Get-togethers

This page is where we will announce informal, small-group gatherings of classmates in your area. Whether you're planning an open invitation to a coming event or recounting fun times shared, just Contact Us (menu bar at left) about your event/outing and we’ll post the details. Whatever you plan — a bike ride or hike, a winery tour or just lunch — don’t forget to take pictures. We want to see what you’re up to!

Arizona Gang's First Get Together of 2024

Drew and Sue Stirrat joined the Arizona gang for lunch today in Scottsdale. 

Snowbirds Get Together in Florida

Katie and Ken McCullough joined Barb and Jim Herrmann for lunch in Punta Gorda this week. 

Stirrats in Town

 

Sue and Drew Stirrat were in Minneapolis over the past weekend in January and made time to visit Mark Brandow's Quality Coaches shop over lunch. On another day, Ginny Herzog hosted them for lunch and a visit. 

Arizona Gang Is At It Again!

The Arizona gang gathered for lunch at Piños in Scottsdale. L-R are Merrilee Buchanan DeMartini, Doug King, Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Don Sharp and Scott Reeves.

A Boston Get Together

Two former Morningside friends, Gail Hughes and Kea van der Ziel, got together in 2022 when Gail was visiting in Boston. 

A Birthday Celebration!

Anita Schwarz Westberg, Nan Kelly, Sue Palen Fiedler and Mary Ann Nord recently celebrated Sue's and Mary Ann's birthdays. They say they appreciate each other more every year but are missing their dear friend Julie Jones Marrs.

A Colorado Get-together

Ginny Herzog was in Colorado with Sue Morrill Stirrat and Drew Stirrat. Don Sharp and his wife, Sandy, joined us for appetizers and visit. Ginny also had a surprise visit from Nancy Axelson (below) while she was exhibiting her paintings at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Ginny also met up with John Brion for pizza but, sorry, no photo. 


 

The Arizona Gang is alive and well while enjoying getting together!


Ed Hodges, Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Scott Reeves, Don Sharp, Merrilee Buchanan DeMartini, Jim Wayne, Mary Robb Newhall and Doug King.

 

The Arizona Gang is looking good!

Merrilee Buchanan DeMartini, Doug King, Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Mary Robb Newhall, and Don Sharp
The Arizona classmates gathered together for lunch recently and enjoyed catching up on their lives. 
Still looking good and ya gotta love Doug's cap!!

 

Gail Hughes gathered with her two high school boyfriends!
Gail got together with Dolph Bezoir and Gary Zempel at the St James Hotel in Red Wing. 

 

Get-together in Colorado

Your admin, Ginny Bayers Herzog recently returned from a week in Denver to exhibit her paintings at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Following the show she spent a couple of days beautiful Colorado with Sue Morrill Stirrat and Drew Stirrat. Don Sharp, a summer neighbor, stopped by for a drink and visit. 

 

Classmates alive and well in Arizona

Mary Robb Newhall, Merrilee Buchanan DeMartini, Don Sharp, Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag and Doug King enjoyed their time together, recently. 

 

Rum River Memorial Float Trip

Tom Anderson,  Bruce Baldwin, and Bruce Bomier would get together in the summer and take Bomier's pontoon down the Rum River.  With Tom's passing the two Bruces still got together to take a memorial trip down the scenic river, but as a professional photographer, Bruce Baldwin brought along a portrait of Tom, taping it to his old seat on, the pontoon.

 

AZ Edina Hornets Gathered for Lunch Again


Front: Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Mary Robb Newhall 
Back: Ed Hodges, Merrilee Buchanan DeMartini, Doug King and Don Sharp
 

A Get Together in 1989!

Louy shared this photo, taken 31 years ago, half way around the world in New Dehli, India. She visited Michael H. Anderson who served as an American diplomat in a number of U.S. embassies in South and Southeast Asia (Philippines, Papua New Guinea, India, Pakistan, Singapore, and Indonesia) and in Washington, DC. 

The photo was taken right in front of the main Embassy front gate, To far left is the Embassy of China and behind them across the street is the British High Commission.

 

Classmates Get Together


Kudos to the AZ gang who had another get-together recently.
L. to R - Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Don Sharp, Mary Robb Newhall and Merrilee Buchanan Demartini. All are looking great! They missed Ed Hodges who was unable to attend. They are hoping to reach out to more AZ hornets in the fall!!

