This article and pictures were provided to the webmaster by
                       Jeanette Voss, Class of 1972

Far Flung locals come back home,
A marvelous day: good weather, good friends, and a football win

By Brian J. Howard
Friday, October 13, 2000

It was three days unlike most ever witnessed. The reunion of the century brought together Peekskill High School alunini from the class of 1924through the class of 2000 for a week of dining, dancing, football and memories. They gathered Sunday on frigidly windy Riverfront Green for a finale picnic.

Some still live locally. Others travelled from California, Florida, Colorado and even France. Gertrude Dengler, class of 1924 was the oldest to come. Joan Helbmun Guzy, a graduate of the class of 1962 who resides in France, traveled the farthest to be here. "Where've ya been?" and Whaddaya been up to?" fell from everyone's lips.

But for all that, Margaret Ann McKeon Conklin (class of 1958) and Cathy Cioffi DeCrenza hadn't gone far. Both still live in the city and are teacher's aides at Peekskill High. They say we never left," DeCrenza quipped. They say, well you know Margaret? She's still walking the halls," Conklin added. She described the varsity football game, a victory for the home team, and how she, as a former cheerleader had to see the current squad in action. The stands used to be packed for home games, she said, probably more than nowadays. "It was marvelous yesterday," Conklin, a grandmother of four, said. "Everyone was so happy and had a good time, And besides that, we won. What more could you ask?" DeCrenza and about two dozen former classmates get together each year around the holidays. This weekend, though, there were many faces they don't often get to see. "It's just been a wonderful weekend," she said. "Everyone's so happy, and everyone's all together. It's like we never left,"

One notable trend today's students might want to be mindful of is the romantic ties between Peekskill and Hendrick Hudson high schools across the years. The girls from Peekskill wanted to come to Hendrick Hudson to get a decent guy," said Paul Anderson, Hendrick Hudson class of 1957. "Don't believe that," his wife, Donna, answered. "He had to come to Peekskill to find somebody nice. "Donna graduated from Peekskill High School in 1953. The Andersons, who live in Garrison celebrate their 37th anniversary next month. A Peekskill native, she remembers when the Evening Star was a small town daily, newspaper. The community was a little bit more close knit and everybody knew everybody else," said Mrs. Anderson, who has organized several of her own class reunions. "Everything has changed so much."

Diane Rohr, class of 1958, is credited as the driving force behind Reunion 2000, though she shuns such praise. The undertaking was enormous but it was something she and the 5 member committee felt they had to do."We've probably asked ourselves that a thousand times this last week, but we thought we ought to give it a try," Rohr said. "A lot of classes have never had a reunion. They thought it was a fantastic idea."

Fellow organizer Trudy Young Nardone, class of 1955, said she hoped everyone who attended would tell those who couldn't make it just how wonderful it was, because it was an experience never to be forgotten. I hope they thought we organized this thing so everyone could sit down with peace and happiness," said Nardone.

Sheldon and Marie Bell offer further proof of the love link between the neighboring high schools. A onetime diamond glove winning boxer, he graduated with the class of 1938 and married his Hen Hud belle from the class of 1942. T'hey've lived in Buchanan since."First of all, the guys that done it deserve a lot of credit," Mr. Bell said, "because there was a lot of work involved and they gave me a chance to see people we haven't seen in years. "The city has changed, Mrs. Bell observed, and so have the kids."We used to wait for Saturday to walk from Buchanan," she said. "We used to walk up to Peekskill, go to the movies, save the bus fare to go into Sioles or Marathon (ice cream parlors) for a sundae, and then walk home again."

Anderson agreed things have changed and said there was an innocence that seems to have been lost."Even going to the football game yesterday," the former baton twirler said. "The old cheerleaders are looking at the new uniforms. I loved. the old ones. They used to starch their skirts way out, and they' had their Peekskill sweaters on."

Theresa Schruefer Baxtere and her husband Bob, classes of 1947 and 1948, respectively, celebrate their 50th anniversary Oct. 29.Bob was working for Grand Union when they married, shortly before shipping off with the army during the Allied occupation of Germany. For him the best part of the weekend was catching up with his old football and baseball buddies. Theresa enjoyed the sheer magnitude of the event. "We go to all the reunions," she said. "I've never been to one this big, and well handled."

Maxine Morrison Smith, class of 1968, knows she has lost a few of her old friends over the years. It was good, she said, just to share experiences with those who remain. "It's a millennium year, so it's really important," said Morrison. "I just heard this past year that I lost a friend who I knew during the school years and so this is just really special just to be here and seeing everybody."

Twin brothers and Putnam Valley natives Ronald and Donald Laird, class of 1956, made the trip to Peekskill from outside Cleveland,, Ohio, where they now live. Ronald, a four time Olympic race walker, met up with fellow former athletes while Donald was happy just to spend several hours catching up with a onetime best friend he didn't know was still alive. "Most of the people who I met came up to me,*' Donald said. "I didn't have a clue who they were until they introduced themselves. I didn’t recognize them. "We talked about all the things we used to do in Putnam Valley," he added, "and all the hell we got into and all the dumb things we didto make the teachers go out of their minds. A lot of stupid things, you know, boyhood pranks." Ronald competed in the Olympics from 1960 to 1976, except 1972, when injury kept him out. He has been a member of the Peekskill High School Hall of Fame for years, but had not seen the display. “I had a good career,” he said. “I was a member of the New York Athletic Club and they sponsored me, but I lived most of my years in California. I moved out there in ’63. I had my best years out there because you could train all year round.”

Chris and Joan Pappas, classes of 1949 and 1955, keep up the Peekskill-Hendrick Hudson marriage trend. They were married a year after she graduated from Hendrick Hudson, and now live in Saugerties. Since her parents still live locally, they visit every few weeks. Still, it was important for them to be here, even if a few of his old friends couldn’t make it. “They’re not going to have another one of these,” she pointed out. “I don’t know if they’re ever going to have a whole school reunion again.” “In another thousand years, maybe the millennium,” he quipped.

To view the many pictures (unfortunately without names) click HERE