Yes, it had been 40 years since we graduated from Coleman High School.  That really is unbelievable!  A few of the classmates had a meeting last year to set a date and plan the event.  We have all gotten older, even though we still feel like teenagers (with more common sense) in our minds, our bodies are telling us differently.  We picked October to have the reunion, a cooler time of the year, because June is just too hot anymore.  We kept the reunion as simple as possible this time.  Many of our old classmates were contacted and encouraged to attend this reunion.  Several attended their first reunion of the Class of 1965.  We are realizing that as we grow older, more of us will be passing away.  The class has lost five more classmates since the reunion in 2000 ... Jimmy Lee Webb, Johnny Mendoza, Susan (Kemper) Schuppenhauer, Vicki Sue (Spoon) Tutchings, Delorise "Dee Dee" (Jewell) Hudson ... that makes 13 deceased since the eighth grade.  There were displays of our classes' school pictures, graduation, proms and past reunions.

Carol (Wilson) Scott held a brunch for the ladies of the class at her home at 11 a.m.  So, the girls of the class got a head start on the boys in re-acquanting with each other.  About 2 p.m. the classmates began drifting in for registration at St. Mark’s Church Hall, 613 S. Neches Street.  After many registrations and much visiting and guessing who each other was, a group picture was taken in front of the church at 5:30.  48 were in the group picture; 52 were at the reunion at one time or another.  A good turnout with 154 on the high school class role, 103 graduated and 13 deceased.

The evening meal, catered by Prima Pasta Italian Restaurant of Brownwood, was served to about 83 classmates, spouses and a few children ... as near as I could figure.  After the meal we had a class meeting, and discussed whether to meet with the multi-reunion group of have our own 45th anniversity reunion.  After much input and discussion, it was voted to meet with just our class, but attempt to have more of our classmates present.  As Ralph and Judia Terry had done much to organize this reunion, and needed to retire from this position, nominations were made for a committee to plan and organize the 45th anniversary reunion, to be held in 2010.  Diann (Dunn) Dillingham was voted to head this committee, with help from Bennie Flynn, Carol (Wilson) Scott, Jo Carroll "Jodie" (Boyle) Guthrie, and Richie Lee.  Ralph Terry will continue to maintain addresses, email addies, telephone numbers, and other contact information, with help from George Byerly.  This information is available at any time on colemanbluecats.com.

A class roll of the Class of 1965 was called with updates of their lives from those present and information about those not present, if known.  Cards were signed and sent to those known to be ailing at this time ... Ernie Shelton, Gary Broyles, Margaret (Grisham) Mosier and Norm Chaney.  Ralph Terry, who was serving as master of ceremonies, was also working in the background with Judia Terry, printing the group picture of the class taken earlier, to hand out to classmates before leaving.

There was a break at this time, and the serving of a "Class of 1965" cake.  Even though we were still stuffed from the evening meal, the group still managed to eat over half of it.  The cake was a marbled cake, with white and "Bluecat Blue" icing.  We found that "Bluecat Blue" icing really hangs in there!  I hope someone took some pictures of the blue mouths that abounded!

After the break, awards were present to John Eddie George, for traveling the furtherest to attend (350 miles from Katy, Texas); Sharla (Wilson) Dyer, for being married the longest, with Janis (Kile) Merrill, at a close second; John Eddie George, for having the youngest child (16 years old!); Ina Jo (Roberts) Berry, for having the most children (6, with no step-children); Ralph Terry, for the "Most Changed;" Anthony Strawn, for the "Least Changed;" Jimmy Folkner, for "Most Beautiful Gray Hair;" and Sammy Johnson, for "Bald is Beautiful."  Additional awards were given to Mary Jane (Brown) Strole, Becky (Dela Rosa) Utley, Ronnie E. Greaves, Novella (Hamilton) Harlin, Sandra (Jackson) Bell, Glenda (Jennings) Hutchins and Howard White for attending their first reunion; and to Willie P. Bouchillon, Nell (Brown) Habiger, Tommy Mac Connelly, Bennie Flynn, Jimmie Folkner, Brian Rasch, Anthony Strawn and Ralph Terry for attending all 6 reunions held thus far for the Class of 1965.

After cleaning up the church hall and bidding goodbyes, the Class of 1965 said, "See You Next Time, Coleman."  We had a wonderful reunion!

Left to right - front - seated:  Janis (King) Woychesin, Carol (Wilson) Scott, Faye Lynn (Needham) Gartman, Mary (Cardenas) Nunez, Jamie Kay (Streetman) Bell, Mary Jane (Brown) Strole, Nell (Brown) Habiger, Anita (Raymer) Brown, Vanita (Bunt) Arrant, Carol Mae (Keeney) Johnson.

Middle:  Ralph Terry, Judy (Moore) McDorman, Willie Paul Bouchillon, Steve Brooks, Gene Joyce, Georgene (McCullough) Saverance, Becky (Dela Rosa) Utley, Sharla (Wilson) Dyer {behind Becky, eyes showing}, Oslene (Swafford) Smith, Marsha Jo (Smith) Langford, Betty Sue (Medcalf) George, Novella (Hamilton) Harlin {red top}, Diann (Dunn) Dillingham {blue suit}, Ina Jo (Roberts) Berry, Shirley (Cope) Hayes, Brenda (Waddell) Fuller, Kathy (Gee) Payne.

Rear:  Howard White {white shirt}, Jimmy Lawrence, John Wiginton, Ronnie Sanders {behind John, in red shirt}, John Eddie George, Anthony Strawn {behind John Eddie, in yellow shirt and hat}, George Byerly, Alan Wood {behind George}, Jackie Birdwell, Tommy Mac Connelly, Jimmy Folkner, Janice (Kile) Merrill, Bennie Flynn {behind Janice}, Jeff Justice, Glenda (Jennings) Hutchins, Sammy Johnson {behind Glenda, in cap}, Margaret (Chapman) Long, Joyce (Bozeman) Poisall, Sandra (Jackson) Bell, Ronnie Greaves, Brian Rasch.

Attended, but not in picture:  Frank Quinn, Gerald Mayo, Jo Carroll "Jody" (Boyle) Guthrie, Richie Lee.