|
During the Midwest
Dental Conference and Annual Alumni Meeting in March
2002, 12 classes gathered to share stories, memories,
and create some new ones. Groups of classmates from
six to 60, renewed friendships and caught up on news,
and enjoyed being together. Some of the classes offered
these reunion highlights.
Six members of the D.D.S. Class of 1942
came from as far as New Mexico and celebrated at
the Peppercorn Duck Club. After dinner they showed slides
of former reunions in their hospitality suite. They
attended the Rinehart Recognition Breakfast Saturday
morning and enjoyed the rest of the day visiting with
friends and looking over the Technical Exhibits.
Fourteen of the original
40 members of the D.D.S. Class of 1947 gathered
for their 55th reunion. They wanted to pass on some
of their professional achievements: four members
served the ADA; five members served as state dental
association presidents; Thomas White was president of
the Missouri Dental Board twice; four members served
on their district/city dental associations; three members
served as president of the Kansas City University Dental
Alumni; two members were career military officers; and
J.P. Chancey served on the Rinehart Foundation Board
of Trustees, was UMKC Dental Alumnus of the Year, and
received the Alumni Achievement Award for the School
of Dentistry and the Distinguished Service Award from
Arkansas. Bill Duensing Jr. noted the passing of his
close friend and mentor, Dr. Bill Hulen, who died January
23. “We have been bombarded with stories of heroes doing
great things in dangerous times and places these past
months. I think it is also heroic to do our job and
do the right thing day-in and day-out without fanfare
or recognition. Bill was a great example for me, and
I am sure each of you knows someone like him. Treasure
them now. . .”
The 50th anniversary celebration for the
D.D.S. Class of 1952 began at the hospitality suite
on Friday afternoon and continued with dinner at the
Hereford House. Twenty-four classmates represented the
class at the Rinehart Recognition Breakfast, Saturday
morning. Those planning the reunion were saddened to
learn that about half of their classmates are either
deceased or missing. However, one of the highlights
of the reunion was the attendance of their only female
classmate, Lucy Ding Chang, who traveled from New Jersey
, accompanied by Jim Cole and Dick Doybyns who also
live in the area. Glen Masanaga and Bert Hayashi attended
from Hawaii .
Twenty-two classmates and 22 spouses or
guests enjoyed the 45th anniversary reunion of the D.D.S.
Class of 1957. Fellowship flourished, old times
were happily remembered as they had a great time at
their Hyatt Regency Hotel hospitality room. Those who
did not attend and those who are now deceased were badly
missed. They’ve already started thinking about the 50th
in 2007. "Let no classmates be left behind. Let's
all plan to be in Kansas City for riotous fun and close
fellowship.”
For the D.D.S. Class of 1962’s 40th
reunion, 45 members of the 92 graduates traveled from
near and far to attend. Wayne Jenkins traveled the greatest
distance, from Sitka , Alaska . Classmates and their
wives had fun renewing old acquaintances, making new
ones and seeing the sites and changes in Kansas City
. The class has raised $6,000 toward their $10,000 goal
to endow a scholarship fund. John Harrison served as
emcee for the celebration dinner on Saturday evening.
Those who came are already looking forward to the next
reunion.
The DH Class of 1962 celebrated
its 40th anniversary. In 1960 25 young women entered
the Dental Hygiene Program at the University of Kansas
City . In 1962 these same 25 graduated. Now, 40 years
later, these same 25 women are all still alive. Pictured
are the 10 who gathered to celebrate:
DH ’62 (L-R) Front
row: Karleen Teague Bright, Carolyn Roberts Battle,
Carol Tiefenthaler Beach , Jan Rauborn Brooks, Janell
Stewart Moore, Pat Eller Sanguinetti. Back row:
Gwyn Hendricks Johnson, Dorothy Haas Reidy, Judy Easley
Keenan, Jody Pitcock.
The Class of 1972 began their 30-year
reunion celebration at their hospitality suite Friday
evening. On Saturday evening 29 classmates and their
wives enjoyed renewing their friendships over a nice
meal at Milanos. They are very proud that they were
one of the first to endow a scholarship named for their
class, and they want to continue to be one of the classes
that awards the most money annually in scholarships.
The Class of 1977 celebrated their
25th reunion with a banquet/cocktail party on Friday
evening. A slide show of life at the School of Dentistry
in 1977 was a hit. Saturday night they continued their
celebration with the Class of 1967, enjoying dinner
at Pierpont's at the restored Union Station/Science
City. Old times, good times, and many "lies"
were discussed over the weekend. “It was great to see
the 65 dentists and wives interact so well. . . as if
it were only a few years ago that we were all together.
A Class of 1977 Scholarship campaign is underway. We
have a good beginning, but need our classmates to chip
in. “The reunion was a great time and we hope to see
more of our classmates at the next reunion”
The 15-year reunion of the Class of
1987 was a great success, according to Dr. Lisa
Gonzalez, class agent. The hospitality suite on both
Friday and Saturday was a popular gathering place for
alumni who came back from all over the United States
. Friendships were rekindled and fond memories brought
back at Saturday's dinner. The Dan Cruz Scholarship
fund, established in memory or their classmate, has
raised over $35,000 and the Dan Cruz Lecture fund has
nearly $14,000.
Explorer
Summer 2002 Index
|
