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Thurmont High School Alumni Annual Banquet

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Maxine troxell

Volunteers with the Thurmont Alumni Association hosted the Thurmont High School (THS) Alumni Annual Banquet at the Thurmont Event Complex on June 11, 2022. Alumni President Howard Lewis (Class of ‘60) welcomed the crowd of about 200, and Ron Free (Class of ‘64) served as master of ceremonies. Joanne Coleman Gaver (Class of ‘51) gave the invocation.

Fond alumni memories were shared with a big screen video developed by Maxine Troxell (Class of ‘62), with photos from the good old days in school.

In addition to the social aspect of the banquet, some association business was conducted with the reading of the organization’s last meeting minutes by Secretary Viola Noffsinger (Class of ‘58), as well as the Treasurer’s Report and Scholarship Fund Report by Treasurer Becky Linton (Class of ‘58).

Scholarships totaling $22,400 were awarded to this year’s scholars.  Those receiving scholarships were:

Paige Baker (Catoctin HS)—Albert Eyler, Jr. (Class of 1944)

Rianna Chaney (Catoctin HS)—Mark Long (Class of 1971), Raymond Long (Class of 1953), Carole Beauchamp  (Class of 1956)

Sheridan Chaney (Catoctin HS)—Mark Long (Class of 1971), Raymond Long (Class of 1953), Carole Beauchamp (Class of 1956)

Joshua Glass (Catoctin HS)—Cindy Shire (Class of 1970)

Makenzie Kuhn (Catoctin HS)—Barry Kuhn (Class of 1971), Barry Brown (Class of 1972), Richard F. Kuhn, Jr. (Class of 1968)

Jack Willard (Brunswick HS)— Morris Willard (Class of 1952)

Anniversary classes honored at this banquet were graduating classes: 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, and 1972. 

Election of officers for 2023 were: President—Ron Pearcey, Vice President—Rusty Hauver, Secretary—Viola Noffsinger, Treasurer—Becky Linton. Volunteers are needed for assistant secretary and assistant treasurer.

Prizes were given for the oldest attendee, Edward Coleman (Class of ‘42), and the person who traveled the furthest, Terry Miller (from Waxahachie, Texas). 

Door prizes, donated by various local businesses and organizations, were hosted by Ron Pearcey, Ray May, and Lela Weaver; 50/25/25, Basket & Baked Goods Raffles—Bill Eyler, Melanie Pearcey, Bernadine Trout, Nancy Rice, Carol Long; Auctions—Bill Eyler.

The banquet was closed by President Howard Lewis. Next year’s THS Alumni Banquet will be held June 10, 2023.

The Thurmont High School Alumni would like to thank the following donors of door prizes and auction items: Door prizes: Bollinger’s Restaurant, Trout’s Market, Carriage House Inn Restaurant, Catoctin Mountain Orchard, Roy Rogers Restaurant, Mountain Memories, The Ott House, Fratelli’s New York Pizza,  Karen Myers Bouquets, Gateway Candyland, Weis Market, Hillside Turkey Farm, Hobbs Hardware, Jubilee Foods, Mountain Gate Restaurant, Epicure Foods LLC,  Rocky’s Pizza, and Kountry Kitchen; Auction items: Original THS Brick —Dick Creager & Tena Creager Karinshak, THS Cats Meow—Becky Linton, Maple Run Golf Outing—Russell Moser, Wine Display—Gladys Baker.

Photos by Maxine Troxell

Class of 1944 Edward Coleman

Class of 1952 (from left) Rodman Myers, Virginia Dewees Portner, and Charles Portner.

Class of 1957 (from left) Back row: Don Clabaugh, Chester Fogle, Donald Stitely Robert Layman, Plummer Fraley; Front row: Frank Free, Connie Heck Testaman, Betty Lee Eyler Rickard, Ross Smith, and Terry Miller.

Class of 1947 Robert Fox

Class of 1962 (from left) Back row: Charles Harbaugh, Jack Sease, Earl Miller, Mike Thompson, James Mackley; Center row: Maxine Fogle Troxell, Judy Coleman Knott, Jerry Moser, Beverly Rayford Mapp, Helen Staub Troxell, Beverly Hoke, Frances Beard Redding, Nancy Gearhart Rice; Front row: Jerry Weddle, Cheryl Zentz Hildebrand, Phyllis Johnson Dayhoff, and Betty Keeey Dewees. Missing from photo: James Abiba, Larry Eby, Edward Reifsnider, and Dennis Hoffman.

