Donna Clark (Cook)

Albina-

"Rack" was the nickname for Ansel Young, our vice-principal at Norman High.

Donna

Wanda Reedy (Cook)

David James

Fun to read all the memories of folks of James Garner. Most of you have much more specific memories than I have. I agree he was a class act and one of my heros as a boy. I often would do a quick draw in the mirror and imagine that I was as fast as Maverick! I do remember his visit to Mckinley grade school when John Bumgardner was principal but not as specific as John Creveling's memory.

Sorry I have missed most of the reunions but Alaska is a bit far....

Nina Bettis (Williams)

Aggie McDade,92, passed away last Thursday. Services are tomorrow in Norman. She knew every single one of us,probably our siblings, and maybe even our parents. I have feeling she could written volumes of stories about us.Surely,she is resting in peace now with that pretty smile we each knew.

Steve Henderson

my name is steve henderson i remember Jim Garner visting Wilson Grade school i don't remember what grade i was in but when i went home he was at my house visiting with my mom who spent 21 years in a iron lung there on acres street a great mom i remember Jim setting on his lap in his cowboy suite he was pure class he didn't have to do that back then a lot of people were afraid of us they thought they would catch polio!!!!!!!!

Rich Eubanks

I just found this and thought I'd share it here;

http://www.afcfcare.com/obits/obituaries.php/obitID/700849

Carol Hickman (Haynes)

I too have great memories of James Garner and the Bumgaer and Stogner families, all who were related. I too remember when he came to Woodrow Wilson Grade School when I was in the third grade with Miss Stogner as my teacher. Miss Stogner was Jim’s aunt, so he gave Miss Stogner and her class some special attention. He drove up in his limo with cow horns on the front. And the horn sounded with some kind of special western sound,  which escapes my memory now. When he got out of his limo the school erupted into Happy appreciation. He came right over to Miss Stogner and hugged her and shook each of our hands. He was so handsome that all of us girls were starstruck and the little boys were so impressed that he was dressed as Maverick including his gun. My other favorite memory was when my mom and dad were at their class reunion (I believe it might have been their 45th or 50th) that Jim came and asked my mom to dance a waltz with him. I think my dad was as excited about it as my mom was.  They were all friends in school growing up. James Garner will always be Norman’s favorite son. He was so kind to share a thrill of meeting him at all of the grade schools he visited. RIP James Garner, aka Bumgarner.

Becky Merliss (Sieg)

Was Aggie McDade the Biology teacher at NHS?

Rich Eubanks

Hi Becky, I believe that Ms. McCade was a school secretary.  The biology teacher was Ms. Brandt.  If you recall, she demanded that everyone make an insect collection.  I just didn't want to go out collecting bugs so I didn't.  The only way I passed her class, without that collection, was when I hitch-hiked to Galveston for a week or so during the Thanksgiving break that year, I managed to hitch back with a live crab I'd caught and gave it to her.  

Susan Hollon

 Do any of you what happened to Kathleen Lester, Charolette Dillard or Rosemary Thomas? I would love to be touch with them again. Susan Hollon

Joyce Block (Gornall)

James Garner also came to St. Joseph’s grade school just across the street from Central.  We all came out to the playground where we saw him.  You’re right, Carol, we were pretty star struck to see him!  I’m sure it was probably the same time he went to the other schools in Norman.  

Douglas Davis

Our Classmate, Gordon Hoffman, 73, of Lubbock, Texas passed on April 24, 2021. Gordon was born on March 30, 1948 in Mankato, Minnesota to Clifford J. Hoffman and Jimmye V. Lowe.

This is a link to his Obituary:

https://www.adamsfuneral.com/obituary/gordon-hoffman?lud=4BF492A636FF77B0B458106D3829B1E8&__FB_PRIVATE_TRACKING__=%7B%22loggedout_browser_id%22%3A%22c5145611d9c2e701f3e5bb4c0b3c62228540ec64%22%7D&fbclid=IwAR26wNWW3FgbqcIvDnT5BVNus8YHcPFTeQXq97szMJWtdwK6RK93dISno5M

Barbara Orth (Boggs)

Welcome home, Karen!!

Jim Sandefer

It's unfortunate that very few of us/our classmates have stayed in touch over the years.

Most of us have come to the non-desirable conclusion that our class of '66 will never have another reunion and we will likely never see any of our friends/classmates again. 

This site can, and it does for me, serve as a tool for staying in touch with a couple of my closest friends/classmates. I encourage anyone who hasn't used this site or rarely uses it to please give it a try. I'm confident that you'll be glad you did and may reconnect with some, or at least one, of your long lost high school friends.

All the best to my class of '66 classmates, and please feel free to contact me whenever you get the urge. I will respond...retirement has a tendency to become a massive bore.
 

Greg Owings

What was the grade school on Flood just south of Main that's now the Ad Building?

