All Class Reunion - 2004
Every four years during the Presidential Election Year, all those who ever attended Lyons High School in Lyons, Georgia are invited to get together for an "All Year LHS Class Reunion". This year the reunion was held at Quint Shrine Center in Lyons on November 27, 2004.
Everybody was on their best behavior this year. Becky Yarbrough, Sue McCumbers and Marijon Meadows maintained that they had heard no evil, seen no evil or spoke no evil, but Billy Yarbrough lets the cat out of the bag.
Remember John Todd and Betty George? Well, here he is about 40 years later with George Gordon catching up on what each other has been doing over the year.
Pat Gordon (Class of '62) is happy to be at the reunion.
Jerry Davis (Class of '65) and his wife Barbara.
"Yes sir, the basic admission is $10." Mrs. Larry Griggers volunteers to help Marijon collect admission to pay for the reunion.
Peggy Wilson arrives and says,
"When does the dancing start?"
Tim Page, Patsy Wilds Wallace and Jim Paul Gordy
renew their acquaintance.
There's a lot of hugging that goes on at a class reunion. Johnny exclaims, "You haven't been hugged, Sue, until you have been double hugged by the Griggers brothers!" It looks like Sue finds that remark kind of funny.
When you get together with classmates you haven't seen for decades, just talking about old times and catching up is all the entertainment you need to have a great time.
"I had to work hard to keep you upperclassmen at arms length in those days!" Bobby James (Class of '64) and Zandra Alexander (Class of '61) reminisce.
Joyce Kitchens Enfinger (Class of '61) and husband Kenneth join the party.
Jack and Judy Alexander were excited to be able to make the reunion this year.
Johnny Collins (Class of '61) drops by to see his old chums.
The class of '65 had the most classmates in attendance at the all year reunion. Sue and Janette Findley are happy to see each other again.
Linda Corbin Wilson (Class of '65) and husband Ron always make every reunion and everybody is always glad to see them.
Roy Stewart (Class of '62) is a rare sight. He is one graduate that made Lyons his home after graduation.
Well, maybe not so rare. Charles Rustin (Class of '61) also stayed and now serves as the Chairman of the Toombs County Board of Commissioners.
Tim is making the rounds catching up. He strikes up a conversation with Linda Griner (Class of '68).
Susan Rustin and husband, Mr. Grisham. It is really fun to meet the spouses of your classmates and find out how they met, talk about their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Becky is just immortal, that's all there is to it. She was the class beauty in 1960 and she still looks great today. She is bound to be the last graduate of LHS still standing.
It's funny how quickly the years fade away when you begin talking to a classmate.
Barbara and Janette chat. Can you recognize who that is on the slide show in the background? It's John Todd and Mike Dickerson on a boat in Savannah during a field trip in 1965 to the Dixie Crystal and Union Camp plants.
Larry Griggers' wife Debbie was helping his mother clean out a closet and came across a school photo album from 1965-1966. Everyone enjoyed it immensely.
Van Page (Class of '66) is one of our classmates that has changed little over the years. That's him on the right with a trumpet accompanying Betty George on the piano.
Thinking about the old times is a favorite past time of Don Carter (Class of '65).
Wayne Campbell (Class of '65). Each classmate is a walking library of wonderful memories from high school. Wayne has lots of stories to tell.
The Alexanders were big guys on campus throughout the 50's and 60's. Fred strikes up a conversation with Roy Stewart.
Pat Gordon Phillips and her husband William along with Allyson (Mrs. George Gordon) enjoying the slide show.
I'll bet Mickey Cooper (husband of Sue McCumbers) has cut a rug to many an Elvis Presley tune. He kept the dance floor pretty hot!
Chris just has a good time no matter what he is doing. The 2004 All Year Reunion was no exception. Earlier in the afternoon, all the Class of '65 gathered at Chris' house for their annual get together.
Billy Yarbrough (Class of '65), Pam Griggers (wife of Johnny), and Larry Griggers (Class of '66) are having a great time.
Forty years dissolve in a single smile. We change, but our friendships grow stronger.
Time can really change us a lot, don't you think? Around 1958 Johnny Griggers and Evelle Gibbs went to a grade school dance. In 2004, they try out the dance floor again.
Whether it is a sock hop at the LHS Gym or at a class reunion at the Quint Shrine Club, when the classmates get together, they know how to shake a tail feather.
The Class of '65 was the largest class in attendance at the All Year LHS Reunion in 2004.
The Class of '65 as Third Graders.
See if you can spot Grace Collins (Class of '65) in the picture on the right.
Having cokes in class? I don't remember that treat. Grace is the "thinker" on the first row, far right.
