On Saturday, April 5, the first-ever graduating Eagles returned to the hallowed halls of their high school once more. Throughout a luncheon reunion in the school cafeteria, the Edison High Class of 1960 enjoyed an afternoon of old friends, old stories, and new memories. The reunion was co-organized by Ms. Marlene Dechert ‘60 and Mr. Joe Russo ‘60, with the help of student volunteers and current school principal Mr. Charles Ross.

Ross had initially met Russo and some of the first graduating class at their 50th reunion, during which he helped host a football game and reception for them. Since then, he has kept in touch with the class. Earlier this fall, Russo came to Ross with the idea for a 65th reunion. They cooperated in organizing the event, made sure the cafeteria was free, and got volunteers from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club. Ross specifically appreciates the alums’ contribution to Edison.

“This class picked an eagle as a mascot, picked the red and gold as the colors, picked the name Talon for the yearbook,” said Ross. “They really set up what Edison High is, and so it’s important for people to know it’s not just about today, but that what we do helps those going forward.”

As attendees entered the cafeteria, they were greeted by Peggy Alfonso ‘60, holding several name tags for her ex-classmates.

“I don’t know if you realize, but we originated everything: the school song, the big red, the red and gold. And you know, it really feels like a certain kind of bond, I think, because of all of that,” explained Alfonso. “And I stayed local, so I see some of these people from time to time, but it’s really nice because some of them I haven’t seen in sixty years. It’s really exciting.”

Past the welcome table, the rest of the Class of ‘60 socialized, caught up, shared a meal, and echoed Alfonso’s sentiments.

“I was here in April when we replaced a dead cherry blossom tree. All those cherry blossom trees up in the front came from our class. And, yeah, I’ve been to almost every reunion since I graduated,” said Doris Kaufman ‘60.

“I live in Maryland, so I haven’t been to very many,” George Demko ‘60 added, sitting beside Kaufman. “Back in high school, I was the captain of the football team, believe it or not. Actually, the stadium still looks the same, almost.”

Rita Roger ‘60 reflected on The Edison Eagle, the first-ever Edison High newspaper, of which she was a founding member. They used to cover pickup football games at Roosevelt Park, had a gossip column called The PM Party Line, and covered school events like prom.

“It was nice to be on the newspaper,” said Roger.

“I drove right past the school because everything changed so much,” said Brenda Pinter Beckage ‘60. “It’s great to remember who was in your English class, and if you didn’t remember your English teacher’s name, somebody else mentioned here, ‘Oh, she was my teacher’.”

With about a third of their class having passed away, according to Dechert, many also took this opportunity to both mourn their classmates and express gratitude for the opportunity to come together.

“We have a lot that have passed, so that’s heartbreaking,” said Beckage. “Everybody either has an ailment, or can’t hear, or can’t see. But, we still came here.”

In order for such a reminiscence to be possible, co-organizers Russo and Dechert spent months tracking down classmates, sending invitations, and coordinating the event behind the scenes.

“I guess what really motivates us is just, I guess we want to see our old friends again for one last time, you know. There are many of these people we haven’t seen in sixty years,” said Dechert.

“We found people in the oddest ways,” explained Russo. “There’s a man here, I thought he moved. We contacted his son in New York state, and I called him, and he texted his father and then, his father called me. That’s how he got here. His name is James Paul. He was the catcher on our baseball team.”

Initially, Russo relied on the landline to contact his ex-classmates, but eventually, the duo realized that most of these numbers had been disconnected. They worked off their graduation list and attendance lists from prior reunions. For about two months, they used online sites like TruthFinder to narrow down their class’ whereabouts. They also posted the reunion on the internet. Initially, Russo expected the luncheon reunion to only attract alumni in the NJ area, but he was pleasantly surprised.

“There’s a fella from California. His name is Walter Kovacs. He’s right here. He’s got one arm and he’s a hell of a ball player,” said Russo. “Our baseball coach, Mr. Gussis, he’s almost 97 years old. His son is bringing him from Brigenham, Connecticut. There’s a girl here from California. There’s at least three or four people coming from Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania. The guy with the walker is from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. All over the place.”

As the afternoon sun filtered through the cafeteria windows, laughter echoed, stories flowed, and memories of Edison High’s earliest days came back to life. For the Class of 1960, the reunion wasn’t just a trip down memory lane—it was a celebration of lasting bonds and the legacy they helped create.

“We’re one step in time,” said Mr. Chris Gussis, the first-ever graduating class’ baseball coach and gym teacher.