MR. & MISS RHS 1968

Ted Draper & Libby Dusenbury. Mr. & Miss RHS 1968. “Still Crazy (& friends) After All These Years”.

REUNION 2008 - GOLF TOURNAMENT

PLAYERS:
Chuck Pechuls
Russell Cornell
Tom Madsen
Jeff Lindley
Gene Holt
Jim Ramsey
Art Nigro
David Bergquist
Kelly Gallagher
Danny Gallagher
Terry Fox
Bob Peck
Mike Hunt
Mike Wysong
Earl Dodgion
Bill Borellis
Jimmy Dieterich
Darrell Donaldson

PICTURES OF THE SCHOOL - 2008 REUNION

REUNION 2008 - 60's Classes

Reunion 2008!!!
What started out to be a reunion of the first three graduating classes in 1975 (which commemorated the 10 year anniversary for the Class of '65) was turned into a large gathering of Ro-Hawks of the Classes graduating in the '60's thirty-three years later. This year is the 40th anniversary of the graduation of the Class of '63 and the 40th year of Randolph High School. Some of you remember when the school was born in PS-104 - Base Barracks .... A few months later, the new building on the other side of the south runway was dedicated and we moved in to the new building. We were impressed! We were small and things were good. We got to creating havoc on the new teachers who were unimpressed with our fathers' ranks. I came on base during the summer of 1963 and started RHS for my Junior year. I had already attended 7 schools and this was just one more. I was reacquainted with my friends from my days at Schertz-Cibolo Jr. High School and Schertz High School and my friends from my previous school in Virginia (Lee High). Most everyone knew someone from a previous tour of duty. My father was on his 4th tour at Randolph!! This is why I consider Texas my home (even tho I was born at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana) - we just kept coming back! I was pretty shy in school and found it hard to make friends but I did have friends that I was already writing to from prior tours - I feel very lucky to still be writing to a girlfriend I met in third grade in Waco. After 50 years we still write and email. But I digress.

On Friday, September 5, 2008 about 70 RoHawks decended on the high school for a reception in the Cafeteria hosted by the school's principal, Bruce Cannon (1970 Grad of RHS). We were invited to walk around the halls of the school. We had soda, water, veggies and small sandwiches. We first met each other with surprised looks and then hugs and we wanted to talk all night. Then about 7:15 we walked out to the field for the start of the football game. We found a section reserved for the '60's grads. There we found some other RoHawks there were not in the Cafeteria. More hugs and chatter and picture taking.

There was Mrs. Walker (guidance counselor from the '60's). She's remarried now to Craig Allen.

Coach Albrecht, one of the first coaches at Randolph High was also there. Coach also taught at the Elementary School on base so he has a long history as well.

Personally, I didn't watch the football game but there are pictures of the game that someone took and sent to me. We all remarked on the long skirts of the pep squad members and hey, there's a guy cheerleader!!!

There were more people there than I could talk with or take pictures of so I'm so glad that most everyone brought their cameras.

Also, on Friday night some of the "girls" went to the Lindley's house and helped prepare the food such as cutting up the vegetables and fruits.









Later, after the game some of us made the trek up to Lake McQueeney to Lake Breeze Ski Lodge to visit the bar and listen to some good rock & roll (hosted by Jackie Greene Muir). I wonder why I didn't get any pictures from that part of the night?

The next morning, Saturday, September 6th, found about 20 of the guys playing golf at Landa Park in New Braunfels.

So, 20 guys played golf and 150 others had to find something to do with their time until the party in the evening. Some of the guests went to Lake McQueeney and enjoyed the pool, boating and just relaxing.

Finally, that evening approximately 170 RHS grads arrived at Jeff and Marty Lindley's home on Lake Dunlap just west of Lake McQueeney. We renewed old friendships and met new people who graduated later than they did. We dined on BBQ and drank beer and wine and sodas. Listened to music played by Russ Cornell and Chuck Pechuls ('64). But mostly talked and took pictures. Door prizes were given out (RoHawk Alumni T-shirts and hats). The last person (me) left around midnight. Early compared to the last reunions..... Sunday morning found about 40 RoHawks back at Lake McQueeney having breakfast and reading the New Braunfels newspaper with the article about the reunion.

