Opinion: A look back at the class of '66

When the Statler Brothers sang about the “Class of ‘57,” it was a time of reflection on dreams and the season of one’s life.

The same was true this past weekend as more than 100 folks gathered in Clovis from 13 states to celebrate the 50-year reunion of Clovis High School’s Class of 1966.

The event happened to be in conjunction with the Clovis Music Festival as well as Clovis High School’s football homecoming game and ceremony. It was all part of the plan, reunion committee members said, but that didn’t mean it was easy.

“We started working on it back in March,” said William M. “Bill” Coleman, one of the event coordinators on the reunion committee, who lives in Dallas.

“It was a six-month project. People were from all four different directions. It was hard to track them down. Some we couldn’t find. We ended up using e-mail, Facebook, snail mail, phone calls and word-of-mouth. For some of them, this was their first reunion in 50 years.

We’ve already lost a lot of our class members — 45 that we know of. We had 125 register for this reunion — 85 classmates and 40 spouses and guests.”

Class President John Carter, who works as a lawyer in Houston, helped organize the event activities and acted as emcee for the gathering.

Jill (Yarborough) Wallace, reunion committee member and former CHS cheerleader, said the gathering met its goal for most of the class members.

“Our goal was to mark this milestone in a significant way,” said Wallace, who lives in Reno, Nevada. “The committee used all of the resources we could to achieve that goal to help people to remember, and to look back on this event as a wonderful time.

“I think we accomplished it. I laughed more in the last three days than I have in a while. You know, laughter is good medicine. We shared a time in our lives that was unique.”

Reunion-goers agreed.

“Out of the last 50 years of going to reunions, this is my favorite one,” said Lonnie Leslie, former Clovis school administrator and educator who still lives in Clovis, “because we had more time to interact with each other. Renewing old friendships is the most important aspect of any reunion. It’s been fun.”

“This is the best reunion we’ve ever had,” said Peggy (Rierson) Smith, who lives with her husband Lee (also a 1966 CHS graduate) in Fort Worth. “We had a wonderful time. We as a class shared a closeness that most high school classes don’t have. Everyone looks great after 50 years.”

Frank Perez, who worked for the railroad after graduation, agreed with his fellow classmates.

“It’s one of the best reunions I’ve ever been to,” said Perez, who lives in Amarillo. “We’re so close, and we’re so blessed to see each other, to learn what we’re all doing. I got to play golf with a lot of the guys. It was awesome — it was good to see everyone.”

“It was great,” said former Clovis math teacher Terry Stovall about the reunion. “I would give it a grade score of 10, an A-plus.”

Another 1966 CHS alumnus, Coley Clay, who retired from the railroad after 46 years, noted a spiritual connection in the reunion.

“I got to see the joy of the Lord in people I’ve known nearly all my life, reminiscing and having a good time,” said Clay, who lives in Clovis. “I give all the glory to God for this.”

Reunion attendees had a choice of several activities during the Friday-through-Sunday event, including attending the Clovis High School homecoming game against Rio Rancho or the Clovis Music Festival at Marshall Auditorium.

Class of 1966 graduate Lona Pope said she especially enjoyed the Music Festival venue.

“It was fantastic,” said Pope, who lives in Houston. “I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life.”

On Saturday, reunion class members and guests could play golf at Cannon Air Force Base’s Whispering Winds Golf Course or go bowling at Cannon Lanes. Those activities were coordinated by CHS reunion class members Charlie Fischer, a newspaper publisher living in Florida, and Air Force Brig. Gen. Kit Stewart, living in Tucson, Arizona.

On Saturday afternoon, class members and guests had the opportunity to tour the Clovis Chamber of Commerce’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum as well as the Norman Petty Studios where a number of rock and roll artists, such as Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, Carl Perkins, Buddy Knox, and Bobby Vee as well as The Fireballs, recorded their early hits.

“That was amazing,” said Steve Stollings, a 1966 graduate who pastors a small church near Tombstone, Arizona. “I had lived in Clovis all my life. I even went to church with Norman Petty, but I had no idea all of this was here — or what a tremendous influence he had on music. He never called attention to himself, but he left an awesome legacy.”

In honor of the Class of ‘66, and with apologies to the Statler Brothers, here is a paraphrased version of their “Class of ‘57” song lyrics:

The Class of ‘66

Dick sold cameras, Zandra sells clothes for good looks.

Don farms the land, and Judy writes columns and books.

Les sold big rubber tires, Cherrie sells real estate.

And Steve preaches God’s love in nearby Arizona state.

Tyler worked for the railroad, as did Coley and Frank.

Kenny and Mike are both architects, rising high in the ranks.

Peggy served as an airline hostess, Edwina and Jill taught school.

John and Lee worked as attorneys, keeping up the law’s rule.

1966 was a year of free spirits, love, changes and fools,

Lots of fun and adventure — sometimes bending the rules,

Mini-skirts were in and bell bottoms too

And “Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees”

Rang out on every TV tube.

History was made in ‘66 as you can tell

And the Class of ’66 had its history as well.

Eddie sold lots of oil and gas.

Herbie was an engineer and teaches a college class.

Andy is a geologist, exploring for gold.

Becky lives in Nome, where it’s cold.

Coy married Kit, who became a general.

And Jill married Andy, who hunts for minerals.

Marilyn married Weldon, and Peggy married Lee.

And the class of all of us are just a part of history.

History was made in ’66 as you can tell

And the Class of ’66 had its history as well.

Gary Mitchell graduated Clovis High School in 1966. Today he is executive director and dean at Wayland Baptist University in Clovis. Contact him at:

[email protected]