For four hours on Oct. 4, many Montgomery County High School graduates within a 60-year-span were at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds connecting with old classmates and looking at old memorabilia at the Montgomery County R-II All-School Reunion.

Even Mitt Brandenberg, who came in the event as the oldest graduate at 98 years old. She graduated from MCHS in the 1940s.

Another MCHS graduate, Susan Zimmerman Ashburn, traveled the farthest to come to the event as she came from Washington, D.C. She graduated in 1965.

This year’s event held at the Merchants Building enjoyed a big turnout, drawing about 200 graduates, most of them graduated from the 1960s.

One of the 1960s graduates was Cathy Nickens, who led a committee of 12 people for the All-School Reunion. As she was helping clean up, she was pleased that plenty of people showed up.

“Two years ago, we had about 50-60,” Nickens said. “So we quadrupled our turnout.”

A total of 95 people who graduated from the 1960s came to the event, including 11 from the Class of 1965. They were Ashburn, Sue Timmerberg Bishop, George Boes, Dan Bothe, Mary Thomason Hardesty, Mike Hutcherson, Adell Newsom Kirks, Marvin Miller, Nancy Knipmeyer Rogers, Sally Key Swenson and Lynn Wehrmann. Four years ago, the class held its 56th reunion at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Hall in Jonesburg with 25 classmates in attendance. The class has 103 graduates.

Also, nine people from the Class of 1968 were in attendance. Two years ago, the class held its 55th reunion at the Montgomery City Lions Club building with 40 people in attendance. The class has been holding reunions every five years ever since its first one in August 1973.

A total of 53 people who graduated from the 1970s visited the reunion. The Class of 1973 had a big turnout, having 12 people, including committee member Linda Queathem Hunn.

Six people from the Class of 1975 were in attendance. Just a month before, the class held its 50th reunion at the Montgomery City Lions Club.

The all-school reunion had 15 attendees from the 1980s, including three from the Class of 1980, Carla Hendricks Taylor, Tracy Worland Ballew and Bryan Jonas. Later that evening, they attended their class reunion at the Mid-Mo Shriners Club.

Five members from the 1990s were in attendance, including Jamie Hemeyer, who is a committee member and attended her Class of 1995 Reunion, held at the fairgrounds on Aug. 9. JJ Rodgers, who graduated from MCHS in 1997, made T-shirts at the event.

A small number from the 2000s attended. One of the attendees was Lindsay Brandenburg, who graduated from MCHS in 2005 and is Mitt’s granddaughter.
A tour of MCHS was held an hour before the event.

Pictures of the classes of 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1973 were taken. Music was played by Tee Square DJ.

The other members in the committee are Carrie Kleinsorge (Class of 1972), Audrey Naughton (Class of 1953), Bob Schlanker, Patsy Duren Speight and Paul Johnson (Class of 1967), Mary Carroz (Class of 1969), Joe Garrett (Class of 1973), Becky Reagan (Class of 1963) and Karen Harding Shy (Class of 1964).

The all-school reunion for Montgomery County High School graduates is always held during the fall.