50th High School Reunion

 

Tarrant High School Bicentennial Class of 1976

Let me just ask a question . . .how in the world am I old enough to be celebrating a 50th reunion of anything?? Anyone else feel that way?

I attended our 10 year reunion. I was pregnant with our twins at the 10 year! I am on the third row - far right - really short hair - I'm sort of at the end of the row - I am third standing from the far right.

We had a 15 year reunion, but I have no idea if there are any photos from that night! I actually was on the planning committee for that reunion.

There was evidently at least one other reunion, but I didn't attend. I think it might have been on a weekend when one of our kids was graduating from college.

A few years ago, there was a multi-class reunion and I did attend that one with two close friends and had a great time.

Here we are in 2026. There were about 125 people in our graduating class and 25 of them have died.

Below is half of the folks . . .

And here is the other half. I am on row two - if you count the guy who is turned the wrong way . . .I am the fifth person from the far right (standing).

Here is one of everyone - I am pretty sure we had a professional photographer at our 10 year reunion. Spouses were trying to snap these photos - we even asked one of the young servers to take some. None of the "big group" photos is very good. I did not help plan this year . . .I just couldn't take on anything else at this time.

It was great reconnecting with folks. I was a little surprised at how easily we picked up conversations after all of these years.

The reunion was held at Trussville Social which is about 40 minutes from our house. It was a really nice entertainment area with some other eating establishments, bars, etc. We were on an outdoor patio and were told it was "casual." I always chuckle at the different definitions of casual.

Every Friday during football season, you could purchase a sticker much like the ones above. Back then, I think the words were "beat whatever team" or something similar. I thought the choice of nametags was very clever and someone told me the same company made our nametags that made the stickers back in the 70's!

Mark kept walking around shaking hands with folks . . .saying things like, "I bet you don't remember me." He is such a nut.

Below is a picture of me and Mariea. She and her two sisters grew up in the house directly across the street from the house where my two sisters and I grew up. We attended all 12 years of school - first through Senior year - together plus we attended the same church!

The same goes for Ann in the photo below. She has always had the most beautiful Auburn hair!! I think she and I have aged really well hahaha!

The reunion was to be from 5:30 - 8:30, but around 7:30 . . .someone pulled up the radar and there was a huge storm about to hit. We had already taken the group photo and I had talked to a lot of folks. I told Mark that I was ready to go. We were parked across the road. We made it to the car and drove 1/2 a block and the bottom fell out!

Fifty years later, time revealed itself in different ways across familiar faces—deeply etched in some, gently in others. One female classmate was almost bald - I've been wondering if it was "chemo bald." As the evening unfolded, there was laughter, stories, and food and drinks. I was amazed at how confident I felt and how comfortable I felt. Those things that separated us years ago, seemed not to matter, though one husband introduced me to his wife as "one of the smart ones." haha! Stripped of time and pretense, we met again simply as ourselves, on level ground. 

I didn't take many photos . . .I was just present . . .in the moment!

Have you attended any class reunions?