On Sept. 14 St. Theodore’s School Class of 1942 met at the Knights of Columbus Hall to celebrate friendships dating from first grade.

Though some of the 79- and 80-year-old “kids” arrived with canes and walkers sporting new hips and knees, all talk of health problems were checked at the door. They went from table to table laughing and giggling about how they looked years ago when some boys wore knickerbockers with argyle knee socks and girls wore long tan cotton socks and had handkerchiefs pinned to their waists. A potluck lunch was shared and then pictures were taken.

At 2 p.m., a pre-arranged phone call was placed to Margaret McEniry Powell in California, who was unable to attend. Her daughter answered the phone and told the group she had died early that morning, just as the sun was coming up at 6:33 a.m. The Rev. Jim Berning led the group in prayer for her soul and for the comfort of her survivors.

Powell missed the reunion, but she had her own with her first husband, Bob, and classmates Mildred Jackson, Dan Healy, Lloyd Livingston, Alvin Schultz, Tony Kirsch and Tom Speltz.

Those gathered promised to meet again in 2009.