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The Magee High School Class of 1963 returned home to Magee for its 55th Class Reunion. The much-anticipated reunion was held at the beautiful McAlpin House on April 21, 2018. The term “Forever Friends” was embodied in the atmosphere of joy, love, and unity at the gathering of 25 classmates with spouses and friends, for a total of 41 attendees.
The Class of ’63 is unique in the closeness of the friendships which developed during the years of school at Magee and has been intentionally maintained over the years. The excitement of being together, hugging, story-telling, joking, and laughter were contagious as dear friends gathered at this once in a lifetime occasion, and the memories of yesteryear flooded the hearts and minds.
The high school experiences of this class were probably best described in the movie, “American Graffiti,” which captures the feelings, the music, the prom, the teachers, how we dressed, the excitement of our graduating year, and our coming of age. In the midst of that atmosphere was a sense of innocence and the uniqueness of growing up in a small town, where everyone knew each other and looked out for each other.
The schedule for the reunion consisted of several hours for visiting and enjoying being together. There was a display of memorabilia from school days, which included the 1963 Annual, a “Trojan Trumpet” from the class’s senior year, the recipe of Mrs. Jones for the wonderful yeast rolls everyone enjoyed in the cafeteria, a picture taken in the cafeteria during elementary school and pictures from previous reunions. After a wonderful dinner, during which the visiting and enjoyment of being together continued, an “In Memoriam” sheet was distributed which listed classmates who have been lost through death. These classmates were memorialized by the names being read and everyone given an opportunity to share special memories of those classmates. There was a time of “remembrances,” and classmates shared special, unusual and funny things they remembered from school. News was shared on those classmates who could not attend.
Those responsible for various aspects of the reunion program included Carolyn Runnels Poole, Class Secretary (Messages from Absentees, program, contact information for class members), Bill Poole, husband of Carolyn Poole (Prayer/Blessing), Jane Mangum Hederman (Remembrances), Alice Faye Walker Weess and husband, Harold (Name Tags), Rita Floyd Purser (In Memoriam, Remembrances). Jane Hederman provided beautiful flowers for our Class President, Nancy Bowling West, for her years of faithful service. Randy Prince shared a moving tribute to Mrs. Agnes Puckett, one of our teachers, who insisted her students take a particular standardized test, the results of which were available and helped launch his enlistment and career in the Air Force. Dr. Charles Pruitt provided some very useful and valuable tips for remaining healthy and active, including diet, exercise, and balance.
The portrait accompanying this article was taken by Photographer Shannon Marie Phillips-Long.
Written by Rita Floyd Purser
Magee High School Class of 1963 Portrait was made by Shannon Phillips-Long
Front row in chairs, Linda Craft Butler, Carolyn Runnels Poole, Rita Floyd Purser, Becky Leach Baldwin
Second row, l to r, Nancy Bowling West, Alice Faye Walker Weess, Judy Craft Brewer, Billie Jean Craft Meadows, Elsie Jean Mangum McLendon, Ellen Maddox Cox, Patricia Herrington Jones
Third row, l to r, Donald Travis Martin, Randy Prince, Joe Meadows, Donna Kennedy Barksdale, Jane Mangum Hederman, Betty Lynda Rankin Williams
4th Row, Clinton Rankin, Larry Brewer, Donald Barr, Charles Pruitt, Charlie Spillers
Back Row, Douglas Dollar, Eugene Knight, Billy Brewer, Zeno Cone
