BITBURG BARON SCROLL FALL 2004

 

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Anne Marie Sorce ‘64  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed so much to our association over the past 19+ years and are greatly responsible for keeping us together.  Teresa Hill ’67, her family and Jane Nicola Mathis ’68 put their heads together in 1984 or 1985, and thanks to their efforts and those of Bernie Tibbetts’65 and Tony Alves ’67, 120 missing Barons were found, 110 of whom showed up in Arlington, Texas in July of 1985 for our first reunion.  Cam and “Irish” Strong ’66 took up the reigns and hosted the 1987 reunion in Vail, CO.  They also took on the chores of news editors, roster, and almost every other position except class reps, although they may have been the reps for the Class of ’66 at that time.  Other Class Reps at that time were Art Forster ’63, John Barnett ’64, Bernie Tibbetts ’65, Bonnie Purnell Thompson ’67, Pat Guy ’68, Suzanne Purnell Elgin ’69 and Gina Purnell Dunn ’70.  Cam is responsible for getting us organized!

 

Claudia Daly Hoyle ’68 took over the Baron Scroll and roster after the 1987 reunion, and the Baron Scroll became a sleek publication and a very hard act to follow.  But follow they did, adding their own special touches to the Baron Scroll.  Thank you Jane Nicola ’68, Kelly Flynn Van Deusen ’67, Jack Albrecht ‘70 and Kenn Rains ’67 for all the time put in on the Scroll!  Kelly Flynn ’67 also brought the roster to the computer age in 1994 and put in countless hours entering data and giving us the ability to transfer this job with the least amount of trouble, when the time came for her to turn over the reigns in 2003.  In 2002 Kelly was also responsible for publishing the roster on CD-rom, allowing us to save money.  Kelly has also served as president of the association and ‘67 Class Rep.

 

In the early 90s Jack Albrecht ’70 brought us on line and became our very first Web Meister, and in 2003 Don Cooper ’63 followed in his footsteps.  Don also served as the Class of ’63 rep for many years.  Sue Weeks Hanson ’67 is our current Roster Manager and a member of the Board, but in the past has served as President, Vice President, Class Rep and Reunion Coordinator. 

 

Our association has survived for almost 20 years thanks to these people who have volunteered their time and talent.  Many of the volunteers have volunteered for several years at a time and even have taken on more than one position at the same time.  Often it is because no one else has stepped up to the plate.  This association currently has almost 1000 members, and less than 5% of the membership have been involved in volunteering to keep it going.  (The same is true when it comes to contributions to cover our every day expenses.)  We are in need of someone to serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the current term, which ends in June 2006. Since we only have one Board meeting, and it is held at the reunion, this position should not be too time consuming.  If you are interested in volunteering for this position or any of the positions on the Board, please contact Bernie Tibbetts.  Please take a few minutes and go to our web page and check under Officers and Representatives.  Most of these positions will need to be filled again in June 2006.  If you would like more information on any of these positions please contact Loretta Rhorer McAtee.

 

I have been involved with this association since I was found in 1985 (Thank you, Bernie!), have served as ’64 Class Rep and have been responsible for the Memorabilia since 1991 when we had our first official Memorabilia Room.  Prior to that, everyone brought their cherished possessions to the reunions and they were set up where space allowed. People still bring their memorabilia to the reunions, but more often than not they donate it to our collection.  We currently have 3 LARGE crates of memorabilia.  Kathy Ford Litalien ’69 has taken over this position. 

 

In 1993 I became the “Locator” and have had the pleasure of finding many of you.  In many cases I have been the first voice you have heard after 30 or more years of wondering about former classmates and wishing that our high school could have reunions. I thank you for sharing your joy and stories with me!  Thank you to all of you who have served this organization!  If I have forgotten anyone, I apologize profusely.  I’m pushing 60 and my memory is often faulty.

Anne Marie Sorce ‘64

Our Chairman of the Board is Bernie Tibbetts ’65, who has also been the Class of ’65 Rep, Association President, and member of the Board.  Loretta Rhorer McAtee ’65 currently serves as Association President and has previously been Association VP and ’65 Class Rep. Bill Wiehl ’67 has coordinated 3 reunions and is currently serving as advisor to Camille Hitch Smith ’64 for the 2006 reunion.

 

Thank you to all past Class Reps. From experience I know this job, Roster Manager and that of Scroll Editor are probably the hardest jobs, but definitely three of the most important. All of the jobs are important, but these are the ones that keep us in touch.  Without the Class Reps, there would be no news.  In the days prior to the Internet it was up to them to make the phone calls, send out the letters and TRY to get their classmates to give them something (ANYTHING) for the newsletter.  Despite their best efforts, it is often up to the editor to find “filler” to interest people he or she has never met.  Thank you to all the former class reps: ’63 – Art Forster, Sue Levy King, Don Cooper and Donna Dawson Canfield; ’64 –John Barnett, AJ Scanlon Morena, Camille Hitch Smith and Carol Bell Blackwood; ’65 Bernie Tibbetts, Suzi Wayne Horne, Loretta Rhorer McAtee, and Julie Penrose Vallejos; ’66 Roy Harrow, Wanda Latham Stubblefield, Ken McCaskey, Pat Schrieber Mathis, and David Schauer; ’67 Bob Barker, Gay Bell Barnes, Pat Denmark Todd, Barb Emanuel Stuart, Kelly Flynn Van Deusen, Bonnie Purnell Thompson, Sue Weeks Hanson, Lorraine Yoshikado Johnson and Freddy Gonzalez; ’68 Pat Guy, Jane Nicola Mathis, Sonny Rasar, and Suzi Rea Welch; ’69 Suzanne Purnell Elgin, Kate Klauzar Walters-Beetley, and Jonathon Pugh; ’70 Gina Purnell Dunn, Pam Ross Grinstead and Naomi Ouellette Demolli.

 

A special thanks to Gerry Lagish Hilliard who has served as treasurer since sometime in the ‘80s.  A spouse of one of our alums wore our 1987 Reunion T-shirt into a branch of Wells Fargo Bank where Gerry was working, and she was found.  Shortly thereafter she became, and still is, our treasurer.  Prior to Gerry’s reign, Pat Schrieber Mathis held this position.