The Coralville kids 
Mark and Susan Ferguson – other recognizable people: Gayle Lindell (Larry’s wife), David Kacena, Bill Petrak, Jim Houghton, Janet Pate Barber, Julie Kent Larson, (Behind row) Bill Ackerman, Paul Roberts, Art Kistler, Greg Leichty, Dave Gerlits, Pat Vaughn, Arnie Moore. 
Getting the Party Started 
Big group photo
Category: 50th Reunion
50th Year Reunion: Golf Outing
50th Year Reunion Party Photo Gallery
Iowa River Power Footbridge over the River 
The Spillway at Iowa River Power 
Brenda Schrock Bradley, Bonnie Tappan Weldon, Janet Powers Metzger, and Karen Peak Lenth put the finishing touches on the reunion venue 
Brenda (Schrock) Bradley, Phyllis Urban, Bonnie (Tappan) Weldon, Betsy (Elliott) Stough 
Holly Richardson and Duane Eash 
Larry Lindell and Dan Bergrud 
Jackie (Dague) Nicholson and Katie (Collins) Bretz 
Bonnie Tappan Weldon, Holly Richardson, Janet Pate Barber 
Bonnie and Dave Asprey 
Holly Richardson, Duane Eash, Alan Huey 
Bonnie and Brenda – the heart and soul of our class! 
Cheri McCabe Hochstetler and Missi Strub 
Jim Houghton and Bonnie Tappan Weldon
50th Year Reunion: Tour of West High
Our tour of West High on June 24th 2023 was organized by Bonnie and led by Gary Neuzil, recently retired legendary teacher at West High, who did a masterful job as tour guide herding all us “kittens” around the school.
Special thanks goes to Karen Peak Lenth who bought the special “50 Year Reunion” banner that you see in the group photo taken in the Arganbright Theater.
West High Main Entrance 
West High Gym Entry Trojan Plaque 
Mark and Susan Ferguson Heading in to Join the Tour 
West High School Main Gymnasium 
Mark and Susan Ferguson in the hallway leading to the Wall of Fame 
Holly Richardson and Jim Houghton next to their photos on the Wall of Fame 
West High School Athletic Weight Room 
The Medallion from the Original Gym Floor, persevered in the weight room 
The Little Theater 
West High Cafeteria 
Look how much the library has grown 
Library loungers 
More library loungers 
Tour group in the library with tour leader Gary Neuzil. This is the time when everyone’s phones announced a Tornado Watch. Typical Iowa summer’s day. 
The newest Band and Orchestra room 
Class of 1973 tour group in Arganbright theater 
Sara Muller and Dave Gerlits in the Library Stacks 
Tour group in the gym
Women of West: Reunion Breakfast
Cheri McCabe Hochstetler, Janet Pate Barber, and Linda Vedepo Scotthosted the event on Saturday, June 24th 2023 at 9 AM-11 AM. It took place at Dwell Home Furnishings, on Highway 6 at the corner of 12th Ave.
Top to Bottom: Katie Collins Bretz, Karen Davies Leibold, Jackie Dague, Deb Barnes Rogers, Laura Walters Anspach, Alice Barker Miller, Debbie Dee, Julie Rogers, Julie Kent Larson, Betsy Elliot Stough, Cheri McCabe Hochstetler, Janet Powers Metzger, Brenda Schrock Bradley, Holly Richardson, Mary Balmer, Kathy Schrock Olin, Missi Strub, Nancy Hug Montier, Sara Muller, Janet Pate Barber, Judy Becker Bryant.
Our Class Tree
Classmate Karen Peak Lenth organized the purchase of a tree planted in honor of our class in the front yard of West High. Although it does not have a sign designating it as “our tree”, it will always be our contribution to the beauty of the West High grounds.
Here is our tree looking green and healthy
Bonnie and friends planting of our tree
How to Find Our Tree
Here is a map showing the location of the tree.
If you are traveling to visit the tree, you can type the following coordinates into your GPS of choice: 41.65671° N, 91.58252° W .
Or you can find the tree using the what3words address ///brick.most.rather
Every 10ft square in the world has its own unique what3words address. The link below is a precise what3words address, made of 3 random words.
https://w3w.co/brick.most.rather
You can learn more about what3words here.
Friday at Bump’s with Betsy Elliott Stough
Thoughts, Reflections, and Recognition
We paused our partying for some thoughts, reflections, and recognition. We were so glad we could be together.
Recognition
A Short Speech
Presented by Dave Gerlits on 24 June 2023 at 7:30 PM.
First off, I want to thank everyone who helped make this evening possible.
Our biggest thanks go to Bonnie and Brenda, the heart and hands of our class. Without these two wonderful women, none of this would have been possible.
Thanks to Steve Riggan, Walt Osborne, Cheri McCabe, Janet Pate, and Linda Vedepo who arranged the Golf Outing and Women of West Breakfast. I’m sure everyone had a wonderful time. And thanks to Gary Neuzil, recently retired legendary teacher at West High, for his masterful job as tour guide this afternoon.
And, of course, I would like to thank each one of you for coming. Just surviving for 50 years since high school is an accomplishment and it deserves to be acknowledged. Whether you got here by flying, driving, bicycling, or however you came, welcome.
My wife Bobbi and I don’t have cable TV at our house anymore, and we don’t even own a TV. We watch TV shows and movies on our computers.
Earlier this year, I watched the Oscar winning movie on AppleTV called “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” based on the 2019 book of the same name by Charlie Mackesy.
The characters in the book are trying to help the boy find his way home. Along the way the Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse talk about some of the deep important questions of our lives.
It is a fable of inspiration and hope, and I wanted to bring you one part of this marvelous little tale.
At one point in the book the mole says to the boy:
“Sometimes I want to say I love you all, but I find it difficult”
“Do you?” said the boy.
“Yes,” said the mole, “so I say something like I’m glad we’re all here.”
“Ok.” said the boy.
“I’m glad we’re all here” said the mole.
“We are so glad you are here too” said the boy.
From The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
So I want to conclude by saying:
I’m glad we’re all here.
And we are so glad you are here, too.
Thank you, and enjoy the party!
Summer Solstice Sipping Beer
50th Year Reunion Memorial Table
Karen Peak Lenth provided the flower arrangements at each table in the space, and also created a Memorial Table, honoring those classmates who are no longer with us.
