THIS '64 GRAD HAD NO FEAR

      BREAKING NEWS: The committee making plans for the 1965 BHS class reunion have made a decision. That reunion was scheduled for July 31/August 1, 2020. However, due to the current unstable national situation, its been decided to postpone the event for one year.
     Instead of having the reunion this late July/early August, the event will be planned for August 6-7, 2021.
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     A great video has been making the rounds. It shows a couple dancing, she's 91 and he's 94, but that's just part of the story.
     In the video, even at their advanced age, their dancing style is reflective of the way it was being done those many years ago when they were much younger, with all the various twists and turns and "throw arounds" of those times on display.
     Referring to it, John Hinz, BHS-64, wrote, "this video illustrates that "young at heart" can survive for a very long time. It really is heart warming."
     John went on, "But in this period of having way too much time on my hands, I find that dancing couple taking my drifting mind back in time to our innocent Friday nights at the Y, for our encounters with the opposite sex at the legendary GRID dances. Based on  the wall hanging, inactivity of far too many of us, GRID was more of a social meeting than a dance.....after waiting far too long for the guys to ask them to dance, many of the gals would dance with other gals. That clearly was a lack of initiative that plagued many of us guys for years. But, not so for one brave young man in the class of 1964. One of us was a dancing fool! He was a better athlete than dancer but looking back, it was clear he never believed that. He made many trips across that dance floor over the years to the girls side, throwing caution to the wind, and taking the possibility of rejection in front of his peers without fear. At times, he appeared reckless, in the face of adversity, by targeting the talent available in the classes of 1965, 1966 and 1967. Even without the aide of H.L. Cunningham's slide rule, most of us knew his odds of being humiliated were simply too high!! Yet, that dancing fool just kept making that long walk across the very long floor......never to be rejected. His string of victories may still stand in Boone. So, who could that aggressive young daredevil be? Who in the class of 1964 could it be!! A logical choice could be Jude Rolfes, who had no fears. Another great choice would be Steve Roeder, who was suave, debonaire, and had a self described wonderful profile. Nope....Steve was likely a distant second behind that legendary dancing fool. That special guy was described as being, "slow, but honest". Looking back, he was honest but clearly now, slow! I only wish that receiver was as quick on the football field as he was at GRID. Yes, it is everyone's all-time favorite, Dick Musser, who is the dancing fool of the class of 1964. The guy who resembled mild-mannered Clark Kent during all those Friday nights!! Our very own Superman!! Hats off to you Buddy! May you still be dancing at 94!"
     Connie Mondt Cross wrote, "thank you John. Your description of Dick was great. However, I never danced with a girl at Grid."
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     Tony Crandell, BHS-59, wrote, "I would be remiss if I didn't tell you my favorite Vern Whitmer story. My first day working at Whitmer's Jack Spratt store in 1952 in West Boone, Vern waved his arm around and said, "what is your favorite thing that I sell here in the store?" I said, "Pepsi and bananas." Vern replied, "I don't want to see you walk past the produce counter without grabbing a banana on me. Eat all you want. Oh, and always keep a bottle of Pepsi open in the back room. Don't take the Pepsi out of the cooler because it costs money to run that cooler but there is no heat in the back room and the Pepsi will be cool enough to drink." "I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Well, by the end of the second week, I was sick of both bananas and Pepsi. It took years for me to ever want a banana again and to this day, 50 years later, I still don't care for Pepsi. Vern's pop and banana inventory shrinkage went to zero all the time I worked there. Vern was an excellent boss and a very smart man."
     The Kornerman says, "I've always wondered about those numerous young people that had the pleasure of working at Boyd's Dairy. I don't know what the rules on employee ice cream consumption there was but if it was pretty lenient, like Tony's situation, the story may have been similar. And if so, do those folks still enjoy ice cream to this day?"
     Personally, my dad owned the Superette grocery on the north side and I certainly took advantage of the Lady Borden ice cream that was always available. I've often admitted, not many days went by that I didn't enjoy a pint of that smooth dish. By the way, although I haven't made it a part of my daily menu as I've advanced in years, I've never lost my appetite for some good ice cream and I still thoroughly enjoy it......usually with a few additives.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Donna Marie Barkmeier, 65, Boone. Stratford HS. Worked in construction and food services before working with her husband, Kim, in Barkmeier Auto Repair. Survivors include her husband, her mother, a son, two daughters and five siblings, a boy and four girls........Rebecca Mayse, 72, Pilot Mound. Born in Boone. Grew up in rural Ogden. OHS. Also earned an arts degree from DMACC. Married John Mayse in 1965 and they later divorced. She served on the Pilot Mound City Council for eight years and worked at CDS prior to retirement. Survivors include a son, John Mayse, of Boone, daughters Kathi Mayse of Ogden and Marcia Mayse of Pilot Mound, a sister and a brother, Joel Berg, of Pilot Mound........Joan Crispin Tripp, 90, Ames. Born in Boone County. Attended Napier and Luther schools. Married Henry Tripp in 1947. She served in food service at Napier and United Community schools for a total of 34 years prior to retirement. Survivors include a daughter and two sons, Robert and Marvin Tripp, both of Ames..........Barbara Coxe, 88, Dayton. Born in rural Boone County. Boxholm HS-49. Was a cosmetologist. Married John Skoglund and they had three sons and two daughters. John passed away in 1969. Married Dr. John Coxe in 1973 and he passed away in 2015. Step children includ five boys and a girl. Six siblings, three boys and three girls also survive........Norma "Deany" Bergman-Jacobsen, 83, Stratford. Born in Stratford. Married Donald Kidd in 1957. He is deceased. She worked as a cook and survivors include a son and a daughter........Donald Rhead, 90, Ames. Worked at Bourns and for DMACC..........Jim Lawton. Has an Ogden connection.
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