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.

Stephen Day

Stephen Day was involved with golf, class representation, and one of the Big Mac Days, during his high school years. Stephen made it through MacArthur, like a lot of us, being involved, but not too involved. After all, for many of us, getting through high school was a chore on the way to the ultimate goal, which was graduating, to be followed by going to college or getting a job and growing up.

The glory years waited for most of us after Mac. Stephen writes me that he thinks his life is boring, but I disagree. Stephen's post-Mac years are rather reflective of the high points that many of us achieved that hardly feel like big deals to us, but viewed from the outside, are good mountains to have climbed.

Indeed, having had a peek at Stephen's beautiful family, he has much to be proud of, but let me get on with his overview of what he's been up to since 1965.



"I graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1971 with a degree in Pharmacy. Worked at St. Mary's hospital in Decatur for a few years. We moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, where I worked for a pharmaceutical company. In 1983, we moved to Mesa, Arizona. I took a position as Director of Pharmacy for a small hospital. Over the years, the organization grew and merged with another hospital group. Today I'm in the same position as the Director of Pharmacy for Banner Baywood Medical Center, Banner Heart Hospital, and Banner Ironwood Medical Center (opening in November). Wow, my whole life in one paragraph."

I can also add that Stephen is married to Fran LeBel Day, and they have three grown children, Krysten, Bradley, and Jaclyn.

In answer to my question about his first car, Stephen shared the following and sent a photo of what it looked like. You have to imagine the color.



"My first car was a 1960 4-door pea green Valiant 3 speed. I went to my dad one day and told him I needed a car for work, to get to school, and there was no way he was driving me on another date (due to the bad experience my date and I had when I reluctantly agreed to let him drive on a previous occasion). All the other guys had cars and I needed one too. He said, 'OK son, I'll pay half,' (then a long pause as he knew I was getting my hopes up)...then he continued, 'up to $150.'

"So I ended up with this ugly faded pea green thing. One very humid day that summer, while working downtown at Osco Drug, someone egged the car (inside). After that it smelled on the inside like it looked on the outside. To this day I blame that damned car for my lack of luck with the Class of '65 ladies! Obviously I still have fond memories of that car and the good times (and memories) that accompanied it."


This 1960 4-door Valiant is shown in "Twilight Blue," not the "pea green" of the vehicle owned by Stephen.

One final note: After my recent posting about Lynn Calhoun, I got an email from Stephen. He wrote, in part, that, "Lynn is my first cousin and he has had it pretty bad in the intervening years since high school. All of what you've written is true....Viet Nam probably triggered the downward spiral....Thanks to you and those who contributed to the piece."

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So what have you been up to in the last, well, 45 years?

Can you help us find our missing classmates?

Add your Mac '65 brief biography to the virtual and real reunion project and see your polished and edited notes published at this blog. To contact Loren Coleman or others on the Mac '65 reunion committee, please use this safe contact form here.

Thank you.

Reunion is set for June 24-25, 2011 !, Decatur, Illinois.