I personally want to thank everyone who came to this event... I have received such sweet notes and emails from some of you in appreciation to me and to Marty and Jeff Lindley. Certainly, Marty and Jeff didn't realize that so many people would be interested in coming to a Reunion. I'm sure they didn't expect over 170 RoHawks in their back-yard. When it looked like we were going to go over 125 --- I think their knees started shaking!!! But everything turned out wonderful. I think Marty did a FABULOUS job and nothing can compare to the care and concern she had for every detail just like she was entertaining her own friends. We owe her our many thanks and love for letting us overrun her home. Jeff --- well, I'm learning that he just rolls with the punches. I so enjoyed getting to know you both and I'm hoping that we continue our friendship.

There has been some talk about having another Reunion in 5 years. That would be the 50th anniversary of the school. Please keep in touch with me and perhaps we can all meet again at that time ... As someone wrote me - we should all look pretty scary by then!!!

Thank you all and keep sending me emails and pictures to post on the blog. To those who couldn't come for whatever reason - we missed you!!!

With love and Peace, Gloria Campbell Gallagher '65
gutsking@aol.com


(You can add your own comments about the Weekend below in the comments)section)

MASSIVE RO-HAWK REUNION

The Herald-Zeitung
Ro-Hawks reunion held in New Braunfels
By Mark Koopmans

The Herald-Zeitung
Published September 7, 2008

NEW BRAUNFELS — About 170 former graduates of Randolph Air Force Base High School — the Ro-Hawks — swooped into town for a special “Come Home to Texas” reunion.The weekend event was in part, hosted by New Braunfels residents, Jeff Lindley (class of ‘66) and his wife, Marty who arranged a Texas-style barbecue for old friends who had traveled from as far away as the Virgin Islands to attend. However, Jeff Lindley said that what started as a planned reunion for about 50 or 60 people quickly turned into a mass reunion for the classes of 1963 through 1969 — and even one person from the class of 1970. And for some who met at the reunion’s first event — the Ro-Hawk football game Friday evening — it was the first time they had seen old schoolmates in more than four decades. “We’re a bunch of guys — and gals — all of us were military brats, but we had the pleasure of going to the same, small high school,” Lindley said, as he joined several dozen Ro-Hawk alumni for an informal golf tournament at the Landa Park Golf Course Saturday morning. “In the past, we’ve tried to organize our reunions every five years or so, but for whatever reason, this is the first big reunion in the last 10 to 15 years,” he said. “Starting with the football game last night — which we won — and finishing with a brunch on Sunday, we’ve got a lot going on, and it’s taken about a year to get everything organized.”

Another former student, Gloria Campbell Gallagher, class of '65, took on much of the challenge of organizing the three-day event, and even created an online blog to keep the other Ro-Hawks up to date. “That’s how I heard about it — from the blog,” said Jim Ramsey, class of ‘68, and director of sales for Sherwin Williams in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. “This is my first reunion, and it’s been great catching up with some of the guys. I remember their names, I just gotta figure out if I can recognize the faces.” As military sons and daughters of the Greatest Generation, many went on to follow in their parent’s footsteps, including one who remains on active duty. “Unfortunately, he can’t be here today, but Whizzy Broome is the current Chaplain of the Pentagon,” Lindley said. “Whizzy was notorious in his day, as were many of us, but he’s only one of many, many graduates who went on to have successful careers as attorneys, police officers and doctors, including Dr. Gary Bird, here in New Braunfels.”

Helping with the controlled chaos during a mini-reunion of sorts at the golf course was Tom Madsen of Austin.“This is the chance to get a bunch of over 60-year-olds together, so we can have a good time and see if we still can recognize each other,” Madsen said. “Playing golf is an easy way for us to do that. Ask the guy over there in the middle of all the golf carts, he’s just a kid.”The “kid” in question was 56-year-old Terry Fox, also of Austin, who said it was “fun catching up with a bunch of military kids who were all spread out all over the world.” “It seems like this might be the last time that so many of us will be able to get together and enjoy each other’s company,” Fox said. “I’m definitely planning on attending the next reunion if I’m still alive, but if it takes another 40 years, I don’t know.” Jeff Lindley, who was keeping an eye out for “wobblers” — “if they’re old and wobbling into the club house, I know they’re one of us” — also was putting the finishing touches to an informal speech he wrote for the barbecue party. “Apart from the usual stuff, I plan to bring to everyone’s attention the something that is missing from many of the guys,” he said. “Hair.”

Mark Koopmans can be reached at mkoopmans(at)herald-zeitung.com
Copyright © 2008 The Herald-Zeitung