Comstock Park — The Comstock Park Class of 1964 may have graduated together and stayed connected for 62 years, but there’s still one thing they can’t agree on: how many classmates there were.
It’s a friendly debate, one only classmates could have.
“Seventy-two,” one said, while another countered, “I thought it was 75, or maybe 76.”
After a quick count of the names on the class composite, Maureen Hendee confirmed the answer: 76.
The group has been meeting about once a month for about the past 32 years.
Since many members were celebrating their 80th birthdays this year, ‘64 grad Gail Park hosted an August birthday party, bringing several classmates and their spouses together. They caught up on each other’s lives and shared stories from their time at Comstock Park.
The current Mill Creek Middle School served as the class’ high school, Jack White said as he talked with Tom House and Richard Holland about their old school.
“In our freshman year, they had added a new gym, shop room and band room,” White said, noting that the shop room is now home to the Comstock Park Public Schools administration offices.
The Class of 1964 witnessed plenty of change during their senior year. Beatlemania swept the nation, “The Munsters” debuted on television, and Pop-Tarts and Sharpie markers made their first appearances.
The Vietnam War was intensifying, and Michigan had just weathered an unseasonably warm and stormy May that brought an F4 tornado to southeastern Michigan.
The group also witnessed changes closer to home.
In 1963, Kenowa Hills High School opened its doors, replacing the former Berlin High School in Marne. The move also split the Comstock Park Public Schools district, with some students attending the new high school, said Harry Smit.
“I was the only one in my family to graduate from Comstock Park, as the rest of my siblings ended up going to Kenowa,” Smit said. “I had the choice, as I only had one more year left, and I decided to stay at Comstock Park.”
Smit said he was musically driven but otherwise did “everything that kids would do when in high school.”
Maureen Hendee said she has fond memories of her years in high school, having been a cheerleader and on the Homecoming court.
“My favorite teacher was Mrs. (Helen) Geren,” Hendee said as she flipped through the 1964 yearbook. “She was a home economics teacher. She was an inspiration and took time with me, and that meant a lot.”
Hendee said she has not seen most of her classmates in nearly 62 years. Like many of her classmates, she moved out of the area, settling near Flint after her husband transferred there for work.
“But we have kept in touch,” Hendee said. “It’s nice to reconnect.”
Read more from Comstock Park:
• Commencement walk extra sweet for grad ‘who has conquered so much’
• He went from principal’s office to driver’s seat
