Kodai Class of 1964 Reunion – Portland, Oregon – May 15-18, 2017
Sixteen members of the Kodai Class of 1964 gathered at Hotel Modera in Portland May 15 to 18, 2017, to reconnect, reminisce and experience Portland together. The reunion was capably organized by classmate Eileen Staal Westenberg and her husband Harlan.
In attendance were: Myra Vogt Danielson and her husband Larry, Gordon and Mary Bell, Margaret Dunderdale Laver and her husband Tom, Beth Grumm Kroger, Esther Saunders Smith and her husband Jeff, Sue (Laila) Nykerk, Carl and Karen Skold, Leslie Servid Williams, Cyril Scott-Plessinger, Nancy Michalk, Helen Kline, Mary Coleman Lowry and her husband David, Paul Davis and his wife Carol, and Eileen Staal Westenberg with husband Harlan. The class was particularly pleased to have two members join them whom they had not seen since 1989: Arlene Sorbo Stubbs from Hyderabad, India, and Bev Chell from nearby Eugene.
One of the highlights of the reunion was an intimate conversation with the author of The Shack, Paul Young. The Shack is a multi-million bestseller book around the world. Class member Paul Davis is a friend of Paul Young and had invited him to join us. Paul Young is a Third World Kid, the son of missionaries in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. He wrote The Shack for his family and close friends in part to explain his journey from pain to forgiveness and peace. Class members appreciated the opportunity to interact with Paul Young, as they explored the themes of the book through questions and comments.
Other highlights included a walking tour led by Harvey Kline ’57, with his wife Yuko. Harvey, the author of The ABC’s of Portland: Alphabet & Pearl Districts, is a local historian and was the perfect guide to historic spots in downtown Portland.
One evening the class gathered at Chennai Masala restaurant and were joined by other Kodai-related folk: VJ Sathyaraj and his wife Asha (Kodai staff 1977-88), Annette and Neal Stixrud (Kodai staff 1979-86 and 2006-07, and parents of KIS principal Corey Stixrud ’86), Zuhair Gafur ’76, Ted Engelbrecht (’74 and Kodai staff 1985-91) and his wife Jacqueline and son Yung Ting, Sharon Yardy ’66, Harvey Kline ’57 and his wife Yuko Miyazaki, and Laurie Westenberg, Eileen and Harlan’s daughter.
On the second day of the reunion the class was guided by Jeanette Palmiter (daughter of Dick and Lila Palmiter, Kodai staff 1952-56) to Multnomah Falls, a spectacular waterfall an hour’s drive out of Portland. Four members of the group – Paul Davis, Leslie Williams, Carl Skold and Mary Lowry – climbed 1 ¼ miles to the top of the falls while their classmates enjoyed the view from below.
On the final day, the class was welcomed by Eileen and Harlan to their condo, with its lovely view of Portland and the Willamette River for drinks and snacks. This gave us an opportunity to support one another in our sadness at the loss of classmate John Aung-Thwin, and share our memories of him also. John died on January 13, 2017 at his home in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, Quebec. He was a beloved class leader during high school and never missed an opportunity to attend a reunion. Classmate John Tegenfeldt, as a close friend of John’s, attended the family’s memorial service for John AT in Montreal in the same week as our reunion, and represented our class also, at that time.
The Class of 1964 has remained close for 53 years since graduating from Kodai School in 1964. Some classmates left before graduation and others joined the class for only 3-4 years. Yet the commonalities of that life-forming experience keep bringing us together. We were also very fortunate to have long-suffering but supportive spouses at this reunion: Harlan Westenberg, Mary Bell, Larry Danielson, Jeff Smith, Tom Laver, Karen Skold and David Lowry, who have become honorary class members over the years.
Our tentative plan is to schedule our next reunion in two years (2019) at a location yet to be determined.
Mary Coleman Lowry and Beth Grumm Kroger
For more pictures, go to the Gallery – Class of 1964.