Detmering takes in 81st straight reunion

By Gene Morris, gmorris@miconews.com

Josephine Detmering, who will turn 100 in September, celebrated her 81st Fontana High School reunion Saturday evening. Detmering was in the first graduating class in 1927. She has attended the reunion every year. (Photo by Gene Morris)

Some things are more certain than predicting sunshine or rain, like the leaves turning bright red, orange and green in the fall or frost on the windshield in December.

When late spring arrives and summer is just a hint around the corner, there is one thing people attending the Fontana High School reunion know for certain — Josephine Detmering is going to be there.

Saturday night was no exception.

Detmering, who was in the first graduating class at the school in 1927, was at her 81st Fontana High School reunion Saturday.

Remarkably, she has never missed one. At 99, this reunion was 81 in a row.

She was recognized Saturday as the oldest graduate attending. Detmering has been the oldest graduate, or tied for the honor, at every reunion for the past eight decades.

Her next reunion will be a milestone for her. She turns 100 in September, making the next reunion her first as part of the “century club.”

A potluck dinner was held for the 2008 Fontana High School reunion with several tables full of meat and vegetable dishes and tables lined with desserts.

Classes recognized for the reunion were the class of 1928, 80 years, deceased; the class of 1933, 75 years; the class of 1938, 70 years; the class of 1943, 65 years; the class of 1948, 60 years; the class of 1953, 55 years; the class of 1963, 45 years; and the class of 1968, 40 years.