Eagles 1969 50th Preunion & Tribute to Texas Song Writers

What's a Preunion, you ask?

A Reunion is a get together of classmates who have graduated together and is usually held every decade after the year of graduation. For example, the 50th Reunion is the get together of classmates 50 years after graduation.

A Preunion is a get together of classmates who have graduated together and is held the year prior to a Reunion. For example, the 50th Preunion is the get together of classmates 49 years after graduation.

Think of a Preunion as the appetizer and the Reunion as the main course.

The RHS Class of 1969 50th Preunion Was A Smashing Success!

The RHS Class of 1969 50^thPreunion, held at the Fox & Hound in Richardson on Friday, May 18, 2018, drew an eclectic crowd of RHS 1969 graduates, spouses, friends, and progeny. Billed as the warm up for the main event of the 50^thReunion in 2019, the Preunion delivered in its promises of great entertainment, conversation, and companionship. In fact, it was so successful that we are thinking of cancelling the 50^thReunion.

The Main Course

The main course of the evening was a Tribute to Texas Song Writers by our own classmate Ron Knight. From his days at RHS, Ron hobnobbed with the great Texas song writers of our generation. Why? Because he is one of them.

Now, even if you didn’t attend in person, you can enjoy Ron’s performance of his original songs and Texas standards, through the magic of, as Robert Siegel puts it, filmed entertainment courtesy of YouTube.

Attendees

What a crowd!

First, very special thanks go to Peggy Moore, classmate Tommy Knudson’s widow, who spent many hours getting the venue ready and taking in RSVPs. She and husband Kimber had a great time with us and we hope they will return to more RHS Class of 1969 events in the future.

We were excited when Peggy told us that a “Cordell” had RSVPed positively for attendance. Our excitement abated when we saw David enter the room instead of Martha. Oh, well. (Just kidding, David, but why wasn’t Martha with you?)

And then there was a 10-year-old elementary school student named Christopher Cantor who we were excited to see – we had not seen him since he was a 6-year-old at the 45^thReunion where he played in and won the golf tournament and sang old Sinatra standards at the Main Event. Of course, he had to bring his elderly dad Lance with him as well so that cramped his style a bit. But that’s OK – without Lance, we couldn’t have Christopher so that’s a trade-off I can put up with easily!

OK. All seriousness aside, here are all of the attendees in alphabetical order by last name.

Jan Alexander (Jan came all the way from Colorado!)

Karin (Ridenour) Anderson and husband Gary

Lance Cantor and 10-year-old very patient and talented son Christopher Cantor

Guy Connelly

David Cordell

Don Dunlap (friend from the Castilian at UT)

Karlan “Karley” Fairchild (and wife the memorable Linda Fairchild)

Wayne Gary

Royce Herndon

Phil Huber

Steve Keene

Ron Knight

Jerry May (we missed his wife Ellen who couldn’t make it!)

Glenn Messmer (skilled roadie without whose help Ron would have been in trouble)

Peggy Moore and husband Kimber

Jim Mulvihill

Faye (Mallow) Price

Sandra (Spieker) Ringo and husband Danny

Susie (Shannon) Rudd and Navy husband Jerry

Pam Scnich

Tommy Thomas and main squeeze rock n’ roll icon Elinor Stephens

Dean Weidman

If you are aware of anyone who attended whom we have not listed here, please contact us and let us know so that we can include them.

Photos

Many people contributed photos from the Preunion. Phil Huber's photos are shown below. Check back often as we get more photos posted!

And did I mention that the RHS Class of 1969 50th Preunion was free?

Tommy Thomas, Director

Punography Ltd.

22 pictures. ID's in order left to right and top to bottom.

1- Ron Knight singing

2- Danny Ringo (Sandra’s husband), Elinor (Tommy’s girlfriend) Gary Anderson, Karin Ridenour Anderson, Jim Mulvihill, Peggy Moore, Jerry May, Don Dunlap, Wayne Gary

3- Lance Cantor, Jan Alexander, Kimber Moore, Tommy Thomas, Jerry May, Sandra Spieker Ringo, Don Dunlap, David Cordell

4- Chris Cantor, Gary Anderson, Karlan Fairchild, Tommy and Elinor, Glenn Messmer, Sandra behind Danny, Jerry May, Jim Mulvihill, Royce Herndon, Peggy Moore, Ron Knight