GCHS Class of 1959 40th Reunion

GCHS Class of 1959 40th Reunion
Guilderland Central High School
Guilderland Center, New York

August 20 - 22, 1999

During the weekend of August 20 - 22, 1999, 55 alumni from the Class of '59 (out of an original 133 graduates) and spouses attended one or more reunion events, including a Friday night get-reacquainted party, a Saturday morning tour of the high school, a Saturday evening banquet, and a Sunday brunch. Here are some pictures, contributed by alumni.

OK, everyone smile!
On Saturday, Class of '59 alumni attended a dinner at the Western Turnpike Country Club. Attending were: (Kneeling): Dick Brunk, Bill Griessel, Jim Hauser, John Wierzchowski, Bob Jacobson, Art Kocsis, Thurston Armstrong, Rich Cox, Gary Adams and Ken Kilmer. (Seated): Jane Quay-Willey, Lynda Jensen-Thomas, Alice Dickes-Michel, Joan Milne-Behnke, Diane Mitchell-Ziobrowski, Mrs. Betty Spadaro (former 5th grade teacher),Delores Ropke-Cummings (former GCHS librarian), Fern Arnold-Weber, MaryAnn Gaglioti-Lenz, Ann Lee Mesick-Brumley, and Sandy Schermerhorn-Burke. (Standing): Joanne Ford-Hardy, Randy Alger, Bob Bailey, Sue Wheeler-Roy, John King, Veronica Scott, Linda Thorsen-Novak, Howie Anderson, Dick Conklin, Paul DeLaMater, Bob Smith, Ed Sullivan, Jim Miller, Brian Maybee, Frank Kakely, Marlene Suits-Laraway, Betty Jacobson-Bluto, Jonathan Briggs, Valerie Piotrowski-Stahl, Larry MacIntosh, Beverly Shenauer-Filkins, Leon Pergl, Art Shave, John Fassett, Jeff Peterson, Howie Keefer, and Dave Selover.

Alumni Dick Conklin and Jim Hauser with Dick's wife Arlene and Alice Dickes-Michel, the Class of '59's exchange student from Luxembourg.	Frank Kakley and John Wierzchowski	The gals get together at the Sunday brunch. Back row - Alices Dickes-Michel, Betty Jacobson-Bluto, Diane Mitchell-Ziobrowski, Linda Thorsen-Novak, Joanne Ford-Hardy, and Lori Zwicklbauer-Hill. Front row - Sandy Schermerhorn-Burke, Joan Milne-Behnke, Lynda Jensen-Thomas, Ronnie Scott, and Jane Quay-Willey	Alice Dickes-Michel and Jim Hauser
Nancy Selover, alumnus Joan Milne-Behnke, Fred Behnke, and alumnus Dave Selover.	Jane Quay-Willey, Thurston Armstrong, and Bob Jacobson	Alice Dickes-Michel and Lynda Jensen-Thomas pose by the old GCHS bell	Joan Milne-Behnke, Lynda Jensen-Thomas, Alice Dickes-Michel and Diane Mitchell-Ziobrowski.
Linda Thorsen-Novak, Lori Zwicklbauer-Hill, Sue Wheeler-Roy, JoAnn Ford-Hardy, and Jane Quay-Willey		Brian Maybee and Linda Thorsen-Novak	Howard Anderson, JoAnn Ford-Hardy and Jon Briggs
Class of '59 alumni gather in the school parking lot prior to the tour. Tour guide Brian McCann, an Assistant Principal at Guilderland High School, gives a brief history of the school's evolution.
Brian McCann describes the many changes that have taken place at GCHS during the past 40 years, including a state-of-the-art, fully computerized library.			Howard Anderson and Bob Jacobson
Jean Antonucci-Marotta, Linda Thorsen-Novak, and Bruce Bibbins.		Linda Thorsen-Novak surveys the Altamont Fairgrounds. The fair provided free passes for alumni.	Charles Ciaccio was the Vice-Principal in 1959. He later served as Principal.
John King and Paul DeLaMater refresh themselves after a brief trek along Thatcher Park's famed Indian Ladder Trail.		During the school tour, GCHS '59 alumni sat on the same auditorium stage where they received their diplomas over 40 years earlier.
*Help us find our missing alumni:* James (Jay) Hall Marion Miller Linda Peters-Merslich Carol Purtell-Frederick Anders Rasmussen Barbara Roberts-Porto	*In honor of our deceased alumni:* Robert Griessel Charles Chiboucas Nancy Curtis-Curry Joan Dayter Larry Markessinis Jean Ohlidal-Rapant Rudy Olsen Arnold Stalker Charles Gage Ed Heitzman	Paul DeLaMater and Joan Milne-Behnke show off their Best Dancer qualifications in the GCHS '59 yearbook (left) and again at the 40th reunion (right).
Dick Brunk and John King at the Sunday brunch.		JoAnn Ford-Hardy, Paul DeLaMater, and Susan Wheeler-Roy at the Saturday night dinner.
Some of the old Class of '59 gang get together after 40 years. Front row: Gary Adams, Dick Cox, Leon Pergl, Jim Hauser, Thurston Armstrong, and Bill Griessel. Back row: John King, Larry Macintosh, Paul DeLaMater, Bob Jacobson, Bob Bailey, Brian Maybee, Dick Brunk, and Frank Kakely.
			Dick Brunk and JoAnn Ford-Hardy were named Most Athletic in the GCHS '59 yearbook (above).