The theme in Narrowsburg these first two weeks of September seemed to be “memory lane.”

The month began with a celebration and reminiscence of the 40 years of publication of The River Reporter and was held at the Narrowsburg Inn.

Next, the Narrowsburg School class reunion from the classes of 1961 and earlier took place on September 11. Tickets sold for the event numbered 182, and the former graduates met at the Central House in Beach Lake. It seems hard to believe, but the class with the most graduates/guests came from 1956, graduating 59 years ago! The social hour (actually two hours) was spent meeting and reconnecting with former classmates from your class and students above and below your class. No one seemed to just sit and chat. There appeared to be a lot of walking around, assuring that you would not miss anyone. Seating for dinner was arranged by class, so the re-living of memories continued. No one seemed bored; there were just smiles, laughter and memories.

Narrowsburg School reunions take place every two years. This year, the classes of 1960 and 1961 were included for the first time. These students looked especially happy to be joining in this joyous reunion.

Memory lane continued as the seven children of Grace Johansen shared special moments at the memorial service celebrating her life. Both Pastor Phyllis Haynes and former Pastor Russell Haab conducted the service to an overflowing crowd at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The words from the children would have no doubt pleased Grace as they included poetry, prose and song, a fitting way to commemorate her life. Guests had an opportunity to share their memories with family members as they circulated under a large tent, thankfully escaping the rain, at the reception following. Grace’s children created a service befitting the last lines of the Robert Fulghum poem found in the program, “That laughter is the only cure for grief; And I believe that love is stronger than death.”