Thurmont High School Alumni Annual Banquet
Maxine Troxell
The annual banquet and meeting of the Thurmont High School (THS)Alumni Association was held at the Rocky Ridge Fire Company Activities Building on Saturday, June 7, with 189 in attendance.
President Ron Pearcey (Class of 1964) welcomed everyone at 4:00 p.m. and led the pledge to the flag, followed by Raymond (Rocky) Birely (Class of 1967) playing the National Anthem on his saxophone. The invocation was given by Ernest Rice (Class of 1955).
The delicious meal of turkey and oysters, served by the auxiliary members and some fantastic young helpers, was enjoyed by all.
The scholarship award recipients for 2025 were:
Donald Lewis Impact Fund — Christopher Borntreger, Joanna Genemans, Gaven Mayne, and Cami Miller.
Donald P. Dougherty, Jr. Memorial Fund — Zachery Clabaugh and Clare Degrange.
Thurmont High School Alumni Scholarship — Valarie Holmes, Hoyt Sayler, Samantha Simmers, and Brady Wehage.
Anniversary classes recognized this year were: 1950, 1955, 1960, and 1965.
Clarence Peiper and Rocky Birely were recognized as teachers. Sixty-three Glee Club members, military members, and committee members were recognized. There was a time of silence for the deceased members. Many thanks to ALL who contributed to the association by supporting the raffles, the silent auction, the basket raffle, and those contributing to the Scholarship Funds.
The oldest member and coming the longest distance was Ed Coleman (101 years old) from Orlando, Florida.
The officers were announced as: President Ron Pearcey (‘64), Vice President Rusty Hauver (‘65), Treasurer Becky Linton (‘58), and Secretary Viola Noffsinger (‘58). There was a plea for someone to take the treasurer’s position responsibilities with experience in Microsoft Excel.
Next year’s THS Alumni Banquet date is Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Rocky Ridge venue.
Ed Coleman was the oldest member and traveled the farthest distance, from Orlando, Florida.
Pictured (from left): Dottie (Dewees) Davis, Dottie (Barnhart) Green, and Eileen (Robertson) Waesche.
Pictured (from left): (back row) Doris Rippeon, Ernest Rice, Mary Ellen (Lawyer) Bittner; (second row) Grace (May) Blickenstaff, Phyllis (Moser) Schell, Jenna (Harbaugh) Ott, Jim Bostian; (front row) Barbara Diffenbaucher, Peggy Laster, and Patricia Raymond.
Pictured (from left): (back row) Susan (Smith) Briggs, Virginia (Kaas) Althoff, Howard Lewis, Gerald Duble; (second row) Janice Gerhart) Snyder, Bernadine (Myers) Trout, Ann (Portner Glass), Barbara (Hoover) Layman; (front row) Virginia (Peters) Harbaugh and Jim Tressler.
Pictured (from left): Left to right back row – Pauline Grimes, Richard Mathias, Ron Albaugh 2nd row – Rusty Hauver, Doug Fornwald, Ilene (Whipp) Weeks, Virginia (Birley) Helsel, Dennis black Front Row – Gene Eyler, Marlene (Cook) Garber
Scholarship Recipient
Gaven Mayne — Donald Lewis Foundation, with THS Alumni President Ron Pearcey.
Scholarship Recipient
Christopher Borntreger — Donald Lewis Foundation, with THS Alumni President Ron Pearcey.
Scholarship Recipient
Cami Miller — Donald Lewis Foundation (Cami’s father excepting the award for Cami), with THS Alumni President Ron Pearcey.
Scholarship Recipient
Zachery Clabaugh — Donald P. Dougherty Foundation, with THS Alumni President Ron Pearcey.
Scholarship Recipient
Clare DeGrange — Donald P. Dougherty Foundation, with THS Alumni President Ron Pearcey.
