GALION — Five members of the Galion High School Class of 1944 had their 75th class reunion at Pizza Hut in Galion on Sunday. Twenty-one members are still with us.
Two wives of classmates attended as well, along with many relatives and friends. The gathering remembered the 113 who have passed on, including some who dropped out of school to serve in World War II. The class always considered them part of their group.
Animated conversations filled the room as people caught up on what had happened in their lives. People called out to each other and laughed at their stories. Three of the classmates attending live in Galion, and two others came from Columbus and Granville.
The five classmates seated in the photo are Emery Shaffer, Marge Staub Shaffer (a classmate and Emery’s wife), Carolyn Brooks Widener, Carol Hocker Hoekstra, and Ruth Ricker Ritchey.
Two wives of classmates who attended were Jean Hayes (whose husband, Kenneth Hayes, passed away in October 2018) and Donna James, whose husband, Jerry James, passed away in December 2018.
Two classmates passed away this year, Donald L. Shifley and Rosalind Kuenzli Rittenour.
The class had the traditional orange and blue colors on tablecloths and other decorations, along with beautiful flowers from the Flower Cart. In addition to Pizza Hut food, they had several varieties of cubcakes made by Cake and Icing in Galion.
