The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. (VR) – The Covington High School Class of 1975, together with the Classes of 1974 and 1976, held their fifty-year class reunion over the weekend of October 3 & 4, 2025.
Graduates met at Casey Field and sat together at the Alleghany Cougar football game on Friday night, while others socialized at The Rail.
On Saturday evening, the graduates gathered at The Historic Masonic Theatre in The WestRock Room for a social, dinner, program, and dance. Thirty-one graduates from the Class of 1975, four graduates from the Class of 1974 and thirteen graduates from the Class of 1976 attended the reunion with a grand total of seventy-five people in attendance.
Kim L. Warlitner, President CHS Class of 1975, welcomed the graduates and guests, along with three former teachers, to the reunion. The three teachers attending the reunion were Mrs. Margaret Sams, Mr. Sanford “Bo” Carper, and Mr. Rick Fuhrman. The reunion committee members were thanked and recognized. Committee members were Karen Jamison Robertson, Debbie Gurd Rodgers, Gail Reynolds Looney, Sheryl Hemp Stone, Richard Warren, and Lisa Hardy Schoppmeyer.
The class photo was taken by Lisa Akers of Crawford Photography, LLC of Covington.
Karen Robertson and Kim Warlitner conducted a memorial service for deceased classmates, followed by the invocation given by Debbie Via.
Social and dinner were catered by Julie Toombs of The Friendly Fork.
Following dinner, a trivia game consisting of 1975 news and headlines was played. Sheryl and John Stone were the winners.
Classmates then sang the Alma Mater led by Sheryl Hemp Stone, Teresa Ervin Wulff, and Marty Montgomery. Former cheerleaders led everyone in “Onward Cougars”.
Special recognition was given to Marsha Via Tucker for the youngest great-grandchild, Dennis Persinger for most grandchildren, Brenda Thurston Brinkley for first to register/pay, Carol Dressler Blile for traveling the furthest distance, and classmates from all three classes that have attended every reunion.
A video presentation highlighting high school days, together with recent images of family and friends was enjoyed. Harold Carpenter, a 1975 CHS graduate, was the DJ for the evening.
First Row, L to R: Wanda Hubble Nugent (74), Evelyn Sargeant Bennett (75), Tina Pyle Kincaid (75), Kim L Warlitner (75), Brenda Kessinger Clark (75), Christy Crawford Johnson (75), Brenda Thurston Brinkley (75), Diana Gurd Speight (75), Debbie Gurd Rodgers (75), Tina Reynolds Brown (76) Second Row, L to R: Randy Lawson (74), Cheri Lynn Kelley (76), Steve Myers (74), Faye Waldren (75), Karen Jamison Robertson (75), Donna Kemper (75), Sheryl Hemp Stone (75), Sherry Byer Breeden (75), Barbara Jo Noel (76), Joan Craghead Foster (76), Marsha Via Tucker (74), Marcia Peters Jones (75), Timothy St Clair (76), Sally Crawford Gilbert (76), Beth Dillard Bell (75) Third Row, L to R: Sanford “Bo” Carper, Rick Fuhrman, Margaret Sams, H W “Tad” Robertson (75), Gerald D Carpenter (75), Gail Reynolds Looney (75), Teresa Ervin Wulff (75), Kathy Alfred Williams (76), Debbie Via (76), Paula A Stull (75), Lisa Hardy Schoppmeyer (76), Yvonne Miller Griffin (75), Reginald Wayne Humphreys (76), Gayle Keith (75), Pat Harrison (76), Derrick Miller (76), Larry Pence (75) Fourth Row, L to R: Harold L Carpenter (75), Gary Whitmer (76), Joe Kincaid (75), Gary Hendrick (75), Robert “Marty” Montgomery (75), Steve Clark (74), Danny Dressler (75), Carol Dressler Blile (75), Richard A Warren (75) Absent from picture: Doris Persinger Childs (75) and Dennis Persinger (76)
