The 67th and 68th class reunion of the 1951 and 1952 classes was held Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Staunton Fellowship Hall in Staunton.

Fifty-six classmates made reservations, but several were unable to come at the last minute due to illness and travel arrangements. We had 38 members of the class of 51 and 18 members of the class of 52 to attend.

Registration was at 12:30 p.m. Members signed in the guest book and received their pin on name tags and booklets for each class.

Master of ceremonies of the class of 51, Dick Hughes, welcomed everyone and ask them to be seated.

President of the class of 51, Sharon Vincent, gave the invocation.

The delicious buffet was prepared by caterer Sarah Matthews. When dessert time arrived, Jodi Kirk from class of 51 and Beverly Ingram from the class of 52 lit the 85th and 86th candles on the birthday cake. Then the classes all sang happy birthday to themselves and blew out the candles.

After the meal was over, Hughes and master of ceremonies for the class of 52, Buell McBrayer, held a memorial service for the deceased members from both classes. The class of 51 has lost 52 members and the class of 52 lost 62 members.

Both MCs gave reports on members who couldn’t come and also on the members who wrote notes to say hello and on phone calls received. The class of 51 has held 16 reunions and the class of 52 has had several reunions, the last one in 2015. All enjoyed the good food and visiting with each class. Photos were taken of each class and also with the antique 1912 Ford Touring car that Norman Merritt brought to the reunion. They had a special reunion with four ladies from the class of 52. They have stayed in contact since the first grade at Cherry Hill Elementary School and all through junior and senior high school. They are Beverly Ingram, Faye Ann Persinger, Mary Meadows and Jean Ann Boylan. Boylan was unable to come at the last minute.

The class of 51 tables were decorated in white tablecloths with red, white and blue items in the center with lights and vases of red roses for class flower, and red and silver for class colors and blue and white for school colors. The class of 52 tables were decorated with yellow tablecloths and vases of yellow daisies for their class flower and yellow and fall leaves with lights for class color of rust and yellow.

Photos were taken for each class. On the memorabilia table the classes had pictures of the 52 WHS Marching Band, the old high school and the last reunions. Also there was a photo album of past reunions and a large stuffed lion in the center of the poster boards. They had many ceramic lions. “We love our Blue Lions.”

The WHS class of 1951 posed for a photo during their recent reunion. Pictured (L to R): insert Dick Hughes, first row: Juanita Phillips. Second row: Jane Hughes, Rozella McArthur, Liz Dawson, Tom Gilmore, and Shirley Stackhouse. Third row: Harold Thompson, Shiley Cupp, Wilma Manning, Mary Holley, Robert Highfield, Harold Roberts and Betty Gilmore. Four row: Clinton Gilmore, Rhoda Gilmore, Jodi Kirk, Ann Blake, Barb While, Eleanor Howard, Linda Highfield, Sharon Vincent, Esther Johnson and Ann Thompson. Fifth row: Bill Holley, Norman Merritt, Larry Johnson and Jane Merritt.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_Classof51.jpgThe WHS class of 1951 posed for a photo during their recent reunion. Pictured (L to R): insert Dick Hughes, first row: Juanita Phillips. Second row: Jane Hughes, Rozella McArthur, Liz Dawson, Tom Gilmore, and Shirley Stackhouse. Third row: Harold Thompson, Shiley Cupp, Wilma Manning, Mary Holley, Robert Highfield, Harold Roberts and Betty Gilmore. Four row: Clinton Gilmore, Rhoda Gilmore, Jodi Kirk, Ann Blake, Barb While, Eleanor Howard, Linda Highfield, Sharon Vincent, Esther Johnson and Ann Thompson. Fifth row: Bill Holley, Norman Merritt, Larry Johnson and Jane Merritt.

The WHS class of 1952 pose during their recent reunion. Pictured (L to R): first row: Liz Dawson, Faye Ann Sagar Persinger, Buell McBrayer, Mary McDonald Meadows, and Beverly Carmen Ingram. Second row: Bud Dawson, Hugh Wilson, Winifred Dellinger Gregory, Sally Lewis Williams, Jim Williams, and Rodney Acton.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_Classof52.jpgThe WHS class of 1952 pose during their recent reunion. Pictured (L to R): first row: Liz Dawson, Faye Ann Sagar Persinger, Buell McBrayer, Mary McDonald Meadows, and Beverly Carmen Ingram. Second row: Bud Dawson, Hugh Wilson, Winifred Dellinger Gregory, Sally Lewis Williams, Jim Williams, and Rodney Acton.

Pictured are three ladies who have remained in contact with each other since the first grade at Cherry Hill, Beverly Ingram, Faye Ann Persinger and Mary Meadows. The fourth member is Jean Ann Boylan but was unable to attend at the last minute. All three pictured were at the reunion of classes 51 and 52.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_CherryHillLadies.jpgPictured are three ladies who have remained in contact with each other since the first grade at Cherry Hill, Beverly Ingram, Faye Ann Persinger and Mary Meadows. The fourth member is Jean Ann Boylan but was unable to attend at the last minute. All three pictured were at the reunion of classes 51 and 52.