Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, June 13, 2002

Eighty-two members and guests attended the 92nd annual Shannon City Alumni Banquet held Saturday, May 25, 2002 at the Eagle's Club in Creston.

Eight members from the 1952 graduating class attended celebrating their 50th class reunion. Class members were Bob ARNOLD of Shannon City, Darlene SANDERSON HENRY & Richard HENRY of Fulton, MO, Maxine CONRAD HOFFMAN of Afton, Johnnie LAND of Shannon City, Richard "Dick" ROSS of Shannon City, Elma SHORT STICKEL of Colorado Springs, CO, and Fred WERNER of Lamoni.

Bonnie ERGENBRIGHT BAKER and Linda Foy JAMES of Creston and Ann COMER SANSON of Clarinda were co-chairmen for the banquet from the 1959 and 1960 classes. Linda JAMES gave the welcome followed by the invocation given by 1945 graduate, Lee AYERS, of Webster City. Ann SANSON served as the emcee. Linda JAMES was in charge of the table decorations. Kay RITTER of Creston made and arranged the unique bouquets of flowered sugar cookies in rose bowls, and smaller groupings balancing out the tables.

It was reported that several had passed away since the 2001 banquet. Those names were brought to everyone (sic) attention. Florence SANDERSON COPPOCK, M. Agnes EKLUND, Maude LONG, Ardith PEPPMEIER MOSIER, Berniece STEWART O'DELL, Keith STRADLEY, Fances TEMPLETON WEEDA and Fern PORTER WHITTLESEY.

After introducing each of the 1952 graduates, a short business meeting was held. Each member was then asked to recall a humorous memory while attending school at Shannon City as they were introduced. During the evening of reminiscing several stories were shared by the emcee. By unanimous vote, the 1959 and 1960 classes will once again be in charge of the banquet next year. The date has been set for Saturday, May 24, 2003, at the Eagle's Club in Creston. Registration will start at 3:00 p.m. with the meal being served at 5:00 p.m.

Ann SANSON reported she had received several letters and donations from former graduates, Rollan WHITTLESEY of Newton, Perry LANGER of Frederick, CO, Judith LANGER BURNS of Lexington, KY and Bonnie RUCKMAN NEDEAU of Vine Grove, KY, with the money designated for the "Oakland Cemetery" Maintenance Fund at Shannon City. Marvin GOLDNER, a 1957 graduate, of Chesterfield, MO, sent money to be placed in the checking account for future expenses. At the end of the evening a freewill donation was collected. A highlight of the evening was when 1932 graduate, Lee DAVENPORT of Diagonal, shared his talent of playing his harmonica and singing.

In addition to the 50 year class alumni attending were:

1932 - Lee DAVENPORT;

1933 - Lola BLAKESLEY CHEERS (Afton), Harriett JOHNSON LONG (Mount Ayr);

1935 - Thelma IBBOTSON GRIMES (Mount Ayr), Helen MICKLE SIMPSON (Shannon City);

1937 - Dale HOFFMAN (Creston), Raymond LINTHICUM (Newton);

1938 - Gale HOFFMAN (Shannon City);

1939 - Dean SWANSON (Creston);

1940 - Doris HENDERSON HOFFMAN (Creston), Howard SOUTH (Afton);

1941 - Darrell LONG (Creston);

1942 - Agnes M. SWANSON EKLUND (Creston), Donald LINKE (Rapid City, S.D.), Margaret KELLEY LONG (Creston);

1943 - Emmett EGAN (Creston), Jeraldine WOOSLEY SHERER (Shannon City);

1944 - Loren GEHRKE (Clarksdale MO);

1945 - Melba WOOSLEY AKERS (Creston), Lee AYERS (Webster City);

1946 - Elosie KILGORE WHITE (Shannon City);

1947 - John and Shirley WEBER HENRY (Creston), Jack HOFFMAN (Shannon City);

1948 - Althea MEANS HOFFMAN (Shannon City), Audrey COMER LEWELLEN (Omaha, NE);

1949 - Al CLOUGH (Ellston);

1950 - Richard IDE (Shannon City);

1951 - Geneva KELLER CLAYBAKER (Afton), Gerry WILSON (Des Moines);

1953 - Shirley WOOSLEY IDE (Shannon City);

1954 - Patricia DUNLAP REED (Martensdale);

1956 - Illa KELLER HESLOP (Creston);

1959 - Bonnie ERGENBRIGHT BAKER, Ann COMER SANSON;

and 1960 - Linda FOY JAMES.

Guests were: Deloris AYERS, Joan BEADEL (Shannon City), Dick BAKER, Linda BUXTON (Corpus Christi, TX), Mary Lou CHEERS (Afton), Dorothy CLOUGH, Laura DALBEY (Omaha, NE), Frances DAVENPORT, Marjorie FOY (Shannon City), Mary Lynn GRIMES JOBE (Darien, IL), Lowell & Pearle HAILEY (Greenfield), Bob & Linda HASKELL (Maysville, MO), Eleanor HOFFMAN, David JAMES, Marilyn LAND, Dick and Mary LEE (Darlington, MO), Lola LINKE, Jean LINTHICUM, Velma OWENS (Des Moines), Inez REECE (Creston), Richard REED, Joyce ROSS, Ron SANSON, Kenneth SCHERER, Merle SOUTH, Fred STICKEL, Fern SWANSON, Anita WEBB, Kate WERNER and Cheralyn WHITE (Cedar Rapids).

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2012