Pick Up Your Mac 65 Book Today!

The front, sample inside page, and back of the 100 page long Reunion and Directory Book.

Clarification Note:  You do not have to be a Mac 65 graduate to obtain this book. If you were unable to attend the reunion but wish to have this book, see near the end of this blog for instructions on getting a copy via the mail. We are trying to make ends meet, so help out by buying a copy at a reasonable rate. Thank you.

The Commencement Program for the Graduation Class of 1965 for MacArthur High School listed 360 people. What happened to all of these individuals?  Where did they go to school or end up working? Where do your high school friends live today? What have they been doing? How many are married to each other? Who has passed away and how? Now you can have the answers to all those questions and more.

The newly published reunion book was given out to those who are registered for the Mac 65 reunion (June 24-25, 2011, Decatur, Illinois). The publication contains the most comprehensive collection of biographical sketches ever assembled for the MacArthur High School graduates of 1965.

The effort to collect any kind of bio info on every class member has been so extensive, with such superb cooperation from a majority of the Class, the book is a massive tome. The information is presented in a perfect bound paperbound book, 8.5" by 11" in size, totaling 100 pages of text in Times News Roman 10 pt font. The biographies section alone is 23,000 words. Yes, it may require reading glasses for most, but the amount of information is so great, and the desire to keep the book affordable, small print was the solution. 

A variety of MacArthur classmate historical data is revealed. Which high school sweethearts are still together? What others have re-discovered each other years later and are happily with each other today? 

The book tells of the "first cars" of 120 members of the Class of 1965, who shared the type of the vehicle they initially owned. One person even told the name she gave her first car.  The "first car" passages contain an intriguing gathering of humorous memories of those vintage autos.

Finally, when this project began, who could have known that the stories of those who have died would be so compelling. Sometimes this was because of the identity of those who had passed away and the shock of a youthful age for a few deaths. Other times, it was because of how the person had died.

Among the Class of 1965, out of 360 graduates, it is known that 40 of our classmates have died.  Of these folks, the following are their causes of death, as recorded to date and detailed for each person within their bio entry in this new book:

Acute asthma attack (1)

Auto wreck, hit by a lumber truck (1)

Brain cancer (2)

Colon cancer (1)

Drowning accident (2)

Explosive device, Vietnam (1)

Gastric bypass surgery (1)

Head injuries, after a fall (1)

Heart disease (2)

Hunting accident (1)

Liver cancer

Lung cancer (2)

Motorcycle wreck, hit by a semi-truck (1)

Murder (2)

Pancreatic cancer (1)

Ruptured spleen (due to a fall) (1)

Traffic accident (1)

Unknown/age-related? (18)

The Table of Contents for this book is, as follows:

Title page (a page)

Introduction (a page)

Biographical Sketches (48 pages)

Contact Directory (10 pages)

Senior Pages 1965 (40 pages)

Were you unable to attend the reunion but want a copy of the book?  Pick up one for yourself or a relative of a graduate. Order it today, by using PayPal [ to LorenColeman@maine.rr.com ] or sending a check to Loren Coleman, PO Box 360, Portland, ME 04112.  The cost is $17.00, for the book, handling, and priority mailing.

In the meantime, send along new info for the constantly updated database of bios and obits for the MacArthur HS Class of 1965.