Welcome to the Official LHS Class of 1961 Website

Since 2009 - over 261,400 Visits!

....

Fall is Here?

Temps warm all week!

....

Gidge Kowrack Schmidt was recently diagnozed with kidney cancer. She just completed 2 weeks of chemotherapy treatments with no side effects other than fatigue. She plans to kick this whole thing in the butt, but she'd appreciate getting encouragement from classmates. Click here for her profile page where you can leave messages.

....

Valentino's celebrates 30 years of Nebraska football.

Click here for the LJS article about Val's history.

....

Historic Sunken Gardens

September 3, 2024

Construction has started at Wyuka Park for the Pershing Mural. Fund raising continues. Click here for a drone video of the project. Photos below are from Donna Filbert Ewoldt and Cathy Stump Rauch.

....

Photos from Guys Dinner at Mulligans and the August 1 LHS Monthy Dinner at The Eatery are loaded up. Scroll down. From "Photo Galleries" use the fly-out menu, scroll to the bottom and check out all the "Classmate Gatherings" since 2010. Wowee!

....

Lincoln High Students honored the Fallen and an LHS Veteran on 80th D-Day Celebration in Normandy. Sixty students, parents and LHS faculty participated in the one-in-a-lifetime emotional event. Click here for LJS article and see more photos and information below.

....

LHS Alum Honored at D-Day Ceremony

Kenneth "K.B." Smith, LHS Class of '43

Pictured here is Kenneth "K.B." Smith, a Lincoln High alum who attended LHS from 1940-1942.  A picture of young K.B. Smith was found in LHS's historical archives.  He dropped out of school after Pearl Harbor to join the Navy and in 1944 he was a Petty Officer on the USS Satterlee, a ship that provided gun support to the troops that stormed Omaha Beach.  On June 6, 2024, Mr. Smith was honored alongside other WWII veterans at the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.  The ceremony was attended by heads of state including President Joseph R. Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.  He came back to LHS in 1946 to get what he called his "adult diploma."  Another Lincoln High job well done, Mr. Smith.

From the LHS archives...

Photo of Kenneth "K.B." Smith when a student at LHS, 1941 or 1942.  Taken in PE Class.

....

Normandy American Cemetery, June 6, 2024

Lincoln High students who were visiting France attended the June 6th ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.  They brought with them a framed photo of Paul Cosandier, an LHS alumni from the class of 1943, who is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery.  In Normandy, a solemn tradition pays tribute to the sacrifice made by those who stormed Omaha Beach in 1944.  Whenever a loved one visits a grave, it is a tradition to take sand from the nearby Omaha Beach and rub it onto the headstone.  When visiting Paul's grave on June 6th, instead of sand from the beach, LHS students each took a turn rubbing dirt taken from the LHS campus into the headstone of their fellow LINK.  On that day, 80 years later, we remember and honor Paul and all those buried alongside him in Normandy.  Another Lincoln High job well done.  Special gratitude from the LHS Class of 1961.

....

Hurdler Champ Luff Honored by Mayoral Proclamation

June 7 is now Darius Luff Day. Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird surprised Luff at a UNL press conference called to show off his winning trophy. His former coaches at LHS and Nebraska were introduced as well. Luff is the first Nebraska-born man (and LHS grad) to win an NCAA title in more than 80 years.

Click here for the LJS article.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year

United States Track and Field Midwest

Darius Luff, former Link, wins 110 high hurdles for the Huskers at the 2024 NCAA Finals in Oregon. 

See additional photo and excerpt below. 

....

Here's a photo of the "Tastee Pac", a take-out container from Tastee Inn! Thanks to Evan Haydon, LNE '61 website admininstrator for sending it to us. In case this makes you hungry for those unmistakeable sandwiches, click here for the recipe.

....

Deceased Classmate Research

Special Note:  After a recent search, additional deceased 1961 classmates have been listed here.  Though their deaths were not recent, we sadly mourn and honor all of those who have gone before us. An email blast will be sent to all classmates.

Click on the names below for their "In Memory" page with photos and obits if available.  Scroll down on David Allchin's page to see a special remembrance. Please note that four of them were US Veterans. We are grateful for their service.

David G. Allchin, US Army Veteran, 5 tours Vietnam,  died March 11, 2022.

Harold F. Anderson, US Air Force Veteran, died April 21, 2022.

Leland V. Crosby II, US Army Veteran, Vietnam, died July 9 2021.

Micheal D. Crow, died June 20, 2023.

Leland R. Hancock, US Navy Veteran, Vietnam, died October 12, 2021.

Frances A. Kingery, died November 7, 2021.

Sharilyn Lohse Gothier, died May 9, 2014.

Janice Westbrook Sachs, died April 11, 2023.

....

Everyone Welcome At Any Classmate Gathering

Scroll to photo galleries way below of the July 10 and 11 Monthly Dinners.

Scroll down for 2024 dinner photos beginning with the most recent. All 2023 and before dinner photos are all available on the "Photo Galleries" page, sub-menu "Classmate Gatherings".

Join the girls at Olive Garden, 66th & "O", for lunch at 11:30 am, on July 18, the third Thursday of the month.

.....

All Deceased Classmates - Click Here

Deceased Family Members - Click Here

......
A Limited number of Pershing Mural Prints is now for sale: $25 at the From Nebraska Store in the Haymarket, 8th and Q. Proceeds go to ongoing fundraising efforts to install the mural and maintain the mural at Wyuka.

......

LINCOLN HIGH NEWS

Darius Luff (former Link)Wins 110 High Hurdles at 2024 NCAA!

Next Up - Olympic Trials!

"Darius Luff (Husker Sr. Track Star and former LINK athlete) became the first Nebraska-born man to win an NCAA individual track and field outdoor championship, since 1943.  On Friday, June 7th, he triumphed in the 110-meter hurdles in Eugene, Oregon. In his final collegiate race, Luff ran a personal-best time — 13.19 seconds — to capture his first NCAA gold medal." Lincoln Jr. Star, June 8, 2024.

.....

2023 LHS Grad Justin Bolis has joined the Nebraska Basketball team as a walk-on. The 6' 9" Southeast Community College student will join the Huskers as a forward for the coming season and will have three years of eligibility.

.....

Darius Luff, Lincoln High grad, posted a 7:70 in the 60 meter high hurdles at the Frank Sevigne Track Meet. Considering he is coming off a broken toe injury, it was still his fastest opening season time as a Husker. An amazing athlete.

Click here for the full LJS article.

.....

Congrats to Evelyn Becher, LHS ninth grader who quaified for the State Wrestling Tourney in the 120 lb class. Two other links made the cut. Click here for the details.

.....

Lincoln High Mascot, the Links, is featured in a syndicated cartoon "Thatababy" by Paul Tapp. Click here to see the fun article and why the Links were chosen in the "Mascoties" special issue.

.....

PHOTOS OF THE 61ST REUNION!!!

Click here for the
Reunion Photo Gallery to date. Send your photos.

.....

The LHS library media center staff has completed a huge project of digitizing LHS history and records from their collection. It includes photos, Advocates, LINKS yearbooks and other sources. Click here to reach the web site and enjoy the search through our history. Huge thanks to the media staff from the Class of '61!

....