LUHS class of 1963 set to hold its 60 year class reunion tomorrow in Minocqua

If you think your high school class is good with keeping in touch, you may want to think again. That’s because it’s evident that Lakeland Union High School’s (LUHS) graduating class of 1963 has mastered the art of high school reunions (that is, if you want to consider class reunions an art).

Tomorrow, on Sept. 16 at Norwood Pines Supper Club, the class of ‘63 will reunite once more — this time commemorating 60 years since they completed high school together in Minocqua. 

“For me, it’s difficult to comprehend a group of young teenage kids, coming from various communities that make up the Lakeland School District, entering Lakeland Union High School as freshman in the Fall of 1959 and now we’re senior citizens in the fall of 2023,” 1963 LUHS class president Tom Pavek said. “Go figure …”

Pavek emphasized how the class of 1963 may be the only class to stay faithful in meeting with each other every 10 years, sometimes every five years, and for some; once a year. 

He said he didn’t realize how special and unique his class was, even though others would tell him that. 

“Looking back, there are four underlying traits that speak to the qualities we have as a class … then and now,” Pavek said. “Camaraderie, inclusiveness, respect for each other and continuity for tradition.” 

Pavek retraced and compared the different reunions the class of 1963 has held since, noting the first reunion in 1973 felt more like a “high school function” rather than a casual get-together to catch-up. He did say he enjoyed it still, though. 

“I attribute these feelings to the fact that those 10 years flew by faster than Grant took Richmond,” Pavek said of the 10-year reunion. 

The second reunion was really when the class of ‘63 appeared to continue building its bond, as Pavek said he remembered talks of holding a third class reunion began that night. 

“This was a marked difference for me because it was more than enjoyable to see everyone after 20 years and notice all the changes that occurred since our first one,” he said. “I enjoyed renewing past friendships and generating new ones. There was excitement, laughter, conversations and electricity filled the air which I felt was missing in our initial reunion. I could feel the change and it felt good. This feeling became more evident as the night went on because talk was brewing concerning our third class reunion.”

The discussion concerning the third class reunion wasn’t with regard to waiting another 10 years to see everyone again, though, Pavek said. Instead, discussion was centered on holding another reunion in five years. 

He said the class “overwhelmingly” voted for the five-year reunion that evening in 1983, and “what a difference it made.”

Pavek said the class also began holding a Friday night “mixer” prior to its reunions on Saturday. 

“The ‘mixer’ enabled us to reacquaint with everyone and get brought up to speed with the changes and/or happenings that occurred since we last saw each other,” he said. “This was combined with conversations on various subjects, sharing precious memories of the past, discussion of the future, a lot of noise filling the room with laughter of course, and an adult beverage or two.”

In planning reunions, Pavek said the class of 1963’s invitations always extend to students who spent any time with the class during those four years, from 1959 to 1963. Even if a student from the class didn’t graduate for whatever reason or moved away, they were still, and are, always invited.

Teachers were invited too, according to Pavek, and some would come out to enjoy catching up with their students who were by then adults. 

“This was extremely successful and greatly appreciated by the teachers who could be with us,” Pavek said. “They enjoyed sharing memories with us and wanted to know what has transpired since the last time we met. My most memorable memory in speaking with a teacher … was the comment made that it was enjoyable and nice not to be speaking with skinny and ‘scrawny’ high school kids but to actual full-fledged adults.”

In conclusion, Pavek highlighted the importance of class reunions, noting not every high school class has them. 

“But … we’re T-Birds … we know how to Fly!” he said. 

A different point-of-view

Dianna Lang, another member of the LUHS class of 1963, said she wasn’t very popular in high school. She said she was bigger and wore glasses, even describing herself as a “geek.”

But she did say she wanted to go and attend her class’ first reunion in 1973, after she just had her first child, lost some weight and traded her glasses in for contacts. 

Lang said she moved to the Chicago area right after high school and worked there for 30 years before returning to the Lakeland area, where she would spend the next 30 years. 

She said she still keeps in touch with a few classmates and invites them to her family’s annual Christmas party. 

Pavek, Lang said, reminded her that their class, as far as they know, is the only class to hold consecutive 10-year reunions. 

The class of 1963 consisted of 78 students, and Lang predicts about 20 classmates have died. She mentioned, naturally, the older people get, “the more that’s gonna happen.”

Lang said Pavek had asked her to announce those who were lost from the class of 1963, one of which was former long-time Hazelhurst town supervisor Gilbert “Gil” Kettner who died suddenly at his home in May. 

“He was one of the good guys, and we graduated with him,” she said. “He was such a nice, nice guy and so loved. There were a lot of people like that who were nice to everybody.”

Twenty-six classmates are expected to join-in on this year’s reunion at Norwoods Pines, though Lang said the reservation is set for 44. 

For Lang, her relationship with her high school peers evolved overtime. In high school, she said she stuck to herself and her best friend was her sister. Now working at Minocqua’s visitors center, however, and attending every class reunion, she “reacquainted” with those from the community she grew-up in and came back to.

“I look forward to seeing everybody and how they’ve changed,” she said. “For our 40th, I wrote a poem, and I said ‘Some of us are bald and some of us are gray, but we’re still those kids.’ … We’re 70 years old for pete’s sake, but we’re still kicking. You know, like my son says, ‘If you’re breathing, it’s a good day.’”

One reason why Lang believes somebody should attend their class reunion is because it can result in a newfound friendship with someone they may not have spoken with during high school.

She agreed that seeing everyone for a reunion reinforces a shared sense of pride in where they all come from.

“We’re all proud to have gone to Lakeland,” Lang said. “It was a good school, it’s in a good town. You know, when we were going to Lakeland, there were nine towns that came to Lakeland. Now, I believe, there are 11. You know, you met so many people from out-and-about that didn’t live next door to you or didn’t live in town, but you got to know them and yes, I think that when we go back to the class reunion we re-live that.”

‘Pretty lucky’

Jim Clark, another member of the LUHS class of 1963, said his class has been “pretty lucky” to be able to hold as many class reunions as they have. 

“Not everybody has one, but we stayed with 10 for a couple years and then we went to five and then when we lost some classmates in 2015, we decided to go every year ... usually it’s just the ones local (annually),” he said. “But to do it every year and catch-up on anything you hear from other classmates, it’s usually fun ... to talk about the old days.”

Clark said what he likes most about the reunions is the retelling of old stories.

Like Lang, Clark said the reunions are open to everyone, not just those who graduated. 

Some left school early to serve in the military, he added, also saying one member of the 1963 class lost his life serving in Vietnam.

Considering the rise of social media and how that could impact the relevance of class reunions, Clark said the functions should be something that are continued by future generations. 

“Me personally, I didn’t think I would like a class reunion back in the 70s ... but I went to the reunion and thought ‘This is kind of neat,’” he said. “And after that, I said I’m gonna go to every one now.”

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].