Submitted by Janis (Jones) Hendrick
Wayne County Press, Fairfield, Illinois
Thursday, Oct. 13, 1977, Page Eight
Notes on the FCHS Oldtimers Who Came From Near And Far For the 13th
Annual Gathering Here
(By Henry Mathews)
(Photo Insert: Taking Part in the FCHS Oldtimers program Saturday night were these five, from left: Ronald Heflin, Fairfield, who was emcee; Dr. Robert Etheridge, of Miami, Ohio, the guest speaker; his wife, the former Veda Hallam; Bernice Nussbaum French, Springfield, who saluted the Class of 1927; and Helen Ryan Patterson, of Clovas, Cal., who gave the response to the welcome.)
The 13th annual Oldtimers banquet was held Saturday night at the American Legion Hall with 145 members present. This was a very enjoyable meeting of old time friends. President Charles McCoy and his advisors have the Oldtimers working in a smooth, efficient manner.
Otho E. Green, of Downers Grove, graduating class of 1922, was present and enjoying himself meeting with old time classmates.
Clyde H. Pifer and his friend, Aline Thompson, of Devine, Tex., were present. Clyde was the captain of Coach Ted Carson's 1926 championship football team. Clyde was of the class of 1927. They are visiting Mrs. Doris Jeffreys while here.
Mr. And Mrs. J. Harold Summers, of West Frankfort, were in attendance. Harold graduated in 1927. He is now retired. They are visiting Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Bone.
Ralph Needham, of the class of 1927, now living in LaCrosse, Wis., was enjoying himself to the fullest. Ralph is self-employed in the rubber stamp business.
Harlan Hodges and his wife, Helen, of Murray, Ky., were enjoying themselves visiting with old time friends. Harlan has retired as a school administrator and is now engaged in farming. He was a graduate of the class of 1922.
Dale O’Neal and his wife, the former Vera Bostic, of Evansville, Ind., seemed to enjoy themselves meeting with old friends. Dale graduated from FCHS in 1943. He is a brother of Tom O'Neal here, and is engaged in the Rental business.
Elmer Roy Dye and his wife, the former Betty Bestow, of Geff, were enjoying themselves. Roy is now retired, he was a member of the class of 1930. Roy was a star tackle on the Ted Carson football team. His wife is employed in the office of Fairfield Memorial Hospital.
Glenn Abe Martin and his wife, the former Elise French, as always were enjoying themselves meeting with old time friends. They now live on Route 2, Carbondale. Abe is retired as Athletic Director of Southern University at Carbondale. He graduated from Fairfield High in 1927 and Elise in 1930. Abe was one of the greatest football players that Fairfield has ever had. They are visiting Mr. and Mrs. Mac Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Martin, Mrs. Ruth Knavel and Mrs. John Book and families.
Genevive Goodall-Keys, of Sun City, Calif., a member of the class of 1927, was having a ball meeting with old friends.
Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Markwardt, of O'Fallon, were present. Mrs. Markwardt is the former Miss Barbara Nussbaum and she is a graduate of the class of 1930. She is a granddaughter of the late E. Steiner.
Mrs. Edward O. Harpole, of St. Charles, Mo., was present. Mrs. Harpole is the former Miss Alice Ryan, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Ryan. She was with her sister, Helen, of Clovis, Calif (sic).
Voris H. Matthews, of Grayville, a member of the 1926 graduating class, was a quarterback on the 1925 football team. He has retired as the Ford dealer in that city.
Mrs. Maude Jones, retired of Mt. Erie, was a member of the 1927 high school graduating class.
George F. Felix and his wife, the former Ethel Medler, of Barnhill were in attendance. George is now retired. He was a member of the 1926 graduating class.
Harry W. Pottorff, of Cisne, was a member of 1929 graduating class. Harry was a tackle on the football team. He is now retired from school work.
Harold Skelton and his wife, the former Opal Green, graduated in 1931. They now live in Pevely, Mo. Harold is employed there by a lumber company. They are visiting Mrs. Maye Borah and Mrs. Corinne Swan.
Robert Lindsey and his wife, the former Arline Potts, of East St. Louis, were having a fine time. Bob is now retired and graduated with the class of 1926.They are visiting his brother, George Lindsey.
John W. Owen and his wife, Paula, were renewing friendship with old timers. John graduated with the class of 1925. They now live in St. Louis, when in Fairfield they visited the old Owen homestead northeast of town.
Charles E. Potter, his daughter, Penny, of Denver, Colo., and his brother Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Potter, of this city, attended the banquet all together. They were having a wonderful time as well as visiting relatives, visiting with old friends. Charles is the manager of the Bradford Publishing Company in Denver. He graduated in 1931, Clarence in 1930 and Mrs. Potter in 1932.
Veryl Mauck and his wife, the former Ruby Pool, of Atwood, were renewing old time friendships. Veryl is engaged as a farmer. He graduated in 1927. They visit while here Mrs. Ann Mauck, Russell Parrent, Mr. and Mrs. Jess McDuffee and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ellzey.
Charles Hunter and his wife, the former Irma C. Curry, of Geff, were in attendance. Charles graduated in 1918 and Irma in 1922. They are retired.
Homer L. Green and his wife of Solon Springs, Wis., were present. Homer graduated in 1927. He is the owner of the St. Croix Polishing and Buffing Company. They visit his sister, Mrs. Mary C. Jones, and his brothers, Herbert and James Arthur Green.
