Rayen’s Class of ’61 to celebrate 50 years

By Denise Dick | August 3, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Youngstown

For some of them, it’s been 40 years since they’ve seen one another.

Members of The Rayen School Class of 1961 will have their 50th high school reunion this weekend. The last time the class gathered was for its 10th reunion.

The Rayen School was torn down in 2008 as part of the city school district’s rebuilding plan.

“We’re expecting a lot of people,” said Kay Norris Hudock, a class member on the reunion committee. “It should be a nice event.”

The class had 252 members, including incoming city Mayor Charles Sammarone, Richard “Dickie” Atkinson, a city school board member, and Atty. Alan R. Kretzer, who will deliver welcoming remarks.

About 105 class members are expected to attend, coming from as far away as Oregon, California and Texas.

Festivities begin with a Friday gathering at The Lemon Grove. The big event starts at 6 p.m. Saturday with a cocktail hour at the Youngstown Country Club.

The class motto is “It was done in ’61,” and members showed that on the sports fields.

“We were the city champions in football,” said Anthony Hudock, Kay’s husband, classmate and fellow committee member. “That was the last time they were city champions.”

That year’s Tigers basketball team rated second in the city, bested only by Chaney. Members also saw successes in golf and track.

Kay assembled a book with names, old pictures and up-to-date contact information for class members as well as photos of class officers, honor-roll students, majorettes, sports teams and cheerleaders from their high school days.

She doesn’t know why the class hasn’t gathered since the 10-year reunion but expects all who attend this weekend to have a great time.

“This could be our last,” she said.