SENIOR CLASS (RHS-1949 YEARBOOK): 57
Louvern Alexander.........decd, m. name Bell
Evelyn Blackwell..........decd, m. Barney Wheat (decd)
June Briden...............decd, m. Eli Douglas
Charlie Campbell..........decd
Willeta Coates............decd, m. name Stone
Ralph Cooper..............decd, m. Iva Sue
June Drinkard.............decd, m. Billy Davis, 60th
Owen Falls................Springtown TX, m. Patsy Ruth Maddux (decd)
Camilla Gordon............decd, m. H.G. Adams (RHS-1943)
Emilee Gordon.............Bokchito OK, m. J.T. Blackwell (RHS-1944)
Gloria Graham.............Midland City AL, m. Bill Carter
Harold Green..............Abilene TX, m. Glenna Moody (RHS-1950)
Joyce Harbin..............decd, m. Lloyd Hejtmancik
Jane Hardy................decd, m. Gayle Blacklock (RHS-1944), 58th in 2011
Joy Harper................decd, m. John Gilbert
Dortha Hightower..........Cleburne TX, m. Ben Blitch
Hudson Hightower..........decd
Louise Hill...............decd, m. name Herrington
Betty Jane Hilliard.......Dallas TX
Jimmy Ice.................decd, m. June Blackwell (RHS-1950)
Douglas Jacoby............decd
Allen Dockï Keener........decd
Jean Kenney...............decd, m. name Hewitt
Joan Kenney...............decd, m. Keith Munnerlyn (RHS-1949)
Lusby Kirk................Memphis TN, m. Patsy
Maxine Landtroop..........decd, m. Perry Morris
Alvin Langley.............Kermit TX
Tony Lewis................decd
Richard Martin............decd
Robert Martin.............decd
James Martinez............decd
Wanda McKinney............decd, m. F.W. Cousins
R.L. Miller...............decd, m. Nettie (decd)
June Ann Morton...........decd, m. Boyce Bryan
Keith Munnerlyn...........Albany TX, m. Joan Kenney (RHS-1949)
Donald Needham............decd
Jerry Page................decd
Beth Pearson..............decd, m. James Cosper (RJC)
Billy Jack Perrin.........decd
Nancy Phillips............decd, m. name Bridge
Betty Reuwer..............decd, m. J.W. Cook
George Robinson...........decd, m. Shirley Baker
Dee Ann Sanders...........decd, m. name Fultz
Clara Jean Sharp..........decd, m. James Houx
Meredith Sides............decd, m. Dora Stockard
R.C. Smith................decd, m. Pat Henderson
Mary Lou Townzen..........Austin TX, m. Jimmie Samford, 63rd in 2014
Sue Vaughn................decd, m. name Wilkerson
Jack Bob Waddington.......decd
Jean Watson...............decd
Charles Wheat.............decd
Betty Jo Williams.........decd, m. Lee Ligon
Pauline Williams..........decd, m. James Wright
Jerry Wilson..............Ft. Worth TX
Marvin Wilson.............decd
Jean Woods................decd, m. name Nugent
Rita Wynn.................decd, m. name Martin
OTHER CLASSMATES:
Nick Bachis...............decd
Juanice Bishop............decd, m. name Adams
J.M. Bush.................Puerto Rico
Billy J. Eakin............Reno NV
Dovie Ellis...............decd, m. Denver Whitley
Pat Ellis.................decd, m. Milton Alexander (RHS-1946)
Leslie Udell Hale.........decd
Richard Charles Hodges....decd
Max Judy..................decd
Byrellene Parkes..........Ft. Worth TX, aka, Bobbi Kai
Pansy Anne Seymour........decd, m. name Colston
Grady Shook...............decd
Helen Wheeler.............Archer City TX, m. name Surrett
Tommy Wilson..............decd (listed in RHS-1950)
GRADUATION: Spring of 1949
VALEDICTORIAN: Dortha Hightower
SALUTATORIAN: William Anthony Lewis, III
HONOR STUDENTS: Betty Reuwer, Joan Kenney, Wanda McKinney,
Gloria Graham, Marvin Wilson and Ralph Cooper
PRESIDENT: Marvin Wilson
VICE-PRESIDENT: Keith Munnerlyn
SECRETARY: Wanda McKinney
TREASURER: Meredith Sides
REPORTER: Billy Jack Perrin
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: June Ann Morton
SENIOR FAVORITES: R.C. Smith and Rita Wynn
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: Tony Lewis
MOST REPRESENTATIVE: Jimmy Ice
BAND SWEETHEART: Joan Kenney
STUDENT COUNCIL:
PRESIDENT: Tony Lewis
VICE-PRESIDENT: Wanda McKinney
SECRETARY: June Ann Morton
TREASURER: Rita Wynn
REPRESENTATIVES: Marvin Wilson and Jack Waddington
FACULTY: John A. Winder (Principal), Sam Ails, Mary Bourdeau,
Lilla Jean Brown, Cylde Coke, Lillian Eastland, Dutch Ervin,
Will R. Faifer, Mrs. L.H. Hagaman, Jennye Ruth Hooper, Margaret
Meacham, George Munnerlyn, Mrs. W.D.R. Owens, Jo Oyler, Mrs.
