| Austin High School Class of 1962 Stephen F. Austin High School, Austin, Texas |
| Classmates |
What have you been up to for the last fifty years? This was a question asked our classmates in preparation
for our fiftieth reunion in April 2012. The responses were fantastic.
Do you know which classmates have been a state fire marshal in Alaska, recognized as citizen of the year in two
different cities, a Peace Corps volunteer, a life model, or a high school principal? Who thinks the best place to live
is Paris, France; Taipei, Taiwan; or assisted living in New York City? And whose most epic travels have included a
trip from Rotterdam to Paris in a delivery truck or to Antarctica in a Russian ice breaker?
These and other interesting events, hobbies, and interests appeared in our fiftieth reunion directory, based on
experiences of our classmates.
In addition, Julie Valentine and Kathy Young McGhee compiled a statistical snapshot of our class. For each
question, they received from 158 to 168 responses. Here are the questions and what we look like as a class, fifty
years after graduation.
for our fiftieth reunion in April 2012. The responses were fantastic.
Do you know which classmates have been a state fire marshal in Alaska, recognized as citizen of the year in two
different cities, a Peace Corps volunteer, a life model, or a high school principal? Who thinks the best place to live
is Paris, France; Taipei, Taiwan; or assisted living in New York City? And whose most epic travels have included a
trip from Rotterdam to Paris in a delivery truck or to Antarctica in a Russian ice breaker?
These and other interesting events, hobbies, and interests appeared in our fiftieth reunion directory, based on
experiences of our classmates.
In addition, Julie Valentine and Kathy Young McGhee compiled a statistical snapshot of our class. For each
question, they received from 158 to 168 responses. Here are the questions and what we look like as a class, fifty
years after graduation.
rev 10-15-2016
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How long have you lived at your current address?
How often have you moved since 1962?
How may marriages, if any?
How long in current marriage?
How many children?
How many grandchildren?
How many great-grandchildren?
Did you attend college?
Degrees achieved, if any?
Did you serve in the military?
Are you currently employed?
And, that's the numbers for the Class of '62!
- Average: 19 years at current address.
- 32% have been at their current address over 25 years.
- 15% have been at their current address 5 years or less.
How often have you moved since 1962?
- Average: 8 moves.
- One classmate moved only twice; some just replied "lots" or "too many to count."
How may marriages, if any?
- 3% never married.
- 61% married once.
- 26% married twice.
- 11% married three or more times.
How long in current marriage?
- 31 (19%) are not currently married, of whom at least thirteen are widows or widowers.
- Of the 136 (81%) classmates who are currently married, average time in current marriage is 34 years, and
57% have been married 40 years or longer.
How many children?
- We have 323 children, or an average of two per response.
- Our number of children range from none (for 34 classmates) to five (for 3 classmates).
How many grandchildren?
- We have 438 grandchildren, or an average of 2 to 3 grandchildren per response. (Actually, it's 2.6
grandchildren per response, but I don't know what a .6 grandchild looks like!) - Our number of grandchildren range from none (for 60 classmates) to twelve (for one classmate).
How many great-grandchildren?
- We have 38 great-grandchildren.
- One classmate has 7 great-grandchildren.
Did you attend college?
- Classmates responding attending many different colleges and universities for undergraduate and graduate
degrees, often attending multiple colleges for multiple degrees. - 94 classmates reported attending The University of Texas at Austin.
- 74 classmates reported attending a wide array of other Texas colleges and universities.
- 36 classmates reported attending colleges and universities in other states. These included the Universities
of California at Los Angeles and Berkeley (2 classmates), Chicago, Colorado, Denver, Kansas, Missouri,
New Mexico, and Virginia; Arizona State, California State, Louisiana State (2 classmates), and Troy State
University; Duke, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Mary Baldwin, Northwestern, Oberlin, Stephens, and Smith
(2 classmates).
Degrees achieved, if any?
- Bachelor's degrees: 129
- Master's degrees: 46
- PhDs: 7
- JDs: 6
- MDs: 3
- DDS: 1
Did you serve in the military?
