Amundson, Salvog celebrate 80th high school reunion

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Eighty years after graduating from Henning High School, Lloyd Amundson and Doreen Salvog came together on July 20 to recognize an achievement few people ever get to celebrate—their 80th high school reunion.  ¶  “(The reunion) just kind of started out as a joke, but how many people can say they had an 80th reunion,” said Amundson.  ¶  As two of the last living members of the Henning High School Class of 1943 gathered for their reunion at Amundson’s house on West Leaf Lake there was plenty of time for reminiscing about high school, long lost classmates and some of the shenanigans they got into during their time at school.

The two high school classmates also spoke of their classmates who have since passed away and the possibility that other members of their high school class could still be living in another part of the country.

Salvog and Amundson said they are fairly confident there is at least one more person from their high school class of 31 students who is still living, but there could be one other person who is living as well. However, they are not sure where they live, or how to even get in contact with the individuals. 

With lunch cooking on the stove in the kitchen, Amundson and Salvog spoke highly of their class and their contributions after graduating high school. For instance, all-but one male in the Class of 1943 joined the military after high school, something that was a commonplace as the United States was involved in World War II. In fact, Amundson said the only reason the one male couldn’t join the military was due to a medical reason. 

When Amundson and Salvog attended Henning High School there were no computers, Internet, some students didn’t have running water and a number of students attended country school before coming to town for high school. Now 80 years after graduating from high school, both Amundson and Salvog reflect on their days at Henning School like it was just yesterday.

“I enjoyed our class and a lot of the athletics. I still think about the athletics every once in a while,” said Amundson. “They had an undefeated season in football the year after we graduated.”

Salvog was the salutatorian of their class and currently lives in the same house she was born in and has lived most of her life. 

The reunion may have been a bit more low key than the ones from 80 years ago, but neither classmate could pass up the opportunity for a good lunch and chance to reflect on a lifetime bond they share as graduates from Henning School.