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Curtis Frederick Adams

Wow is all i can say, what a great job yall did putting this big  event together and I had a great  time, I'm  am having trouble staying up these days, because even though retired  still get up at 415 am lol some habits hard to breaklol Thanks  again for all your hard  work & dedication. I saw some people  I haven't seen  since graduation and renewed some  also,  Thanks  again

Christopher Warren [Chris] Parker

Debbie: So sorry for your loss. I know my friends have made all the difference in my life when faced with life's passages. I am glad you found some comfort at the reunion among old friends.  Please stay in touch and let us all know how you are doing.

Elizabeth Breedlove (Aka Shannon West)

Yes the committee did a brilliant job. Food, decorations, presentations, everything. Thank you all for your hard work but fun work I hope since you created such a fun event. One thing that really stood out to me is how different we are from the way media portrays people in our age group. This was a crowd of attractive, interesting people who are fully engaged in life. We get all these images of olders as the 3 Fs - frumpy, feeble, and fearful - staring into the sunset and we are not that at all! And Debbie, condolences on your loss. That has to be so difficult and I'm so glad you came to the party anyway. And BTW those of you with grey hair, white hair, and less hair. Lookin' good, some even better than back in the day.

Richard [Dick] Cheatwood

I can't add anymore to all of the comments posted regarding last weekend...well, just a few things                        Wonderful time catching up with old friends who I only see at reunions, and others                                               who live in this area that I see a few times a year                                                                                                     Our class of 1969 really is SPECIAL !!!!!                                                                                                                   My two kids graduated from Wolfson and even if their classes had organized reunions neither one                       would have any interest in attending                                                                                                                         Thanks to all of the committee and all the hard work putting on such a special weekend entailed                   

Kathie Bozard (Barker)

I wanted to thank our Reunion Committee for all of their hard work in making our 50th reunion the best one yet. I had the best time reconnecting with everyone. 😉

Bruce Barringer

I also would like to thank everyone who was involved in the planning and execution of this fine event.  I had a wonderful time and it was great catching up with old friends that I had not seen in a long time.  Thanks again!

Ralph Haskell Anderson

Sorry I was unable to make the reunion last weekend. Looks like a good time was had by all. Outstanding job by the planning committee.

Chris Pratt (Whitaker)

A great big THANK YOU to all the reunion committee and everyone who made the effort to come to the 50th reunion celebration. I hated missing Friday night. Saturday went by way too fast to say hello to everyone who was there. I hope you got to see your friends and the ones you have missed the most. Shirley reminded me that DuPont and Landon schools both came to Wolfson for 10,11, 12th grades (3 years).  In 1969, the students from Douglas Anderson also joined us. So, we had a lot of kids (Shirley said 581). Now that is a large senior class especially for the times. It was almost impossible with the quick change of classes to meet and get to know everyone. Aside from a class together or a shared club experience it was pretty much your neighbors, church family you saw the most. Most of us had curfews, limited phone use and bed times. Social media was our lunchtime. I am actually thankful for that and no technology, smart phones. I would have liked to have the music instead of just AM WAPE. It was unthinkable to have music on demand in a hand held device? Sounds like one of our weekly readers discussing things in the future. As for the 50th reunion, it was wonderful time. Except for the summer heat wave, I would say it was perfect! Thank you to the planners and committee members. Thank you for the brillant scholarship campaign and huge success $10k! Thank you for the pictures, the memories and most of all to everyone who came. I thought our class looked amazing. Most of us are 68 and looked great. I mean it. It has brought back so many memories of not just high school but growing up in that time period and in Jax. I think what they have done in the downtown area is fantastic. There have been so many changes but south Jax has stayed much the same. I miss seeing the majestic oak trees and azaleas. I could see the blue Main St bridge from my hotel window so pretty all lit up at night. The beautiful and big St Johns river timelessly flowing by.  I wished for just a moment I could walk back into the old Gator bowl or drive my car down to acess 5 just one more time. Lakewood Presbyterian and other churches were still there (and some very big now). I was happy to see Lakewood Plaza thriving and a Starbucks. It was fun running into you there Mary Jo Linnville. I drove past the three houses I lived in, seeing many of my friend's houses too. It made me miss them and their parents who we also knew and loved. I only lived in Jax for 14 years coming from Charleston SC and then moving to Tallahassee, Clearwater, Tampa and Bradenton areas. Many of you stayed and raised your families and enjoyed a continuation of our friendships even 50 years later.  For everyone who could not make it to the 50th,  just know you were very missed and thought of with love. Enjoy the great pictures (photo credits to Shirley and Joanne)  and maybe we will see you at another gathering soon. May God bless you and keep you until then sweet friends. 2019 "seniors" are still fine as in '69.

