Community: Burbank Burroughs graduates blend for sixth annual reunion
It’s equal parts of deja vu and brand new when one attends the Burbank Burroughs all-class reunion each fall.
Some 200 graduates gathered for the sixth annual event at the Castaway restaurant on Sept. 17 to reminisce about the good old days filled with homework, football games, first dates, first jobs, proms, backwards dances and Friday nights at Bob’s Big Boy.
Representing one of the larger classes attending the reunion was Rick Trotta from Burbank High’s Class of 1972. More than 30 classmates occupied the back of the room.
“We have a great cohesive class,” Trotta said. “I don’t know what the magic is of the Class of ’72. We’ve just always been that way. We’ve been involved and had the camaraderie — It was huge. Even when we were in school, we were kind of a standout.”
He played football and ran track, and his favorite teachers were coaches Dave Kemp and Larry Auzene as well as history teacher Robert Bennett, he said.
His favorite memory was playing on the last year they had the B football team.
“All of us are still friends and see each other around town,” he said.
It was the third year attending the all-class reunion for Loretta Kelsey from the Burroughs Class of 1981. The football games were at the top of her favorite memories list because she was a cheerleader, she said. She also liked drill team and the dances.
“Anything but the classes,” she quipped. “On drill team, we always had fun doing the entertainment during the halftime shows and I’m still very close friends with all my friends from high school. I’ve been friends with them for 25 years. That’s awesome. Also, I married a guy from the Class of ‘81, Rick Kelsey, and I’ve known him since he was 7. We’ve been married for 25 years and have been together for 30 years. He’s amazing.”
Other classes that were well represented were Burbank High’s Class of 1974 with more than 30 members attending and Burroughs Class of 1983 with about 25, said Gilbert Tobon, event chair.
Committee members were Burbank School Board member Roberta Grande Reynolds, (BHS ‘72); Joanne Lento Miller, (JBHS ‘72) president of the Burbank Burroughs Alumni Assn.; Kathy Engh Lawrence, (JBHS ‘76) alumni association treasurer and flower arranger; Connie Barron Trimble (JBHS ‘72) alumni association chef extraordinaire; and Kathie Brown, (JBHS ‘74) balloon decor assistant.
Some of those attending were Waneen Cormier Marks with husband, Jon Marks, Michele Varon, Barry Burnett and his wife, Angela De Robertis Burnett, Perry Younker, Barbara Baker Thompson and husband, Ron Thompson, Donna Lloyd Horn, Pam Bernstein, Jeanne Harrison, Sue Catudal, Diane Hester, sisters, Marie and Laurie Patak, Carol Williams, Kathy Lauer, Ric Mendoza, Lisa Testa and her guest, Raphael Benson.
Others attending were Cindy Barcus Aylward, Susan Pena MacCaskey, Carol Bliss Sheetz, Lorraine Devenport, Cheryl A Smith, Karra Blackburn Merritt, Nadine Aguirre Lujan, Donny Estes, Mike Arredondo, Lila Jordan Webb, Sharie Dunn Telles, Diane Baker Canterbury, Sherrie King, Lori Mills, Howard Yin, Gary Bojorquez, George Marcinew, Corey Fredrickson and Debbie Burpee.
Guests donned hats and accessories to take photos together in the photo booth and danced the night away to tunes by the live band Green Central Station.
JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.