Dodson All-Class Reunion draws over 200

The license plates on vehicles sitting near Dodson School on Friday night ranged from Flathead County to Washington State and from Yellowstone County to Idaho.

Nearly 220 past Dodson School attendees and their families converged in Coyote Country this past weekend to attend the 100th All Class Reunion for the school, some sticking around the next day to take part in a parade that coincided with the 100th Phillips County Fair.

"This is a really good turnout," said Dodson's Bonnie Lankford. "We thought we would only have around 200 and we are already to 220. "This is above and beyond expectations."

The reunion on Saturday was punctuated with a dinner in the school's auditorium and Sunday morning was started with a reunion breakfast.

While many drove from far distances to attend the reunion, many had a shorter trip to attend the affair.

Willard Mortenson, a Dodson resident and 1947 graduate from Dodson, said that three of the five members of his graduating class are still with us, though he was the only member of the class who was able to attend the 100th. Mortenson said that when he graduated Dodson was a pretty happening town.

"We could always find something to do," Mortenson said. "The school has changed some since then too and looks really good today."

While Mortenson's trek to the reunion was a short one, Bud Lee's was a tad longer. Though Lee didn't graduate from Dodson he attended Dodson School during three different years. Lee made his way to the reunion via La Crosse, WI, flying into Great Falls earlier in the week and then driving to Dodson for the big event.

"Due to circumstances out of my control I wasn't able to do all my schooling here, though I would have liked to," Lee said. "But I did spend a lot of summers here."

Lee said he was spending the week at his cousin's house – Joe Nicholson – and prior to the reunion he had spent his time in town at the fair and catching up with old friends.

"Hi Bruce, you old rattlesnake, how are you doing," Lee said to his buddy, Bruce Jaynes, as the two met in the school's cafeteria. "Good to see you."

Lee said that though Dodson School looks a little more modern today than it did while he attended, walking the halls in 2015 still brought back found memories of his times gone by.

"I remember some very fine teachers here and made some great friends," Lee said.

One of the highlights of the night for many in attendance Saturday night was an hour-long reel of old Dodson alum photos which played throughout the night. Carl Solberg, Dodson class of 1964, was given over 30 different school annuals and was placed in charge of scanning pictures, copying them over to his PC and then rendering them onto a CD, over music, for viewing. Solberg, who now calls Billings home, said the he is happy to see healthy crops and prospering agriculture in Phillips County upon his return.

"Farms are bigger now and farmers are able to get more done," Solberg said. "I am very impressed with (Dodson) School as well. Everything looks so spiffy. It seems so bright and the staff here seem really dedicated and have been so helpful. That makes me feel really good about the future of this school."

Dodson All-Class Reunion Highlights

(Compiled by Kathleen Hughes.)

Kyla Messerly sang the National Anthem

Dancers – Deserae KillEagle, and daughters Kataya and Jazzlyn Flansberg

Honored Guests at the 2015 Dodson Reunion – Tom Kirkaldie

Oldest Graduate – Everall Holman

Most children that graduated – Wink and Terri Cole

Youngest Graduate – Caitlin Henry

Came the farthest- Sandy Bushy Turner

First to send in application – Ava Lankford Welch

Annual Dedication of 2015 - Cecelia Lankford, 101 years old

Honored Teachers – Robert Hicks, Bonnie Labrie, Cleo Overberg, Janice Edmister

Sheri Crites Hawkins, John Hunt, and Roland Marney

Approximately 215 attendees participated in this year's events

Silent and live auctions went well.