Robert Roesler

The name of the grade school was Washington I went there 1 thur 3 then to John Adams4 thur 6

Lynda McGee (Barksdale)

I taught at Washington Elementary for 2 years, 1972 and 1973.  The school was closed after 1973 and became an administrative facility.  Enrollment was down and students were transferred to other buildings.  It was a cozy, small school environment and had a very connected staff. I left Norman in 1973 so I didn't have to worry about a transfer. Greg, I understand you met Paula Brydges, my friend from Okmulgee.  She was our spin class instructor at the YMCA.  Great spin teacher!  Small world.

Steve Ayers

I attended Washington from grades 4-6. A lot of great memories. My favorite teacher was Mrs Hybarger (? spelling) in 5th grade. Anyone remember our janitor Mr. Duty or the basement we went to for tornados? What a trip. 

Mike Bagby

I also attended Washinton Grade School.  We lived three house.  My favorite teacher was Mrs White in the 3rd grade.   I remember James's Graners many trips to vist, usualy starting with a big for for the Principal Helen Olander.

Gary Adams

I also attended Washington Elementary school in 6th grade, Fall 1959-Spring 1960. James Garner came that year. Then on to West Jr High and NHS. I think my teacher was Mrs Kilpatrick, but I'm not 100% sure. I had attended Andrew Jackson in 4th and a couple of weeks in the 5th grade, but my sisters and I were moved all over the place (Ponca City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Lebanon, New Hampshire) until landing back in Norman in Summer of '59. That's a year I will never forget even though I'd like to. But I will always remember Norman as a great place.

Patricia McKnight (Heller)

To all my friends of the Norman HIgh class of '66. I have just published a medical historical novel, The Implausible Journey of Fanny Wheeler. It is set in the 1890s and follows a 17 year old girl through several years of her life as she attempts to become a doctor. Cattle drives, the chisholm trail, and Buffalo Bill are part of her handsome beau's adventursome life as he waits and waits for her hoping she will eventually accept him. Will she?

Medical history, progress such as sterile technique, electricity, modern toilets and more are all part of the story.

Give it a try and let me know what you think of Fanny and her beau.

https://www.patriciaannmcknightmd.com/

https://www.facebook.com/patriciaannmcknightmd

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Patricia McKnight (Heller)

To all my friends of the Norman HIgh class of '66. I have just published a medical historical novel, The Implausible Journey of Fanny Wheeler. It is set in the 1890s and follows a 17 year old girl through several years of her life as she attempts to become a doctor. Cattle drives, the chisholm trail, and Buffalo Bill are part of her handsome beau's adventursome life as he waits and waits for her hoping she will eventually accept him. Will she?

Medical history, progress such as sterile technique, electricity, modern toilets and more are all part of the story.

Give it a try and let me know what you think of Fanny and her beau.

https://www.patriciaannmcknightmd.com/

https://www.facebook.com/patriciaannmcknightmd

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Gary Adams

Just curious, is there any thought of a 60 year reunion?  I've never attended any of the previous reunions mostly due to not living in Oklahoma since high school with the exception of my attending OU in 1974-75 for my Masters Degree. I had an interesting experience two years ago which got me thinkng about high school. When I first moved into an assisted living facility in May 2023, I was finishing eating breakfast in the dining hall and had begun to leave when this lady called out "Oklahoma, Oklahoma,"  and came running over, grabbed me by the arm and lead me over to her table with about 6 other women. She had grown up in Oklahoma and had attended OU. I asked her when she was there, and she told me she graduated in 1964, was an Education major, and that she got her first job teaching Geometry at Norman High School. I told her that I was a Junior at NHS in 1964. This was such a coincedence since I have travelled all over the world and lived in so many states, and she only taught there one year, then married a military man and they lived all over the states. And here we were in Illinois in an assisted living facility. Sadly, she passed in early 2025. Her name while at NHS was Miss Patricia McClure. Well, that's the NHS Story of the Month. Ciao!

Patsy McHughes (Willcox)

Miss McClure's photo is in our 65 Trail. Pretty lady.

Bill Hickman

It's not official yet, but a meetup is scheduled as follows:

The Interurban
1150 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman, OK 73072
Saturday, Aug. 22
5 - 9 p.m.

We are calling this a meetup because we're not dealing with registrations, hotel rooms, hotel menu, music, a program, an entire weekend, etc. etc. However, the Interurban is big enough to meet up and visit with people on Saturday, the 22nd. Could still get a decent crowd and have fun. If someone wants to put something together for Friday the 21st, go for it. The key is ... keep .. it .. simple.

Planning group

Albina Luther
Barbara Orth Boggs
Bill Haddock
Bill Hickman
Brenda Wyatt Homburg
Carla Frankenberry Vaughn
Carol Upchurch
Darlene Burner
David James
Donna Cook
Greg Owings
John York
Mary Eve Summers
Patsy Llu Wilcox
Rebecca Merliss Sieg
Wanda Cook