Kent-Meridian High School

Class of 1956

Alma Mater, Kent-Meridian, we love you brave and true.        Alma Mater, we hail thee, as our praises we renew. High above your famous portals proudly waves your white and blue.        We revere thee, and cheer thee, as we pledge our faith to you.

 

KMHS-56 Luncheon Despite the onslaught of November storms, some of us managed to slog through the wind and rain to enjoy a cozy lunch at the Embassy Suites - some even came by train! Here's who you missed if you let a little Pacific NW weather keep you from venturing out: Tis the season of Thanksgiving/Christmas frenzy, so ... we've decided to skip our December luncheon. However, we'll be back here again in January ... 2010 would you believe? We'll be back on our regular schedule: the last Thursday of the month - which is the 29th in January - around noon and we hope you'll join us. If you've forgotten where the Embassy Suites Hotel is, just head north on West Valley Highway to the site of the old Longacres racetrack. Their address is 15920 West Valley Highway, their phone is 425-227-8844 and their website is here. In the meantime, have a wonderful tryptophan-laden Thanksgiving and a very merry Christmas! Remember, these are regular monthly luncheons, scheduled throughout the year. You don't need an invitation or a reservation - just show up around noon on the last Thursday of nearly any month and ask for the Kent Alumni group. Unless it's a significant holiday or time for our annual picnic, we'll be there. We've settled on a regular site for our luncheons - the same Embassy Suites where we met for our 50th Reunion - and are no longer alternating between the Kent area and the South Sound.    However, since change, like age, is inevitable, be sure to check here for any late changes ... and then check once more just before you leave.

Snowbird Reunion 2009! WHO: 1956 KM Graduation Class Snowbirds WHAT: A potluck party on the patio. We'll provide a barbeque ham, coffee and fresh lemonade. You bring something to share and BYOBeverage. WHEN: MARCH 5, 2010 - Friday at 1:00 PM WHERE: Don and Donna (Welch) Praast's patio. 19606 N. Trail Ridge Drive, Sun City West, Arizona 85375 PLEASE RSVP to: Phone: 623-584-8017   Cell: 253-653-4338 or Email: donanddonnap@hotmail.com If you know any of our classmates who might be in the area at that time, please invite them to join us! WHY: Because there's never been another class like us! Mark your calendar now! ... It's really early but save the day so we can get together.

 

Originally, this site consisted of photos of Class of 56 attendees at the "KM-2000 All Years Reunion" in August 2000. As the webpage "matured", I've reorganized it several times and added a ton of other photos, including group shots from other reunions, class photos as far back the 1st grade and a growing collection of personal photos, "vintage" and otherwise. Feel free to help yourself to any of these pictures and pass them along to classmates you might be in contact with, particularly those not online. If you have Class of '56 photos, slides, etc. that seem appropriate for this page, please email me. Many of these images have been reduced in size for use on the webpage. If you'd like copies of the original full-sized files, drop me an email. As you scroll through the online class directory, trying to relate these "well experienced" faces to names you remember from long ago, you'll notice that we have still have classmates whose information is out-of-date, incomplete, inaccurate or missing entirely. If you're in contact with any of these folks, please point them here with the "assignment" to fill out an Info Form or, at least, send me their email address so I can start the wheels rolling. If they're not online, just print out the printable version of the Info Form for them to fill out and mail in. And... if you're wondering "WHAT online class directory?" or have forgotten how to access it, drop me a line here to learn about it.

Send comments and requests to: Tom Bigley bigleytl@earthlink.net

Note: The images below are all thumbnails of larger images. Click on the thumbnail to load the full size version in a new browser window. To return to this page, simply close the new browser window or "ALT-TAB" to toggle back.

In Memory of Lost Classmates

Our 20th Reunion at Renton Inn - 1976	Our 25th Reunion at Meridian Country Club - 1981
Our 30th Reunion at Longacres - 1986	KM-2000 All Years Reunion at the High School More photos
Our "BIG FIVE-O" 50th Reunion at The Embassy Suites in Tukwilla More photos

KMHS-56 2007 Annual Picnic Lake Meridian, Aug 2007
KMHS-56 Arizona Brigade Surprize, AZ Mar 2007

Our Grade Schools
Kent Elementary	Meridian Elementary	O'Brien Elementary	Thomas Elementary
1st Grade Class Pictures - 1944-45
Kent Elementary	Meridian Elementary	O'Brian Elementary	Thomas Elementary
2nd Grade Class Pictures - 1945-46
Kent Elementary	Meridian Elementary	O'Brian Elementary	Thomas Elementary
3rd Grade Class Pictures - 1946-47
Kent Elementary	Meridian Elementary	O'Brian Elementary	Thomas Elementary
4th Grade Class Pictures - 1947-48
Kent Elementary	Meridian Elementary	O'Brian Elementary	Thomas Elementary
5th Grade Class Pictures - 1948-49
Kent Elementary Kent Elementary	Meridian Elementary Meridian Elementary	Transferred to Kent/Valley Elementary	Thomas Elementary
6th Grade Class Pictures - 1949-50
Kent/Valley Elementary Kent/Valley Elementary Kent/Valley Elementary	Meridian Elementary		Thomas Elementary