A.L. Rainwater, Mrs. George Robinson, Lillian B. Strain, R.B.
Thomas, Onis Warden, Mary Joy Wilson, & Boone Yarbrough.
RHS-1949 as Juniors in 1948 yearbook
Jean Alexander, Louvern Alexander, Juanice Bishop, Evelyn
Blackwell, June Briden, Charlie Campbell, Willeta Coates,
Ralph Cooper, Dovie Ellis, Camilla Gordon, Emilee Gordon,
Gloria Graham, Harold Green, Jane Hardy, Joy Harper, Dortha
Hightower, Hudson Hightower, Richard Hodges, Jimmy Ice,
Joanne Jackson, Douglas Jacoby, Allen Keener, Jean Kenney,
Joan Kenney, Lusby Kirk, Maxine Landtroop, Tony Lewis, James
Martinez, Wanda McKinney, Aaron Meadors, R.L. Miller, June
Ann Morton, Keith Munnerlyn, Juanett Offield, Jerry Page,
Byrellene Parkes, Beth Pearson, Billy Jack Perrin, Nancy
Phillips, Betty Reuwer, Meredith Sides, R.C. Smith, Joe
Max Stiles, Mary Lou Townzen, Dorothy Tuttle, Sue Vaughn,
Jack Bob Waddington, Charles Wheat, Betty Jo Williams,
Pauline Williams, Jerry Wilson, Marvin Wilson, Jean Woods,
Rita Wynn.
RHS-1949 as Sophomores in 1947 yearbook
Louvern Alexander, Nick Bachis, Juanice Bishop, Evelyn Blackwell,
June Briden, J.M. Bush, Charlie Campbell, Willeta Coates, Ralph
Cooper, June Drinkard, Dovie Ellis, Owen Falls, Elizabeth
Flores, Della Faye Galloway, Kaye George, Camilla Gordon, Emilee
Gordon, Gloria Graham, Harold Green, Jane Hardy, Joy Harper,
Dortha Hightower, Hudson Hightower, Richard Hodges, Jimmy Ice,
Joanne Jackson, Max Judy, Allen Keener, Jean Kenney, Joan Kenney,
Lusby Kirk, Maxine Landtroop, Paul Lewis, Tony Lewis, James
Martinez, Aaron Meador, R.L. Miller, June Ann Morton, Keith
Munnerlyn, Wanda McKinney, Juanett Offield, Jerry Page, Byrellene
Parkes, Beth Pearson, Billy Jack Perrin, Nancy Phillips, Betty
Reuwer, Pansy Seymour, Grady Shook, Meredith Sides, R.C. Smith,
Mary Lou Townzen, Sue Vaughn, Jack Bob Waddington, Charles Wheat,
Helen Wheeler, Betty Jo Williams, Pauline Williams, Ronald Dean
Williams, Jerry Wilson, Marvin Wilson, Jean Woods, Rita Wynn.
RHS-1949 as Freshmen in 1946 yearbook
Louvern Alexander, Juanice Bishop, Evelyn Blackwell, June Briden,
Charles Campbell, Ralph Cooper, Gerald Cox, Melva Dodd, June
Drinkard, Dovie Ellis, Owen Falls, Kaye George, Camilla Gordon,
Emilee Gordon, Gloria Graham, Harold Green, Jane Hardy, Joy
Harper, Dortha Hightower, Hudson Hightower, Richard Hodges,
Mable Huckaby, Jimmy Ice, Max Judy, Allen Keener, Lusby Kirk,
Alvin Langley, Tony Lewis, James Martinez, June Ann Morton,
Keith Munnerlyn, Wanda McKinney, David McMinn, Evelyn Obel,
Juanett Offield, Jerry Page, Byrellene Parkes, Beth Pearson,
Hazel Lee Penninger, Billy Jack Perrin, Nancy Phillips, Betty
Jean Reuwer, Billy Joe Russell, Dee Anne Sanders, Pansy Seymour,
Grady Shook, Meredith Sides, R.C. Smith, Clinton Strickler,
Floyd Taylor, Peggy Tully, Sue Vaughn, Jack Bob Waddington,
Charles Wheat, Ronald Williams, Jerry Wilson, Marvin Wilson,
Tommy Wilson, Jean Woods, Rita Wynn.
