22 July 25 • 2019
jn

NANCY MAGNUS IRWIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Oak Park High class of 1969 rocks their 50th reunion.

A 

lot happened the summer of 
1969, including the first man on 
the moon, a little music festival 
called Woodstock … Also, a wonderful 
class graduated from Oak Park High 
School. More than 280 guests out of a 
class that numbered about 500 came 
together for their 50th reunion July 4-6. 
Ken Korotkin led the Reunion 
Committee with help from Lenie 
Bershard, Sherryl Moss Anctil, Janice 
Cherkasky, Rob Leider and dozens of 
others.
The reunion kicked off with a literal 
bang on July 4th at a 
reunion committee/out-
of-towners’
 party hosted 
at the Birmingham 
home of Korotkin. 
Guests came from as 
far away as Australia 
(Lisa Goodman 
Pomeroy) and Israel 
(Joel Dzodin with wife, 
Susanne, and Linda 
Beitner Dagan). The 
class exchange student, 
Astrid Lindbergh, came 
in from Sweden along 
with former Oak Parkers 
from Pennsylvania, 
Tennessee, the Carolinas, Nevada, 
Arizona, Georgia, Texas, Florida and 
several from California. 
David Wiener and Larry Kantor 
organized a reunion golf tournament at 
Salem Hills Golf Course in Northville. 
World-renowned photographer Todd 
Weinstein of New York captured the 
event in stills and video. 
Friday night parties were held all 
over town including a gathering at 
the Franklin home of Russ and Mary 
Barnett, followed by a class-wide open 
house at the home of Janice and Richard 
Cherkasky.
Saturday morning, 50 people hopped 
on the Feet on the Street bus for class-
mate Linda Yellen Wish’
s popular tour 
of Detroit. Then, docent and classmate 
Judge Gerald Rosen, known as the 
judge who helped save Detroit from 

bankruptcy, led a tour of the Detroit 
Institute of Arts.
A Shabbat kiddush lunch was shared 
at the hotel’
s hospitality suite, which 
became a popular place to catch up with 
friends from across the country.
The Detroit Marriott Troy ballroom 
was decked out with fresh red roses 
and OPHS centerpieces dreamed up 
by Janice Cherkasky, a local top party 
planner. Specialty chocolates were 
created for the event by Judy Pollack 
Moss, owner of Dinstuhl’
s Fine Candy 
Company of Memphis.
The reunion enter-
tainment included 
a live set by Detroit 
rock legend Mitch 
Ryder. His appear-
ance was funded 
by one of the class’
 
most famous alumni, 
Geoffrey Fieger, who 
introduced the band 
to raucous applause. 
Ryder was the perfect 
choice because he 
had played at several 
class members’
 bar 
mitzvahs.
The reunion 
weekend continued at Drake Sports 
Park in West Bloomfield with the 10th 
annual Oak Park Old Timers Softball 
Tournament, spearheaded by Sheldon 
Rosenberg. Four teams from OPHS 
classes from 1967 to 1975 slugged it out 
on the ballfield. The winning team cap-
tain was David Wiener, who took home 
the coveted Joel Noble trophy, named 
after a much beloved classmate. 
The ballgame was followed by an 
all-you-can-eat family picnic and, later, 
dinner at Buddy’
s Pizza, arranged by 
Sheldon and Debbie Rosenberg. It was 
an epic four days with memories made 
to last a lifetime. 
The Oak Park High School Class of 
1969 rocks. Always has. Always will! ■

Nancy Magnus Irwin is a member of the Oak Park 

High School class of 1969.

jews d
in 
the

50

1969-2019
YEARS

1. Ken Korotkin of Birmingham and Nancy Magnus Irwin of La Jolla, Calif. 2. Decoration 

setup squad: Minda Werner Parrish, Sherryl Moss Anctil, Helen Kaye, Judy Pollack Moss, 

Suzi Wiener, Laurie Brandt Goldman, Nancy Irwin, Laurie Stern Singer, Michael Silverstein, 

Janice Cherkasky and Barb DeNike. 3. Anita and Joe Goldberg of West Bloomfield. 4. 

Mitchell Merzon, Howard Ball, Geoffrey Fieger and Sheldon Singer. 5. Key Elementary 

School alumni. 6. Naomi and Blake Casher of East Lansing. 7. Nancy Irwin, Suzi Wiener, 

Rona Sheridan and Elaine Blumenfeld. 8. Janice Cherkasky and Ken Korotkin.

Lovefest!

6. 
6. 

ngham and Nancy Magnus Irwin of

1. 
2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

8. 

7. 

COURTESY OF NANCY MAGNUS IRWIN

Suzi Wiener of Oak Park, Rona Sheridan of Jacksonville, Fla., Barbara Kranitz of 

Farmington Hills Janice Cherkasky of Franklin, Helen Kaye of West Bloomfield 

and Nancy Magnus Irwin of La Jolla, Calif., cheer at the ball game.

