Largest ever PHS class reunites

Though the ’60s are long gone, the Porterville Union High School class of 1969 brought the era back in fine form Saturday night for its 40th reunion.

The night’s entertainment, the band San Andreas Fault, is a renamed version of same one that played at the class’ dances throughout high school.

The event, held at Elam’s Lakeside Garden, brought together a portion of the 582 original graduates for an outdoor dinner and dance party.

“Our reunions get a little crazy. We’re from the ‘60s and proud of it,” reunion committee member Janet Doyel said.

Though the reunion was originally scheduled to begin Friday night at the PHS-Delano football game, the ‘69ers were unable to reserve enough seats for the number of people expected.

Deanna Sturgeon, another organizer, said a combination of the crowds expected for the game and incidences of flu among reunion attendees led to the decision to not attend.

Though the Saturday dinner was meant for the class of 1969 and their significant others, the event opened at 9 p.m. to graduates of other classes.

The reunion committee, inspired by events held by other classes, opened up the post-dinner dance to other PUHS graduates.

Sturgeon said they expected others to arrive when the dance began solely to hear San Andreas Fault perform.

According to organizer Glen Robertson, the previous reunion was held indoors; this was the first gathering held at Elam’s.

“It’ll be different because it’s held outside [this year],” he said.

Robertson called Elam’s “a good atmosphere.”

He said the 40th reunion is an important landmark.

“We’re all getting close to 60 years old; we’ll probably lose a lot of [our classmates] between now and 10 years as we get older,” Robertson said.

Doyel agreed that staying in touch was a goal of many of the attendees.

“We’re just as close as we always were. We’re just thankful to reconnect,” she said.

‘69er Cindy O’Conner made the trek from Juneau, Alaska just to attend the reunion.

“I have a lot of friends here and a lot of special memories,” she said.

Those friendships aren’t just from high school: “We’ve been friends since we were in diapers,” Janet Bradley said about herself and O’Conner.

O’Conner said having so many long-term acquaintances had a side effect — a smattering of forgetfulness.

“I recognize everyone’s faces but don’t remember all the names,” she said.

-- Contact Sarah de Crescenzo at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or sdecrescezo@portervillerecorder.com.