The South Pasadena High School Class of 1961 celebrated 65 years since graduating by reconnecting, reliving memories and sharing current updates at a Mijares Mexican Restaurant luncheon, October 14, 2026.
With no formal program, the 30+ alums had plenty of time to talk, laugh and reminisce with each other. Memories included their parents, who came to or stayed in South Pasadena to raise their families as others were moving out to new suburbs that were going up across Southern California in the 1950s.
“By growing up in a small town we got to know each other and have stayed in touch through all of our lives, some since kindergarten,” said Dolores Brown, who has helped organize ten 5-year reunions starting in 1981. “Over the years, a lot of people have shared experiences friendships, unity, and trust. We wanted and enjoyed a reunion to reconnect and continue the contact,”
Also remembered were their teachers and adult youth leaders, coaches and pastors who prepared them for the future and their beloved classmates who have passed on.
“It was nice to see so many old friends who got together for what might be our last SPHS ’61 class reunion,” texted one of the organizers, Rob Feder, as he was flying back to Kansas City. “We started with eight SPHS ’61 grads who didn’t want the five-year reunion tradition to end and invited other classmates.”
SPHS ’61 alums attending included Halle Ellison, Susan and Richard Whitman, Jim Tomlin, Al Kinser, Bill Purves, Ron Larsen, Karen deKramer, Terry Branch, Chris Carr, Sally Bates, Barri Limpus, Mike Paris, Bill Little, Mary Gill, Frank Szerdahelyi, Dolores Brown, Jean Popenoe, Lynn Nowlin, Félix Gutiérrez, Vivian Van Haselen, Rudy Friendt, Dick Maryatt, Rob Feder, John Kovac, Dan Biles and Susan Cowper, plus six guests.
