This past weekend was my high school reunion and it did not disappoint. At my age I am truly secure with my insecurities and so I could relax and enjoy this reunion.
We had a huge class—over 1200 when we graduated. While our attendance was low relative to that big number, I still never got to see everyone or give them a hug. Once a Cavalier, always a Cavalier.
I started the weekend with lunch with my old friends—my guy friends: Ron, Mike, Jeff and Jack and their wives and my sweet husband. It was a great way to start out and we got to spend some quality time together. It is these guys that I credit much of my success as a business person. I just never knew from discrimination. These special friends never treated me differently—to them I was a person and so that is how I have always thought of myself. Yes, I was a girl and I am a woman but to them that was neither here nor there—I was a friend.
Lunch at Yardhouse on Friday--so much fun!
My friend Mike Davis, now a doctor in Houston, asked me what I think was a key aspect of my growing up that made me so successful and I said it was no doubt my friends. I have always been blessed to have many wonderful and different friends. They have helped add greatly to the person I am today in so many ways.
Friday night was a casual party and saw some great friends who were not able to come to the Saturday event: John Kemeny and Maxine Kamin to name a few. We had a great chat and I hope it is not a long time between the next visit. Mrs. Adams and Ms Reitsma also attended.
Saturday, my best friend ever, Connie Knight, an artist, and I had a wonderful lunch at The Biltmore. Just two girl friends together like the old days. We talked about family, friends, books and travel. Hopefully she will come and visit me soon. Connie and I met in the 5th grade and we have stayed in touch all these years, through thick and thin. Today we can proudly say we have been friends for 50 years!
Connie Knight and Anna Spinale Rhodes
Saturday night was the fancier party and more people attended including some of our former teachers—Jeff Rosinek and Dan Finora. My two senior homeroom neighbors were there and we took a pix—Kaplan, Kasselman and Katzen..in alpha order! Alan Kaplan is a dentist and Joani Katzen Stein is a teacher. Both of them live in the Miami area. I was also happy to see so many friends who have scattered farther away like Bill and Sally Kerestes who also dated in high school, Ward and Mary Julia Hiss who live in Georgia and Knox Rodgers and Frank Kendricks, Rocky Young and Tom Williams, Pam Peterson, Kitty Peters and Anne McDonald. Many names too numerous to mention but all who hold a special place in my heart. We were the Pepsi generation and we still have much to accomplish. We created bear centerpieces for all the tables themed to our high school years: surfer boy and girl, Harley, prom, football, prepster and hippies too. The bears were a hit!
Maxine and Bill--NFL Calender 1967
Thanks to all of the reunion committee—Daru, Alex, Art, Anne especially for all you did to make this event happen. It mattered. To all of you who might be reading this and think a reunion is a joke or not worth attending, think again. In order to truly move forward, you have to know where you have come from and appreciate your past. It should not be erased but rather it should be built upon.
Hugs to all my Cavalier classmates and teachers—you will always be in my heart! Thanks for being a part of my life for all these years.
Maxine Kasselman Clark
Coral Gables High School
Class of 1967
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