40 Year Highlights

Summary of the 40 Year Reunion Activities

Thursday Sept 20, 2012

The Thursday night ‘Talent and Storytelling’ program was on September 20th. This event was held at the Robert G Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at5709 South 1500 West in Taylorsville, Utah 84123 at 7 PM. It was an informal ‘get together’. Many came to share stories about the ‘Skyline Years’. Classmates that attended :

Christopher Atkin, Bruce Baker, Dave Barton, Rob Bonner, Irene Bortolussi (Smith), Carol Braithwaite (Rhodes), Mark Bult, Edd Clark, Earl Cottrell, Brad and Marianne Duckworth, Dan Griffee, Carrie Hale (Terrell), Nancy Halliday, Dave Handley, Liz Harris, Susan Hassard (Moore), Pam Hatch, Cynthia Howe (Riggs), Shawn Ince, Kathryn Hale, Debra Kidd (Zumwalt), Ron Knowlton, Caralee (Cori) Lloyd (Powers), Suzann Loomis (Withers), John Mickel, Diana Niesen (Vilardo), Layne Croxford and Fay Ottley (Croxford), Laurie Potter, Robert Pruitt, Rita Riddle (Wright), Brooke Schofield (Fisher), Jessie Snow (Newman), Rick and Clarese Strout, Richard Call, Marilyn Tiller (Call), Lillie Ungricht (Christiansen), Janet Wolcott, Joyce Woodbury (Jones), Joe Worthen and most with their spouse or partners.

Lous Marsing, Edd Clark, Cori Lloyd Powers, Cynthia Howe Riggs

Cynthia Howe (Riggs), Nancy Halliday, Susan Hassard (Moore), Fay Ottley (Croxford), Layne Croxford and Brooke Schofield (Fisher)

Glade Baldwin, Pam Hatch, Clarese and Rick Strout

Chris Atkin, Cori Lloyd Powers, Rob Bonner

Dave Barton and Joe Worthen

Cori Lloyd Powers, Earl Cottrell, Cyndy Howe Riggs

Cynthia Howe Riggs, Marilyn Tiller Call, Richard Call and Laurie Potter

Mr and Mrs Middleton, Richard Call, Marilyn Tiller Call

Cori Lloyd Powers and Walt Gregory

Faculty and Administration was represented tonight. It was our honor to have Ted Wilson and Henry Middleton present.

Welcoming the group by video was our fearless leader and Student Body President Alan Tingey.

Walt Gregory was the Master of Ceremonies and sat upfront on the keyboard adding mood music and entertainment.

*The night began with Walt introducing Marilyn Tiller (Call).*

She told about the Sanderson Community Center that she worked so hard to create. I think the highlight of her talk was when she told her favorite joke. "Why do farts smell? For the benefit of the deaf". That pretty much set the stage for a fun and interesting evening!
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*The storytelling program continued when Dave Barton related the story of his senior project in Mr. Waite's art class. He made a 1972 penny suspender project.*



Dave was describing his project when Mr. Middleton came up to the podium.

Mr. Middleton told Dave that back in 1972 he called the FBI when learning that he had defaced government property. Henry then proceeded to tell Dave that because the FBI agent he talked to was a Skyline Alumni that it would be Okay! Mr. Middleton still has a sense of humor and was honored to be at the event and hear the stories many had about 'Mr. Middleton' escapades!
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Former teacher at Skyline, Mr. (Ted) Wilson was introduced to speak to the group.

He gave a wonderful and inspiring talk about our life's experience as well as memories of Skyline. During his speech you could hear a pin drop. Thank you Mr Wilson!
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*Walt then introduced Bruce Baker.*

