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2017