BAHS Class of 1972
45th Reunion Overview
From: Frank Monacelli
10 16 2017
I wanted to share my thoughts with all our classmates about my experience at the reunion this last weekend. I hope many of you also share your thoughts on the class website for the benefit of others that were not able to make it.
First of all, I would like to thank Louis, Ann and classmates who helped organize the reunion events. Great Job! Thanks also to the “House Band” Larry, Tim, Jim and Louis for giving up some of their mixing/mingling time with classmates. Much appreciated and we all enjoyed it.
Clarence Oliver, former Broken Arrow High School Superintendent and Dean of the College of Education at Oral Roberts University made the effort to come to our reunion and say a few words. He reflected back on all his days as an educator and said that all teachers/educators can pick out the classes that have something different about them “special” when they begin in grade school and it tracks through graduation. He was clearly reminded of 4 “special” classes of kids that graduated from the late 1950s when he started teaching to when he left. One class was in the late fifties, another in the late 60s, our class of “72” and then another in the early 80s. They all stand out for a variety of reasons but the connectivity of the class as a whole was what made those classes so special. I share that opinion and can’t think of another class and place in time that could have been any better for many of us than having been able to experience the days of elementary school through high school with you all. I tell my two boys and our friends that we all got along with each other regardless of who had what interests. You could be a cowboy/cowgirl, band member, athlete, have interest in the drama club, choir or whatever and it did not matter, we all still could be friends.
Many of us have stayed connected one way or the other if not only through the reunions we have had. I always look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion but leave telling myself the same thing each time which is you did not meet and talk to everyone. I want to see and acknowledge everyone there and let them know we appreciate them coming. I hear some new story about me every year and what I did with the person telling me the story. It always brings a smile to me to remember those good times and crazy stuff we did and will remember forever. I had forgotten about some of those times but happy they were brought to my attention to now remember as well. Gene Beaver, thanks for one of those stories this time around and I am glad your wife was able to verify they actually happened after all these years!
It is the little things that happened that for whatever reason goes into that special part of our memory that makes us happy and is etched forever. We all have them and it makes the reunion that much more special. As we all are getting to the point of thinking about our life and know the end is coming closer and closer, memories are all we will have to hold on to. Hearing all the stories about “do you remember when” will give me more of those memories to think about and I thank you for those. My mother had Dementia and Alzheimer’s. As many of you know that have experienced this situation with your parents, it gradually takes the person backwards in their life until the end. I saw mother in her final year travel back to high school where she would inform me she was going to high school football games and all the people in her life at that time she would talk to. Most people would tell me how sad it was and I would tell them yes but she is reliving the best times of her life. Maybe we all go back that direction in our last years and think about what made us the happiest. Hopefully, we will have had some really good memories. The Cross Country Team recognition at halftime during the BAHS game Friday Night certainly had to be one of those.
I apologize to those I did not say hello to and hope next time you also make the effort to do the same for me. It is never intentional and I would hope everyone that came would feel like being there was well worth it.
There were some classmates there that have been through cancer treatments and one now still in treatment. There are others that were not able to make the reunion for medical reasons. To those classmates, I say that the power of prayer is the best medicine available and we as a class are there for you. Just send us a note through the BAHS website to ask us to keep you in our prayers.
I was moved by the number of classmates that asked how I did during the Hurricane Harvey Flood in Houston and said they prayed for me. Thank you for that. Can’t tell you how happy I was to hear you thought about me and my family. I was one of the lucky ones that did not flood.
Look at every day as a blessing, especially if your healthy. Let’s create more memories for each other these next few years and keep coming to the reunions. If you did not come or never been to one, it is not too late! And it is never too late to make a positive impact on some ones life.
Thanks for the Memories!
Ann, I echo the comments from Frank. Your class is a very special class. My experience with the Class of ’72 has also been a rewarding experience.
I am grateful to have the privilege of knowing and calling many of the Class of 1972, MY friends too!!
Please feel free to post my comments as a “Spouse of the Remarkable Class of 1972”!
Your friend,
“Gloria, Frank’s wife”