Class of 1967 (from left) Back row: Bill Eyler, Larry Clabaugh, Wayne Moser, Mike Smith; Front row: Faye Christie Worth, Larry Brown, and Jim Kuhn.

Scholarship recipients: THS Alumni President Howard Lewis presents scholarships to Jack Willard, Rianna Chaney, Sheridan Chaney, and Paige Baker (Joshua Glass and Mackenzie Kuhn not pictured).Teacher Clarence Piper

Thurmont High School Alumni Holds Annual Banquet

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Volunteers with the Thurmont Alumni Association hosted the Thurmont High School (THS) Alumni Annual Banquet at the Thurmont Event Complex on June 12, 2021. Alumni president, Howard Lewis (Class of ‘60), welcomed the crowd of about 200, and Ron Free (Class of ‘64) served as Master of Ceremonies.

Carol Long (Class of ‘72), Nancy Rice (Class of ‘62), and Bob Fahnestock (Class of ‘76) sang “The Star Spangled Banner,” and Larry Eby (Class of ‘62) gave the invocation.

Fond alumni memories were shared with a big screen video developed by Maxine Troxell (Class of ‘62), with photos from the good old days in school. In addition to the social aspect of the banquet, some association business was conducted with the reading of the organization’s last meeting minutes by Secretary Viola Noffsinger (Class of ‘58), as well as the Treasurer’s Report and Scholarship Fund Report by Treasurer Becky Linton (Class of ‘58).

Anniversary classes honored at this banquet were graduating classes: 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971. Those in graduating years ending in 0 or 5 would have been honored last year, but the banquet was canceled due to COVID-19.

Prizes were given for the oldest attendee, Edward Coleman (Class of ‘42), and the person who traveled the farthest, Ernest Snyder (Class of ‘53).

Carol Long, Lela Weaver, and Lottie Trigg distributed door prizes and hosted the fundraising auction.

The alumni’s slate of officers of 2022 was approved, with Howard Lewis servicing as president, Viola Noffsinger as secretary, and Becky Linton as treasurer.

It was an honor to extend support to the alumni’s scholarship recipients: Kelby Benjamin (Walkersville HS), Emily Marie Dewees (Catoctin HS), Addison Elizabeth Eyler (Catoctin HS), Ava Maze (Catoctin HS), Shelby Madeline Ott (Walkersville HS), Nathan Sanders (Catoctin HS), Austin Lewis Smith (Catoctin HS), Lily Elizabeth Smith (Catoctin HS), and Grace Stambaugh (Walkersville HS).

The banquet was closed by President Howard Lewis, announcing next year’s banquet date as Saturday, June 11, 2022, with anniversary graduating years ending in 2 and 7.

Special thanks to all of the businesses and individuals who donated for the event.

Photos by Lottie Trigg

A nice crowd of alumni gather to celebrate and socialize.

Scholarship recipients from left: ( top row) Grace Stambaugh, Shelby Ott, Emily Marie Dewees, Addison Eyler; (front row) Ava Maze and Austin Smith.

Annual Thurmont High School Alumni Banquet Held

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Maxine Troxell

The Annual Thurmont High School Alumni Banquet was held June 1, 2019, at the Thurmont Event Complex. 

President Howard Lewis (Class of 1960), who replaced the late Don Dougherty as president, served as master of ceremonies.

The ceremonies opened with the singing of the “National Anthem,” followed by a delicious meal, served by the Thurmont Ambulance Company.

Eugene Long, Class of 1944, was the oldest in attendance. The person traveling the longest distance was Barbara Davies Watts from Fort Rose, Texas.

Scholarships are an important part of the alumni’s purpose: supporting continuing education.  Six scholarships were awarded to graduating seniors who have a relative that attended Thurmont High School. This year’s recipients were: Mackenzie Anders (Middletown HS)—Roy Anders (1961); Cameron Baumgardner (Catoctin HS)—Sharon Bennett (1970), Nancy Hill (1971), John Fink(1950); Ryan Bollinger (Frederick HS)—Sterling Bollinger (1946); Carly Crone (Catoctin HS)—Roger Clem (1957); Lucy Estep (Catoctin HS)—Terry Blickenstaff (THS*CHS 1969); Sydney Zentz (Catoctin HS)—Chester T. Zentz, Jr. (1951) and Jean L. (Tressler) Zentz (1955).