 


Classmates gathered at Cafe Pino in Scottsdale on November 19.
From left to right:
Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Doug King, Mary Robb Newhall, Merrilee Buchanan Demartini, Ginny and Scott Reeves and Don Sharp.

 


Watsons and Reynolds got together in Colorado early in October.  First at Rick and Mary Ellen’s in Denver and then at their mountain home above the Blue River Valley.
Left to Right, Mary Ellen and Rick Watson and Wayne and Nancy Reynolds.


Mary Ellen and Rick Watson and Wayne and Nancy Reynolds (Left to Right) encounter the “Breckenridge Troll” while hiking near Breck.

 


Susan and Drew Stirrat visited Ginny at her home in Minneapolis on a beautiful fall day in October. 

 


These Colorado classmates got together in August - Mike Bjorke, Susan and Drew Stirrat and Don Sharpe. 

 


Brad Maunder in our class stopped by Ike Eichhorn's on his way to the cities to visit family and friends.  Brad was the first person Ike met when Ike started 7th grade at Edina right after Christmas that year.  He is Ike's oldest living friend.  Brad now lives in Tennessee with his wife and extended family and is on the class site.
 

55th Reunion Potluck


L to R - Mark Nordell, Ike Eichhorn, Karen Hegener Tangen, Lee Reierson, Ginny Bayers Herzog, Mark Brandow, Nancy Nelson Reynolds and Wayne Reynolds. Missing - Gail Hughes, who left earlier. 

Nine of our classmates gathered at Mark Brandow's property on Saturday, September 21st to catch up on our lives. We were very happy that the rain moved out of the area in time for our gathering so we were able to enjoy the lovely fall day outdoors! A big thanks to Mark and Eileen for hosting our gathering and to Lee for getting the ball rolling. We hope others will be able to join us next time as you were all missed!

 

Mike meets Greg in the Big Apple

During a spring visit to New York City, Michael H. Anderson reconnected with an old classmate, Greg Long (right), in Greenwich Village. 

Greg recently retired after 29 years as president and CEO of the famous New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, NY. The 128-year-old Garden is one of NYC's most prestigious cultural and educational institutions, and a living museum.  

Earlier, Greg held positions with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, New York York Zoological Society, and The New York Public Library.  During his Edina senior year, he was editor of "The Buzzette" student newspaper, and had the lead role  in the school play, "Cyrano de Bergerac". 

Mike is a retired State Dept. Foreign Service Officer who specialized in public diplomacy and Southeast and South Asia. He lives in suburban Washington, DC.

 

More news from the Arizona desert 
Merrilee Buchanan Demartini, Mary Robb Newhall, Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag,  Ed Hodges, and Don Sharp (the usual suspects) had lunch together in Friday, February 8, in Scottsdale. Ed, our world traveler, told us about his latest trip to Egypt and Jordan. This time, we heard from Jim Wayne and Scott Reeves, who have given us their assurances they will be with us in the fall.


 

News from the desert 
The AZ Hornets had a get together in Scottsdale Thursday, October 25: Mary Robb Newhall, Don Sharp, Merrillee Buchanan Demartini, and Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag. Ed Hodges was flying home from Petra, so missed the local fun.

 

Classmates Enjoy Lunch with Larry Stotts

Tom Anderson planned a lunch get-together last Monday (11/20) at the Bloomington Chili’s. 

Bruce Baldwin, (the ever-young English teacher) Larry Stotts, Tom Anderson and Dick Eichhorn.

 

Arizona Hornets Gathered for Lunch
It looks like life in Arizona agrees with our classmates who reside in the Grand Canyon State. They gathered on November 10 at the Macaroni Grill for lunch. 


Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Don Sharp, Ed Hodges, Marilee Buchanan Demartini and Mary Robb Newhall. Another guest, Patty Means Stewart, class of '63, took the photo for them. 

 

California Classmates Get Together at Louy's
Ginny's recent visit to the San Francisco Bay area was a good excuse to have a get-together at Louy Diracle's home in Orinda. Louy and Kramer hosted a "happy hour" on their lovely patio. It was wonderful to see classmates who were unable to attend the 50th reunion and to hear about their active lives. We were happy to hear that Bob's home in Santa Rosa escaped the terrible fires, although he was very close to the evacuation border. 

L. to R.- Gordy and Linda Ferguson, Louy Diracles and hubby Kramer Klaubau, Gary and Kiki Mitchell Nelson and Bob Loheyde. Ginny was taking the photo.


