Gaudeamus Igitur, Iuvenes Dum Sumus

One by one my old classmates are passing away. There were 43 of us in all who graduated together in the spring of 1958, having completed 12 years of public school. Many had been together from the beginning. I joined them in the second year. The first to go was Bruce H., a young Methodist minister who drowned trying to rescue others during a flood. The latest is Robert H., who was getting ready to go home from hospital following successful back surgery when he suffered a massive heart attack last Friday afternoon and died.

In between, there have been:

Patricia K.
Judy G.
Patsy C.
Vonnie F.
Ben N.
Guy A.
Diane H.
Joe S.
Lura Lee C.
Judy W.
Marshall T.

Still among the living:

Pat H.
Pat B.
Darrell R.
Johnny H.
Johnny D.
John G.
Barbara E.
Brenda S.
Roland C.
Jimmie R.
Glynn E.
Kim O.
Bobby A.
Margaret N.
Bobby Ray S.
Faye R.
Judith C.
Mary Jo T.
Sharon S.
Morreta Ann H.
Charles Lee M.
Alene B.
Louise M.
Kent W.
Johnny A.
Sonja S.
Glenda F.
Betty H.
Jerry W.
Mary S.
Danna V.
Elmer W.
Linda H.
Dianne P.
Martha S.
moi

I think that’s just about everybody. I may have left out a name or two inadvertently. If you bother to count, though, you will discover that the list contains more than 43 people. I included a few people in there who never graduated. Still, they were part of the class for many, many years and are included in the get-togethers to this day.

In April 2010, I blogged about our school days and our town here.

And if you are really a glutton for punishment, after you have finished reading all the foregoing you can read about the title of this post here.