And Now For Something Completely Different...

Here's a post of reflections and reminiscences by our reunion ringmaster, Gary Johnson:

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Perusing the local funny pages one morning, I noted a profound description of a class reunion: a par-tay where everyone looks older than you. So, come and bask in your youthfulness and cluck at the aging of your classmates. There is still time to contact your “crew” from Maynardsville and twist their arms to join all the events of REUNION WEEK! Hit the freebies for relaxed and open camaraderie and reminiscing. Do not miss this event…

The Puyallup Fair, oops The Washington State AND Puyallup Fair, begins this week [Fair runs Sept. 11 - 27] and who can pass up fresh scones and elephant ears followed by recuperative insulin shots. Yum. If you haven’t been for years take time to grab the grand (even great grand) kids for a nostalgic romp. Unfortunately The Olde Mill has traveled the way of the Dodo… oblivion.



So too did my favorite chicken house, Netties. Our family always met for dinner before the night show and stuffed ourselves with fowl.  These fair days repeated five or more times each year and continue today. (Except Netties) More importantly…I have never paid. I know and have used almost every ruse to ”crash” the gate (all legal of course). I have baked cookies and cakes, participated in market research and found teachers who did not use their freebies. Yes, I do love doing the Puyallup.



Please check our missing lists and help us to ensure that we have the emails or phone numbers of the quick and the names of the dead. We always need help tracking our classmates.

A final thought, Remembering Mrs. Vanhaus’ kindergarten class and my nascent neighborhood, locate those little rascals and reunionize your neighborhood friends as well. I remember Aldens Lusiuch, Allen Erickson, Betty Burton, Pam Browning, Barbara Royce, and many others. What a great time to reconnect and share pictures of grandchildren, or in my case grand cats. Sheesh. (I am not responsible for name misspellings. If they wanted perfection they should have chosen Smith or Jones. )

Gary Johnson

1965 Puyallup Fair photos from the Western Washington Fair Photo Collection and the Tacoma Public Library Image Archives. Photos © Western Washington Fair Association