“I’m glad to be able to be here with her. She’s been looking forward to coming to this,” said Rochelle, who is the only other member of the family to graduate from TK.
It didn’t take Laura long before she found two other members of the Class of 1948 - Lloyd Fisher and Dick Stager. “I’m so glad we could come and I’m really glad my granddaughter could come with me. It’s so nice to see some of my classmates here too,” said Laura.
About 150 people attended the annual event Saturday at the TK Middle School. They leafed through old yearbooks, gazed at old pictures pointing out faces they recognized, shared stories of their lives and memories of their days at TK.
Just like Laura Hyde and her granddaughter, there were many multi-generational families attending the banquet. Nick Wake (Class of 2005), Ann (Stager) Bolton, (1962), Sandi (Wake) Stager (1978), Dick Stager, 1948, represented multiple generations from one family.
Middlebush said there are many connections made in the schools from years ago and new connections that are being made every day. “Whether you have a long family history of attending TK, you began in fourth grade, or you went K-12, you started in Freeport, you didn’t quite finish or attended just your senior year - we are all connected,” said Thornapple Kellogg Alumni Association Historian Cindy Middlebush.
“Clavin Hill founded our community in 1834. Education was a priority so just four years later, Sarah Paull was hired to be our first teacher. She taught in a log school on the banks of the Thornapple River. We had two more school houses before Union school was built in 1871. Francis Matteson was in our first graduating class - the class of 1881. Last month, a descendant of this founding family, TK High School junior Mali Holland, earned an All-State award for our cheerleading team. She will graduate in 2024,” said Middlebush.
Citing another example of connections, Middlebush said Ruth Matteson graduated in 1913 and became a teacher in Middleville. She presented Leona Rosenberg with a certificate for perfect attendance in 1916. Leona’s brother, Claude married Mary Boley and the two of them, along with four others, served as TK’s first bus drivers.
“Now, five generations later, their great-great-great-great granddaughter, Nicole Ybema Sleeman, is teaching at McFall,” Middlebush said.
All those connections are important to the heritage and history of the TK district. “Essentially, making connections is what most teachers hope to accomplish. We know that curriculum and all the other components of education are important, but capturing a kid’s heat is what it’s all about,” said Middlebush. “We are all connected.”
TKAA President Karen Page Kennedy spoke to the alumni and guests. “I’m really proud to be part of this group and see how far we’ve come in just a few years. We (the TK Alumni Association) awarded our first $500 scholarship in 2019 to one graduating senior. Last year, through the generosity of our members and donors, we were able to give two scholarships of $750 each.”
The organization also gave $100 to each new elementary school teacher in the district. And donated more than $600 to a fund to help make sure every high school student could afford a yearbook. This fall, she said, they will be starting a mentorship program to put current students in touch with professionals.
As the roll was called for the classes to be honored, alumni from 1948 to classes in the early 2000 years - alumni stood and were recognized as they year was called out. They enthusiastically sang the school fight song while waving their orange cloth napkins like rally flags and they laughed and shared story after story about their memories of school at TK.
One of the highlights of the night was the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni awards. This year, brothers Mike Bremer (Class of 1968) and Dr. David Bremer (Class of 1970) were honored. The TKAA will award the next alumni honors during Homecoming 2023.
The TKAA meets regularly at 6:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month in the high school. Any alumni are welcome to attend. The association 2023 officers are:
President - Karen Kennedy (1976)
Vice President - Jody Pratt (1966)
Treasurer - Wanita Huizenga (1977)
Secretary - Howie Gragg (1970)
Historian - Cindy Middlebush (1978)
Trustees for the organization are:
Don Williamson (1957)
Janet Geukes (1961)
Brenda Seifert (1973)
Kim Bender (1973)
Brenda Hess (1985)
Jeana VanderMuelen (1984)
Randy Eggers (1980)
Ashley Moore (2007)
Merri Jo Biggs (1981)
Mary Ann Klinge (1973)
Luana Tolan (1966)
John York (1985)
Sara Geiser (1985)