Guest View: Class of 1969 gathers for 50th anniversary

By Marilyn Buttjer, Charles City

On Aug. 2-3, the class of 1969 celebrated our 50th high school reunion. On Friday, we had two informal gatherings purely to chat and on Saturday we toured the high school, recounting classes, teachers and events of over a half century ago!

Later that evening, we gathered for dinner, dancing and more visiting, with 81 of the 265 graduates present. Looking at our pictures on our name tags, many had changed very little. The guys had changed the most.

During those 50 years, 43 of our classmates have passed away and one died during our senior year. They were the first remembered at the reunion program on Saturday with a video display and a display in the entryway of the Columbus Club, where we held our reunion.

Others remembered and honored were teachers who attended who were on staff when we graduated: Myrna Kluiter Culbertson, English; LuAnn Wandro Hutchins, business; Bill Wohlers, physical education.

In addition, Donna Sturdivant Clausen presented classmate veterans and guest veterans each with a star honoring their service to our country.

Each star was from a retired flag with this description: “I am part of our American flag that has flown over the USA. I can no longer fly. The sun and winds caused me to become tattered and torn. Please carry me as a reminder that You are not forgotten.” StarsForOurTroops.org

Another highlight of the evening were two auctions, a silent auction of donations from classmates including paintings, purses, cookie baskets and more, and a live auction.

Denny Hull milled a bat from a fallen tree on his property that classmate Denny Schmitt sawed at his sawmill. Everyone attending the Saturday reunion signed this bat, which was then auctioned. Gary Riden is now the proud owner of this priceless item.

The $350 dollars raised from the sale of the bat, donations from the evening, the silent auction total of $840 and donations that were sent with registrations totaled $3,480. This will all go toward yearly scholarships given in the name of Class of 1969 through Dollars for Scholars.

We invite other CCHS graduating classes to regard education highly by showing their belief in the future graduates of Charles City. Provide scholarships from your graduating class, as the class of 1969 has done since the year 2000.

In those 20 years, 23 students have received scholarships because of the generosity of those “kids” who are now nearing retirement or are retired. We are still young at heart and we have fond memories of our education in Charles City.

Perhaps you saw Dan Damjanovic’s artwork that is still on a blackboard in the high school. Even back then, there was project-based learning!

Interesting tidbits: One classmate came from her home in Switzerland, one classmate lives in Thailand most of the year, one foreign exchange classmate from Brazil returned for the reunion and another responded from Italy, one classmate came from Alaska and each area of the U.S. was represented.

Classmates live in 27 states and one in Washington, D.C. The states with more than five classmates are Colorado (10), Minnesota (16), Washington (7) and Texas (5).

Fifty-three classmates live in Charles City and 82 live in other cities and towns in Iowa. Of those cities, 41 live within one hour of Charles City. No one, however, lives in Hawaii.
May I add a note to the kids in the school system now.

When half a century has passed for you, times will be undoubtedly different. However, you will hopefully also look back on your education and remember classmates and teachers fondly, at least some of each group, and you will be committed to being lifelong learners as well.

Perhaps many of you will travel, as many of my classmates have, yet, as one of the girls stated: “Proud to be from Iowa and part of the class of 1969.”

Editor’s note: Besides being an alumna of Charles City High School, Marilyn Buttjer taught at the high school for 16 years.