RHS-1949 as 8th graders in 1945 yearbook - NA
RHS-1949 as 7th graders in 1944 yearbook - NA
The Ranger High School Class of 1949, the 49ers (nothing
to do with California, San Francisco or the NFL football team
except being a class of "solid gold"), were "Depression
babies" born in and around the year of 1932, and entered
Ranger High School in the fall of 1945. Too young for
WWII military service, we became "of age" for Korea. The
year 1945 was a great year. The War wound down and was
finally over and the celebration in Ranger was just as jubilant
as it was in New York city or anywhere else in the U.S.A.
Fighting in the trenches of France did not loom ahead of
us and we were free and clear of the bondage of Young,
Cooper, Hodges Oak Park and St. Rita's and more than ready
to tackle the wonderful world of "high school" that was
offered to us in that beautiful three-story edifice known
as Ranger High School. Going to that same high school
that was already inhabited by Worth Carlin, Howard Frasier,
Betty Jean Jones, Kenneth and T.K. Hardy, Dorothy Imholz,
Anne Matthews, and many, many other Ranger "celebrities"
was, indeed an honor.
Some of us carried our lunches, some ate at Mrs. Higdon's,
some at Mrs. Masters boarding house, others, here and there.
We thought Ranger was a "boomtown" still. We had the teen
canteen, the Rec hall, the football field, main street, the
Arcadia Theater and the local drug store fountains, the
Porky Pig Drive-In and life was "coming up roses." There
was not a thought of fast-forwarding to the year 2000, the
new millennium, the Y2K problems or "OLD AGE."
While we were in school, Coach Stubby Warden came to RHS
and Ranger and found a lifetime home and now our old Bulldog
Stadium is the O.C. Warden Stadium. The Bulldogs had some
highs under Coach Warden and then some lows and highs and,
wow, in 1999, an undefeated at-home season, a division
championship and a game in the play-offs.
Our innocence and inexperience as a class was soon to change
as we were "jerked" into reality by the tragic death of a
classmate, Max Judy, toward the end of our Sophomore year.
The death of Leo Miller, one class ahead, during our junior
year taught us to expect the unexpected and to appreciate the
gift of life. Just a year after graduation, our Class President,
Marvin Wilson was fatally injured in a drilling rig accident. By
the time those of us who had survived to get one of those Social
Security checks at 65, a dozen of our classmates had journeyed
on to the life beyond and now our losses stand at 25. Max Judy
and Marvin Wilson have been joined by Willeta Coates, Louise
Hill, Jean Watson, Jerry Page, Donald Needham, Charles Wheat,
Rita Wynn, Dee Ann Sanders, Douglas Jacoby, Tony Lewis Richard,
& Robert Martin, Jeanne Kenney, Allan "Dock" Keener, James
Martinez, Nancy Phillips, Richard Hodges, Joy Harper, George
Robinson, Grady Shook, Clara Jean Sharp, Leslie Hale, and
Pauline Williams.
And, of course, with our aging, those rare and wonderful teachers
and administrators who worked so diligently to mold us into good
citizens who could make our own way in the world, were lost, one
by one. Mrs. Helen Hagaman, Mrs. Lillie Robinson, Mrs. Gladys
Hunter, Mrs. Jo Oyler Patterson, Miss Anne McEver, Dr. Grover
C. Boswell, Mr. Rush to name a few, will long dwell as a part
of us. Those attributes and teachings that they passed on to
us, we have passed on to our children and grandchildren.
During our four magical years at RHS, we lost some friends and
classmates who had to move with their parents to another town
but we were joined by new classmates who had moved to Ranger
with their parents. Every member of the class has always known
that the Class of `49 was the last great class of that era and,
in fact, was the `best darn class ever,' though members of some
other classes will try to dispute that distinction.
The Class of `49 is unanimous in regretting that our wonderful
RHS building was destroyed and demolished at some time, without
our permission or knowledge, after the school system was moved
to the new buildings out at the eastern edge of town. All of
our memories, trials and tribulations, successes and failures,
happiness and disappointments of high school took place in those
corridors that, alas, are no more. Only the memories remain.
The Class has not let those memories die and has held periodic
class reunions and attended many Exes Homecoming in groups. Our
40th and 50th Anniversary Reunions were attended by a significant
number of classmates and spouses and guests. We recently voted
to have get-together at all future RHS Exes Homecomings and,
who knows, maybe a big 60th shindig in 2009!
To paraphrase a poet, "Oh, to be in Ranger and it were fall of
`45 all over again!" Jack Waddington
Senior Class
Senior Trip
Class Reunions
60th Anniversary Reunion in 2009 (archived)
RHS Class of 1949
