Carol Atchley (Robinson)

Thanks to all the committee members for a great weekend.  I just got home Monday at 4:30 P.M.  Made it a really long weekend.  It was great seeing some people that I really had not seen in 50 years and seeing those that I had not seen in 5.  I am already looking forward to the next reunion.  Thanks again guys.

Beverly Riley (Marlow)

Did anyone record the Memorial Service or know anyone who did?  If so, I'd love a copy.

Also, I echo each word of John Parker's sentiments on the Home Page. This was a sun-kissed weekend that will remain in memory forever.

To those of you I didn't get a chance to speak with, I sincerely apologize. I'm glad each of you were there to make this event special for all of us..... Beverly

Betti Smith (Krapfl)

DITTO to all the comments about how wonderful the reunion was. Absolutely the best one yet.

To the wonderful committee: I cannot begin to thank you enough for all your  hard work. I appreciate it!

It was such a joy to talk with the people I got around to. Still want to talk with everyone the next time!! To those I missed, let's plan on it for the next one.

I  miss all of you already...

Betti Smith Krapfl

Nancy Mullinax (Roberts)

AHS CLASS OF 60,

I, TOO, ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF THIS WEEK-END.  I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE.  DO WE HAVE TO WAIT 5 YEARS??  I ENJOYED THE ENTERTAINMENT.  I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE TALENT NEXT TIME!!

NANCY MULLINAX ROBERTS

M C Huffstetler

I just wanted to thank the reunion committee for all of their hard work.  It was easy to see that the committe  spent alot of time planning this two day event.  Not only was the food delicious but the pictures, yearbooks, all of the memories from the past made it even more special.  I must admit that as special as all of that was, seeing so many classmates that I had not seen in forty or fifty years was the best part of all.  I was especially happy that we had the Memorial Service to remember all of the classmates that are no longer with us.  I look forward to seeing all of you at the next class reunion and I wish all of you happiness and good health.

  M.C. Huffstetler

Sandra McManus (Jordan)

I just wanted to give Kudo's to the reunion committee for the reunion this year.  Your hard work was very apparent and I really enjoyed myself.  Thanks again for all your hard work.

Buddy Collins

Not sure where to respond ... Nick Mentavolus' pictures from Central Elementary School ...

(Picture to the right .. 1st grade ... Mrs. Miller, Teacher ... 1st row (not in order) has Ronnie Cloer, Carol Cumbie, Myron Slutsky (?), Jenny Schienyder (?), Larry Williams, Buddy Collins

Others in the picture ... Wayne Lollis, Dickie Craig

Dan Rockett

No....   The band nor anyone else played that tune upon anyone entering the auditorium.

At least not while I was in the band for three years.  1958-60

Dan Rockett

Jenny Lynn Schneider (Bern)

The 50th Reunion was an amazing experience for Dave & I.  We both had such a terrific time.  Planning the 2 day events took much work and we are so appreciative to all who had a hand in the planning & execution of all the activities.  It was so wonderful to see people whom I had not seen in 50 years.  I love my Southern Gastonia Roots and cherish all the memories I have growing up there.  It was a special time for all of us as change has been enormous  with technology in the 21st Century.  People and places are so different.  Culturally we and our children  are in quite a different time with expectations so different.  I Loved seeing everyone, being with everyone, and sharing the experience with all the wonderful people I knew growing up.  THERE'S NO PLACE ON EARTH LIKE THE SOUTH!  Take it from me...I've lived all over the country and if my children and grandchildren didn't live in California, I'd be back in the South in a heartbeat!  Again, reunion committee, Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!  I can't wait for the 55th Reunion. God willing we will ALL be in this world and able to attend.

John Parker

Jenny,

Thank you for such a great message.  I feel the same way about the South.  Though I have never lived outside it like you, I have spent too many days & nights in non-Southern places, some good, some bad. There was a book written in the 80's, "The Nine Nations of North Amrica", that identified 9 distinct sections not always defined by state lines. I remember it said something like when you've have been away from your "nation" & return, you know you're home as soon as you cross into it.

Another story, when our daughter was in Australia for a year at the University of Melbourne, we took advantage of the opportunity to go there.  We were there for about a month. The last night was spent at a small motel in Brisbane, owned & run by a lady & her daughter.  Several stories from that one night (all good) but the one that is appropriate follows.  On the morning we were leaving, she took us to the airport.  She stated that there was something about us that was different from other Americans she had known. I replied that we were Southerners more than Americans & that we were typical.

Look forward to seeing you again.

John

Jim Mauney

Classmates of AHS Class of 60

You possibly missed our own C. Michael Blackwell on a live TV interview with Mr. Bill Friday on North Carolina Educational Television this past week. I was fortuante enough to catch the last half of it. It was both entertaining and exciting to see Mickey do such an admirable job in the interview. He was very articulate in his responses to the host, our other local Dallas N.C. celebrity, William "Bill" Friday. Mickey gave a very warm professional and personable appearance.

Mickey has done a wonderful job leading The North Carolina Baptisit Children's Home in Thomasville, which was the primary motive for the interview. He not only represented him self well in the interview, he put in a great plug for his native home of Gastonia and the part I really appreciated was when he gave a great plug to our just completed AHS Class of 60 Reunion! He was a great spokesman for our State, our City and our great Ashley High School Class of 60. You would have been proud of him and proud to be one of his classmates!

