Winslow High 53rd reunion draws Diné
Submittted Attending Winslow High School Class of 1964’s unofficial 53rd reunion are left to right, Karin Gilbert, of Payson; Anita Gloege, of Kermit, Texas; Evelyn Yazzie, of Flagstaff; Herbert Harvey, of Bloomfield, New Mexico; Dolores Luna, of Temecula, California; Lorenzo Guerrero, of Denver, and Franci and Ted Moore, of Phoenix. In the back row, from left, are Ron Gilbert, of Payson; Jerry Sanchez, of Redding, California; Garry Rogers, of Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona; Lydia Harvey, of Bloomfield; Gabriel Luna, of Temecula; Emory Dixon Sr., of Winslow; Pat Cupell, of Phoenix; Cheryl Sanchez, of Redding; and Joe Estudillo, of Winslow. Not pictured: Joe Armijo of Avenal, California, and Maureen McKim of Glendale, Arizona.
Submittted
Attending Winslow High School Class of 1964’s unofficial 53rd reunion are left to right, Karin Gilbert, of Payson; Anita Gloege, of Kermit, Texas; Evelyn Yazzie, of Flagstaff; Herbert Harvey, of Bloomfield, New Mexico; Dolores Luna, of Temecula, California; Lorenzo Guerrero, of Denver, and Franci and Ted Moore, of Phoenix. In the back row, from left, are Ron Gilbert, of Payson; Jerry Sanchez, of Redding, California; Garry Rogers, of Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona; Lydia Harvey, of Bloomfield; Gabriel Luna, of Temecula; Emory Dixon Sr., of Winslow; Pat Cupell, of Phoenix; Cheryl Sanchez, of Redding; and Joe Estudillo, of Winslow. Not pictured: Joe Armijo of Avenal, California, and Maureen McKim of Glendale, Arizona.
WINDOW ROCK
Months of promoting, cajoling, and well, something bordering on pestering, paid off for Jerry Sanchez and Joe Armijo, two old high school chums whose dream was to get more Native Americans out to a high school reunion.
The proof is in the picture. Of the 18 people who showed up for an unofficial Winslow High School Class of 1964 (or thereabouts; other classes were welcome) reunion Aug. 10-12, about half look Native or Latino.
“We had a great time going over old memories,” Sanchez said. They also learned some things they never knew … among the Class of ’64 was a former Navy Seal, for instance, and many had gone on to get advanced degrees. Among those who came to the reunion, “three are still working in their 70s,” Sanchez proudly proclaimed. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that one classmate, whom Sanchez didn’t invite because he had heard he had passed on, was still alive.
Sanchez and Armijo even convinced the mayor of Winslow to proclaim Aug. 10-12 “Winslow High School Class of 1964 53rd Anniversary Reunion Days.”
The gang took over 300 pictures, which were compiled into a CD and Sanchez plans to put into “some kind of a publication.”
Some of the Navajos who showed up had never been to a previous reunion. What was the secret this time? “My personal opinion is that they were not pursued enough before,” Sanchez said. “As a Mexican, I can tell you that we (people of color) need to be asked and invited to feel wanted.”
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow