Hometown Reunion

Steve, the organizer and my cousin's husband, contacted people who had a connection with Java, South Dakota and invited them to a gathering at San Tan Flat in Arizona on March 1. Some of us are winter snowbirds living in the Phoenix area several months each winter. Others were folks who were visiting snowbirds, usually relatives. And several, like one of my classmates, flew to Phoenix just for the Java Reunion. Steve had contacted about 50 people. Not all of them made an appearance, but about 40 people stopped at San Tan Flat and hung out in the area, but did not appear in the photo.

One couple who made a short appearance drove from Tucson. They taught in Java for one year in the early 1950s, but had stayed in touch with Steve's family all these years. Another couple, like our friends, Bill & Donna, taught in Java 4 years in the early 70s. They arranged their AZ visit to coincide with the Java AZ reunion so they could see some of their former students.

Twenty-four JHS graduates were in attendance. The oldest, Lorraine, is a very young 87 years old, spending winters in AZ and summers in Java. There were 4 of us from the class of '68.

These 3 are graduates of a neighboring community, Hosmer. The two end guys married Java girls. 

roadrunner on the wall at San Tan Flat

hiding next to the pile of gravel

It was a fun evening visiting with people we don't see very often and eating good food. Plans were being made for the 2018 reunion when we left that night.