BRHS Class of ’72 makes great showing at 50th reunion

Mon, 08/29/2022 - 10:15am

Boothbay Region High School Class of 1972 at their 50th reunion at Brady’s restaurant Aug. 6. Pictured from left are, front row: Jayne Zeamer, Merlene Stevens Mayfield, Sarah Roberts Laurie, Juanita Brewer Kristoff, Tracey Hodgdon Hyson, Beverly Giles McFarland, Marguerite Ridgway, Marsha Callnan Brown, Sandra Perkins, Brad Morrison; middle row: Marge Brewer Kilkelly, Bill Lewis, Steve Perkins, Linda Barter Cusumano, Gale Hyson Hodgdon, Nancy Harriman, Brenda Giles Hyson, Mary Alley Coventry, Ruth Day Jackimovicz, Elizabeth Farrin Whittaker, Jeff Brown; back row: Bill Logan, Kerry Smalley, Douglas Hathaway, Steve Barter, Gary Arsenault, Holly Tupper, Larry Knapp, Mike Schmidtmann, David Tompkins, Bruce Burnham, Craig Andrews, Jim Jones, Bradley Simmons. Missing from group photo: Candice Stover Dorman. Please see separate photo of her. Leisha MacDougall photo

The Boothbay Region High School Class of 1972 held its 50-year reunion on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Brady’s restaurant in Boothbay Harbor. Thirty-five classmates attended, along with their spouses and guests. Photographer Leisha MacDougall took our official class photo and other wonderful photos. The Wrong Road Band (of which our classmate Dr. Steve Barter is a member) played three hours of great music from the 1960s and 1970s, while we sang along and danced. Everyone had a wonderful time!

Every person who was ever part of our class was invited to attend, whether they graduated with us or not. At least seven longtime classmates who left before high school graduation came to the 50-year reunion, including Candice Stover Dorman, Mike Schmidtmann, Bill Logan, Jayne Zeamer, Marge Brewer Kilkelly, Merlene Stevens Mayfield, and Juanita Brewer Kristoff.

While the majority of attendees live in southern Maine (many in the Boothbay region), several classmates traveled long distances to attend, including those now living in Connecticut (Elizabeth Farrin Whittaker and Merlene Stevens Mayfield), New York (Douglas Hathaway), Virginia (Bill Lewis and Mike Schmidtmann), South Carolina (Candice Stover Dorman), and Washington State (Sandra Perkins).

A complete list of those attending the reunion appears in the caption for the class photo. We were so happy to see all of our classmates!

How many people were in our class? It depends on how we count. There were 52 senior photos in the Log for the Class of 1972. Approximately 48-52 students graduated from high school (recollections differ). At least 20 others were important members of our class in grade school and/or earlier in high school but did not stay with us until graduation.

Sadly, at least 17 members of our class have died, including Jeffrey Kelley (who was killed in a tragic auto crash on 18 April 1970, while we were still in high school), Norman Brewer, Weston “Skip” Pinkham, Ruth Wagstaff McLellan, Elizabeth Webster, Bruce Arsenault, Eleanor Blackman Barter, Jeannie Joyce, David Norcott, Paul Poore, Lee Gosselin, Michael Dolloff, Sheldon Trask, Roland Haskell, Mike Wylie, Dana Sindermann, and Donny Bryer. We miss them all.

The Class of 1972 extends heartfelt thanks to Brady’s for hosting our reunion; to Leisha MacDougall for taking our official class photo and other reunion photos; and to the Wrong Road Band for playing great music and making us feel 50 years younger! Thank you to all of them for making our reunion so memorable!

No matter how we count the members of our class, our 50-year class reunion was a huge success! We were very lucky to grow up with such a special group of people!