Donna Fisher and Dominick Massett were in attendance, representing former teachers. Former alumni officers were recognized and thanked; those who served in the military were also recognized and thanked.

Honor classes represented were from 1944, 1954, 1959, 1964, and 1969.

Recognition and thanks are extended to the many businesses who donated door prizes for the banquet. Next year’s banquet will be held on June 13, 2020.  Anniversary years will be those ending in 5 and 0.

Photos by Maxine Troxell

Thurmont High School Class of 1944

Picutred is Gene Long.

Thurmont High School Class of 1954

Pictured: (back row) Jim Moser, Connie Horn, Jim Freeze, Rau Fry, Russell Long, Buddy Bostian; (front row) Linda Fogle, Lois Griffith, Dollie Sanders, Lottie Bostian, and Irene Miller.

Thurmont High School Class of 1959

Pictured: (back row) Jim Baker, Kenny Fraley, Ray May, Deanna Shuff, Joe Fleagle, Ron Boller, Harvey Gearhart; (middle row) Barbara Campbell, Geneva Coren, Sandy Moser; (front fow) Janet Brown, Ruth Ann Miller, LaRue Beckley, Nancy Andrew, Glenna Willhide.

Thurmont High School Class of 1964

Pictured: (back row) Ann Miller, Jo Ellen Middle, Patsy Manahan, Barb Watts, Jim Fraley, Carolyn Fraley, Darlene Six, Joan Freeze; (front row) Connie Fream, Judy Vonn, Nancy Turner, Ethel Alexander Brauer, and Beverly Weddle.

Thurmont High School Class of 1969

Pictured: (back row) Daniel Walter, Daniel Delauter, Robert Black, David Delaire; (middle row) Terry Black, Deb Fogle, Martha Matthews, Mary Jane Putnam; (front row) Linda Redmond, Christina Laughman, Wayne Wireman, Joyce Marshall, and Lottie Twigg.

101 Years and Still Celebrating

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Theresa Dardanell

Thurmont High School alumni, along with spouses and guests, gathered together on June 3, 2017, at the Lewistown Fire Hall for their annual banquet. Over 220 people enjoyed a delicious turkey and fried shrimp dinner, served by the Lewistown Volunteer Fire Company. Alumni Association President Don Dougherty (class of 1969) began with a welcome and the Pledge to the Flag. Addison Eyler, eighth-grade student at Thurmont Middle School, sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” and, during dinner, performed the song “Good Morning Baltimore” from the musical Hairspray.

Former Thurmont High School teachers, Donna Fisher, Mary Fisher, Dominic Massett, Gail Slezak, and John Zink, were introduced. They thanked the members of the association for the invitation and for the chance to meet with their former students.

Viola Noffsinger (class of 1958) presented the secretary’s report, and Becky Linton (class of 1958) gave the treasurer’s report. Noffsinger, Linton, and Dougherty will continue in their current positions as officers for the upcoming year.

Matt Wiley (class of 1967), member of the Community Foundation Board of Trustees, provided information about the foundation and the scholarship fund. The 2017 scholarship recipients are Alexi Baumgardner, Athena Fream, Courtney Orndorff, and Meagan Mongold. Relatives of Thurmont High School alumni are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Special anniversary classes were recognized. Members of the graduating classes in the years 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, and 1972 were introduced. One speaker for each group shared details about their class motto, class colors, and class flower. The 1962 women alumni, led by Judy (Coleman) Knott, sang the pep song “We are the Thurmont Girls” to rousing applause.

Prizes were awarded in several categories: Blanche Long Keilholtz (class of 1940), the oldest graduate, received a beautiful basket of flowers. Joanna Tschiffely (class of 1968) traveled 1900 miles from Fort Collins, Colorado. Susan Long Wireman (class of 1972) was the youngest person in attendance. Wireman and Tschiffely received gift certificates. Gift baskets, created by Carol (Gearhart) Long, with items donated by local businesses, were auctioned to raise money for the scholarship fund.

The first Thurmont High School graduation was held in 1916. The school was replaced in 1969 by Catoctin High School. Alumni celebrated the 100th anniversary of Thurmont High School last year. The next banquet will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2018. Anniversary years ending in 3 and 8 will be recognized.

Ninety-four-year-old Blanche Long Keilholtz, the oldest graduate in attendance, along with Gene Long, Gloria Long Green, Harold Long, and Raymond Long.