- 46 male classmates reported serving in the military, five of whom served 20 years or more.
- Our classmates served in every military branch: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
Are you currently employed?
- 58% are retired/no longer working.
- 16% are working part-time.
- 25% are still working full-time.
And, that's the numbers for the Class of '62!
Several classmates were able to attend
Loula Rhodes Turk's Memorial Mass,
March 5, 2013, at St. Peter the Apostle
Catholic Church in Boerne TX. From left,
Carole Zoch, Sally Searight, Jo Carol
Rhea, Linda Mayes, Patsy Ollison, Joel
Sagert, and Maryanna Jesse.
Loula Rhodes Turk's Memorial Mass,
March 5, 2013, at St. Peter the Apostle
Catholic Church in Boerne TX. From left,
Carole Zoch, Sally Searight, Jo Carol
Rhea, Linda Mayes, Patsy Ollison, Joel
Sagert, and Maryanna Jesse.
Travel is a favorite hobby of many of
our classmates, especially as more
retire. Ginny Potts Eanes coordinates
trips to many locations. She and
Carolyn Aldridge McFarland are
pictured here in Venice, Italy, in March
2013.
our classmates, especially as more
retire. Ginny Potts Eanes coordinates
trips to many locations. She and
Carolyn Aldridge McFarland are
pictured here in Venice, Italy, in March
2013.
The Honorable Paul D. Ragsdale was inducted into the Austin High School Hall of Honor on May 2, 2014, during
Dedication Day ceremonies that morning. Paul transferred to Austin High in the fall of 1961 and was the first
African-American member of the band and orchestra. He was also one of the first African-American members of the
Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction, representing District 110 in Dallas, and serving from 1972 to
1986. While there, he served as head of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and chair of the State, Federal, and
International Relations Committee. In 2011, the House of Representatives presented Paul with the Texas Legislature
Trailblazer Award. Paul died August 14, 2011.
Dedication Day ceremonies are held each spring. Contact the school (512-414-1250) for additional information.
Dedication Day ceremonies that morning. Paul transferred to Austin High in the fall of 1961 and was the first
African-American member of the band and orchestra. He was also one of the first African-American members of the
Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction, representing District 110 in Dallas, and serving from 1972 to
1986. While there, he served as head of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and chair of the State, Federal, and
International Relations Committee. In 2011, the House of Representatives presented Paul with the Texas Legislature
Trailblazer Award. Paul died August 14, 2011.
Dedication Day ceremonies are held each spring. Contact the school (512-414-1250) for additional information.
April Fools Day, 2015, was declared Crazy Carl Day in honor of our classmate Crazy Carl Hickerson. The city
proclamation was presented at the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture on South Lamar Blvd.
proclamation was presented at the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture on South Lamar Blvd.
Rick Gentry received the Raymond Mauk Award for his outstanding service to and on behalf of the Texas insurance
industry on July 17, 2014. It is probably the most prestigious award given by that industry.
industry on July 17, 2014. It is probably the most prestigious award given by that industry.
Kristin von Kreisler continues to write bestselling books and speak nationally on animal welfare issues. One of her
recent books is An Unexpected Grace, a novel about a woman and a golden retriever helping one another to recover
from violence and abuse. Other books include Earnest, For Bea, and The Compassion of Animals.
recent books is An Unexpected Grace, a novel about a woman and a golden retriever helping one another to recover
from violence and abuse. Other books include Earnest, For Bea, and The Compassion of Animals.
The Youtube we all enjoyed at our 50th reunion is still online. Check it out for memories of Austin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAClVBNBls&feature=email
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAClVBNBls&feature=email
Kinky Friedman released a new CD, The Loneliest Man I Ever Met, in October 2015. He was quoted as saying, "...it's
like looking in a mirror. It's what I'd call a romantic album, melancholy in the way classics are melancholy, the way great
country music is melancholy." This is Kinky's first studio release in more than three decades.
like looking in a mirror. It's what I'd call a romantic album, melancholy in the way classics are melancholy, the way great
country music is melancholy." This is Kinky's first studio release in more than three decades.