Bruce read a poem he wrote entitled Step by Step
Today I heard a funny story About a baby who walked to glory. They don’t say how long it took. He learned to walk. The whole world shook. It took a while is what I’m told. Step by step, by being bold. He tried. He failed. He tried again. He tried. He failed. He fell again. He would start. He’d stop. He’d fall down. He’d start. He’d stop. He looked like a clown. He tried so often, he lost count. His failure he would soon surmount. You see it didn’t matter if he fell, Scraped his knee and it would swell Or bang his head and bite his tongue. He was in this for the long run. He concentrated on his goal Not his falls that made holes. He was going to walk one day No matter the time it took, OK? No one ever said, “You’ve tried enough. It’s OK. Give up this stuff.” No one said, “Give up this dream. Look at your knees, those scars and screams.” Little by little, every day Another step along the way. One day he gained his balance Took two steps and smiled, “What talent.” He took two steps more. What joy, oh joy. Then he fell. Oh, brother. Oh, boy. But he laughed and giggled on the way down. He had learned to walk. He was going to town. He learned that with this resolve, “Never give up and the problem you’ll solve. Keep the dream alive,” he’d say. “Work at it a little every day.” “But learning to walk is easy,” you say. “People learn to do it every day.” The point isn’t that everyone does it. The point is everyone kept at it. Everyone tried and failed for a time. Yet everyone learned to walk sublime. People tend to forget. Keep at it. You’ll get it yet. So the next time your dream Seems too far away, Remember how you learned to walk that day. You tried. You tried. You tried and failed. But you kept going and you prevailed.
Bruce also displayed a painting he had done. It was quite striking and measured 4 feet by 8 feet!

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Walt then introduced Edd Clark and Lois Marsing. They performed a duet and individual vocals.



Edd and Lois did a great job! A lot of 'jaws dropped' during these stirring songs with great messages.
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*A Tribute to Deceased Classmates was then Presented.*

Rick Strout was in attendance and told about his military experience in this documentary.

A Tribute to the Military was then played. Walt Gregory played 'God Bless America' and 'Military Themes' honoring the Military Branches' as the video played.

A Tribute and Commentary by Former Teachers Clarann Jacobs, Ted Wilson, Ginger Gunn and Donald Ripplinger

*School Hymn Video with Choir Pictures*

*We concluded the evening with Walt Gregory doing his 'wild and crazy antics'. Thank you* *Walt!* *Great job.*

Further Reunion Activities
Friday Sept 21, 2012 The golf tournament was a huge success. Those golfing included: Rob Bonner, David F. Smith, Pam Brewer (Uecker) and Roy Uecker, Mark Bult, Brad and Marianne Duckworth, Steve Glick, Scott Grayson, Dan and Peggy Griffee, Jess and Susan Harper, Cynthia Howe (Riggs), Cori Lloyd (Powers), Lisa Lund (Goodman), John Mickel, Jeff and Diane Nelson, Alan Seko, Robert and Debbie Muse Spafford, Rick and Clarese Clyde Strout, Kent Wiggins, John and Beverlee Varanakis
8:00 a.m. - The golf tournament started Friday morning at 8:00 AM at the Old Mill Golf Course. When the tournament was completed we had a wonderful lunch with awards and prizes in the clubhouse. A very special thanks to Dan Griffee for planning and pulling off such a fun event. Click HERE to view pictures of the golf tournament! *Barbecue* A special thanks to Scott Tarbet and TexaSmoke BBQ for donating their services. Click HERE to view more pictures of the BBQ and game! 4:00 p.m. - A tour of Skyline brought back memories of the high school experience. 5:00 p.m. – A casual dinner (BBQ) proved to be a great highlight of the reunion activities. 7:00 p.m. – Home football game at Skyline (Homecoming) - Many attended the homecoming game FREE and were honored at half-time. Skyline pulled off the victory in the last minute 24-23! Saturday Sept 22, 2012 (The Main Reunion Event at the Marriott Hotel) Click HERE to view pictures at the Marriott event!

Tim Eisenhart 'Plugged' the Scholarship Fund - Click HERE to Donate.


*The 20 Year Reunion Video was played.*

*A Final Note from Rita Riddle Wright*
September September 25, 2012 Dear Skyline Class of ’72 Classmates, Thanks to all of you who supported our recent reunion. It was great to visit with those of you who attended the event. It was also amazing that we were able to catch up with those of you who couldn’t physically attend by facebook or on the website connections. Modern marvels! Please keep visiting the website and updating your profile. We want to keep in touch. Looking forward to our next journey through time. Warmly, Rita (Riddle) Wright PS We are reviewing the various events and would like to collect comments about them for future committees. We’d also like your feedback as to whether you vote for a change to 5 yrs or keep it at 10 yrs between reunions. Click HERE to share your imput on our Reunion Survey. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN HELPING TO PLAN THE NEXT REUNION—it’s great to spend even more time with old friends!