BHS alumni honor scholarship winners, class of 1961

Monday, September 27, 2021
The BHS Alumni Association honors the class of 1961 during its annual banquet for 60 years since graduation. Class members present include (seated from left) Kay Cruse Abbott, Sara Bridges, Tom Parker and Ted Bock, (standing) Keith Lukenbill, Doretha Nicholson Morgan, Jim Lasley, Donna Witty Lasley, David Soots, Larry Parker, Don Hutcheson, Benny Chadd and (not pictured) Mary Lynn Hanks Emery.
Courtesy photo

BAINBRIDGE — Almost 200 alumni and friends attended the 2021 Bainbridge High School Alumni Association’s 106th annual banquet at the Bainbridge Community Building this summer.

The evening was highlighted by the recognition of the 2020 and 2021 BHS Alumni Scholarship winners who graduated from North Putnam High School.

Last year’s winner, Josie Lyons, is the daughter of Greg and Brenda Lyons and is attending Franklin College. The scholarship this year went to Reghan Christy. She is the daughter of Tad and Dawn Christy and is now in her freshman year at Huntington University.

Meanwhile, 1969 graduate Janet O’Hair (center right), who chairs the BHS Alumni Scholarship committee, recognizes 2020 scholarship winner Josie Lyons (left) and 2021 winner Reghan Christy. Josie is the daughter of Greg and Brenda Lyons and is attending Franklin College. Reghan is the daughter of Tad and Dawn Christy and attends Huntington University.
Courtesy photo

Janet Houser O’Hair (BHS 1969), who chairs the BHS Alumni scholarship committee, conducted the recognition.

Dorothy Bettis Lukenbill of Brownsburg introduced her class of 1960 classmates who were attending, Marilyn Tippin Phillips and Marlene Baire Rumple, and gave the response for their class that graduated 61 years ago.

Speaking for the class of 1961 (60 years since graduation) at the banquet was Keith Lukenbill of Brownsburg. Those attending from the class included: Kay Cruse Abbott, Sara Bridges, Tom Parker, Ted Bock, Keith Lukenbill, Doretha Nicholson Morgan, Jim Lasley, Donna Witty Lasley, David Soots, Larry Parker, Don Hutcheson, Benny Chadd and Mary Lynn Hanks Emery.

Carl Ferrand (BHS 1964) led the recognition of the outstanding BHS vocational agriculture program that existed at the school from 1952 to 1969. Two national champion 4-H/FFA judging teams and several other top state teams came out of the program.

Two members of the BHS class of 1945, Thursa Etcheson Evens of rural Bainbridge and Betty Young Gibbs of Greencastle, were honored as the graduates from the most senior class represented at the banquet. Max Newgent of Sebring, Florida, and the BHS class of 1952, was recognized as the alumnus that came the farthest to attend the banquet.

Contributions to the BHS Alumni scholarship fund in the names of all three of these Honored alumni have been made by the BHS Alumni Association.

The Hanks family had the most siblings present from the same family that attended BHS with five. The Hanks family members present were Emily Hanks Swords (BHS 1962), Linda Hanks (BHS 1966), Mary Lynn Hanks Emery (BHS 1961), John Hanks (BHS 1966) and Jim Hanks (BHS 1968.)

Two former faculty members at Bainbridge, Pat Rady of Terre Haute and Harold Doremire of West Lafayette, were introduced.

More than 20 graduates of North Putnam High School who had attended BHS before it closed in 1969 were also recognized.

The Class of 1964 had the most classmates present, with 12, for the alumni banquet other than the 1961 honored class. The ’64 classmates attending included Gary Canada, Steve Winters, Carl Ferrand, Susie Clark Anderson, Jackie Minnick Fowler, Linda Jackman Barnett, Kathy Derringer Coffin, Donald Albin, Don Bell, Linda McCarty Everts, Hal Snider, Jr. and Alan Ader.

Just prior to the dinner, the pledge to the American Flag was led by all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces attending the banquet. The invocation was given by class of 1964 member Carl Ferrand of rural Greencastle. Thursa Etcheson Evens shared greetings from the Bainbridge Improvement Society (BIS) that operates the Bainbridge Community Building where the banquet is held.

The banquet was closed with several former cheerleaders leading everyone in the singing of the Bainbridge school song.

Members of the banquet decorating committee in addition to the officers included Dennis and Janet O’Hair, Harold Hiser, Gus Martin, Tyler Martin, Paula Martin, Jim and Glenda Nelson, Steve and Marilyn Winters and Diana Ader.

The banquet was catered by Cochran’s Catering of Jamestown. The sound system and music were provided by Brent Pruitt.

Officers of the Bainbridge High School Alumni Association this year included Carolyn Roth Hiser of Avon, president; Patty Minnick of Lebanon, vice-president; Joe Martin of Greencastle, treasurer; Pat O’Hair Martin, of Pittsboro recording secretary and Alan Ader of Rockville, corresponding secretary.

As vice-president Patty Minnick automatically progresses to president for 2022 and from the class of 1965, Marilyn O’Hair Winters of Greencastle was elected as the new vice-president. Joe Martin, Pat O’Hair Martin and Alan Ader were re-elected to their positions.

The 107th Bainbridge High School Alumni banquet is scheduled to be a luncheon on June 25, 2022 at the Bainbridge Community Building. Further information is available on the Bainbridge Alumni website at: www.bainbridgealumni.webs.com which is maintained by Doyne Priest of Greencastle or by e-mailing Alan Ader at alan.ader@sbcglobal.net, Joe Martin at rjmartin@cinergymetro.net or by calling one of the officers.

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