Each month, the Sapulpa High School graduating class of 1958 has breakfast together at Steak & Eggs near the corner of Mission and Taft.
Usually, the morning is filled with laughter, swapping stories back and forth and generally reminiscing the “good ol’ days.” Last week, however, the group was treated to musical entertainment, featuring fellow classmates Bobby Cheek and Freddy Jackson.
Cheek and Jackson collaborated to compose a stunning rendition of “Moments to Remember,” with lyrics recalling high school memories.
Cheek, a retired engineer, skillfully strummed his baritone ukulele as he and Jackson, a former church music director, belted out a heartfelt “local” version of the 1955 classic. Class members joined in at the chorus, and laughed at the memories that found their way into the verses.
After the song, classmates reminisced about people and places in the past, as well as favorite songs while in high school:
Billie Kelsey asked how many many people remembered having ice delivered before refrigerators were common, and how many people remembered having milk delivered.
Bobby Cheek told his classmates about meeting the well-known KTUL meteorologist and artist, Don Woods, when Woods was a milkman before his career on local TV.
Press Yarger told the story of how he acquired his nickname. His given name is Presley, but When iconic singer Elvis Presley first became popular, his peers started calling him Elvis. He didn’t like his new moniker so he started going by “Press.”
Don Berry asked how many people remembered Dixieland and asked if anyone present went swimming there. Billie Kelsey asked if anyone remembered Don’s Marineland.
Several class members recalled the “water tower incident,” which involved several students climbing up on the water tower on Highway 97 to paint “58’ on the structure. This incident is actually mentioned in their custom version of “Moments to Remember”
On a more somber note, class members discussed health issues and Don Berry lamented the loss of nearly ninety classmates.
Below is the video, and we’ve included the lyrics as well:
January to December
We will have moments to remember . . .
The Dixieland and the Starlight rink
Poodle skirts of black and pink
We will have these
Moments to remember
The Christmas parades
and the music we played
The life-long friends that we made
We will have these
Moments to remember
Though summer turns to winter
And the days just disappear
The laughter we were glad to share
Will echo through the years
Drug stores were everywhere
Plymouth and Humes
Just to name a pair
We will have these
Moments to remember
A real chocolate shake
They could make
Share it with a friend
For goodness sake!
We will have these
Moments to remember
The football team
and the games we won
Ball on the ground
and “son of a gun!”
Clyde picked it up … RUN FOREST RUN!
and touchdown run!
TOUCHDOWN!
Quite a feat for a hefty son!
Swimming lessons at City Park
Criterion Theater sitting in the dark
We will have these
Moments to remember
The Teepee drive-in where we would go
And somehow never watched the show
We will have these
Moments to remember
Big Dipper and Wimpy’s Diner
When you’re with friends
Ain’t nothing finer!
The Little Gem or the Bak-er-y
A loaf of bread or a burger for me
Pigstand to Cornwells
Cruisin’ Main Street
Fun with friends, oh so sweet!
We will have these
Moments to remember
The spit wads in the science room.
The rookie teacher had met his doom.
We will have these
Moments to remember
The water tower incident
Class of ‘58 to paint we went
Don holding Jimmy by his feet
The police showed up
and we did retreat
Scared to death we were going to jail!
We will have these
Moments to remember
When other nights and other days
May find us gone our separate ways
We will have these
Moments to remember