In school you had your cliques that you hung around with. Some classmates escaped your complete attention. Forty or so years later, those relationships begin to fade and new relationships form. The common experience of LHS unites us and classmates that were not close when they were in school become newly acquainted and form fast friendships.
Evelle and John are really glad to see each other again.
Richard Thompson (Class of '61) and Charles Rustin (Class of '61).
Isn't that sweet? Buddy Dismuke's (Class of '64) wife, Barbara Stanley (Class of '65) still enjoys sitting on his knee. If I was still writing for the "Betcha Didn't Know" column of the Lyons' Roar, that would get an honorable mention.
"Hi everybody!" Buddy Lindsey (Class of '61) waves to the crowd.
Spec Nobles (Class of '63), Greg Wilkes (Class of '66) and Spook Alexander (Class of '64) are no doubt discussing sports. They were all three stars in their days at LHS. Greg's fade away over-the-head jump shot and his hook shot (see above) just could not be blocked and were the terror of all teams that played basketball with LHS.
The annuals are always at hand for reference. Some of the classmates have changes so much the annuals have to be checked to refresh your memory!
George and Allyson Gordon make an attractive couple.
Becky Yarbrough Tindall (Class of '60) and Jackie McLaw.
These two sisters are very close. Evelle Gibbs (Class of '65) and Mary Alice Gibbs (Class of '69). See if you can spot Evelle in the photo below.
It's hard to get everyone together for the class pictures. People come and go all afternoon long. But isn't that as it always was? Trying to get the classes together in the old days was like herding cats!
Little fingers of light reach out and touch these young performers. I believe it was a piano recital. Evelle is the 2nd person from the left. That's your webmaster six down from the left.
Mary Alice Gibbs (on the right) represented the Class of '69
Patsy Wilds and Tim Page represented the Class of '67.
Greg Wilkes, Larry Griggers and Van Page represented the Class of '66.
How do they do it! The incredible Class of '65 has a huge turnout every year. Bottom row, left to right: Evelle Gibbs, Marijon Meadows, Johnny Griggers, Susan Rustin. Standing: Wayne Campbell, Don Carter, Chris McRae, Sue McCumbers, John Todd, Billy Yarbrough, Jeanette Findley, Grace Collins, Van Page, Barbara Stanley, Lloyd Stewart, Betty Carol Mimbs, and Henrietta Burke.
George Gordon, Jackie Patterson, Jimmy "Spook" Alexander and Buddy Dismuke represented the Class of '64.
Charles "Spec" Nobles represented the Class of '63.
Pat Gordon represented the Class of '62.
Bobby Linsey, Jack Alexander, Zandra Alexander, Bobby James and Charles Rustin represented the Class of '61.
There were several who dropped by from classes in the 50's, but unfortunately they did not stay for the pictures.
Charles Outler, Becky Yarbrough and Jimmy Morris represented the Class of '60.
It's like you just can't get enough of seeing your old school chums again. We heard that the Class of '65 had breakfast at Shoney's in Vidalia the next morning!
Johnny Griggers, get off that phone and talk to Ed Johnson! You don't get to see these guys all that often.
Henrietta Burke (Class of '65) and Betty Carol Mimbs (Class of '65) have been friends for a long time.
Sue is such a cut up. It is almost impossible to catch her without her mouth open! We should strive to have such a positive outlook on life, don't you think?
I finally learned how to dance!" beams Tim proudly. "Not really, he's standing on my foot!" complains Pat.
As I work away carrying out my duties as Webmaster for the LHS Alumni Association and what happens when the music starts? My best friend starts dancing with my wife! Who would have thought someone so innocent when he was little would turn out to be so devilish? (Yep, that's Billy on the right too.)
Billy said this was made on a family vacation in Golden Beach, Miami in 1952.
"Hey, that ain't right! Where are the chaperones!" Allyson, Pat and Chris demonstrate a style of dancing not frequently seen in public in the 60's. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey would be impressed!
The 1960 Class Beauty has got her a cutie!
"That's me???" Sue McCumbers can't believe her eyes. Yep, that's her selling tickets at the Pal Theater in Lyons in 1965, almost 40 years ago.
And as Donna Summer would say, that's the "Last Dance". The All Year LHS Reunion 2004 was history, but it produced a lot of fond memories.
We close our photo layout with a picture post card of Lyons High School from the mid-50's, courtesy of Bobby Thompson Durst (Class of '46). There was nothing extraordinary about our school. It was like so many thousands of schools all across America, but for all who attended there, looking at the above photo is bound to stir warm feeling in their hearts. It was our alma mater, birthplace of a great education and some wonderful friendships.