Nancy Elizabeth Brannon (Brant)

Great reflections Chris. I’m so glad you came. I didn’t run into you until the end of the night on Saturday. Wish we’d had more time to talk and catch up but I’m thankful we had some time together. You always had the most beautiful smile and I have great memories of watching you cheer. 🤗 We were blessed with a great class and many wonderful memories. It was a great reunion and I hope to see you again someday soon. Blessings, Nancy Brant

Chris Pratt (Whitaker)

Thanks Nancy. You certainly had a rewarding job at FBC. Imagine the impact you have had on so many young lives. Very few people are lucky to do something they love like that. I think it is so great that you, an only child, have so many grands! That is an extra blessing. I bet the one little boy is a prince among princesses. Enjoy chasing those grandbabies and making memories. I always think of you smiling and saying hello to everyone. I remember spending a night at your lovely home I think in junior high school. Thanks again for all your reunion committee help. God bless.

Gregory S. [Greg] Poirier

Jerry Alden Howalt

What a surprise to check the mail today and find a birthday card from Shirley Atkins (Hartman). Truly a heartfelt thanks for my 69th. Seniors Fine in 69!

Jerry Howalt

Chris Pratt (Whitaker)

Shirley is so good about thinking of and remembering others. I appreciate all her hard work on the 1969 Wolfson website too. Happy Birthday to all the 69 club. I just joined in July 

Joseph Warren [Joe] Miller

The Spring Break Get-Together was a great time.  A big THANK YOU to all that organized the event.  A special shout-out to Shirley Atkins for the great Web-site that she has maintained for years; which really sets us apart from other classes.  Joe Miller – Wolfpack Forever

Zondra Louise Tyre

So sorry I coudn't make the Spring Park get-together.  Just the school name brings back such an array of memories - most of which are quite fond...  I'm now living in Half Moon Bay, CA, which is about 20 miles south of San Francisco.  My older brother Rodney, class of '68, died this past January.  He was living in Lakeland. My younger brother Gary, class of '71 lives in South Carolina.  Only my youngest brother Mark still lives in Jacksonville. 

I, too, am grateful to Shirley for her perseverance and good work on our behalf.

Blessings to All,

Zondra

Anita Olivia [Nita] Barnett (Campbell)

Yes, I'm still alive and kicking (although I take drugs now for memory issues - ha!) Had to reset my password since I couldn't... oh well, you get the gist of it. I wanted to let the organizers know that we are moving back to WV so my husband can be closer to his girls. The move time may interfere with the reunion, so we'll just have to wait and see.

Since I've not logged in for years, I wanted to review the In Memory page. I found it sad to realize so many of our mates have passed... The pictures helped to jog my brain and bring up lots of good memories. To read the obits/notices and comments/reflections was both helpful and heart-warming. How very grateful I am for the folks (Shirley?) that regularly update this site for all of us to enjoy. Thank you! 

I'll try to do a better job at staying in touch. Until then, sending my best wishes to everyone.  And, if you are ever in the DeLand area, email me so we can make plans to meet up. (The house will be "staged" soon and will probably look better than it has in the last 20 years, so come on over!)

Love to you all,

Nita Barnett Campbell (aka "Big Momma" to my kids, grands, greats, and mentees)

P.S. Don't forget to shop at Barnett Jewelers for yourself or that special loved one.

