Banquet to bring alums home

RITZVILLE -- The Ritzville High School Alumni will gather for the 116th annual banquet and meeting this Saturday, May 27, in Gilson Gymnasium.

Spokeswoman Marilyn Sielaff said about 160 former students are expected to be at the event that begins at 6 p.m.

The toastmaster for the evening is Scott Sprenger from the Class of 1977.

But the catered event is only part of the overall homecoming for alumni.

From noon to 4 p.m. , there will be a display of alumni memorabilia at Railroad Depot Museum. And at the same time, the Burroughs Museum will be open to tour.

The. banquet will feature the traditional roll call of classes, induction of the incoming class of 2023 and special recognition of the classes of 1923, 1948, 1973 and 1998.

The association will induct this year’s Lind-Ritzville High School graduates – Jessica Besel, Hunter Cameron, Hannah Colbert, Hunter Dinkins, Blake Esser, Taylor Galbreath, Chase Galbreath, David Hinkle, Nicholas Labes, Karl Lillegard-Ward, Hayden Melcher, Cooper Miller, Seth Miller, Myra Miller, Cole O’Brien, Jasmine Olson, Mia Rouleau, Hunter Rushing, Carson Shaver, Olivia Simpson, Logan Skaggs, Raegan Snider, Haden Stone, Janteya Taylor and Cameron Wood.

There will be a photo booth set up for class pictures; copies can be ordered. The photo booth opens at 4:30 p.m.

“This was a big hit last year,” Sielaff said.

Several classes are also expected to host reunions during the weekend.

Party plans at press time are:

• 50-year Class of 1973 – The class will gather at Bronco Best Western at 2 p.m. Saturday and continue after the alumni banquet.

• 56-year Class of 1967 plans to meet from 3-5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Eagles Aerie, and then again at 9 a.m. Sunday for breakfast at Jake’s Café.

• The 60-year Class of 1963 will meet at the Wheat Growers Building about 3 p.m. Saturday and then after the banquet.

• The 65-year Class of 1958 will gather at 2 p.m. Friday at the home of Ron and Mikki KIson.

• The 70-year Class of 1953 will meet at the home of Gayle Gering from 4 p.m. until the banquet Saturday.

Golden Grad members from the Class of 1973 planning to attend the banquet are Carolyn Baumann Donnelly, Thomas Benzel, Ralph Bruce Bernard, Jadine Brewer Grams, Debra Danekas, Charles Jingling, Donald Kagele, Angie Kiesz Fode, Jane Krause Olson, Mike McCaffery, Valerie Ott Herron, Ralph Patterson, Bill Reimers, Elisabeth Ritter Hardy, Paulette Teske, Galen Van Vleet and Carol Waltner Buller.

Diamond Grads, from the 75-year Class of 1948, planning to attend the banquet are Richard Kagele and Margie Luiten Lenhart.

The class of 1947 will be represented by Martin Gering.

Other Golden R members from the classes of 1949 through 1972 are Oscar Olson (1949), Della Laib Kiesz (1950), Barbara Freese Jolly (1952), Patty Arlt Fode, Peggy Arlt Simmonds, Thomas Edwards, Gayle Gering, Bruce Hille, Gerri Schumaker Manke, Dale Stockman (1953), Larry Kison, Jacob Weber, Michael Weber (1954), Joan Artz Kison, Sharon Nauditt Erickson, Gaynel Wellsandt Gering (1956), Lamar Thiel (1957), Dena Freese Roberts, Ron Kison, Ronna Lesser Galbreath, David Nauditt (1958), Charlene Miller Clark (1959), Deanna Becker Kessler, Dallas Haag, Jeanette McRae Harris, Marsha Reimers Smith, Dennis Schafer, Gary Templin, Max Webb, Dona Rae Werner Haag (1960), Dale Knuth, David Steinmetz (1961), Thomas Baumann, Warren “Butch” Gering, Harold Seim, Sharon Tschritter Johnson (1963), James Thomas (1964), Joyce Klein Preston (1965), Peggy Oestreich Crossler (1966), Anita Benzel Walli, Jeanne Benzel Englund, Steve Heimbigner, Allan Little, Margaret Montague Gannon, Michael Schrag, Jeff Snider (1967), Lexie Danekas Kupers, Mikki Sanger Kison (1968), Jay Kagele, Gail Meyer Carda (1969) and Marilyn Sielaff (1970).

Other alumnus planning on attending are Jim Moeller 1972, Colleen Ahern Jacobsen, Ron Hennings, Debra Kagele Arlt, Jeffrey Lenhart, Cathy Minion Moeller (1974) Randy Kiesz 1975, Colleen Geschke Coon, Diane Kagele Borth (1976), Brian Gering, Susan Gering Webley, Gail Schoesler Gering, Scott Sprenger, Brian Webley, (1977), Stacey Schell Schoessler (1978), Janet Miller Sprenger, Michele Kagele Kiesz (1979), Brenda Lenhart (1980), Michael Miller (1981), Daniel Paul Geschke (1982), Yvette Armstrong, W. Colby Schell (1983), Aimee Evans Schell (1985), Lori Armstrong Olson (1987), Angela Steinmetz Melcher (1989), Jeffrey Snider (1992), Daniel Galbreath (1994), Marci Kison Miller (1996), Heather Hennings (2013), and Spencer Miller (2020).

This year’s Ritzville High School Alumni Association officers are Colby Schell, president; Nichole Thiel, vice president, Julie Flyckt, recording secretary; Stacey Schoessler, treasurer; Marilyn Sielaff, membership secretary; and Margie Montague Gannon and Michele Kagele Kiesz directors. Thomas Pulliam is the alumni website webmaster.

Alumni who have not yet received their tickets and name badges need to call Sielaff at 509-347-6188.