Shown are, from left, first row: (Sally) Beth Youmans Farmer, Kaye Burke Ivey, Jane Daniel Johnson, Valarie Briggs Lischer, Judy Mills McWhorter, Shirley Joyner Johnson and Glenda Wiggins Dailey; second row: Libby Rabitsch Williams, Patsy Spiers Mercer, Sandra Dwelle Skelton, Royce Royal Rhinehart, Syble Johnson Gay, Jane Ward Taylor and Gloria Phillips Burke; third row: Becky Crowe Mims, Ivey McMillan, Meralyn Edenfield Smith, Billy Acton, Dorsey Boatright, Ben Lane, Perry Mitchell and John Bussell; and back row: Barbara Roberts Clark, Pat Hunter Becton, Emma Parker Johnson, Jack Clayton, Billy Cates, Roger Black, John Cleve Newton, Odell Williams Jr., Ellis Lairscy and Martha Burke Sellers. Sellers' husband, Leroy, stands at the end, next to her. Not shown is Cecile Saxon Bell. (Photo contributed) At the suggestion of classmate Patsy Spiers Mercer, and with great anticipation of seeing each other more than once during the weekend, many Jenkins County High School (JCHS) Class of '63 classmates joined with several members of the 1960 JCHS Football Championship Team for a pre-reunion dinner at a favorite area haunt, McKinney's Pond near Midville on Friday night, Oct. 3. Mercer's quickthinking arrangements, and the fact that the Class of '63 boasts an e-mail group of 32 members, facilitated this impromptu meeting. There was laughter and backslapping; there were hugs, handshakes and cameras flashing! As classmate Billy Cates recounted of this and the next evening's celebration, "It was just like a family reunion after five years."

On Saturday evening, Oct. 4, the Jenkins County High School Class of 1963 held its 45th reunion at their old Teen Town site, the Millen Community House. Thirty-three of the 49 remaining class members, two former classmates, 10 faculty members, 11 additional members of the 1960 JCHS Football Championship Team and spouses gathered to share fellowship, food and fun.

Twelve tables were set for 96 diners, who enjoyed the feast prepared by Millen's renowned caterer, Rosalee Dwelle. She provided three delicious homemade cakes for dessert, as well! White tablecloths covered the tables, placed diagonally on the north and south sides of the room, to allow dancing in the middle space.

Classmates Jane Daniel Johnson and Judy Mills McWhorter were in charge of decorations and floral arrange- ments. The buffet table, as well as the mantel, the check-in table in the southwest anteroom and the tables set for diners were ingeniously decorated with arrangements using three, old 45 rpm records, glued on dowel rods set into wooden bases and sprayed black. Small, black containers set on the bases held miniature white carnations, while blue and white, helium-filled balloons streamed upward from the bases of the dowels. "Eagle" blue napkins were set at each place. Large, blue letters above the mantel read "JCHS Class of '63." Vases of red roses adorned the check-in table and the right side of the mantel in the main room.

Classmate Dr. Bill (Billy) Acton served as master of ceremonies, evoking much laughter with his gifts of humor and dry wit. Later, Acton stated, "This reunion was one of the best we've had. The older boys from the championship team told me that they want to be included in future get-togethers our class has."

Classmate Bill (Billy) Cates paid honor to those of the class who had served in the military. Twenty percent of this class served in the military in some capacity. Classmate Roger Black blessed the meal and paid honor to the memory of six deceased classmates, referring to the red roses placed on the mantel, a visual indication of the class's reverence for their loss. Black researched and provided deceased classmates' information included in the class booklet, also.

Popular local DJ Joe Sasser spun '60s tunes and other favorites on his turntable, while classmates, guest football players, former faculty members and visiting community drop-ins enjoyed dancing and reminiscing. Two former classmates, Sue Aaron Anderson and Charles "Buzz" Degenhardt, and their spouses joined in the celebration. Celebrants arrived from as far north as Churchville, N.Y., located north of Rochester; as far west as Montgomery, Ala.; and as far south as Colquitt.

The class's goal of $1,000 for the landscaping of the northern border of the new JCHS gymnatorium has been reached. This gift was given in memory of the class' deceased members and by classmates in order to pay honor to their school. Classmate Jane Daniel Johnson is in charge of this project.

Of special note were the comments of classmate Patsy Spiers Mercer's spouse, David, "Not only did we have fun, but everyone was genuinely glad to see one another. There were bear hugs, not obligatory little hugs; no one seemed to have been slighted or left out; no jockeying for position."

Patsy's follow-up comments were, "The turnout was amazing. What struck me was how many people from Millen stopped by. My only regret is that it's over. I needed lots more time to catch up. Thank goodness for e-mail, so that we can all keep up and stay caught up. I'm just sorry that everyone doesn't have e-mail."

Class photographer Odell Williams Jr. provided photographs and made a memorable DVD, a copy of which was able to be purchased. Class booklets were able to be purchased through the payment of reunion expenses. Meralyn Edenfield Smith, correspondence and booklet chair, headed this project. Classmate Dorsey Boatright and his wife, Pat, put the booklets together.

Spouses of classmates Valarie Briggs Lischer and Ivey McMillan, Dale Lischer and Mary McMillan, efforts helped toward making the reunion successful. Also helping were Bobbie Reid, Talmadge Fries and Jerry Messex,

Plans are being discussed for a multi-class reunion in two years.