The 50th Reunion

Greetings. We're back. 

There were some comments expressed that it was difficult to get news of the August 2023 reunion outside of Facebook. This posting might help solve that. 

Here's the schedule of what we have planned (subject to revision in some cases), with more details to come - you might want to bookmark the page:

Friday, August 18:

12 noon - Alicia Bratton (Bill Busch's sister) has agreed to give us a tour of the high school. Darn nice of her. For those not interested in seeing the place again, some will meet at Duff's in Eastern Hills Mall at noon for lunch.

The rest of the day - We'll be meeting at Rock the Barn at 9105 Main Street in Clarence. It supports the group Clarence Citizens for Veterans. The event starts at 4 p.m., and there is an admission charge. Click the link for more information.

Saturday, August 19:

12 noon - "Buffalo, An Architectural Museum" walking tour of some downtown areas. The tour will start at noon; we are trying to warm up for that with a tour of Shea's Buffalo Theater. (That's where the starting point of the walking tour will be.)

5 p.m. - 9 p.m. -  Main Event - Dinner at the Pierce Arrow Museum (263 Michigan Ave. in Buffalo). The cost for dinner and drinks is $100, and must be prepaid by August 1. How to pay? You can make your reservation via Zellepay. Zellepay is available directly through most banking apps and is safer as it was developed by banks. You will enter Karen Ciminelli's personal email, kacim551@gmail.com and follow prompts. Your $100/person payment will be safely transferred to our dedication reunion banking account. This is non-refundable. Also - you can simply send a check directly to John O'Hare, and he will take care of it. 

Two other points - We're calling the dress code business casual, so no tuxedos, ties, dinner jackets, gowns, t-shirts/skirts from gym class in 1972, and flip-flops. And keep in mind that the Buffalo Bisons have a game a block away that starts at 6 p.m., so be prompt.

Sunday, August 20:

11 a.m. - One last gathering at the Lion & Eagle Pub in Clarence for brunch. 

We have made arrangements with some local hotels for group rates. Downtown, try the Courtyard at Canalside and Hampton Suites on Chippewa. Near Clarence, call Salvatore's Garden Place and the Springhill Marriott.  

By the way, the photo above was taken at the 1993 Reunion. We're sure the Porters haven't aged since then. If there are  photos from previous reunions you'd like to share, feel free to send them to the email address below.

If you have questions, we can help. Write to ClarenceClassof1973@gmail.com. Even easier, leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

Into hibernation

Part of the reunion committee gathers one last time
before returning to their respective lives.

We only have two orders of business before we go into dormancy for a while.

* Thanks to everyone who showed up for some part of the reunion.The list includes:

Marshall Andrews, Budd Bailey, Marlena Bonosky, Joanne Bosard, Dave Campbell, Tim Cashmore, Karen Ciminelli, Bill Conway, Barb Cutt, Eileen Duffy, Kathy Ernst, John Fassel, Greg Hartwig, Tom Herberger, Kathy Herle, Kathy Hof, Dale Hughes, Bill Irr, Paul Jacobs, Jim Jozwiak, Steve Kies, Bill King, Duane Knavel, Joe Kody, Donna Kothen, Julie Kreher, Cindy Lauer, Bernice Leising, Cathy Lofgren, Sharon Lowry, Michelle Mangano, Yvonne Massey, Tim McNally, Kim Merrihew, Colleen Modaffara, John O'Hare, Dave Palmerton, Kim Patterson, Tim Porter, Sue Rosenthal, JKaren Roth, Scott Roth, John Salzyn, Paul Salzyn, Sue Schaffer, Bob Schoenthal, Norm Schuckler, Cheryl Suess, Craig Tierney, Pat Tunkey, Peggy Whitman, and Greg Wolmering. If we missed you, let us know.

We also salute and thank those from other classes who dropped by. One lesson we learned is that it is difficult to determine actual classes in some cases, as some people graduated late or early.

* Please keep in touch, and let us know your contact information - especially if it changes in the next few years. You only get one chance at a 50th anniversary reunion. The email address for the reunion will remain active indefinitely.

We'll start thinking about the next party about a year in advance (which is 2022 if you are counting). And, we'll be posting on the class Facebook sites when appropriate. You are welcome to do that too, of course.

The Endless Reunion, Day 5

The camera wasn't good enough to capture the entire banner. But you get the idea.

After two nights of a rock music festival, a calm afternoon filled with conversation seemed like a good way to end the reunion. Close to two dozen people, including some new faces, turned up for at least part of the relaxed proceedings at the (old) Clarence Town Park. They even made a couple of non-attending graduates feel part of the weekend, as they played "pass the phone" when calls were made to Kris McClellan and Deb Milbrand. Almost like being there, they said.

We'll be doing a recap of the proceedings down the road. But in the meantime, here are some photos for your enjoyment. If you have any other shots you'd like to share, please send them along when you get the chance. (Help on identifying people is always appreciated.)

