Brandon Twp.- Nancy Mills and her classmates helped open Brandon High School at what is now Harvey Swanson Elementary in 1962.
Now, more than five decades later, the Class of 1965 will return to the school to celebrate their 50th reunion.
A tour of the building is planned as part of a weekend celebration Sept. 19-20 that also includes golfing, a tour of the Old Mill followed by a catered dinner at the museum all on Saturday, and a church service at the Mill on Sunday.
‘We wanted to tour the school to see how it had changed,? said Mills, on the Class of 1965 reunion committee. ‘It is small now, but I remember walking around and around those halls and in the courtyard and getting stuff out of lockers and rushing to class. Of course, the lockers are gone. The gym, the stage, the cafeteria, those are the same. The rooms are different. Not sure if the library is in the same place or not.?
Mills has fond memories of the prom, the theme of which was ‘Save the wine and roses,? as well as sockhops in the gym where they couldn’t wear shoes on the wooden floor.
The committee has been planning the 50th reunion for the past year. Mills estimates there were 100 graduates in the Class of ?65. To reach out and invite them to return for the 50th reunion, the committee used a list of addresses obtained from the 40th reunion, sending out a ‘save the date? notification, as well as created an email group and Facebook page. She notes that several students, perhaps more than 20, have remained in Ortonville. The committee also tried to gather information on what graduates have done with their lives since obtaining their high school diplomas.
‘We asked, ‘What have you been doing for the past 50 years??? said Mills, who spent more than 30 years in Arizona, but is now living in Holly after returning to care for her elderly parents, both of whom have now passed away. ‘We didn’t get a lot of responses back, but we’re excited to see everyone to reconnect. You have a whole new appreciation for each other, having gone through trials and tribulations in your life and you treasure the memories of growing up. We have lost some classmates and there will be a memorial for them. We also want to honor our veterans and there will be a table set up for them.?
She is currently expecting about 50 guests, including classmates and their spouses, for the reunion.
For more information, call Nancy Mills at 248-634-3580.