"When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure." -- author unknown

Reunion 2015 Memorial

--Words delivered by Gerald Baker--

CLASS OF 1968 MEMORIAL SERVICE

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

FEBRUARY 21, 2015

Good evening everyone and thank you all for coming,

Before we begin, we would like to thank Judy and Brent Day for the wonderful job they have done in preparing and maintaining our memorial board – unfortunately, they are unable to be with us this evening due to the weather.

 I know everyone is excited and looking forward to gathering once again to renew old friendships and share memories from a happy time in our lives. But before this, we wanted to set aside a time to come together and remember those of our classmates who are no longer with us, but were a large part of our lives during our school years, and in many cases, long afterwards. We are especially honored to have family members of some of those we celebrate this evening.

Our class is now thirty-nine fewer than when we said our good-byes after graduation. Thirteen of these have been lost to us just since our last reunion. Several of you were here for the first memorial service we held a few months after the reunion. For those who did not attend, the cast seal you see on the wall was purchased with contributions from our class and was dedicated to the memories of our fallen classmates. The beautiful table and the arrangement were recently purchased from those same funds and likewise donated to the school in their memories. Principal, Whit Taylor, asked me to convey to our class the school’s deep gratitude and appreciation for these gifts.

 Over the past few days, I have been looking over the annuals from our four years at CHS. I took my time over a few nights, and not only looked at the photographs, but read the information and captions below the pictures, messages from classmates, and even the advertisements. How many remember the home of the 15 cent hamburger? Of course this was Burger Chef! As looking over my yearbooks did for me, we have only to look upon the faces of those on our memorial board to unleash a flood of memories. With some of these classmates we enjoyed close relationships - many lasting to the days they were taken from us. With others, we may have only shared occasional conversations in the hallways or classrooms. But from the most casual to the deepest relationships, we shared the bond of friendship --- and each of these friends we remember this evening is forever a part of who we are.

I have heard it said that it is not so important to know God’s plan for your life, but just to know that God HAS a plan for your life. One of my favorite verses is Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”.  If we believe this, we know that each tear and every joyous moment of our lives is a part of this plan, and that one day we will see the pieces together as the completed mosaics of our lives.

 While driving down the road in my truck a few weeks ago, I was listening to some of the “old tunes”, as I often do. One of the songs played was, “This door swings both ways” by Herman’s Hermits”. Most of the time I don’t pay a lot of attention to the lyrics of the songs, but on this day I listened as the DJ explained the writer’s underlying meaning of the song and its title. According to him, the writer wanted to convey that life is bittersweet and that no man can really understand his life (the door) until he has seen it from both sides.  One line of the song reads, “make the most of livin’ if you’re not prepared to die”. To this end, every day that we are here is intended by God to be used in the preparation to pass through and see the door from the other side. Those we remember and honor here can now clearly see all of the individual pieces, skillfully placed by the Master Craftsman to form the beautiful pictures that were their lives while on His earth. For these, the journey is over, but we remain here for a time in order to work God’s plan and finish our own pictures.

 In a little over three years from now we will come together again to celebrate our – dare I say it? – 50th class reunion. By then, in all likelihood, there will be others of us who have joined these on our memorial board. So when we leave from this service, for the next few hours, let’s pretend that it has not been 47 years, but rather that we are at the Cellar on a Saturday night giving little thought to Monday’s homework.

Finally, after this evening, try to stay in touch with each other---remember those we honor here this evening---and plan to be back here in three years.

We are now going to honor the memories of our fallen classmates by lighting a candle for each of them. If you are a family member and would like to light the candle for your loved one, please let us know by coming forward when your loved one’s name is read.

--Each Name read followed by a bell rung--

Now, please bow with me for a moment of silence, after which Randy Carroll will pray, followed by Stephen Decker who will lead the singing of our Alma Mater.

 

 

Reunion 2008 Memorial

Thanks to Brent Day and Judy Stewart (Day) for setting up this the Memorial Wall at the August 2008 Reunion

The memories of each deceased classmate are precious.  If you have a precious memory of a deceased classmate please go their profile in the "In Memory" section and share the memory by entering it as a Response. 