Ginny Bayers Herzog and Louy Diracles. I was a guest of Louy and her husband Kramer for several wonderful days as Louy shared her wonderful San Francisco with me. Highlights were a tour of the Eugene O'Neill home, hiking in Muir woods and beach, Point Reyes and Chinatown. Louy and Kramer were lovely hosts and I enjoyed my stay at their beautiful home and getting to know them better. 

 

The Local Gang Enjoyed their first Summer Get-together
It was a perfect summer day for nine classmates to get caught up with each other at Pinstripes in Edina on the shady patio. We realized that both the retirees and those still employed are all keeping very busy and active, which is a key to staying healthy - both physically and mentally. A bonus was that we had the opportunity to wish Gail Hughes a very happy birthday in person. Can you believe she is 71? 

If any of you out-of-towners find yourselves back "home" in the Cities this summer, please let us know as we would like the opportunity to see you. We hope you all have a delightful summer!


Ike Eichhorn, Karen Helgeson Tanger, Gail Hughes, Bruce Bomier, Ginny Bayers Herzog, Phyllis Hanson Evans, Bruce Baldwin, Mark Brandow and Tom Anderson.

 

Tour of the Southdale Exhibit 
Eight of us toured the Southdale exhibit on Saturday, February 4th. It was a very interesting exhibit that brought back memories of what the development was first like. Afterwards, five of us enjoyed a wonderful lunch, including popovers, at Dayton's a.k.a. Macy's Lakeside Grill. The food was delicious and the quieter atmosphere was appreciated for getting in a good visit. 


Mark Nordell, Barb Subak Kruse, Mark Brandow, Ginny Herzog, John Nelson, Katie McCullough, Dick Hays and Anita Schwarz Westberg. 


Arizona is Getting Together
A lunch is being planned for February 10th, at noon, at the Macaroni Grill, Desert Ridge in Phoenix. You are welcome to join Merrilee Buchanan, Mary Robb, Don Sharp and Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag for what should be a great time to catch up in the warm sunshine of Arizona.

70th Birthday Bash Photos
All the photos of the 70th Birthday Bash in September are posted for you to see by clicking on this link. Or go to the menu > Past Reunions > 70th Birthday Photos.

 

Happy 70th Don Sharp!
Andrew and Susan (Morrill) Stirrat helped Don Sharp celebrate his big 70 on Sunday, June 26th in Evergreen, CO. Happy birthday, Don!


 

Get-together over lunch at the Edina Art Fair


Lots of laughs and stories were shared when classmates Jo Shipway, Jane Dornfeld Zenk, Kathy Beale Patton, Donna Dunker Dummer, Vicki Olsen Kollross and Ginny Bayers Herzog met for lunch at D'Amicos on 50th. Kathy, who now hails from Kansas City,  exhibited her wonderful oils at the Edina Art Fair in June. 

 

Spring luncheon at Cindy Smith Gray's

A visit from two out-of-towners, Barbara Subak Kruse and Margie Tudor Thompson, provided the perfect excuse to celebrate our 70th birthdays at a Twin Cities get-together in early May. A luncheon, complete with "70" cookies baked by Mary Ann Nord, was hosted by Cindy Smith Gray. 

Front row (L-R): Barbara Subak Kruse, Cindy Smith Gray, Pam Carlson Morford, Mary Ann Nord and Barb Prestly Herrmann.

Back row (L-R): Terri Carlson, Pam Palmer Ulvestad, Katie Sandt McCullough, Margie Tudor Thompson, Karen Hegener Tangen, Sue Palen Fiedler and Ginny Bayers Herzog.

 

Catching up in Texas - 

Ginny Bayers Herzog enjoyed a nice visit from Kathy Sheils Archer at the Main Street Fort Worth Art Festival, where Ginny was exhibiting her paintings. 

 

Classmates in Arizona!
Don Sharp, Merrilee Buchanan Demartini, Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, Ed Hodges and Mary Robb Newhall enjoyed getting together had a super fun lunch in Sun City Grand in AZ.

Arizona Gathering
Five Edina 64ers Don Sharp, Mary Robb Newhall, Sue Morrill Stirrat, Drew Stirrat and Jeanne Ostendorf Hoag, had fun catching up when they got together in Scottsdale, Arizona.