Whitey Lambert, of Geff, was a member of the 1934 graduating class. Whitey's wife, Urbana was with him.
Roy Owen, of Evansville, Ind., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was accompanied by his sister Mrs. Robert Overbee. Roy graduated in 1927. He was in the backfield of Ted Carson's football team. He was president of the Tri-State Lighting and is now retired.
Helen E. Ryan-Patterson, of Clovis, Calif. A graduate of 1927 was enjoying meeting old friends. Helen, now as pretty as she was when a young girl is now retired. She was a daughter of the late William Ryan.
Carol L. Allen, of Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Mrs. Lyndel Hambleton Allen-Ellis, of Arlington, Va., as a guest was enjoying the Old Timers. She is employed in Cincinnati as a police officer.
Leonard B. Ellis and his wife, the former Lyndel Hambleton, now of Arlington, Va., were enjoying meeting with old time friends. Leonard graduated in 1925 and Lyndel in 1930. They are both retired. They are visiting Leonard's sister, Mrs. Evelyn Thomas.
Bernard Wheeler and his wife, the former Evelyn Staton of Dayton, Ohio, and their daughter, Helen of Columbus, Ohio, were present with his brother, Robert Wheeler and his wife, Frieda French-Wheeler of Mill Shoals. Bernard is retired and he and Evelyn graduated in 1928. Bob is the postmaster at Mill Shoals and he and Frieda graduated in 1934.
Walter Hooper, of Lindsay, Calif., of the class of 1930, was enjoying the Old Timers to the fullest. Walter is now retired after a successful business career.
Gene Painter, of Indianapolis, Ind. was enjoying meeting old friends and classmates. Gene has been attending all of the Old Timers meetings and is one of the most faithful. The group always has a good time when Gene is around.
Cliff Elliott and his wife, the former Betty Cravens, of Decatur, are always present for the Old Timers. Cliff graduated in 1944 and is a Supt. at Caterpillar Tractor. He was a star Fairfield basketball player.
Bernice Nussbaum-French, of Springfield, a graduate of 1927, gave the salute to the class of 1927 that was being honored. Bernice is secretary-treasurer of Central Illinois Bridge Association. She is the granddaughter of the late E. Steiner.
Rev. Cecil Maricle, of Joliet, was a member of the class of 1927. Cecil is a minister and does some carpenter work. He gave the invocation and benediction for the Old Timers. He and his wife are visiting his brother, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Maricle.
Dr. Robert Etheridge and his lovely wife, Veda Hallam, of Oxford, Ohio, gave the address to the Old Timers. Dr. Etheridge is vice president for student affairs at Miami University. They visit his mother, Mrs. Nellie Etheridge, and Veda's parents Dr. and Mr. L. J. Hallam. They also visit Bob's brother Mr. and Mrs. Bill Etheridge. Bob graduated in 1943 and Veda in 1944.
J. Ira Prichard and wife, Ella Mae, of Vienna, were enjoying the Old Timers. They attend about every meeting. Ira is the operator of the Vienna Lumber Company. Both are looking young as ever.
Charles T. Puckett, of Auburn, Calif., a retiree was attending the meeting with his brother, Joe Puckett. Charles graduated in 1929, and was a member of the Ted Carson track team. It is very few meetings that Charles does not attend.
Carl S. Brock and his wife, Mary Belle, of Greenville, were in attendance. Carl is a graduate of 1927. He retired from teaching in 1927 and is now a Bond Company Building inspector. They visit Glenn K. Brock and Mrs. Eula Brock-Bennett.
Perry Wilson and his wife, the former Eva Mae Dye, of Geff, were having a good time. Perry, a star basketball player, graduated in 1932. He is now retired.
Some of those from Fairfield attending were: Mr. and Mrs. Charles French, Mr. and Mrs. John Van Deusen, Thomas W. Martin, Warren Cable, Mr. and Mrs. Francis S. Feiger, Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell Dixon, Walter G. Blackburn, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Walther Ketzner, Mrs. Katherine Worley, and Bernard Simpson.
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Vaughan, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Etheridge, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Gloeckner, Mrs. Ruth F. French-Knavel, Mrs. Dorothy Walker-Smith, Mrs. Bessie Shannon Burkett, Mrs. William Griffith, Mrs. Ethel Miles-Hill, Mrs. Gladys Overbee, Mrs. Belle Faulkner, Mrs. Dorothy Tucker, Mrs. Evelyn Ellis-Thomas, Myrl Newcom, and Mr. and Mrs. Everett F. Bivens.
Mrs. Thelma Lawrence, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald W. Heflin, Ivan C. Johnson, Mrs. Minta Craig, Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie W. Cunningham, Mrs. Esther Carter-Harris, Mr. and Mrs. Randall Hill, Mrs. Beatrice Talbert Parker and Mrs. J. Kinzie Sunderland.
Alvah C. Borah, of Springfield, who is engaged in the real estate business, was having a very nice time meeting with old acquaintances. Al graduated in 1928 and was a halfback on Ted Carson's football teams. He is visiting Mr. and Mrs. George Freshwater.
It was a grand occasion, one long to be remembered.
(Note: The entire text of the remarks by guest speaker Dr. Robert Etheridge is on this newspaper page. See page eight, or contact me, the submitter, if interested in full text.)
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