Deborah [Debbie] Curran (McLaughlin)

Oh Nita I hope your move does allow you to make the 55th reunion! It is going to be casual in the heart of Mandarin with a relaxed atmosphere for catching up and enjoying friends. Do try to make it!
Deborah Curran McLaughlin

Elizabeth Breedlove (Aka Shannon West)

Hey Gang, hoping this reaches folks, it's hard to do a  group message
I am putting together the music for the 55th reunion and obviously want to put the songs you want to hear in the mix. If you are attending the reunion and have requests and/or songs from that era that mean a lot to you I need to know before Sunday April 7th. We will be doing songs that came out  between 1966 and 1969 with maybe a little spillover earlier or later but not much Doesn't have to be a pop hit, it can be from a movie or Broadway show, a song you did in a talent show, or an album you loved that wasn't really peer group stuff..  Any genre. I can fit it in the mix.  Even if you're not attending feel free to chime in because it's fun to know what other people were into and share that.

Details

- Yes, the music will be played in the background at a level that won't interrupt even quieter conversations.
- It will be prerecorded, not a live DJ setup. I will have it mixed and pre recorded in my laptop to run through the sound system.
- We don't have wi-fi there so on site requests would mean switching from laptop to phone and back. Tommy Bayer is graciously providing the sound system and I want to make it as easy and low maint as possible for him. So advance only/
- The joy of current technology is if it's available anywhere, Spotify, Amazon, Apple, YouTube, pretty much anywhere, I can get it.
- The reason for wanting the info so soon:  there was a lot of diversity in styles back then and most top 40 stations covered a lot wider territory. The music mix will be done like that, so no clusters/sets of the same style. which is why I am already starting to pre-mix the 5 one hour sets. I hung out at one of the radio staitons a lot back then - it was fun to watch how they put the playlists together. Not so much fun to be told "girls don't" become DJs. 6 years after graduation I did :D

Gracias. This is gonna be fun to put together. Amazing how many songs from then are still so relevant and popular today across multiple generations.

Totally looking forward to hearing what you loved.
either reply here or 
to ShannonWest0201@gmail.com with Song Request as the subject.

If anyone who is involved with the newsletter content sees this can you please share this info


 

Martha Jean O'Brien (Frank)

Shannon-thanks for doing this for the reunion.  I have so many songs that I could think of but it is probably best to let you and others jump in.  I think "Up, up and Away' was the theme of our Senior Prom (I know it was either '68 or '69) so that's always a goodie!  Jean O'Brien Frank

Gregory S. [Greg] Poirier

Did you know one of the top songs of 1969 was "Jean" by Oliver??

Elizabeth Breedlove (Aka Shannon West)

Greg, yup. I was already hanging out at radio stations and going to the meetings where they discussed what new music to play every week. And I've been in radio or other music biz related adventures of some type ever since then.
I have all kinds of cool stuff from back then including some of the actual radio top 40 lists the stations used to hand out. And access to charts and trade publications going all the way back to then.
The thing that stands out is how diverse top 40 stations were. You would hear everything from Jimi Hendrix to The Archies to Frank Sinatra all on the same station and stations really did play up to 60 new or recent songs. Now the average Top 40 station plays 10-15 new songs max. And radio's "new" is Spotify and Tik-Tok's "been out for a year". The other thing is how well some of these songs hold up after all these years. Plus people of all ages tend to stream songs they like from all eras - you see 15 year olds with old Motown on their playlists right next to Dua Lipa and Doja Cat.
I generally mostly listen to new music so it's been fun and interesting going back and exploring what was hot back then
 

Connie Jean Crabtree (Wiggins)

Shannon- I can't wait to experience your awesome playlists. Thanks so much for putting this together. Here are a few tunes that come to mind... It's A Beautiful Morning, Magic Carpet Ride, Hey Jude, Aquarius, Summer in the City!

Linda Tresca (Hollis)

Young Life trip summer 1968

Christopher Warren [Chris] Parker

Love these pictures. I was on this trip. Went to Frontier. Chuck Needer and Forever Water!

Jerry Alden Howalt

Linda, just saw your post. Lill and I are on our way to reunion from Tx. Get in your car and get to Jax so we can reminisce.