1957 Class Celebrates 60th Reunion

     Mesquite, NV.? Seems like I've heard of that town before. Oh yes, its been in the news a bit lately as the Vegas shooters hometown. But, let's not dwell on the negative. When I think of Mesquite, I think of highly honored former University of Iowa football coach Hayden Fry who lives in Mesquite in retirement.
     Then too, Boone native Roxanne Aplanalp resides there so that's a plus for the community.
     Roxanne was kind enough to give the Kornerman a rundown on the BHS/BSH 60th class reunion celebration held last weekend in Boonetown. The Kornerman and wife were invited guests to that event and would have thoroughly enjoyed that opportunity but we were enmeshed in our big move and all the collateral activities so we were unable to attend.
     Roxanne wrote that the reunion was held at the Livery "with  28 class members plus 17 spouses/guests in attendance. On Saturday morning, 24 of the group enjoyed breakfast, followed by a tour of the Boone High School facility. Six of the attendees live in Boone, nine in other Iowa towns and 13 from other states. We are going to meet again in three years. We're looking to have it the same weekend as YesterBoone. My sister, LaVonne Shearer, and I visited seven of the YesterBoone events and found it interesting. I catch your blog to keep up on local happenings since I live in Nevada."
     Roxanne sent a complete class list and also a separate listing of those classmates now deceased. There were a total of 60 who have passed out of some 160 in the class.
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     Holden Stradlater appears in the Korner as a contributor on occasion and his latest mention was in regards to the pizza puzzle Tony Crandell, BHS-59, provided. The Kornerman followed up by wondering who this Stradlater guy REALLY is.
     Keith Smith, BHS-56, wrote, "you piqued my interest with your Holden Stradlater puzzle. So, do we have somebody else from the BHS-56 class, besides me, who has an interest in English Literature? In the J.D. Salinger novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," there are the characters Holden and his roommate, Stradlater. Could this be the source of the pseudo-name Holden Stradlater?"
     Keith added, "I did an English Lit minor in college at ISU along the way to my Ph.D in Mathematics. I was inspired to do that minor by one of my favorite BHS teachers, Zoe Stevens, even if she did cost me valedictorian status. I took a year of English from her and liked her a lot, even to the point of having a teenage crush on her. And so, at one point, she wanted me to modify my term paper. I had disagreed with her and did not make the changes, feeling she would understand because I imagined that she liked me too, and would tolerate my opinion. But, in non-romantic reality, she gave me a B+, my only non-A in high school, costing me the valedictorian designation. Today, I have very fond memories of her, and I am grateful to her for inspiring me to do my English Lit minor, with my favorite course being Shakespeare. I scanned pictures from the 60th 1956 class reunion looking for a candidate who might have taken English Lit in college. Now, my first guess is Gerald Smith, mainly because he has been in academia for many years. If its not him, would you give us some clues? Now, I'm heading back to London later this week, until the end of the month, and, of course, will continue reading your Korner while I'm there."
     The Kornerman says, "hey Keith, I do have one guess as to the real Holden Stradlater identity but its strictly a guess with no real clues whatsoever. I also remember Zoe Stevens........seems to me with shiny and beautiful gray hair."
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     The mention of the Mamie Doud Eisenhower birthplace situation reminded John Kueck, BHS-61, that his mother had mentioned to him that their family had a brief Mamie connection.
     John wrote, "details are sketchy but my grandmother was Emily (Emma) Carlson, who immigrated from Sweden. She died from pneumonia when my mother was only two years old. Emma was 24 when Mamie was born in 1896. Mamie's mother was a Carlson too and born of Swedish immigrants. I suspect my grandmother was related to Mamie's mother and that may be the connection, the reason she became Mamie's nanny and settled in Boone as an immigrant. The Doud's were a wealthy family who could afford a nanny. They moved from Boone when Mamie was very young, so I assume my grandmother was Mamie's nanny for a very short period of time."
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     Finally.......which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year? Father's Day. And, did you know that half of all Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace....half. And, the average number of people airborne over the U.S.A. in any given hour? 61,000.
     Now, aren't you glad you viewed the Korner today? Its so educational.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Donald Lewis.........Patricia Crim, 92, Stanhope. Her birth parents were Hugh and Edith Borg Hayes of Boone. Patricia was adopted and raised by Theodore and Ethel Lundquist on a farm near Stratford. Stanhope HS-43. She worked for a time for Look Magazine in Des Moines but then married Halbert Crim and became a farm wife. Survivors include three boys and one girl........Josephine Lois Tilley Bennett, 83, Wautoma, WS., formerly of Boone. Her parents were Joe and Gracia Tilley.........Billie Dean (Bill) Rinehart, 89, Island Park, ID. Formerly of the Boone area. His parents were Loel and Vera Rinehart. Bill and his wife, Joyce Howe, now deceased, graduated from Pilot Mound HS and farmed before moving to Boone. Their family of three boys and a girl were partially raised in Boone. Son Mike is deceased but sons, Kim and Kevin, and daughter, Duanna Long, BHS-65, survive. Bill and Joyce eventually moved to Farmers Branch, TX. Bill also lived in Idaho and Canada before his passing. While in Boone, he was involved in Babe Ruth baseball.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson Street, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT.......kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.