While athletes from all over the world were concluding their performances at the Paris Olympic Games (the official ending was August 11, 2024), Brookings had it own gathering of BHS grads from the decade of the 1960's. On Thursday, August 8, 2024, the all-decade 60's reunion took place at the Dacotah Bank Center (formerly the Swiftel Center). An estimated 500 people made the reunion a smashing success. The weather was fantastic, with high temperatures in the low 70's. This fine weather continued for our own reunion on the following Friday and Saturday, August 9 and 10.
An immense planning effort was undertaken by Darrell Larson and Roger Olson, both 1966 grads. Others from the various classes also contributed. Tables were arranged in perfect rows so that classes could sit together with their own classmates, while there was much room to walk around and to meet and greet with members of other classes. Several classic cars were on display, and Mogen's Heroes (https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/mogens-heroes-to-celebrate-45-years-in-benefit-concert/), a band from Sioux Falls, provided the entertainment. Food was plentiful, as both hot and cold victuals (vittles?) were available.
Upon entering the DBC (Dacotah Bank Center), registrants picked up their name tags. Name tags of graduates had their senior picture, along with their name and date of graduation. Spouses or guests had their first name and the senior picture and graduation year of their spouse or guest. Thus, it was easy to identify everyone and engage in lively conversation with people one hardly knew. Also upon entering was a Memorial Wall. For each class, a poster listing the names of deceased graduates was posted. Veterans were identified with a star, while those killed in action in Vietnam were also noted. When it came time to clean up around 11:00 PM, as there was a wedding that the staff had to prepare for the next day, our group wanted to keep the poster for the class of 1969. However, it was not to be found. If anyone knows who took this poster, would you kindly let us know in the comments below?
A great deal of thanks to Patty Vick for forwarding me the following pictures. Some are from the all-60's reunion, while others are from our own pizza party at Mark Kratochvil's garage on Friday evening, or from Skinner's (the old Montgomery Ward's building) on Saturday afternoon.
In addition to the all-decades reunion, many of the classes had their own little reunions. The class of 1966, for example, had a gathering the day before. The class of 1961 had a gathering on Saturday, Aug. 10. The class of 1964 had their 60th reunion, while we had our 55th reunion on Friday and Saturday. We gathered at Mark Kratochvil's residence on Friday for the pizza party, and at Skinner's (the old Montgomery Ward Building), on Saturday.
Below, courtesy of Patty Vick, are some pictures of the reunions. The women who are married will be listed with their married name once; if they are pictured more than once, their maiden names will be used.
Dave Martin, Bill Sherman, and Mark Kratochvil on Friday evening in Mark's garage.
Kayla (Baker) Soleglad, Nancy (Webbenhurst) Havens, Carol Schultz (she moved away after being here for a couple of years), Patty Vick, and Pat (Quincey) Svennes at Skinner's
Mark Denton and Mike Andersen
Alan Leibel, Vern Olson and Peggy Bush
Mark Denton, Georgia Wright, Pat (Felt) Berge, Jean (McCone) Forsyth, Robyn (Connelly) Kortan, and Paula (Hoffman) Platz
Dan Liebing relaxing at Skinner's
Mark Denton, Pat Felt, Jean McCone, Robyn Connelly, Paula Hoffman, Sandy (David) Meisenheimer, John Iverson
Sandy David, Paula Hoffman, Mary (Kidwiler) Moritz, Paula's sister Joy?, Mike Andersen, Patty Vick
Vern Olson and Pat Quincey
In the background are the bartender, Alan Leibel, Steve Odegaard in the light green shirt, Mike Larscheid, unidentified lady in the light green shirt, Vern Olson, Marilyn (Anderson) Johns
Georgia Wright, Sandy Davis, Marilyn Anderson
Mark Kratochvil, Vern Olson, Bill Sherman, ???
Vern Olson, Mike Larscheid, Steve Odegaard
Someone's husband (Jean's or Nancy's?), Jean McCone, Nancy Webbernurst
In the back are Pat Felt, Nancy Webbenhurst, David Martin, and Vern Olson. Patti (Davis) Borgen and Patty Vick are in the front at the all-60's reunion held at the Dacotah Bank Center (DBC)
Emmet Earley
Mike Marshall
Kathy (Groethe) Krueger and Helen (Sheimo) Flynn
Larry Boggs
Jackie Maxwell (class of 1970) and Patty VickIn the background appear to be Dick Pearson (class of 1970) talking with Craig Larson (class of 1966). Craig's mother was an 8th grade English for some of us. In the pink shirt is Alan Svennes, husband and Pat Quincey, whose profile is barely seen at the left. With their backs to us appear to be Tom Osterberg (in the red shirt) and his wife Tam.
Mark Denton, with Emmett Earley in the background. Is that Ron Havens, Nancy Webbenhurst's husband, in the green shirt?
Tom Moxon and his wife Gloria. Are they talking to Jim Egeberg?
Gloria Moxon, Tom Osterberg. Don't know who Tom's wife Tam is hugging.
Sharon (Darnall) Fetzner
Rick Thompson
Paula Hoffman, Sharon, Darnall, Paula Hoffman. In the background are Mike Andersen and Mark Denton
Sue (Kattke) Pulford. To the left is one of the Bortnem twins (Keith or Kermit, class of 1966), while Roch Watson appears to be the man on the right.
Bill Sherman, Tom Osterberg, John Iverson, with Walt Osterberg in the foreground.
Dave Helfinstine and John Iverson
Patti Davis, Pat Mehegan, and Patty Vick
Cheryl Crase and Vern Olson. On the left looks to be Laurie Dunlap, Brian Johnson's wife, while John Iverson looks confused
Georgia Wright reminiscing the hippie era
Cheryl Crase and Paula Hoffman
Jim Egeberg
Georgia Wright
Marilyn Anderson and Patty Vick
Beatty (Ed) Dimit
Cheryl Crase, while Kayla Baker(?) looks on
Steve Odegaard's wife (Mary?), Tom Bozied, and Steve Odegaard
Mark Kratochvil and Mike Andersen's wife Brenda?
Marilyn Anderson
Mike Andersen
Gary Vincent, Bill Sherman, Mark Kratochvil, and Brian Johnson
Mark Kratochvil thanking those who contributed to the ALS fund. Barg (Hauff) Koenders is seated in front, while Laurie Dunlap, wife of Brian Johnson, is in the background
Paula Hoffman and Cheryl Crase, with Mark Andersen and Pete Egart (friend of many of us) in the background
Steve Odegaard
Beatty (Ed) Dimit and Bill Sherman; Helen Sheimo and Cheryl Crase are in the background
Pat Collins and Kathy Groethe, with Jim Egeberg in the background
Gary Vincent and Mike Larscheid
Sandi Davis and Georgia Wright
Patty Vick, Alan Leibel, Sandi David, and Georgia Wright
Robyn Connelly and Kayla Baker
Kevin O'Connell talking to Steve Odegaard and Teresa (Steen) Anderson?, while Alan Leibel is in the background
Mike Larscheid and Jim Kortan
All told, we had a wonderful time for three days. Some of our classmates had not seen each other since graduation. We were also able to socialize with friends of other classes, some of whom were friends of our older or perhaps younger brothers and sisters. We hope that many of them will be able to return in five years.
