Our reunion will be Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, at Emerald Queen Casino/Hotel in Fife, Wash.

Lakes High School Lakewood, (Pierce Co.) Wash., Class of 1966 will hold its 50-year reunion Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in Fife, Wash.

Reunion committee chair Jon Cox says the event will be held 6-11 p.m. at the Emerald Queen Casino/Hotel, 5700 Pacific Highway East in Fife, Wash.

Reservations must be made to attend the reunion.

The committee contacted with Reunions With Class of Bellevue, Wash., to collect current contact information on members of the school’s class, which numbered 409 when it graduated in June 1966.

Class members are asked to go to …

http://reunionswithclass.com/Update_Your_Address.asp

… and update their contact information.

Please become a member of the the Lakes High School Class of 1966 Facebook page ...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/130729693606344

....it's a key means by which the committee will provide news about our reunion.

Committee members are chair Jon Cox, Jan Holmes Cook, Rick Cooper, Stephanie Lewis Henderson, Tim Marsh and Jan Gartner Warren.

Cox may be contacted at Joncox1999@comcast.com

In February 2016, a postcard similar to this will be mailed to Lakes 1966 classmates

Lakes Class of 1966 classmates. Can you answer these questions?

+What was the name of the Lakewood hamburger drive-in which reminds you of a farm animal?

Answer: Cow Palace.

+Who was the Clover Park School District superintendent during our time as Lakes students? He was the father of one of our classmates.

Answer: T. Olai Hageness

+Name of Lakes High’s combination cafeteria and auditorium?
Answer: Classatorium

+The year Lakes High School opened?

Answer: 1962

+What was dropped from helicopters onto the Villa Plaza parking lot during the day prior to the 4th of July fireworks show?

Answer: Ping pong balls which had merchant prize gift certificates inside each.

+The name of Lakes High School reflects the fact there are lakes in Lakewood. What are the lakes of Lakewood?

Answer:

·       Gravelly Lake

·       American Lake

·       Lake Steilacoom

·       Lake Louise

·       Carter Lake

·       Seeley Lake

(Others?)

+What kind of aircraft land and take off from American Lake?

Answer: Seaplanes

+What fruit was sold in coin-op vending machines at Lakes High School?

Answer: Apples.

+Clothing girl students not allowed to wear at Lakes High?

Answer: (All of the following)

·       Pants/slacks

·       Bermuda shorts or any kind of shorts except shorts worn by girls playing on Lakes tennis team.

·       Pedal pushers

·       Culottes

+Street on which Lakes High School is located?

Answer: Farwest Drive (Southwest)

+Name of the Lakes teacher who led college entrance exam pep assembly in the senior wing? She was the mother of a Lakes student.

Answer: Marion Warner

+Name of the Lakes teacher who was adviser of the Lakes Ledger student newspaper? He was the father of a Lakes classmate.

Answer: Charles Croasdill

+Which was built first in Lakewood near Villa Plaza? McDonald's or Shakey's?

Answer: McDonald's

(Restaurants located across the street from each other at corners of 100th Street and Bristol Avenue SW.)

+What song did Lakes High School students NOT sing after the Lakes High boys' basketball team beat Renton, 47-46, in the Puget Sound League championship game at Highline High School on Friday, March 6, 1964?

Answer: Alma mater.

(At that time, Lakes did not have an alma mater.)

+Both Lakes and Clover Park Fight Songs say their schools are "Best in the West." Which is the best?

Answer: Lakes

(Lakes: "All will know that Lakes is the Best in all the West...")

(CP: "Best in the West, you know we'll all do our best.")

+Name of the drive-in movie theater just off South Tacoma Way?

Answer: Star-Lite

+What is the prized possession car of classmate Jon Cox?

Answer: Corvette

+What planet was included in the name of Lakes High's Junior Prom during the 1965-1966 school year?

Answer: Moon

(A popular song at the time was "Everyone's Gone to the Moon.")

+Name of Lakes High's annual celebration of the arts?

Answer: Artasia

+Best place in Lakewood to get donuts?

Answer: House of Donuts

+Name of teacher who organized Lakes choir program in the fall of 1962?

Answer: Ed Harmic

+Who was the teacher who taught German at Lakes?

Answer: Frau Werny (Bertl Werny)

+On Oct 1, 2010, Fort Lewis Army base and McChord Air Force Base merged to become Joint Base Lewis-McChord. What was the name of Fort Lewis before it was called a fort?

Answer: Camp Lewis.

(Fort Lewis began as Camp Lewis in 1917, honoring explorer Meriwether Lewis of Lewis & Clark fame. In 1927, Camp Lewis became Fort Lewis.)

