1958 THS seniors celebrate 50th reunion

Members of the class of 1958 are, from left: Front - Glendola (Cockrum) Greenway, Georgia (Howard) Bailey, Jan (Meeks) Bley, Glenda ( Payne) Blahut, Grace ( Brinkley) Shassere, Velva (Teague) Collins, Retha (Hall) Burge, Martha (Huss) Creecy, Deloyce (Simpson) Phillips, Mattie (Tucker) Whitright, Geraldine (Williams) Finley, Sarah (Mccarty) Jacobs, James Ford and Charles Rains. Second row - Buddy Suiter, Annetta (Brannon) O'brien, Louise Hundley, Bobby Robbins, Jane (Mathis) Clark, Eddie Pyle, Charles Burge, Barbara (Harvey) Pagan, Iantha (Bearden) Humphries, Melva (Smith) Moody, F.H. Weems and W.C. Toddy. Third Row --Robert Thompson, Gerald Bailey, Donald Drew, Walter Staggs, Harold Davis, Michael Adams, James Looney, Hershel Wyatt, Bobby Evans and Garey Martin. Back - Bobby Tucker and Edward Richardson. (Photo provided)

Recently, 43 of those graduates returned to Trumann to celebrate their 50th class reunion, according to Sarah McCarty Jacobs, who helped plan the recent reunion.

The turnout for 50-year reunions is often lean, but not for these 1958 graduates, as almost everyone showed up for the celebration.

"Thirteen of our class mates are deceased," Jacobs said. "Only five of our remaining classmates were unable to attend the reunion and three of those were kept away by illness."

The class got together on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28. The toured their old high school, later met at the Community House and simply visited.

Getting caught up in the memories was a main emphasis of the reunion while talking, talking and more talking was the primary activity, said Jacobs.

"We just had a good time visiting with each other," she said. "The weekend was so wonderful…getting to see each other again."

Jacobs, who still lives in Trumann, was assisted in planning the reunion by Retha Burge of Jonesboro, Iantha Humpries of Salem, Louise Hundley of Bay and Martha Creecy also of Trumann. The group made a concerted effort to encourage each of their former classmates to attend and were thrilled with the turnout!

The thirteen classmates who are deceased include: Doris Ann Berry, Joe Barker, William Bell, Drury Brock, Billy Carr, Kenneth Conrad, Georgia DePriest, Dewan Henry, Raymond Hinds, Sue Mackey, Donald Mitchusson, Tommy Nester and Dudley Walker. As a tribute, a special memorial frame with photos of these classmates was displayed at the reunion.

Current Trumann High School Band Director Sheila Stephan had the THS senior band record the Alma Mater for the group. It was played Saturday night as classmates sang along.

Trumann Mayor Sheila Walters attended the group's Saturday night dinner to welcome them back to the city and wish them the best.

The group also reminisced about their senior trip to New Orleans where they stayed at the Hotel Roosevelt and were entertained in the hotel's famous Blue Room.

Class member Buddy Suiter had a 1958 plywood car and a cutout of a couple in 1958 attire made so students could have photos made at the reunion.

According to Jacobs, the group is already looking forward to their next class reunion!