Old Timers 'Unite!'

Quite often I encounter someone who greets me with, "Hello there, young lady!" They're just being kind for, unless their eyesight is nearly gone, they can see the wrinkles that disqualify me as a young lady. Never once, though, does anyone address the attendees at the local Old Timer's Picnic, as young. We all know that to qualify one has to have been around the block a couple of times. I enjoy being on the committee for the local Old Timer's Picnic. When sitting behind a table greeting folk, we see nearly everyone who attends. That's great and I get to say hello to all my old friends and acquaintances.

I saw Betty Dowdy Chambers, one of my classmates from Tehachapi High School Class of 1946. She and her sister Patsy Dowdy Brown arrived and were busy greeting friends. They are daughters of the late Pearl and Frank Dowdy. Betty and our classmate, Barbara Enlund Nesbit were Cheer Leaders for good old Tehachapi High in 1945 & 46. They were at every game, home and away. When Betty and I get together it's not long until we are laughing and reminiscing about the "good old days." I love the sound of her laughter.

One of my long time friends, Betty Burgeis, was thoughtful to bring me a news clipping of an Old Timers Picnic from 1974. There was also a snapshot of Rawley Duntley and his son Laurence Duntley; long ago Tehachapi cattlemen . Betty (Hifner) Burgeis attended Tehachapi schools and as a child lived in one of the long forgotten railroad section houses in Cameron, where her father was a railroad employee. This old timer remembers Betty and her husband, Bob Burgeis, regularly attending the famous Tehachapi Saturday night dances. Live music, too.

My old friend and classmate Ramon Burgeis attended our Reunion and his famous smile still lingers in my memory. He can recall his childhood days when he and his brother, Bob Burgeis, used to live out in the area of Jeffery Road and slide down the steep part where it makes a sharp turn to the left. The Marantos kids, who lived nearby were along for the "slide" also. There wasn't much traffic on the road then.

I heard someone call my name and I turned around to see Reunion guests, Larry and Mary Ellen Wiggins. I asked Larry if he was a descendant of the early pioneer Wiggins of this valley. He said, "You bet I am!" Sure enough the first settlers of this valley, the Brites, and the Wiggins were early relatives of one another. Larry's father, Ed Wiggins was a well known and respected citizen. He was an avid camera buff and many on old photo will have noted , "Ed Wiggins photo."

Don Beauford greeted me as I wrote his name on a tag. He comes from a long time Tehachapi family. The Beaufords were our neighbors on Curry Street. His father, Harry Beauford, had a local barber shop on Main Street (Tehachapi Boulevard) for more years than I can remember. His mother, Verlie Jenkins Beauford was born in Tehachapi in 1893 and lived to be 93 years of age. She was one of the original telephone switchboard operators in this city.

One of Don's older brothers owned the Mojave movie theatre in the late 1930s. Don said he would go along to Mojave with his brother when a good movie was on. He remembers watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at least six times. The Beaufords were good neighbors.

My friend, Del Troy, is a qualified "Old Timer" as she and her husband, Dr. Vincent Troy moved here in 1958. Dr. Troy practiced medicine here until he retired. They were here when the First Old Timer's Picnic was established in 1959 but would be invited as a guest long before collecting the necessary years as a bonafide Old Timer. It can be said, however, that Del has been a member of the Tehachapi Heritage League since its inception in 1973. Her knowledge of the Tehachapi Valley excels most native Tehachapi residents with possible exception of John Hammond, our home town historian.

Del and I were in charge of the aforementioned name tags. They are an absolute necessity in gatherings such as the Old Timers Reunion. By being able to take a quick glance at the person's name tag one can be saved from the acute embarrassment of not recognizing a good friend.

Those pictures fastened to the fence for people to view were put there by Donna and Dick Dieterle. It's fun to watch how some more recent Old Timers call to Dick Dieterle, former Principal of Jacobsen Junior High, and remind him of some "mis-deed" they had committed while a student there. Many laughs and reminiscences. He is remembered as a fair and well liked teacher/principal.

The yearly routine of honoring the oldest man and woman attending was singled out with 97 year old Hazel Woodard as the eldest lady and Ramon Burgeis and Johnnie Fink as the eldest men. I'll bet it never occurred to Ramon that he would ever be one of the oldest men in Tehachapi

Thanks need to be offered to the Tehachapi Recreation and Parks and the City of Tehachapi for hosting the event. The Heritage League, each year, is most gracious in sending the bulk mailing of the invitations. The Girls Volleyball team once again volunteered their time and did the serving this year. Catered services were Red House Barbecue who cooked some very good food. Another great feature about the meal, it was served: no Old Timers standing in line.

I'm already looking forward to next year.