Our Intermediate Schools Valley Intermediate Meridian Intermediate Seventh Grade Classes - 1950-51 Valley Intermediate Grade 7n Valley Intermediate Grade 7s Valley Intermediate Grade 7x Valley Intermediate Grade 7y Meridian Intermediate Grade 7 Meridian Intermediate Grade 7

Our Junior High School Kent-Meridian Junior High Junior High Classes - 51-53 Kent-Meridian Jr High Grade 8 - 1951-52 Kent-Meridian Jr High Grade 9 - 1952-53 Boyle's Homeroom Kent-Meridian Jr High Grade 9 - 1952-53 Burrell's Homeroom Kent-Meridian Jr High Student Council 1952-53 Kent-Meridian Jr High Grade 9 - 1952-53 Anderson's Homeroom Kent-Meridian Jr High Newspaper Staff 1952-53 Kent-Meridian Jr High Band - 1952-53

Our Faculty
	Junior High Teachers 1952-53	Senior High Teachers observing Graduation June 1956

Class of '56 Commencement Program Contributed by Maurice Murphy	Royal Herald circa 1956 Contributed by Tom Bigley	Royal Herald circa 1953 Contributed by Tom Bigley	Royal Herald circa 1950 Contributed by Marge (Dittmar) Green
Post-Intelligencer circa 1956 Contributed by Skip Wakefield

"Beneath the Sea" Lila, Nancy and Bob at the Junior Prom Contributed by Marge (Dittmar) Green	7th Grade Trip to Pier 91 USS Hugh J. Gaffney Contributed by Tom Bigley	Methodist Youth Group 7th Grade Contributed by Ned Crain	The Boys... Last day at Kent Intermediate? Contributed by Carole (Edline) Anderson
Jay in 1956 Contributed by John Agars	John in 1956 Contributed by John Agars	Aivars in 1955 Contributed by John Agars	Me in 1956 Contributed by John Agars
Lynn and Elrey Contributed by Marge (Dittmar) Green	Sandy and Muffy at a BPA picnic   Contributed by Marge (Dittmar) Green	Miscellaneous Contributed by Marge (Dittmar) Green	John and the Studebaker Contributed by John Agars
Party Hearty! Contributed by Maurice Murphy	Sandy, Virginia, Marla and Lila as flappers   Contributed by Maurice Murphy	At the Hop Contributed by Maurice Murphy	Dorthy, Cathy and Roland Jankelson ('57) making paper flowers? Contributed by Maurice Murphy
Virginia, Jean, Sandy and Muffy Contributed by Maurice Murphy	Muffy(?), Marla, Carol, Rosalie and Virginia   Contributed by Maurice Murphy	KMHS Marching Band downtown Kent Contributed by Maurice Murphy	KMHS Marching Band and Royalettes Contributed by Maurice Murphy
"Hap" Pommer's "student torture devices" Contributed by Tom Bigley	Let's try it again... together this time!   Contributed by Maurice Murphy	Bob lays on the old Senior Class charm Contributed by Maurice Murphy	Jim mans the Civil Air Patrol desk Contributed by Maurice Murphy
Dave and Nancy Contributed by Jean (Green) Gault	GAA 52-53 Contributed by Lynn (Green) Breda	FHA 52-53 Contributed by Lynn (Green) Breda	Mrs. Rightmire English Teacher Contributed by John Agars
The Girls - 2003 Contributed by Sandy (Stennes) Jennings	Bob and Jean at the Senior Ball Contributed by Bob & Jean Green	Sandy's Certification Contributed by Sandy (Stennes) Jennings	"Hank" at Work Contributed by "Hank" (Stark) Foubert
Pete and Tom Olympia October 2004	John & Francie Agars on Indian Mt Lookout circa 1985	Chuck Parsons & Jim Thorton on 1955 Road Trip	Party at the Fetterlies
Girl's Honor Initiation	Girl's Honor Initiation	Girl's Honor Initiation	The Group
Bob being "Kewl" at Kent Elementary	Gordy on the Kent Elementary Schoolyard	Cathy at Kent Elementary	Joan & Mary
Mack Kirkland	Mark Pugh	Rita (54) "instructs" Sophs Jon, Tom & Jim on KM Protocol	Loren & Tom's wheels
Loren's Wheels	George & Beverly	Loren & Boots	Ron, Ted and Tippy
Donna and Sharon Switzerland 1961	Donna & Charlie at Kent Elem's 50th Reunion	Princess Sharon Kent Parade - July 1956	Bev, Pat, Sharon and Donna - 1955 Ski Trip
Jackie, Sharon, Sandy, Hank and Donna 1954 House Party	Bob Green on Enger Brother's Float, Kent Cornucopia Parade	Pricilla, Carole, Marla, Sarole, Sonja and Elaine at Valley Intermediate	The girls of Mrs Hurley's 6th Grade Valley Intermediate Class
Ron and Rosalie with their racehorse "Jamaica Bound"	The Girls Sept 2008 Luncheon

Links and Such Sign Up Online for our Class Directory Printable Version of Sign Up Form The official KMHS website. Classmates.com. My Homepage.