Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

DHS CLASS of 1970

Posted Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 7:43 PM

Teresa(Pearson)Lee, Sue(Hastings)Rogers, Kathy(Chaligoj)Trotter, Mary(Thompson) Pennington, Barbara(McQuary) McGavock, June(Davis)Watson, Donnie Rogers, Jeanette (Grubb)Heavin, Linda(Merriman)Baugus, Eddie Mobley, Hermmena(Howard)Robertson 1971, Charles Carrens, Don'Rogue'Ruminer, Wanda Craft, Brenda(Carroll)Redus, Wayne Allen, Bill Walker, Karen(Clements)Allen, Wendell Murdock, Sue(Hudson)Beal, Henry Schrimsher (Not pictured: Donna Wilkerson, Ruth(Burris)Micalizio)

The Doniphan High School Class of 1970 held a casual multi-year celebration of its multi-year connection at Float Camp on September 30. We were gung-ho about reunions early in our postgraduate lives with major weekend productions. Then after our 25th or 30th (?) - years begin to run together and memorabilia is who-knows-where to check - we were busy with children, careers, grandchildren, aging parents, health declines and retirements.

Social media simplified planning for an impromptu gathering a few years ago and we were gung-ho once again. Later we joined a multi-class fancy reunion that was a grand chance to mix and mingle with our own classmates and those older and younger. And our 50th commemoration loomed.

We had an arsenal of contacts and ideas. Several worked hours and hours to create a celebration worthy of our memories. But, you know how it goes from here. The pandemic restrictions interfered, complicating travel and assembly and elevating health risks if ignored. With heavy hearts we called it off, staging our fancy 50th only in our imaginations. It would have been magnificent! And I would have bought a tee-shirt. In 1970 we could not have predicted such a community dilemma, and certainly could not have fathomed a global one. The virus managed to affect attendance this year, too.

DHS is my alma mater though I attended only my senior year here. We were the last seniors to attend high school in the three-story brick building - with that magnificent balconied auditorium - that stood majestically behind First Baptist Church.

I may not share tons of childhood memories with those in the class of ‘70, but I have tons of connections. Both sets of my grandparents lived here, so my family visited often. I am familiar with Doniphan of those days. Even though I may have not realized it at the time, I’ve had classmates’ children and grandchildren, cousins and siblings in my own classrooms at Doniphan R-1.

Connections to my fellow graduates are more significant now. The numbers lost get closer to the numbers living. Memories blur, faces change, names escape, but the laughter remains. We’ll continue to honor our connections with monthly luncheons and an annual gathering.

HAPPY 50th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd to THE DHS CLASS of 1970!

(For my column in the Oct. 11 issue of the PN)