Picture of those that took the Cruise
Story about the Class of 1977 Cruise
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 


Names are from left to right starting with the 3rd row:
Mike Gregory, Bill Tillotson, Tammy Canton, George Canton, Cindy (Richardson) Parshall, Jeff Parshall
2nd row:  Eddie John, Cheryl Gregory, Pam (Davenport) Tillotson, Walt Naylor,  Steve Slaughter, Michelle Slaughter,
Kelley (Shepherd) Orlaska, Pat Karl
1st row:  Renee John, Marie Brown, Sharon (Wulff) Naylor, Doris (Graves) Rostice, Kim (Mitchell) Dorzweiler, Jenny Karl
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COURTESY OF CHARLEY BLACKMORE , CLASS OF 1963
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Just call them the “cruisin classmates of ‘77.”  They thought they were invincible when they graduated from Hickman and Rockbridge High School back in 1977, and now after having completed a 4 day Caribbean Cruise for their 25 year class reunion and the first RBHS and HHS reunion to be held on a cruise ship, they are once again feeling  invincible for folks in their early forties anyway!   Back in 1997, at their twenty year reunion, classmates had voted to try something “different” for their 25 yr. reunion.  The majority vote was for a cruise.  Planning got underway last summer when a committee of classmates got together to send out several hundred invitations. Tammy Canton, spouse of George Canton and a ’78 HHS alum graciously volunteered to handle the travel arrangements.

The Royal Caribbean cruiseliner Majesty of the Seas set sail on June 21st  from Miami, and cruised through the 24th making stops in Nassau and Coco Cay a private island owned by Royal Caribbean. Classmates arrived in Miami from Colorado, Kansas and Missouri not knowing what lay ahead for them on their first class cruise.  The list of classmates included: George Canton, Kim Mitchell Dorzweiler, Ed John, Mike Gregory, Pat Karl, Sharon Wulff Naylor, Kelley Shepherd Orlaska, Cynthia Richardson Parshall, Paul Robb Jr., Margaret Rostice, Steven Slaughter and Pam Davenport Tillotson, were aboard.  Joining them were nine spouses Tammy Canton, Renee John, Cheryl Gregory, Jennifer Karl, Walt Naylor, Jeff Parshall, Diane Robb, Michelle Slaughter, Bill Tillotson, Marie Brown, friend of Margaret Rostice, and five teenage children Samantha and Joseph Cameron and Kris, James Tillotson and Toni Henderson.

Each evening the group came together to dine on wonderful food and drinks, and to share the various excursions they had taken during the day such as dolphin encounters, swimming with stingrays, snorkeling, riding wave runners, island hopping, shopping, and parasailing just to mention a few. Activities, entertainment, food and drinks were in abundance.  The nights were packed full of spectacular entertainment by impersonators, comedians, musicians, dancers, game shows and some time “spent” in the casino.  On Friday evening, one of the lounges even played music from the 70’s which really helped get the group into the swing of things.  The couples agreed, the only trouble was deciding which activity to head to next because there were so many choices.  Plenty of activities were also available for the teens such as swimming, basketball, ping pong, board games, a video arcade, a teen center, organized activities, lots of food, and even a full size movie theater.

On Sunday afternoon after returning to the ship from a full day at Coco Cay, Jennifer Karl, Michelle and Steven Slaughter and Mike and Cheryl Gregory entertained a large majority of the cruise ship when they volunteered to compete in the battle of the sexes at the swimming pool which involved a race to complete various games. Later that evening, Bill Tillotson (Allstate Insurance Owner) and Mike Gregory (part owner of the Pierpont store with fellow classmate Ed John) participated in a late evening scavenger hunt that actually involved gathering and dressing in ladies undergarments, and other accessories.  It is customary at class reunions to vote on a most eligible bachelor and bachelorette.  This reunion the category could have been changed to most romantic husband and Ed John would have been the winner. He totally arranged the trip as a surprise for his wife Renee.  Fortunately Renee was extremely happy about the cruise as well as surprised!

The classmates consensus was it was better than anything they could have imagined. It was a majority ruling that this would definitely not be the last reunion cruise, but the first of many to come.  The number of classmates participating on this cruise may have been small compared to the graduating class sizes, but it gave everyone a chance to get to visit with each other and make new friendships as well as rekindle old ones.  In a couple of years the classmates would like to organize another cruise and extend the invitation to all alumnae classes from RockBridge and Hickman, their families and friends to join the them.  Additional information and pictures of the cruise can be viewed at www.kewpie.net


COURTESY OF CHARLEY BLACKMORE , CLASS OF 1963
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Founder, Hickman Kewpie Classmates Assoc
charley@kewpie.net
CHARLEY BLACKMORE
2312 DEER CREEK CT
COLUMBIA MO  65201-3564
(573)442-1873
www.kewpie.net