To the sounds of much laughter, along with moments of sadness, the Rosthern Junior College (RJC) class of 1960 met in Saskatoon on May 18-19 to mark 63 years since graduation. Given that students generally complete high school at age 18, most of us at the reunion had reached the age of 81. More than one walker and cane were noted.
Out of an original class size of 68 students, 29 were in attendance, along with 19 spouses. We remembered and mourned the passing of 13 classmates. Others were not able to attend.
One person came from Toronto, three from Manitoba, a handful from Alberta and the rest from Saskatchewan.
Most of our time together was spent listening to each other share significant anecdotes of our time at RJC and snapshots of our lives since our last reunion in 2010. The scheduled 2020 reunion was postponed due to COVID.
The most common occupation after graduation was teaching, the second farming and the third nursing.
Many present expressed how grateful they were that they had had the privilege of attending RJC. Rubbing shoulders with other students from different backgrounds (sometimes in close quarters), the dedication of the teachers and staff and the overall Christian atmosphere were all a part of a life-changing experience.
Seated (left to right): Henry Fast, George Epp, Edith (Koop) Krahn, Gertrude (Janzen) deKleine, Myrna Zacharias. Standing: Henry Schroeder, Richard Epp, Peter Neufeld, Harold Epp, Sigrid (Martynes) Warkentin, Guenther Toews, Rudy Dahl (partially hidden), Evelyn (Janzen) Roden, Peter Rempel, Violet (Schapansky) Atwell, Tony Funk, Art Hildebrand, Verna (Wiens) Ewert, Ken Rempel, Edna (Friesen) Koop, Elsie (Bergen) Epp, Caroline Martens-Clappison, Ruby (Isaac) Harder, Barry Toews, Mervin Dyck (partially hidden), Eileen (Epp) Ewert, Walter Klassen, Elsbeth (Epp) Moyer, Ed Bergen. (Photo by Henry Schroeder)
Add new comment
Canadian Mennonite invites comments and encourages constructive discussion about our content. Actual full names (first and last) are required. Comments are moderated and may be edited. They will not appear online until approved and will be posted during business hours. Some comments may be reproduced in print.