To read a precious memory of Charles Napper written by Pasty Reese Stovall, please click here.


 
Display:
By Year Deceased Alphabetically Yearbook Photo



2024

Jean Marie Barnes (Moore)
Jean Marie Barnes (Moore)

 

2023

J. W. Harper
J. W. Harper

 

Charlotte Martin (Presley)
Charlotte Martin (Presley)

 

Cathy McClanahan (Kinser)
Cathy McClanahan (Kinser)

 

Judy Stewart (Day)
Judy Stewart (Day)

 

2021

Roger Donegan
Roger Donegan

 

Ricky Norman
Ricky Norman

 

Roger Porter
Roger Porter

 

Debbie Stewart (Ruark, M. D. )
Debbie Stewart (Ruark, …)

 

2020

Dan Parrish
Dan Parrish

 

Gerald Tillett
Gerald Tillett

 

Johnny Westbrooks
Johnny Westbrooks

 

Billy Wheeler
Billy Wheeler

 

2019

Mike Cartwright
Mike Cartwright

 

2018

Vicky Burris (Brasier)
Vicky Burris (Brasier)

 

Bob Higgins
Bob Higgins

 

Janice Mills (Thomas)
Janice Mills (Thomas)

 

Mary Patterson (Estes)
Mary Patterson (Estes)

 

2017

James Ricky Adcock
James Ricky Adcock

 

Connie Jackson (Beasley)
Connie Jackson (Beasley)

 

2016

Marvin Clanton
Marvin Clanton

 

Joe Clifford
Joe Clifford

 

Patsy Cook
Patsy Cook

 

2015

Linda Collins (Hardison)
Linda Collins (Hardison)

 

Carolyn Cook (Ragsdale)
Carolyn Cook (Ragsdale)

 

Sandy Elmore
Sandy Elmore

 

Mary Hopkins (McClain)
Mary Hopkins (McClain)

 

Carita Powell (Newsom)
Carita Powell (Newsom)

 

2014

Joyce Allison (Collins)
Joyce Allison (Collins)

 

Dwight Burrow
Dwight Burrow

 

Mary Liggett (DeFoe)
Mary Liggett (DeFoe)

 

2013

Thomas Sutton
Thomas Sutton

 

2012

Bobby Kirk
Bobby Kirk

 

Terry Prince
Terry Prince

 

2011

John Matthews
John Matthews

 

Phyllis Philyaw (Melton)
Phyllis Philyaw (Melton)

 

2010

Curtis Adams
Curtis Adams

 

Bobby Arnold
Bobby Arnold

 

Cody Williams
Cody Williams

 

2009

Porter Hardison
Porter Hardison

 

2008

Gay Glasgow (Yount)
Gay Glasgow (Yount)

 

2006

Brent Cromwell
Brent Cromwell

 

Don Wilhoite
Don Wilhoite

 

2004

Billy Baker
Billy Baker

 

Judy Craig (Keyt)
Judy Craig (Keyt)

 

Terry Johnson
Terry Johnson

 

2002

George Castleman
George Castleman

 

2001

Linda Adams
Linda Adams

 

2000

Milton Herriman
Milton Herriman

 

1999

Ricky Lokey
Ricky Lokey

 

1998

Albert Butch Prince
Albert Butch Prince

 

Clyde Woods
Clyde Woods

 

1995

Bill Reed
Bill Reed

 

1993

Milton Whitsett
Milton Whitsett

 

1992

Jean Harden
Jean Harden

 

Justin Walters
Justin Walters

 

1987

Perry Reese
Perry Reese

 

1985

Brenda Johnson
Brenda Johnson

 

1983

Billy Moon
Billy Moon

 

Wayne Rittenberry
Wayne Rittenberry

 

1980

Parnell Crews
Parnell Crews

 

Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris

 

1979

Ann Wiseman
Ann Wiseman

 

1975

Glen Taylor
Glen Taylor

 

1973

Anthony Blakemore
Anthony Blakemore

 

1969

Charles Napper
Charles Napper

 

If you are aware of a Classmate who should be added to this page please let us know.