The Finale for Cobre's 1959 60th Cobre Reunion (The Milestone Class)

Brief background: After eight years of elementary classes and passed grades, you became a graduate with cap and gown and received your diploma. The diploma was your ticket to attend four more years at the newly constructed Cobre Consolidated High School to again get your ticket to attend Western New Mexico University. Many of us did and many left to other cities.

The unity of the not three (there was no Junior High then) but four years gained the rapport and the friendship, including with the teachers.

This was exemplified by the very successful and wonderful final reunion held Friday through Sunday (Sept. 20-22, 2019) at Cobre High School and at the Fort Bayard Theater.

The portion commemorating the more than 30 departed classmates prepared by Mary "Maria" Tovar, who came from Park Oak, California, was something to be remembered and cherished by all attendees.

We all joined at the Basketball Gymnasium at Cobre High School, as Joe Sandoval, representing on behalf of Bayard's Mayor Chon Fierro, together with Cobre's Principal, Mrs. Sandra Montoya, welcomed all back to Bayard and our alma mater. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Spengler, who drove from Wyoming, organized and conducted the wonderful, well-planned reunion, which included tours of the Mining District by Terry Humble, the Hurley Museum and Fort Bayard Historic Museum.

Friday afternoon at Cobre's gymnasium, three classmates each held a white 20-inch balloon and let the string of each go a few inches as each name of the departed was read. The first balloon had the letter R for Rest, the second had I for In and the third a P for Peace. The long strings had gone, but not forgotten, pictures attached.

After this part of the ceremony, Mrs. Christy Gonzales sang "Amazing Grace" and with all standing, sang "You Give Me a Mountain—This Time." With tears running down my cheeks, we all walked outside to see the three balloons released one at a time, and a pretty blond-like dove released after each balloon. Some saw other doves come from nowhere and join the procession.

The fireworks, set off by Julian "J.W." Torres finalized this once in a lifetime portion of the, I repeat, wonderful and successful 60th Cobre Class Reunion – "Go, Big Red."

Next, the winners of the raffles of generous gift certificates were drawn at the Theater. The gift certificates were for meals at the various cafés and restaurants—Wranglers Grill, Adobe Springs, Mi Casita, Jalisco's, M&A Café, Diane's, Kountry Kitchen, Denny's, Empire Buffet, Arby's and Dairy Queen.

Till we meet again, we gave our goodbyes on Sunday noon, after eating a very nicely decorated cake donated by Bayard Food Basket.

Pete Q. Torres