Welcome 

to

the Nifty Fifties:

Nifty Fifties Reunion 2009, Collinsville, Oklahoma

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Overheard at the reunion!!!!

"Aloha To The Fifties"

It all began like this---but, due to all of the great help from just too many to name without leaving out someone, it all came together to be maybe our most memorable reunion of them all.

Thanks again to the Collinsville Schools, we were able to have the reunion right here in our own backyard.  The school system even supplies us with a bus for our annual "tour" of which about 20 people too part this year.

The district also provides us with a custodian, Cindy Shannon, without whom we could never get this done.  She is always there for us when we need her.  She is our key to a successful reunion and other activities.

At 2:00 p.m. we started our bus tour with driver, Michelle Koscheski.  Our first bus broke down before we started and it had AC--the second one didn't!!!!!!!

The tour group visited the new City Hall, Main Street, the new churches and schools mainly.  Michelle took us through some of the new housing additions as well.

The Reception

With all the great help----things took shape ready to beginin the dining area!!!!

With our curtains up and the tables beautifully decorated (thanks to Darlene, Tunnie, and Delcy's leadership) the dining area really took shape.

What more could you expect than perfection when Darlene designs the centerpieces!!!!!

Out of Al and Darlene's storage and on to the tables to enhance the beauty of our reunion.

Centerpieces donated by Darlene, Delcy, & Tunnie!!!

A georgeous entrance was provided by the decorating committee!!!!!

The beautifully decorated registration table was manned again by '53s Betty Wofford and Clara Redding.

John Comb's Sears shirt rack never looked as colorful as it did with the leis provided by the Class of '59.

Charlie/Tunnie Fifer & Barbara/Virgil Howard provided cool refreshments for the attendees.

The view toward the library was spectacular!!!

Look at the name tags!!!  We had a great turn out--some were here for the very first time.

This area reserved for the taking of class photos by Ted Wright--www.cville.com

Ready to look inside and see what has been done to make your reunion the most enjoyable!!!!!!!

With a spectacular setting the Nifty Fifties Reunion Committe says--

"Aloha to the Fifties"

Come in and feast your eyes on Hawaii in Collinsville and get ready for a feast by Escargot of Tulsa.

The stage was set-----

the podium was ready---

the beach was ready to be occupied!!

Even the windows were lookin' good.

The trees were ready for night time.

The fish were swimmin' * the boats were sailin'.

The door prizes were all in place.

The tables were "lookin' good" and ready to greet everyone.........

But----first things first---there was the bus tour at 2:00 p.m.

The pictures on the rest of the site are a hodge podge of those sent to me by many menbers of the Nifty Fifties group--more will be added.  Thus far I have pictures from Willa Keith ('55), Don Wasson ('54), Mary Elliott ('56) (in from Alaska), Jack Nottingham ('59), and Johnny Combs ('58) as well as my own.

For your enjoyment!!!!! Photos of your trip to Hawaii (C'ville style)!!

Oh, look here, it's the kids from '54-- Jack & Elnora Herron!!!

The Middle School Library was the main gathering place of the reunion attendees.  Thank you to Kellie Hamlin for allowing us to use her beautiful building for our reunions.  This is our third and hopefully we can use it yearly.

The reception started at 3:00 and ran until "dinner was served" taking small breaks for class photos.  Ted Wright took the photos of each class with and without spouses.  My, what young, good  looking groups!!!!

The Rethman's made it--their first Nifty Fifties Reunion.

It's time for dinner and the program-----------

Let's start at the beginning and thank Daryle Baltzer ('59) for giving the invocation and George Phillips ('59) for leading us in the flag salute.  Ron Evans gave a few announcements and then came Escargot (our house cuisine) and their fabulous food!!!!!!

The Banquet

Before entering the banquet each class took time to have pictures taken--

I won't insult your intelligence by naming the groups--Ted has already done that on the photos!!

In case you're wondering--this is the good people from the Class of '60 who join us each year!!!

Hey, Peg, wanna join me??

Can't come here unless you plan to have a good time!!!

Have fun!!

Aloha!!

Nothin's better than having a good time with friends!!

Have a good evening!!

Aloha!!

The Program

Jack Nottingham ('59) shows what the Nifty Fifties are all about: (1) Unity with reunion shirts and (2) support by coming dressed fot the ocassion.  Jack, also, gave $100 for the Memorial Fund.  Thanks Jack.

The Class of '59 was the honored class this year.  Here they are as they were introduced on Saturday night

Jay Dee Driskill & brother-in-law, Harvey Humes. JD was the class president.

Evelyn Kilpatrick Fifer & husband, Charlie (Class of '54). Tunnie was the MC for the Class of '59.

Daryle Baltzer & wife, Marie. 

Daryle gave the invocation for the evening.

Darlene Bowman Dunn & significant other, Al Robinson. Darlene headed the decorating committee for our beautiful reunion.

Elaine Branen Coulter.

Husband, Gerald was unable to make it this year.

Hugh Bryant and wife, Arlene. 

 Hugh entertained his class on Friday nite. He's just second hand, Rose!

Linda Cunningham

McFarland. Probably the sweetest lady on the planet!!

Roberta Fisher.  Still as pretty as she was in '59.

George Gillespie and wife, Pat.  

He's still remembered for that wavy dark hair!! 

John Hall and friend Shirley Allen.