 

Flashback to junior high

Remember Kathy Donohoe from Southview Junior High? That's her, third from the left. She was with us for only 8th and 9th grade but we all became fast friends. She paid us a visit in October on her way back to Michigan from a vacation in Santa Fe. We had a great time driving through our old neighborhoods, sharing lots of laughs and catching up on the last 55 years. Some of the old gang: Nan Miller Kelly, Anita Schwarz Westberg, Kathy Donohoe Birdsall, Julie Jones Marrs, Sue Palen Fiedler and Mary Ann Nord.    

 

Wisconsin Winery Tour, October 7, 2015


Our arrival at Villa Bellezza: Anita Schwarz Westberg, Karen Hegener Tangen, Inta and Dick Hays, Mary Ann Nord, Pam Carlson Morford, Mark Nordell, Chris Reeves (Mary Ann's spouse), Nan Miller Kelly, Ginny Bayers Herzog and Scott Reeves. Ike Eichhorn, who arranged our outing, took the photo while we waited for Phyllis Hanson Evans to arrive. 

In Villa Bellezza's Tasting Room: Phyllis, Mark, Pam, Mary Ann, Ike, Inta, Nan, Ginny, Anita, Chris, Scott and Dick. 

The whole group in our private tasting room.  

Merriment ensued over lunch. 

Mark and Pam enjoyed the beautiful fall day on Villa Bellezza's piazza.

After the wine tasting, Ike hosted the group for a tour of his blufftop acreage above Pepin, with a view to envy.

The afternoon wrapped up with pie in nearby Stockholm, Wis. No one went home hungry! 

 

51st Get-together

Jane Olmstead Papageorgiou met Randee Johnson LaSalle for lunch in Minneapolis in September
2015 when Randee visited from California.


 

Hoopsters night at the Lynx Game


Mark Nordell along with Tom Awsumb, Steve Kagol, Doug Watson and Ike Eichhorn gathered to watch the Lynx defeat Phoenix.  Ike was shooting the somewhat fuzzy pics. A good time was had by all as the Lynx won.
 

Lunch with Stotts!
On August 19th, Dick Eichhorn, Jim Carriger, Bruce Bomier and Tom Anderson had a fantastic lunch with Larry Stotts. Unfortunately Bruce had to leave early, and missed the photo opp. Larry enjoyed our time together as much as we did, and had lots of memories of different people in our class. He gave permission to include his contact information. His email is:paddygumpy@comcast.net. His home phone is: 952-920-0827.

 
Wisconsin Get-together
Late in the summer Tom Anderson and Bruce Bomier visited Dick Eichhorn’s (Ike) beautiful 40 acre mountain top estate with lovely gardens and a stupendous view overlooking lake Pepin. Tom and Bruce thought they were either at the state arboretum  or on Mount Olympus.
 
 
 
 
The 50th reunion committee, with spouses in tow, got together for old times' sake at Tom Adams' cabin on Big Sandy Lake in July. After meeting monthly, then weekly for most of last year, we were lonesome! 
 
 
Standing ( l-r): Inta Hays, Hal Ulvestad, Ken McCullough, Ginny Bayers Herzog, Dick Hays, Terry Carlson, our hosts Maureen and Tom Adams, and Pam Palmer Ulvestad.
Seated: Katie Sandt McCullough, Jim and Barb Prestly Herrmann, Karen Hegener Tangen, Mary Ann Nord and her spouse Chris Reeves.
 

Classmates visit Washington D.C.

Classmates Susan Morrill Stirrat and Drew Stirrat met up with Michael Anderson when they were in our nation's capitol in May. They were looking at a front page of the St Paul "Pioneer Press" on display along the front of the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Anne McKinsey, retired judge in the Twin Cities, joined Michael and they paid a visit to the US National Arboretum and its famous National Bonsai Collection.

 

Louy hosted a summer get-together at her Orinda, CA home on June 4th

Classmates Susan Morrill and Drew Stirrat were in town and they were joined by Lee Reierson and Kiki Mitchell Nelson.  They celebrated Lee's 39th birthday. 

Drew Stirrat, Sue Morrill Stirrat, Kiki Mitchell Nelson, Lee Reierson and Louy

 

Twin Cities alums gather again

Our numbers grew for the second post-reunion get-together of classmates from the Twin Cities and beyond. Ike even crossed state lines to join us! We shared news, laughs, phone numbers and emails and brainstormed ideas for future gatherings. 

