Sunday was a day for recalling fond memories as well as coming to terms with change as alumni met for the Iola High School 60th Annual Reunion.
Among the graduates was Ralph Shafer, who graduated from IHS 81 years ago. He has resided in Iola ever since.
“I never made enough money to get away,” he said wittingly.
Shafer, who will turn 99 in July, has undoubtedly witnessed many changes throughout his lifetime.
“We have fewer kids now than we did when I went here,” he said of the high school. “Junior college used to be on the third floor.”
Shafer said he has had a good life in Iola and treasures the life-long relationships that have developed.
“The fishing has been good,” he said. “No regrets.”
After high school, Shafer farmed and did foundry work. He also delivered mail for 20 years and owned a television repair shop, first on South State Street and later on West Street. He married Lurleen Cummins, a union that lasted 52 years before she passed away in 1992. He is expecting his first great-great grandchild in August.
Shafer moved to Greystone about a year ago where he said he enjoys playing bingo. An avid gardener, he recently grew a pineapple indoors. Up until a few years ago he rode a bike three miles per day.
His advice for living a long healthy life is simple.
“Take one day at a time,” he said.
KAREN Velasco attended Iola High School through her sophomore year when the flood of 1951 caused her father, Harlin Gard, to suffer great loss to his feed store. Her family moved to California where she attended Clovis High School, graduating in 1957. She currently lives in San Martin, Calif., but stays in touch with her best friend from childhood, Iolan Sarilou Nichols Wilks. According to Wilks and Velasco, they became friends before they were born. They attended the same nursery at Evangelical United Brethren Church.
Velasco, who was raised in Davis Addition, still thinks of Iola as home and said the time that she spent here was a “happy” time.
“I love Iola,” she said.
Velasco toured the area and said she was most surprised by the number of empty buildings on the downtown square.
WAYNE Flottman, Torrance, Calif., graduated from IHS in 1953. He was a photographer for the school’s newspaper and worked part-time for Ramsay Department Store, where he designed window displays.
