(10/30) Jean Dennerll sent us an invitation to the JPS Choir Extravaganza and Euphony Choir Reunion on Friday, November 1 in the JHS Auditorium. The concert is at 7:00pm followed by a reception in the cafeteria. All Euphony alumni are welcome to join us in the Cherubim and Alma Mater for a 6:30 rehearsal in the JHS Choir room. 

(10/19) Bill and Janet Forbes treated almost two dozen classmates (along with a number of their own kids, relatives and other friends) to "The World's Largest Wienie Roast" at their home on Center Lake. Click here for a few photos. At first, attendees pondered the name of the event in light of the total attendance of about 50. Later, upon seeing the cucumber-sized hot dogs, we realized that the boast of "world's largest" applied to the wienies and not the roast. Anyway, all of us had a great time in 45 degree weather. Later in the evening, the clouds parted and we were treated to a full moon.

(10/9) Al Smith, '64, just reminded me that Jackson High has a website that includes an alumni section. You can find it at http://jps.k12.mi.us/jaxhigh. In addition to www.yearbook.net and
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/ssdi/main.htm, we should have some resources to find at least a few lost classmates before our reunion on August 9, 2003.

p.s. don't forget the wienie roast on 10/19 (see article below)

(9/29) Bill and Janet Forbes will again be hosting the "World's Largest Wienie Roast" on Saturday, October 19th beginning at 5:00pm. All JHS '63 classmates and friends are welcome. The will be providing hot dogs, buns and hot beverages. You need only bring your lawn chairs, a dish to pass and any other drinks. Their address is 3469 Hoyer Road, Jackson, 49201. The phone number is (517) 764-9791 and their email is forbesjanetbill@earthlink.net. Click here for a map. A call or email would be nice to let them know you are coming.

(9/18) Roosevelt Mallett, one of most athletic classmates, passed away on 9/15. Click on his name for the obituary.

(9/8) We learned that it is pretty difficult to plan a major event in Jackson with only a year's notice. Our original plan for July 11 & 12 had to be scrapped. Nevertheless, our "Site Location Committee" has found a place for Saturday, August 9. We are also planning on an outdoor event on Friday night as we did in 1998. A tour of the school is still under consideration.
The date for next meeting of the reunion committee has not yet been set but check back here on occasion. It should be sometime this fall and will include a mass mailing. If you have any thoughts, suggestions, comments or questions, please contact the committee at reunion@jhs63.org

(8/26) We are now on the web as www.jhs63.org. That should be pretty easy to remember and pass along to other classmates.

(8/24) We held the first meeting to plan the 40 year reunion. Ten classmates and two understanding spouses attended. Click here for a group photo. We are focusing on the weekend on July 11 and 12, 2003 but need to find a location for Saturday night. The primary location under consideration is the Cascades Clubhouse. We are also thinking of a bonfire for Friday night and a tour of the newly renovated school for Saturday afternoon. We also approved the acquisition of our own domain name. We will be on the web as www.jhs63.org. The next meeting of the committee will be sometime this fall and will include envelope stuffing for a mailing to all classmates and friends. The date for the next meeting has not yet been set so check back here on occasion. All classmates and friends are welcome to participate in committee activities. If you can help us locate lost classmates, that would be a great help. See the article below for details.

(8/16) In anticipation of a mailing later this year, we need to track down about 100 "lost" classmates. Click here for the list. Please take a look to see if you know the whereabouts of any. Should you find one and you sense that they may not want to be found, invite them to stop by this website or www.yearbook.net. Maybe getting reacquainted in that way might help bring them back to us.

(8/06) After this brief lull, it is time to get started on planning our 40 year reunion! Jeanette and Gary Childs have graciously offered their home in Grass Lake for the kick-off meeting which will be held on Saturday, August 24 at 7:30. All are welcome. Just let us know you are coming (click here) and bring a snack. Our hosts will provide beverages. The agenda for the meeting includes the selection of a theme ("Jackson as we knew it" was an early suggestion), possible dates/venues/activities and, of course, tracking down missing classmates.

I will be sending out email announcements of this meeting to nearby classmates but if you know of someone who may like to join us, please contact them yourself or send me their information. A computer crash last spring set back my classmate database about six months so please resubmit your information if you have had any recent changes. Thanks.

Gary and Jeanette live at 1047 Grosvenor Road. From downtown Grass Lake, go to Wolf Lake Road on the west edge of town. Turn south and go about a mile to Grosvenor Road. Their house is on the southeast corner. Their number is (517) 522-4389.

(5/19) Mary Layhe Maneikis, our roving reporter, sent in her notes on the memorial service for Mr. Holman:
"It was long, but I don't think anyone minded, because it was varied and meaningful.  Fred Wilson, Mike Jones, Cass Gittens, Johnny Psychas, Bill and Janet and Janet's sister Susan, Gary and Jeanette, Suzi Wing, Marvin Thomas, Carol Trumbull, Alice Lincoln, Annie Sewell, Libby, Carol Gillespie and her brother Gary, Larry and Marcia Finton, Carolyn King, Carter Kerbawy's sister Marcia., ...it was amazing!  Just so many people! We did the Euphony thing, and I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the house.  I'm guessing that there were 35-40 Euphony members, including the current students.  We actually sounded pretty good!
One of the best parts of the service was the showing of Mr. Holman's last speech on video at the dedication of the W. Earl Holman Science Wing, on September 14.  His sorrow at what had happened to our country was heartbreaking, but his message was that we would all be okay, that we were family.  He was very emotional, but very reassuring, especially to young people.  He was so wonderful.  Several of the speakers mentioned his amazing ability to remember names.  I have always marveled at that--amazing!"
Note: For a copy of the inside of the program from the service, click here. The outside had his photo and the dates: August 22, 1906 - May 2, 2002.