I hope that Mickey can let us know when there may be a re-run of this program so that other classmates can tune in! We're proud of you Mickey! 

Jimmy Mauney

AHS Class of 60 Member

Jackay Stowe-McDaniel

Alix, I pray for your getting better.

Jenny Lynn Schneider (Bern)

The 52 reunion was a blast!  Almost 100 people attended (I think).  Both Dave & I had a wonderful time and seeing some classmates we haven't seen before.  The committee did such a wonderful time and I know they spent a lot of time planning  the reunion.  Thank you all so much for doing this for us all.  I expecially loved seeing Adrienne Cleere.  We have stayed in touch through the years, but we haven't seen each other in 15-20 years.  Such fun seeing her and what a surprise finding here there.  Again committee, thank you from the bottom of my heart for making our reunion so special.

Dan Rockett

Dan Rockett

Jenny Lynn Schneider (Bern)

What a great reunion!  Both Dave & I loved seeing everyone again.  Dave thinks he's a graduate since he's been so many times.  Thank you committee for planning such a wonderful and thoughtful reunion.  It was touching, moving, funny, sentimental and fun all in one.  Dave promised me that I won't have to ever miss a reunion as long as I live!  What a great time we both had.  Thank you everyone again!

Jim Mauney

Good question Barbara. I don't know the answer. We didn't have any one on the committee assigned to take pictures (no volunteer). There were pictures made by individuals, but we have to depend on those who made photos to summarily send them in to the web site.

John Parker is our web master and he will see your question and I'm sure he will pose this question to the web site. He will either post anything he has or hopefully, we will get pictures sent in. We have always gotten them in the past. How bout it John??? How bout it class members???

Jim Mauney

Ken Todd

Under Misc Pics  the foto of the band front shows one of the girls holding the Ashley Banner or what ever it is called.  That was presented to the band from someone that had brought it back from Germany.. In the Oktoberfest Parade in Munich, each band from the villages in Bavaria, carry one out in front of the band to identify which village they come from.  Does any body know where that thing is now???

Ken Todd

Jim Mauney

Fellow members of the Frank L. Ashley Class of 60 and guests:

We should be getting our class of 60 Reunion committee together in the near future to discuss the status of our proposed reunion for May 21,22 of 2021. These are "fun times" for the committee and we get excited as we get closer to the proposed dates to be sure every thing is going well.

One year ago we were looking forward to our 2020 Reunion in May 2020. Then along came this nasty Covid19! We feared we could not medically have it in May, so we postponed to mid September, but the Covid 19 was still on a rampage! We then moved our dates to May 21,22, 2021. The Covid 19 just had it's one year reunion earlier this month and it is as bad or even worse than we thought it would be,

We now have the vaccines that we hope will slow, if not stop the Covid. Our planned May 21, 22, 2021 dates are, at best, skeptical in my opinion! We hope that everyone will have had their shots and the science will say we are good to go! I have had my first shot with no side effects and have the second shot planned for February 5; therefore, I should be ready to move on with the May 2021 event. We just hope all of you who are planning to attend will have had your shots well in advance of the May 21, 22 dates! I encourage you to move on and get the shots! We may not know all there is to know about the longevity of the shots or it's long term effects, but we do pretty well know the worst case scenario for the Covid effect and that could be DEATH!! GO GET YOUR SHOTS!!

You can be sure that your committee is anxious to move on with the May 21,22 dates; however, you can also be sure that we will not knowingly subject our class members to any possible danger of infection even if it means another delay! Only time will tell and we are less tha four months away from the event and less than that to confirm the dates. We will try to get  as much advance notice to you as possible whether it is GO or NO!

We appreciate the advanced payment made by many of you. We obviously had expenses with deposits,  mailing notices,etc which will have to be redone, so it's nice to have funds on hand. Your payments are safe and  appreciated! If you have not paid and wish to, you can send in your dues, and scholarship donations or memorials! Go Green Wave!! 

Jim Mauney, Committee Member

Dan Rockett

About the COVID screening questions

Mary Lou Drake (Bell)

Hello Everyone,  

Thanks, Mickey, for that great video, I, as I'm sure others, all needed to hear your positive and upbeat message.  My dear husband, Paul and I have been living in Baton Rouge, LA for the last almost 30 years, but in the fall of '22 will be heading back to dear old N.C., Greensboro.  We'll be moving to Friends Homes retirement community into a new, spacious apartment, only a short distance from Guilford College, my alma mater.  We'll be close to two nephews and their families and lots of dear friends.  Paul is wrapping up his law practice, and I'm slowly downsizing and getting our house ready to put on the market in the spring.

For a year and a half, I've been receiving treatment for Multiple Myeloma, a blood/bone cancer.  I'm under the care of a myeloma specialist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, but receive my twice monthly chemotherapy here in town.  When we move, I'll continue treatment at Wake Forest Baptist Cancer Center.

I can't wait to be back where there is a change of seasons, beautiful autumns and most of all being back to where my roots were nourished in the dear old Tar Heel State!

Love and very best wishes to all,

Mary Lou Drake Bell

Mary Lou Drake (Bell)

Photo of Mary Lou Drake Bell on Fall 2021 

Dan Rockett

Merry Christmas 2021 

Andre Rieu 

"Jingle Bells"

https://youtu.be/AlFnQxZ0Mak

Betti Smith (Krapfl)

Richard Jordan

As a lidocaine patch user I celebrate her ability to keep on with her life.