Among ideas proposed: a summer bike ride and picnic at Lake Harriet; Happy Hour on the rooftop deck of Amore Victoria in Uptown; and a day trip to Stockholm, Wis., one of a string of charming riverbluff towns on the Mississippi, to take in the fall colors. Ike, who has a bluff-top cabin there, offered to help us plan this event. His suggestions: a tour of Villa Bellezza winery in Pepin and a lunch stop for the “best ever” pie at Stockholm Pie and General Store.

Still to be fleshed out: A suggestion from some of the former 50th reunion committee for an annual informal reunion at Bunny’s in St. Louis Park on the second Friday every September. No reservations needed; just show up, hang out for the evening, pay for you own food and drink and catch up with old friends. We borrowed the idea from Edina’s Class of 1962, which has done this annually since their 50th reunion.

Stay tuned for all the details!

Sitting: Tom Anderson, Karen Hegener Tangen, Pam Carlson Morford, Nancy Miller Kelly, Phyllis Hanson Evans, Pat West Hinkie, Anita Schwarz Westberg, Mary Ann Nord, Sue Palen Fiedler, Mark Brandow. Standing: Bruce Baldwin, Bruce Bomier and Ike Eichhorn.


Ginny Herzog, Karen Hegener Tangen, Pam Carlson Morford, Nancy Miller Kelly, Phyllis Hanson Evans, Tom Adams, Pat West Hinkie, Anita Schwarz Westberg and Mary Ann Nord. Photoshopped by Ginny. Can you tell who had to leave before we took the pic?

Taken with an actual camera! Remember those?

 

Arizona Get-togethers

The Arizona classmates are having a blast while the rest of us are freezing up north. 

Mary Newhall (Robb) and Merrilee Demartini (Buchanan) had a fun catch-up lunch in Scottsdale at Jeanne Hoag's (Ostendorf) house!


 

 


Doug Watson, Keith Hilgendorf, Mark Nordell, Steve Kagol and Ric Hinkie enjoyed Watson's hospitality at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale February 6-8. 


Steve Kagol guards (still guarding) the first hole, high up the side of Pinnacle Peak.


Carol (Dickey) Hilgendorf joins the group for dinner in Watson's kitchen. A second gathering is in the works for MN later this year. The group challenged the ASU Freshman to a battle on the courts but they were no shows.

 

Our First Panera Get-together

On Groundhog Day, February 2nd, several of us came out of hibernation to get together at Panera/Knollwood. Over coffee and soup we had the opportunity to reconnect and shared the paths our lives have taken over the past 50 years. It was a great time on a cold, but sunny day. We agreed that we need to do it again and maybe plan some other outtings, as well. We will keep you informed. 

Front: Ginny Bayers, Pam Carlson, Karyn McCance
Back: Mark Brandow, Mark Nordell, Karen Hegener, Bruce Bomier, Phyllis Hanson, Sue Palen, Mary Ann Nord and Katie Sandt. Bruce Baldwin was the photographer and missing in the photo. 

 

Having Fun in Palm Desert

Great day with Sharps, Bjorks, Speliopoulos' in Palm Desert, CA this week ~ lunch, Golf, More golf, dinner, memories, much laughter...& finally selfies after a bit of ouzo!



 

Holiday Get-together in Colorado

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Colorado just had 14+ inches of snow and now blue skies - a true winter wonderland. Here are Drew and Sue Stirrat, Mike Bjork and Don Sharp at their annual holiday neighborhood brunch.

 

Reunion Committee wraps up with celebratory brunch

The 50th Reunion Committee gathered at Katie's for a wrap-up brunch on Dec. 10. After everyone toasted with mimosas to a job well done, Katie treated us to a fabulous buffet that must have been inspired by her cruise on the high seas this fall!

So where do we go from here? Since our unforgettable reunion in September, we've heard from many of you that you would like to meet again in future years. That can happen only with your help. After the New Year, members of the outgoing committee will post some ideas and call for other classmates to carry the Class of '64 forward. Here's hoping for an enthusiastic response! Stay tuned..

 

Brunch at the Edina Grill

Sue Morrill Stirrat was in town for the weekend to attend a family wedding. Mary Ann Nord, Ginny Herzog and Pam Carlson Morford joined her at the Edina Grill for brunch before she headed to the airport. Sorry that we didn't get the camera out before Pam had to leave early!