This is hardly the end of the story. The Endless Reunion continues in a sense immediately following the old one. Classmates Mike Siracuse and Tom Ferrari are coming to Buffalo this week. They'll probably drive by their old house and the high school, and/or see old friends. Perhaps those who didn't make the formal reunion will pick up the phone and call a participant, or they'll be inspired to talk to someone else in the class who remains a good friend. And so it goes.

In the meantime, Budd Bailey wrote this essay five years ago after the last reunion. He says you can change the numbers involved and a few facts, but the emotions remain the same. You might like it. 

Cindy Lauer scored big points for hanging on to her girls gym outfit all these years. None of the boys present apparently kept those short, short gym shorts used in the early 1970s.

That looks like Paul Jacobs and wife Belle, Tim and Julie Porter, and Sharon Lowry.

Ron Blackmore, an old-timer from an ancient class, dropped in to tell stories about his days as a cross-country runner. Steve Kies was a willing listener.

Either John O'Hare is telling a great story to Cheryl Suess, or he is calling her for pass interference. She seems OK with it either way.

John Salzyn can deliver a big smile on cue, can't he?

Bill Irr, sporting a spiffy Buffalo football t-shirt, discusses the state of the Bills - or some other serious topic - with John O'Hare.

It's nice to know the Clarence Town Park on Main Street is still a pretty place to spend a summer afternoon.

Looks like Greg Hartwig, Julie Porter, Kathy Ernst and John O'Hare remain good friends after 45 years. 

Bill Irr and Peggy Whitman relax while Steve Kies tells a story. Cheryl Suess enjoys it too. Nice shirt, Steve.

John O'Hare's short concert had Kathy and Belle reaching for their lighters (or at least their cell phones) to demand an encore.

Budd Bailey is always flattered to pose for a photo with people like Peggy Whitman and Cheryl Suess. Something about making him look as tall as Mark Hovind and Don Smith.

Paul Jacobs unsuccessfully tries to suppress a giggle while talking to Tim Porter.

Bill Irr, you don't have to sneak around to get a hot dog. There was plenty for everyone.

 Norm Schueckler was the last of our class to show up. Therefore, he gets the last photo - here with Kathy Ernst, Julie Porter and Sharon Lowry. Norm looks like he could rip off a few laps in the pool right now.

The Endless Reunion, Day 4

A big crowd turned out at the second night for "Rock the Barn," even thought few of the reunion participants even noticed that bands were playing at both ends of the "midway." Here are some photos taken along the way (photos can be blown up in size by clicking on them); yours are welcome as well (Facebook or email it directly to the class site). And feel free to leave comments!

Well, at least people could find us at Rock the Barn. We were near the beer tent.

I can't add a caption in the usual way, but Steve Kies and Tim Cashmore catch up
 on 25 years of stories from the last time they saw each other.

Bob Schoenthal (left) made a rare personal appearance this year, and even brought his wife. Tim and Julie Porter caught up with them. Meanwhile, Steve Kies hangs on every word while Tim Cashmore doesn't.

A better angle of Julie Porter and Bob Schoenthal's wife.

Let's see - there's Tim Porter, Yvonne Massey, and Pat Tunkey talking, and Steve Kies (close to camera listening).

Marshall and Dian Andrews, with Eileen and Greg Wolmering. Greg is the one with a beer in his hand; that's not a rare sight.

Bill Conway was a little blurry on Saturday night ... or maybe the photo simply came out that way. But Cindy Lauer remains picture perfect, as usual.

Pat Tunkey won the award for most colorful outfit, female division. The winner of the male prize is coming up next.

See?

John O'Hare says the Grateful Dead ought to be on stage any minute, and he's ready for it.

The Endless Reunion, Day 3, Part Two

We will yield the floor now to the photographers of The Buffalo News, who took some photos on Friday and posted them there. Hopefully they won't yell at us for "borrowing" them. You can see the whole site by going here.

We'll put up more photos if/when we get them:

As you'll see, the photographer really like Sue Rosenthal's glasses.

Debbie Wijnberg (Class of '74, and a very nice person despite some immaturity in hanging out with older and wiser classmates from '73) and Sharon Lowry made the Buffalo News gallery.

And so did Marlena Bonosky, with Sue Rosenthal (again).

Barb Cutt, who moved out of Clarence in high school, will always be one of us. She's shown here with Dale Hughes and Julie Porter.

Bad planning by your webmaster made him miss out on the Friday night appearances of two favorites - Colleen Modaffara and Cathy Lofgren. Drat. Nice to see them here, though.

The reunion committee was always willing to accept help when offered. Karen Roth and Kathy Herle were the last to join and helped plan the Endless Reunion.

Tom Herberger poses with Donna Kothen, who unselfishly hosted many of the reunion planning committee meetings. She deserves a gold star as well as money to replenish her supply of alcoholic beverages that we consumed along the way.

Joe Kody talks high finance with Lee Abell, the husband of Sally Danna of the Class of '74.

Sue Rosenthal and Joanne Bosard take a bow.

Scott Roth and Dale Hughes seemed really happy to see each other. And we were happy to see them.