The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

New Lebanon High School Reunion – July 11, 2015

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by David Flint

New Lebanon High School grads enjoyed their annual Reunion Dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield on July 11. Attending were 168 graduates along with about 40 spouses and guests. The very generous Mr. Richard Burns, Class of 1949, once again footed most of the bill. 

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The Class of 1965 at the New Lebanon High School Reunion - Front Row: Harry Hicks, Jo Soldato Raney, Judy McKeon Quinan, Beverly Roberts Kie, Barbara Sanford Freeman, Ann Nieber Massaconi, Sue Hensley Eck Middle Row: Lynn Bissell Hafner, Lorraine Masse Drzymala, Judy Wilska Whelan, Dan Scieszka, Michael DiMaina, Phil Kie, Barbara Smith Schroeder, Chris Jones Bradich, Patti Leonard Rosier Back Row: Patti Scully Bagnall, Bob Weber, Mame Laier Hunt, Tom Whitman, Phil Choon, Howie McArdle, Raymond Butch Delemarter, Bill Arzt, Gary Finney, Joe Peclet, Cliff Hatch (David Flint photo)
The Class of 1965 at the New Lebanon High School Reunion – Front Row: Harry Hicks, Jo Soldato Raney, Judy McKeon Quinan, Beverly Roberts Kie, Barbara Sanford Freeman, Ann Nieber Massaconi, Sue Hensley Eck
Middle Row: Lynn Bissell Hafner, Lorraine Masse Drzymala, Judy Wilska Whelan, Dan Scieszka, Michael DiMaina, Phil Kie, Barbara Smith Schroeder, Chris Jones Bradich, Patti Leonard Rosier
Back Row: Patti Scully Bagnall, Bob Weber, Mame Laier Hunt, Tom Whitman, Phil Choon, Howie McArdle, Raymond Butch Delemarter, Bill Arzt, Gary Finney, Joe Peclet, Cliff Hatch (David Flint photo)

Celebrating his 80th graduation anniversary was the ebullient Mr. Bud Schell.  For at least the past six years, Schell has represented the earliest class present at these Reunion Dinners. Mr. Schell also once again provided the music for the Dinner in the person of “One Man Band” Paul Slusar of Philmont.

Schell is a World War II veteran of the US Army Air Force. He was a flight engineer engaged in transporting B-24 and B-25 bombers and a variety of other aircraft to various theaters of operation, though much of his time was spent in the legendary city of Casablanca in Morocco.  After the war Schell went back to work for GE in Pittsfield, but later became the owner and operator for many years of the Esso (later Exxon) station on route 22 in New Lebanon.

Having a grand old time celebrating their 80th and 70th high school graduation anniversaries at the New Lebanon High School Reunion Dinner are Bud Schell and Helen Koepp. (David Flint photo)
Having a grand old time celebrating their 80th and 70th high school graduation anniversaries at the New Lebanon High School Reunion Dinner are Bud Schell and Helen Koepp. (David Flint photo)

The youngest graduates at the Dinner were from the Class of 2011, Benjamin and Felicity Hayden Cassavaugh and Meredith Lukas.

Graduates came from all over the country but Sue Hensley Eck, Class of 1965 travelled the furthest, from Buckeye, Arizona.

In the spotlight of course was the class of 1965, celebrating their 50th anniversary. Of the 39 living classmates, 24 attended the Reunion. Seven classmates came from out of state, three from South Carolina and one each from Arizona, Tennessee, New Mexico and New Hampshire.[/private]