(McChord AFB was originally Northwest Air Base or Tacoma Field. It was renamed in 1938 for Col. William Caldwell McChord, who was a chief of HQ Army Air Corp trainings & operations division.)

Lakes band played Go!Twist! in 1964 Daffodil Festival parade

Lakes High School band, directed by Gerald Pepos, marched in the Saturday, April 11, 1964, Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade.
 
Lakes band was one of 20 which marched through Tacoma, Puyallup and Sumner during the parade.


Some floats in the parade reflected the 1964 parade’s theme, “Nations on Parade.” 

Some saluted the 75^th anniversary of Washington State's statehood. (Washington was admitted to the union on Nov. 11, 1889.)


Photo shows Lakes band marching on Tacoma’s Pacific Avenue in the 1964 parade. 

Note (at bottom of photo) Lakes drum majorette and cheerleaders leading the band and (at top of photo) Lakes Drill Team members following band.


Other photo shows example of the uniforms worn by the Lakes band in the 1964 parade.


Weather during the parade was breezy with temperature in the mid-50 degree temperature. “The start of the parade saw temperatures of 42 degrees and blustery, cloudy weather. By noon, the clouds had parted and April sunshine had appeared,” says one source.


“Go! Twist!” was the song the Lakes band played exclusively over and over and over in the parade. Mr. Pepos had band members memorize the song so they didn’t have to use read music while they marched.

Where Lakes Ledger student newspaper was printed

Will-Dee Printing Co., 6427 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood. Firm sometimes identified as being in Tacoma since most (all?) of its life was before Lakewood was incorporated as a city in 1996. It was where Clover Park High's Clover Leaves and Lakes High's Lakes Ledger student newspapers were pasted-up and printed. Adviser to both newspapers was journalism teacher Charles Croasdill.

Ad from Dec 16, 1965, Catholic Northwest Progress, Seattle.

..........
According to the 1963 Lakes Legend yearbook, in the 1962-1963 school year, the Lakes Ledger newspaper was a "four-column publication" and was "printed at the 'Tacoma Star.' "

Mr. Wes Saxton: 30-year education career included service at CP and Lakes. At age 91, dies March 21, 2016

He was father of Bill, Bob and Greg Saxton, Lakes High School grads.

William Wesley Saxton, age 91, passed away March 21, 2016, in (apparently) Gig Harbor, Wash. 

Born Sept 12, 1924, he was a teacher, coach and counselor for 30 years in the Clover Park School District.

 

He served in the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII. 

In about 1947 he and Florence “Niki” May Nicole Anzalone Saxton (born in Berkeley, Calif.) married. They moved to Lakewood that year. Married for 67 years, she passed away March 15, 2013, in Gig Harbor. 

Info about Niki:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=107563439

A 1942 CP graduate, he was voted “Most Athletic Boy” by his classmates. He competed for the Warriors in football, basketball and baseball.

Mr. Saxton graduated from the College (now University) of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Mr. Saxton played basketball for the CPS Loggers.

At CP his duties included teaching science and biology. He also (apparently) was a counselor. He coached CP Warrior football and boys' basketball. Soon after Lakes High School opened in 1962, he moved from CP to Lakes. 

At Lakes High, his positions, according to the 1973 Lakes Legend yearbook, included assistant principal/senior dean. He also coached Lancers girls' basketball. He served as a Clover Park Education Association president.

Mr. Saxton loved his family. 

His dedication and love for his sons --William, Robert and Gregory -- manifested itself in several ways. One was coaching. Not only did he share the love of sports with his sons but with many other young boys. 

Among the ideals for living he stressed were to live life with dignity win or lose, be true to your family and be careful to judge others. 

He will be missed by his family, including eight grandchildren and those who he influenced as an educator, coach and friend.

.........

Photos include Mr. Saxton as a Lakes counselor (Lakes Legend yearbook source) and as a member of the 1941 Clover Park High School football team (Clover Park Klahowya yearbook source). Also at Lakes from the 1973 Legend is Mr. Saxton as assistant principal/senior dean.  Note cropped version of same photo pointing to a photo of his sons near his office telephone.)

Story based on information here …

http://www.mountainviewtacoma.com/obituaries/William-Saxton

… and other sources

Best Wishes to the class of 1966

This full page photo advertisement from the 1966 Lakes Legend yearbook sports staff appears in the 1973 Legend. Why? The staff sought to pay personally for the ad in 1966 Legend, but yearbook advisor Rita Van Pevenage said “no.” But, the 1973 Legend said “yes.” Sports staff members: Bob Webb (floor), Joe Finley (seated), Tim Marsh and Roy Ellington (standing left and right).