America entered World War II six months after the Class of 1941 graduated Anaheim Union High School. From innocent youths who drove Model T’s through the rural community of Anaheim with a population under 10,000, the Class of ’41 Colonists were thrown into battle overseas and on the home front, their lives forever changed.
But it’s not the war years they talk about when 18 members of AUHS Class of ’41 met Sept. 21 for their 72nd reunion. Instead the group relived the idyllic days of their childhood by sharing memories of high school pranks, dances, favorite teachers and other stories from their years attending school together, some since elementary days.
Now entering their 90s, many of the reunion attendees were accompanied by their sons and daughters, including Kay Follett, whose mother is Betty Zimmer Swoffer. Kay said of the experience that it was “wonderful for the offspring to meet our parents’ life-long friends and hear their stories first hand.”
A few of those who attended their 72nd reunion traveled from outside Southern California. “Longest distance” was set by Harry Heckman, who arrived from Berkeley. Not far behind was Bud Mahoney, who traveled from Nipomo, where he and his wife, Lu, moved recently to be closer to their children.
This year’s event, organized by Jean Sutherland Wahlberg of Santa Ana, was held at Zov’s Bistro in Tustin. Photographs, yearbooks and programs from athletic contests, dramatic presentations and graduation were displayed and each ’41 grad stood a few minutes to share memories and give updates on their lives.
From teenagers to near centurions, Class of ’41 Colonists share a special bond. Their leader is Bud Mahoney, who is one of Anaheim High’s revered Hall of Famers and Class of ’41 student body president. Mahoney was a star player on the first Anaheim High class to win a CIF football championship. His baseball team won the Sunset League championship for two consecutive years.
Over the seven decades of class reunions, he has been support by his classmates, including Jean Sutherland Walberg, the Class of ’41 secretary, who has served in the roll for nearly a lifetime, writing newsletters that kept her classmates connected, especially those who became housebound or lived too far away to attend reunions.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this group is getting close to setting a record. The current world record for high school reunions is held by Cherokee County Community High School Class of 1929, which held its 77th class reunion in Columbus, Kansas, on June 27th, 2006.
When the AUHS Class of ’41 heard about this record, many agreed that the reunions should continue. Anaheim High’s sons and daughters, through the AHS Alumni Association, send congratulations to this outstanding Class of Colonists and best wishes for many more years of class reunions.
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