Alumni reflect, reconnect at 60th WHS reunion

By Dave Clarke July 9, 2025

Members of Wethersfield High School’s Class of 1965 attending their 60-year reunion were, front row left to right, Pat Keane, Kent Vigor, Jim Verschage, Dan Hagan, and Cheryl Bridgewater. Second row: Judy Hampton Jagers, Pat Hanchett Pyle, Cheryl McCracken Nix, Helen Johnson McIntire, and Sandy Kiddoo Shoch. Back row: Dorothy O’Neill Peterson, Betty Mae Craig Boltz, Ron Hamilton, Gayle Ouart, Mary Koehler Garrett, Nancy Green Davis, and Dianne Huggins Craig. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

Seventy-eight seniors walked across the stage at Wethersfield High School on June 1, 1965, to receive their diplomas. It was the school’s largest class to date as the “Baby Boomers” started increasing class sizes in all schools for the next decade or so.

Seventeen of those seniors — now senior citizens at 78 — met for their 60th-year reunion June 28 at Cerno’s and agreed it would be their last formal gathering, but not their last reunion.

Then and now — Both the 1965 Senior Quack and the issue published this year by Wethersfield’s Class of 2025, were on display, along with the 1965 commencement program. For many years the Quack, which contained school news and satire, was published each month with a special senior edition in May. Several years ago it was discontinued but this year’s senior class revived the tradition. (Documents provided by the Frank H. Craig Wethersfield Alumni Association))

The class treasury was spent on a buffet, decorations, and a room and the bank account closed. Since the group is now much smaller, they decided, instead, to meet more informally every year.

As with all things, time takes its toll. People change but the bond between them in their school days is stronger than ever. Twenty-six class members are now deceased, including Dan Bryan, who was killed in Vietnam in 1968, and Jack Koepke, who died a few weeks ago at age 78.

Nancy (Green) Davis, left, and Judy (Hampton) Jagers, right, of the organizing committee, presented Betty Mae (Craig) Boltz with the centerpiece from the table on behalf of the class. Mrs. Botz, who has been the main organizer of the reunions over the years, is retiring from the job. [Photo provided by the WHS Class of ’65]

According to Nancy (Green) Davis, a member of the organizing committee, after graduation the class held a reunion every 10 years with a few 5-year reunions along the way. Like most class reunions, they were all centered around a big Saturday night dinner with other activities planned during the weekend.

At their 50th, in 2015, they decided to meet again in five, instead of 10 years, “since we weren’t getting any younger,” Nancy said.

But COVID got in the way of the 55th reunion in 2020 and it was cancelled. Betty Mae (Craig) Boltz, who had been the “faithful, consistent leader” and organizer of past reunions with the help of others, suggested having a 57th reunion in 2022, cleverly noting that they were all 75, which was 57 in reverse. From then on, the class decided to meet annually as attendance dwindled. The 50-year reunion was a “record breaker,” but since then, the turnout has been around 20 each year, Nancy said.

Helen Johnson McIntire gets “reacquainted” with her classmates whose class photos were posted on a “Sweet Memories” board. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

With the decision to scale back their meetings, Betty Mae also announced she was retiring as the main organizer and turned the job of contacting everyone over to Nancy. She was applauded by her classmates for her years of planning the reunions and presented with a green and white plant.

The Class of ’65’s reunion was attended by alumni from North Carolina, California, Florida, Colorado, Iowa and Illinois. Those present included Valedictorian Cheryl Bridgewater, Salutatorian Dorothy (O’Neill) Peterson, and Honor Student Cheryl (McCracken) Nix.

Beginning in 2026 the annual reunion will be casual, without the buffet or as many decorations, and the meal will be ordered from the menu. It will be held in the same location, Cerno’s, and at the same time, 12 to 4 p.m.

For those who attend it will still be the best of every past reunion, a chance to get together again, share memories of their school days, catch up on each other’s lives and remember those who were lost in the past year.

Reunions bring together people who have a special bond that lasts a lifetime whether it’s families, classmates or military units. The WHS Class of ’65 isn’t severing that bond. They’re just shifting to a lower gear, something we all do eventually in our lives.