BHS Class of 1964 holds 60th reunion at Belleville Yacht Club on Sept. 28

By Leonard Silvenis
BHS Class of 1964
The Belleville High School Class of 1964 held its 60th class reunion at Belleville Yacht Club on Saturday Sept. 28.
Tables were set up and decorated, complete with flowers and personalized nametags that included class pictures. Approximately 50 members and spouses showed up to celebrate and renew old friendships.
Jim Ford (our principal’s son) said it best: It was a great evening, low key, and perhaps the most pleasant reunion we’ve had so far. I’m looking forward to how much fun the 70th and 80th will be.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to Joe and the rest of the committee for putting it together. I’m more aware now than I was 60 years ago of how fortunate we were to be in this class.
The warm evening started with light showers but didn’t dampen the hearts of the classmates. Our class made the goal of this reunion to set the bar high for future BHS alumni reunions, without getting crazy.
First off, it was decided that no class member would be excluded due to ticket costs ($50). Two prepaid tickets went unclaimed because of absence.
After the meal was provided, entertainment became a major focal point. Benny and the Jets lost out in favor of a Rock & Roll Betty, a car hop complete with red-and-white-striped uniform without roller-skates. She encouraged classmates to get out and dance to ‘60s music, and when she only got a few takers, she brought out percussion instruments for the class to play. We found that Tom Fielder was a born washboard-player.
Another BHS reunion shortcoming we wanted to overcome was a lack of bar drinks. This was amended by opening a ticketed cash bar, with free soft drinks.
The center of the night’s entertainment was each other — almost 50 friends who some if us had not seen in 60 years. We were saddened by the over 80 of us, who God chose to take back prior to today which encouraged us to contact friends while they are still with us.
And, lastly the class of 1964 wants to remember a special member of BHS who was not a class member yet because of his age. He played baseball with all of us in Belleville Little League and Babe Ruth League and left us this year: Frank Nunley, whose birthday was Oct. 1.