Most high school reunions involve the graduates from one year, but Wethersfield High School has what could be called a “super reunion” which currently includes up to 30 classes between 1944 and 1974.

Eighty-five years ago, in August of 1939, the former students of Wethersfield’s first superintendent, Frank H. Craig, formed the Craig Alumni Association composed of anyone who attended WHS during the years Craig was in charge, from 1903 to 1918.

That group has grown into the Frank H. Craig Wethersfield Alumni Association which has met on the third Sunday in August every year except for three during the pandemic.

Last year, a small group of alumni decided to revive the organization, which had not met since 2019, and drew 25 alumni and about 20 spouses and friends to a reunion in the Wethersfield cafeteria. From that meeting grew the momentum to meet again this year, but with a much better turnout of 58 alumni from 1944 through 1974, the class recognized on the 50th anniversary of its graduation, and a total attendance of 125 including spouses and guests. The organization has always been limited to alumni who have graduated 50 years or more ago from WHS.

Last year the group began honoring the person believed to be the oldest living graduate of Wethersfield High School to the program.

This year, James T. Thurman, 97, a member of the Class of 1944 was the honoree. Thurman, who will be 98 in October, is believed to be the only one of the 42 students who received diplomas that year.

Immediately after graduation Jim’s dad marched him down to the Navy recruiter, the only military branch which had an office in Kewanee at the time, where he signed up for a two-year hitch.

He was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he served aboard an LST, a support ship equipped for amphibious operations developed during WWII. In December of 1945, on its way to support the attack on Iwo Jima, his ship ran aground and broke apart in a typhoon with the crew having to be rescued.

Just before being discharged as a Seaman 1st Class in June of 1946, Thurman was aboard a ship making a trial run from the Terminal Island shipyard in Los Angeles, to Catalina when an explosion burst the vessel into flames with the crew credited with extinguishing the blaze.

Back home in Kewanee, like many WWII veterans, Jim found a job at Walworth where he worked in the steel finishing department. Soon, however, he got a job at Couve’s Service Station on the corner of Sixth Street and Lexington Avenue where he met and fell in love with one of their regular customers, Wilma Fulton, a 1950 graduate of Kewanee High School who worked downtown at Joe the Jewelers.

They were married on Oct. 26, 1952, and moved into the home on East McClure Street where they have lived for nearly 72 years.

A few years later, Jim took a job as a delivery specialist for United Parcel Service and, in 1981, was honored by UPS for 25 years without an avoidable accident. He retired in 1983 after nearly 28 years with the company.

As he approaches his 98th birthday, Jim Thurman has three loves in his life…of course, Wilma, his best pal and partner for nearly 72 years; his family, which includes daughters Susan and Debra, along with 5 grandkids and 12 great grandchildren, Thurman’s next love are the Chicago Cubs.

His affection for the Cubbies goes back 87 years to 1937 when he was 12 years old and “caught the bug” from his mother, Nellie Thurman, a diehard fan who followed the team on the radio and in the sports pages.

In 2016 Mrs. Thurman was no longer alive when the Cubs won the World Series for the first time since 1908, ending a 108-year drought, but would have been proud of her son who was selected in an online contest from among 1,500 entries, as one of only 20 fans picked to present championship rings to players at the beginning of the 2017 season.

Then 90 years, as the oldest fan and the one who had waited the longest for a Series win, Jim was picked to be a ring bearer handing the first ring to pitcher Jake Arrieta in a pre-game ceremony at Wrigley Field. The alumni association presented Thurman with a Wethersfield green T-shirt with his name lettered on the back and a Cubs logo and a Flying Goose, the school’s mascot, on the front.

Supt. Dr. Andrew Brooks gave a “State of the School District” report and Jon Looney, president of the Wethersfield Academic Foundation, explained their purpose and said working with the alumni association is another way they can continue to support students.

The alumni group now offers three scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing a career in education or a related field which provides $1,000 each year for four years to each recipient. There are currently seven graduates who are either just beginning, continuing, or in the final year of college supported by the Frank H. Craig/Lois Gleason Scholarship.

The meal was served by Wethersfield cafeteria supervisor Ladosha Bystry. WHS Student Council officers served as greeters and helped serve the meal.