Twila and Barry Hartz opened their homes and hosted the 42nd reunion of Knapp College of Nursing’s Class of 1967 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This followed a long tradition of Twila having us to her home for reunions, the previous ones at her home in Apple Valley, California. Eight members (and one dog) attended. Twila, Jeanne Thompson Hilbe, Linda Yeager Meyers, Cathy Herron, Sue Russell, Carol Stone Maddox, Valerie Lake and Sue Mitacek Ynostroza. We ate, we talked and then of course ate some more.
Jeanne shared with us her exciting announcement of her engagement and upcoming marriage on August 1, 2009 in Bakersfield. On Saturday, we had a Candle Light Ceremony in keeping with Knapp tradition. This time we all gave her messages from our hearts as we held the candle and passed it from one class mate to another. There were tears of joy and happiness, also a Knapp tradition.
While we talked and ate, we also shared memories, updating one another of our lives, sharing wonderful and not so wonderful memories of school. There were pictures and scrapbooks to enjoy (though we now need glasses to see them) and we all realized in a few years we would be eligible for Medicare and social security. We were at Cottage Hospital when Medicare was enacted, filling the rooms with “old people”. Oops! Now it’s us.
Together we are still 18 years old. Remember “to be a student nurse was to be more then a marine.”
Reunion in Santa Barbara: Back Row; Cathy, Valerie, Linda, Judy
Front Row: Dottie, Mary Jo, Carol, Sue
Apple Valley Reunion
Twila opened her home to us to be together and remember and laugh
Jeanne at Candle Ceremony at Colorado Reunion
It was a tradition to announce engagements by tying the ring to a candle and passing the candle around in a circle. When the the newly engaged person was ready, they blew out the candle. In this case, we all shared heart felt messages for Jeanne as we each held the candle. A few flowers from Twila's table arangement were sacrificed.
Front row: Twila, Jeanne, Linda
Back row: Cathy, Sue, Carol, Valerie, Sue
Sue, Jeanne, Carol, Twila look over scrap books
Knapp goes to the Ball Game
