Like a fine wine (no, not Boone's Farm!), reunions get better with age

Greetings. Another AHS Class of 1976 reunion has come and gone. Amazing.

What’s especially remarkable is the fact that we graduated from high school 35 years ago, yet nobody looks a day over 39. Go figure. (There must have been some fountain-of-youth ingredient mixed in those beverages served at Junge and Cedar Street parties back in the good old days).

Despite unusually hot and humid conditions, the July 1-2 gathering will be remembered not for the weather but for the cold drinks, warm food, good conversation, trivia, an encore of the class video, laughter, cold drinks, and a lot of reminiscing. (Did I say cold drinks twice?).

If you were among the 56 classmates and another 15-20 spouses who came to at least one day, I think you’ll agree it was well planned and executed by the reunion committee. A special thanks to Ed Cervantes, Mike Coughlin, Tom Engelmann, Tim Frandsen, Eileen Grady, Anita Hein, Tim Kilfoy, Mary Beth Leese, Ann Peine, Andorthy Speer, Sharon Spreit, Chris Springer, Joe Van Camp, Cathy Weiman and Dan Zack for their time and attention to detail.

We attracted four foursomes for golf, and assembled bright and early at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Rock Island Arsenal. A golf course housed on a U.S. government facility meant cheating wasn’t only unethical, but a federal offense! (That still did stop me from executing several foot wedges and mulligans, though). I didn’t break 100, but I managed to break off the heads of my 4- and 5-irons. I guess it’s time to retire my 1960s Chi Chi Rodriguez-signature clubs. I’ll save the surviving clubs for 2016 reunion door prizes.

Golf awards:

--Tom McDermott had longest drive on hole #7
--Ed Cervantes had closest to the pin on hole #9
--Dan Gerety had longest put on hole #12
--Cheryl Lambrecht (Gannon) had closest to the pin on hole #17
--Low score by the team of Steve VanCamp, Luke Harkins, Cheryl Lambrecht (Gannon) and Tom Engelmann

--“Foursome that most resembled a Three Stooges episode” was Tim Kilfoy, Mike Early, Jeff Epping and Gene McGivern

I've heard that most of the reunion absentees had conflicts and would have loved to have joined us. Let’s hope it works out for more people to attend in 2016.

I hope I’m not missing anyone, but thanks to these classmates (and some spouses) who attended:

Sue Bales, Jennifer Bernat, Terry Breheny, Chris Browne, John Bugos, Barb Bushur

Lynn Callahan, Ed Carroll, Ed Cervantes, Mike Coughlin, Liz Czolgosz

Ray Donahue

Mike Early, Tom Engelmann, Jeff Epping

Linda Foley, Tim Frandsen

Cheryl Gannon, Dave Geisler, Dan Gerety, Tom Gosser, Eileen Grady, John Gusta

Luke Harkins, Kathy Hasley, Kathy Haut, Anita Hein, Steve Hinton, Diana Hupperts 

Steve Johnston

Tim Kilfoy, Mike Koprucki

Mary Beth Leese

Dino Madrigal, Ann McCabe, Tom McDermott, Gene McGivern, Kathy Mulligan, Beth Murphy

Ruby Navarro

Karen Omahen

Ann Peine, Mac Pritchard

Mara Quinn

Debbie Ruiz

Sue Salter, Andorothy Speer, Sharon Spriet, Chris Springer,

Kathy Tomsha

Tony Valainis, Joe Van Camp, Steve Van Camp

Mary Walsh, Cathy Weiman

Dan Zack

A special salute to the folks who came so far to take part, including Linda Foley, Dan Gerety, Steve Hinton, Ruby Navarro, Karen Omahen, Mac Pritchard, Mary Walsh and Tom Gosser. It was especially good to see the likes of Mary, Tom, Cheryl Gannon, John Gusta and Tony Valainis, who have been unable to attend many recent reunions. I’d bet they’re glad they showed up and would encourage any others to make the next bash in 2016.

If anyone has any photos, please send to me (ejmcgivern@stthomas.edu) and I’ll post here. I also will continue to add post-reunion items and links. This blog, as well as Facebook, can be a way where we still communicate class news and updates.

Watch your emails next December for news about a Christmas-time Happy Hour in Davenport for any classmates who are back in town.

At age 53, we’re all at slightly different points in our family and career life. Yes, we’re running out of time to match Bill Gates’ bankroll, Michael Jordan’s hang time, Mother Teresa’s holiness, or Oprah’s influence.

But in our real worlds -- after our good health and family focus – there’s nothing quite like good friendships, laughter, and a variety of memories, and last week let us experience all three.