Class of 1959 reunion
Published: July 16, 2009
All thirteen of the members of Edgartown High School's last graduating class were on the Island last weekend to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Six of the class continue to be year-round Island residents: Bobby Burnham, class president, Eddie Belisle, a student council member, Judy (Prada) Counsell, Janet (Smith) Cuetara, Wendy (Richard) Rose, and Margaret (O'Neil) Serpa. Six live on the mainland: Donald Berube, from Tennessee, Jean Ann (Brown) Collison from North Carolina, Jimmy Santos, Patricia Tyra, and George Willoughby from Florida Jean (Francis), and Laramee and Laurie (Doucette) Sylvia from Massachusetts.
The reunion started with a buffet lunch at The Anchors overlooking the town wharf and Edgartown harbor. Lindsey Lee, oral historian from the Martha's Vineyard Museum, came to interview classmembers about their school. The evening festivities were at the home of the Tyra family on Planting Field Way.
Memories were shared on Saturday when a small group took a harbor cruise on the Thomas A. Edison, and noted the changes in Edgartown and Chappy real estate, and the oyster aqua culture.
Saturday night classmates and their spouses converged at the Kitts Field home of Eddie and Janice Belisle for dinner and more reminiscing aided by class pictures and pictures of the all Island Senior class trip to Washington, D.C. Honored guests for the evening were a favorite high school teacher Terry Burke (her birthday was acknowledged), and Ted Meinelt, their art teacher, year book advisor and the school play set designer. The evening ended with a champagne toast and a new set of memories.
