Mound City High School alumni attend 63rd annual reunion

Donald Stark and Nadine Shaw Lamb, members of the Class of 1953, marked the 70th anniversary of their graduation from Mound City High School on Saturday, June 17. (Photos by Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)

MOUND CITY – The 63rd annual reunion of Mound City High School graduates got under way on the morning of Saturday, June 17, like most reunions start. Inside the Jayhawk Elementary School gym (formerly the high school gym), the noise level of conversation grew as more and more alumni arrived early so they could catch up with their former classmates.

Following the luncheon catered by Chicken Mary's with youth from the Mound City Christian Church as servers, reunion committee president Katherine Neal Clay (class of 1966) called the meeting to order and led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. David Nickelson (1965) gave the invocation.

The Class of 1973, celebrating its 50th year since graduation, is represented by, from left, Joetta New Marti, Richard Morrell, Judy Lamb Yung, and Nancy Leamon Brown.

Fourteen Jayhawk-Linn High School graduates from the class of 2023 received scholarships at the event. Committee secretary/treasurer Carol Laird Wood (1970) presented the scholarships.

Mound City Historical Society president Ron Nickelson (1958) told those gathered about the progress the society has recently made.

Charlotte Dunavan, Class of 1946, was the oldest alumnus to attend the reunion.

Following Clay's recognition of the special classes honored, vice president Clayton Shotton (1963) performed a roll call of the classes. Clay then talked about the graduates who passed away since the last reunion.

The event ended with a business meeting and a closing prayer by Ron Nickelson.

The Class of 1958 had the most alumni attend the event. Members of that class included, front row from left, Charles Bradley, Ron Nickelson, Tom Peery, David Wakefield, Meribeth West Kehl; back row, L.D. Masters, Charlene Lyon Culver, Bonnie Metcalf Peery, Marilyn Bradley Brentlinger, and Leon Stark.

Members of the Class of 1963 celebrated their 60-year anniversary. They included, front row from left, Toni Worthington, Linda Haupt Teter, Marjorie Randall Nation, Clayton Shotton; back row, Larry Schmitz, Nancy Laird Ewing, Sandy Kanatzar Davidson, and John Vaughn.

Fifty-five years have passed since the Class of 1968 graduated. Members of that class who attended included, front row from left, Nolen Cox, Mary Ann Leamon Childers, Hubert Kettler; back row, Meredith Schasteen Ison, Robbie Alexander Robertson, Janet Sue Schasteen Cox, and Laura Charley Riley.

Members of the alumni committee include, from left, Bonnie Jean Scott New (1947), Verna Lee Scott Foerschler (1956), president Katherine Neal Clay (1966), secretary/treasurer Carol Laird Wood (1970), and vice president Clayton Shotton (1963).

Jayhawk-Linn High School graduates who received Mound City High School Alumni scholarships included, front row from left, Marlee Thompson, Brynn Collier, Marissa Batcheler, Cynthia Cazares, Madelyn Batcheler, Gia Schneider, Anna Schneider; back row, Bradley Rhodes, Jeret Nichols, Austin Nation and Dylan Nickelson.