(5/17) We have heard from another classmate! "I would like to add my e-mail address to the class list. I am Mary Anne Benson (Lucas). My e-mail is lumara99@yahoo.com. I was only at JHS my senior year but would be glad to hear from some of my classmates."

(5/16) The obituary for Mr. Holman was printed in the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

(5/13) The memorial service for Mr. Holman will be at 2:00 Sunday, 5/19, in the Jackson High Auditorium.

(5/13) Jean Dennerll, '69,  has been working with Terry Beasley, the director of Euphony, on the Memorial Service for Mr. Holman. They would like the alumni and current Euphony members to meet in the Choir Room beginning at 1:00 on Sunday May 19th to practice the Cherubim song at least once before singing at the memorial in the auditorium. If there are any questions she can be reached at jean_dennerll@jccmi.edu or (517) 783-4681.

(5/8) It appears that the newspaper article from 5/3 has served as Mr. Holman's obituary so I have posted that for him. Click here to read it. Stay tuned for more info on the memorial service.

(5/4) Mr. Holman's memorial service will be Sunday, May 19 (time TBD) in the JHS auditorium. Euphony Choir members from all years are being invited to sing the Cherubim Song. Please spread the word and check back here for details.

(5/2) Mr. Holman has passed away. As of 5/4, a complete obituary has not been posted in the Jackson Citizen Patriot. I will post it here later when it appears. Below is a link to a story in the Citizen Patriot of 5/3. It contains the basic information. http://www.mlive.comjacitpat/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news-0/1020441912205340.xml
Note: obituaries from the Jackson area can found on-line at http://www.mlive.com/obituaries

(4/15) I have had a major computer crash recently. I was pretty backed up but want to be sure I have the latest addresses for those of you who have had changes in the last year. Please go to the Contact Us page and submit your contact info again. Email addresses are especially important. Thanks.

(3/15) Our Guest Book feature is working again but I haven't figured out how to restore the old messages. There are a couple new entries already so please check it out. Note: Guestbook has been disabled due to spam.

(3/15) The School Board has plans to demolish Reynolds Hall (the old mansion next to the high school that we knew as the Annex) in favor of a new administration building. Read all about it on this website: www.denrental.com/reynoldshall.htm

(2/24) At total of sixteen classmates and spouses attended the premiere of "Super Sucker" in Ann Arbor. The movie was shot in Jackson in Spring 2001 and included a number of locations familiar to us. Janet Eberle Forbes brought along her "homemaker's little helper" in honor of the plot. Click here for some photos.

(2/18) Our 40 year reunion is due in 2003. It is about time to start tracking down classmates for a mailing that should go out later this year. If someone wants to help, please let me know. At last count, we were missing the addresses of about 100 of our 575 classmates.

(2/6) John Psychas reports that he is home and resting comfortably after suffering a minor heart attack. There was no heart damage. He says he just needs a little R&R and MORE medication.

(2/6) Harriet Pitts, 95, a long-time teacher at JHS, passed away on February 5. She was on staff when the school opened in 1927.

(2/5) The tickets I bought for the "Super Sucker" premiere in Ann Arbor (see below) have been sucked up. If anyone else wants to go, please check with the Purple Rose Theatre to see if any are left. If they are and you get some, please let me know so that we can include you in the pre/post show meeting of classmates.

(1/29) Sad news from Mary Layhe Maneikis. Her father died on Jan. 28 in Lansing after two months of failing health after hospitalization in November. A memorial service will be held in St. Louis around the first of March. Your thoughts can be sent to Mary at maneikim@howellschools.com

(1/29) The twelve tickets for the "Super Sucker" premiere mentioned below are spoken for but let me know if you are interested and I will see if I can get more.

(1/25) Chelsea native Jeff Daniels has written, directed and is starring in a movie entitled "Super Sucker." It is a story of a vacuum cleaner salesman and was shot in Jackson. Two local premieres are planned; one in Jackson on Saturday, February 23 and the other in Ann Arbor on Sunday, February 24. Both are at their respective Michigan Theaters and include an hour of festivities before the showing.
Lynn and I have twelve $20 tickets for the Sunday event at 5:00 in Ann Arbor. We are inviting classmates and friends to share in the block (Note: I tried to get the $20 tickets for the Jackson showing but they sold out too fast. Only $50 ones are left). Please contact me right away if you are interested. Thanks. John

(1/06) As a Christmas present, Libby Preston Warner received an original booklet from the dedication of our school in 1927. She loaned it to me for posting on our website. Click here to tour it. You can click on each page for a view you can read. Use the Back or Return button on your browser to return. Thanks, Libby!
p.s. Here's a quiz: A few of our teachers were with the school since it opened. Can you identify them from the faculty list?