Alva Review-Courier -

The Alumni Banquet hosted by the Aline-Cleo Class of 1971, celebrating their 50th class reunion, was held in the Aline Senior Center on May 8 with 57 in attendance. A good time was had by all present.

Cordelia Frey Anthony, from the Aline Class of 1949, represented the earliest graduating class. Harvey Bill Reeg and wife Barbara Glasgow, from the Class of 1950, were also recognized.

Other Aline graduates (with year of graduation) included Glen Sacket (1954), Norman Hagar (1960), Linda Barrows Shelite, Merlin and Kay White Reihm, and Myra Martin Turner (1961), Barry Bloyd (1963), Bruce Martin and Jo Case Littrell (1965), Beth Bloyd Cupp (1966), Janice Thomas Richter and husband David (1967), Phyllis Thomas Hilterbran, Wade Olson, Kirk Mittelstet and Brenda Sims Dixon (1968).

Aline-Cleo graduates in attendance were Cary Anthony (1970); Jan Kiner Shropshire, Becky Bloyd Smith, Bill Loss, Carol Bails Bottom, Glen Bottoms, Mike Elliott, Billy Ferrall (1971); Steve Irwin, Cheryl Thomas Matthews, Kiedrian Richter Fennell, Rhonda Dietz Hungerford (1972); Fonda Dietz Bloyd (1974); Jerry Bloyd (1975 ), Lori Thomas McMillin and husband Wayne (1983).

Time was taken to acknowledge the recent deaths of former graduates of the Aline and Cleo Springs communities. Since Jan. 1, 2019, 27 Cleo Springs Bearcats, Aline Bluebirds, and Aline-Cleo Cougars have left family, friends and classmates. They include Cleo Springs graduates (listed with year of graduation) Wynne Ring Chodrick (1963), Sherry Miller Hamen (1956), Kenneth Brinson (1959), Harold Ent (1961), Vera Simmons Boham (1956), Fritz Schroeder (1952), Mary Kirkendall Ransom Spence (1957), Norma Hamen Naugle (1961), and Marilyn Anthony Anderson (1963). Those from Aline are Gary Don Glasgow (1956), Jo Stevens Stiles (1957), Benny Hughes (1951), Maxine Harmon Melrose (1947), Rosalie Sacket Hasty (1948), Darla Elliott Harris (1964), Leonard “Buck” Shelite (1962), Bill Goss (1945), Arlene Prentice Kiner (1944), Monty Shelite (1958), Virginia Kirkendall Phillips (1946), Benny Board (1953), Donnie Hughes (1956), and Erwin “Jackie” Littrell (1951). Wanda Schroeder Kiner (1969), Desirae Norton Douglas (2009), Mark Goss (1982), and Jody Ryel Sharp (1971) are the Aline-Cleo Cougar graduates among those deceased since January 1, 2019.

Scholarships were awarded to four 2021 Aline-Cleo graduates. Those present to receive their awards were Stormy Beckwith, Hayleigh Noble and Hanna Noble. Leah Ramey was also awarded a scholarship.

Of the 19 guests in attendance, two were recognized for their teaching contributions to the school. They were Dean Terrill and Karan Meyer. Terrill, the former science teacher, retired from Aline-Cleo in 2005 after 34 years in the classroom. Meyer, who was first hired by Aline Public Schools, continued teaching for Aline-Cleo. Out of her 55 career years in education, she has spent 54 of them honing the business skills of the students in the Aline- Cleo communities. She is the longest-serving career teacher in the history of the school and, like the Energizer bunny, she just keeps going and going!