John was tireless when it came to setting up for the reunion. Thanks John.

Virgil and Barbara Harris Howard.

Barb was invaluable on the decorating crew and Virgil did it all from stage hand to "being on stage"

You'll see more of him later!!!

Kay Hart Beck & husband, Larry.  

I can still hear her dad clinking those milk bottles!!!

Jim Jackson & wife, Alice.  

Let's see, wasn't he the only Jackson in school????

Jack Nottingham and wife, Mary.

You'd better say "Sir", when speaking to a chief master sergeant!!

Ronnie Smith and wife, Patty.

Let's just say Ronnie did it all and wowed the crowd with his uke and entertaining personality!!

Delcy Troglin Dunham, and husband, David.

You  don't get any closer to being  perfect than this!!!

Donna Williams Minyard.  

The "ole" football queen still looks good and would probably still fit in "draggin' " Main!!!

Raymond Williams & wife, Leah.

Not as pretty as his twin sister, but Leah says, "He's her kind of man!!

Twila Landers Davis.

Tommy Leverette & wiafe, Janet.

Eva May Tackett Fisher.

Karen Toon  Ingram. 

Brought a photo- grapher 

with her!!!

With the introduction of the Class of '59--the program was ready to begin------

Evelyn (Tunnie) Kilpatrick Fifer '59 was the program director for this year's reunion.  She did a great job of structuring the program and getting it organized.

After she made a few announcements she presented the musical portion of the program----Don Vickers.  This year Don was joined by a fellow friend and talent, Susye Broom from Kentucky.  They sang several songs before setting the stage for the hits of the evening--the "Class of '59 Hula Girls"!!!!!!!!

"Ain't she lovely!!"

(Virgil Howard)

The redhead wowed         her adoring fans!!!

                  (Tom Leverette)

A huge thanks goes to these guys  as well as Don and Susye for the entertainment.  It made the reunion a big success!!!!!!

The remaining parts of the program were varied--

Miss Oklahoma-

Scholarship recipientsand presentations--

and 

door prizes.

We were honored to have Collinsville's own, Kelsey Cartwright, the 2009, Miss Oklahoma.  Kelsey had returned from Southern California where she competed on a Miss America reality show, the grueling but rewarding Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, and the Saturday night presented her crown to the new Miss Oklahoma at the 2010 Miss Oklahoma Pageant.

Darlene Bowman Dunn ('59) presented Kelsey a ring that Kelsey's dad made for Darlene's mother years ago.  Kelsey had her own ring stolen during the Miss America Pageant.

Class of '59 member, Jack Nottingham was smart enough to get his pictures made with Kelsey!!!  Jack also gave $100 toward the Memorial Fund for the CHS memorial to the old school.

Our Nifty Fifties Scholarship winners are shown below: (l-r), -1- Chellie Phillips (will be attending ORU) & her family, -2- Taylor Kothe (also attending ORU) & family; -3- Lane Coulter (will be attending Northeastern State at Tahlequah) & family: and -4- Kaleb Hamilton (who has been accepted into the Class of 2010 at the US Naval Academy) & family.  Kaleb will attend Valley Forge Military Academy in the fall.

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(2)

(3)

(4)

And then came "the ambush"---Arlene and I were both surprised and appreciative of the gesture suggested by Johnny Combs ('58) and followed by the entire Nifty Fifties group in honoring (if that's the selected word) for starting our group.  The REAL leis, the plaques, the CDs, and the memory book  were all too much, but the over $4,500 presented to our scholarship fund in our honor was the greatest gift of all!!!  It will help our scholarship program continue for several years.  Arlene and I can't say thank you enough to all of you who  contributed.   Thanks You!!!  Thank you!!!  Thank you!!!

The reunion will be one of our most remembered for many reasons, but the beauty of it may not be surpassed.  Under the superb work of chairperson, Darlene Bowman Dunn, with her relentless workers, Tunnie Kilpartick Fifer, and Delcy Troglin Dunham the entire reunion was decorated beautifully from when you first entered the front doors of the middle school, to the reception table, the refreshment table, to the entrances of the library and cafeteria, to the unbelievable dinning (banquet) room.  It could not have been done better.    The had tons of help decorating from many, many people (especially the husbands) which made it all possible.  (Where do we empty our truck loads of "thanks" to all of you who were involved?)

 

Because of their leadership I wanted to do something special for them.  I found some Cardinal lights that I felt fit the occasion and presented each of them one.

The end of a wonderful reunion came with the drawing for door prizes donated by many of our members.  The scholarship recipients helped us by delivering the prizes to those of whom their names were drawn.  I don't have a list of winners to give, but I do know one thing--every Gaylord sister who attended won one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See you next year as we Remember the Fifties!!!!!  Men, let your hair grow out so you can wear it in duck tails and ladies, relocate those crinolines or your poodle skirts so we can relive the "golden years".   Everyone has blue jeans and T-shirts, so there is no reason not to dress for the occasion!!! Let's have fun, again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  See you next June 12.....................

I don't really know who said this, but I heard her initials were PT from Class of '54!!!

"And then came the "diva"!!!!!

 (Ronnie Smith)

The "Hula Girls" were the sensation of the reunion--thanks to Tom, Virgil, & Ronnie.

Reunion 2009--June 13

Friday night reunions for the Classes of '54-'56 & '59 are located ono theActivities Page of this site.