12 | JULY 11 • 2024 
J
N

O

n July 27, the Mumford High 
School classes of 1964 and 1965 
will gather at the Somerset Inn 
in Troy to celebrate the 60th anniversary of 
their graduation. 
Back in the day, the school was well 
known and easily identified by its powder 
blue brick exterior. As a matter of fact, 
“Sweet, Sweet, Powder Blue” was part of a 
popular school cheer.
The original building was torn down in 
2012, replaced with an updated facility at the 
same 17525 Wyoming address just south of 
Curtis in Northwest Detroit.
Gone is the blue facade, but the memories 
will be fully intact and shared at the reunion, 
and no one will be more excited than Myles 
and Linda (Borger) Lash. The couple were 
high school sweethearts, and they’ll be 
traveling from their home in Bethesda, 
Maryland, to be a part of the festivities.
“We’re really looking forward to reac-
quainting with friends we haven’t seen in 
years,
” said Myles of the upcoming reunion, 
“and to reminisce about the old days and 
our time as teenagers growing up in Detroit.
”

The Lashes are both retired. 
Myles enjoyed a career as a highly 
respected hospital administra-
tor and consultant, receiving his 
master’s degree in 1970 from 
the University of Michigan’s Hospital 
Administration Program at the School of 
Public Health. No doubt his being the trea-
surer of his Mumford class in 1964 paved 
the way for his success. 
Linda is a proud former captain of the 
Mumford Mustang cheerleading squad. She 
went on to enjoy a duo career in education, 
first as a speech therapist and later as a pre-
school teacher.
Unfortunately, Linda’s cheerleading career 
was short-lived in college. “I spent my fresh-
man year at the University of Michigan, and 
there was a flyer that came around about 
cheerleading tryouts. So, I mustered up all 
my courage and got into my dance uni-
form, went to the tryouts only to find out 
that Michigan had an all-male cheerleading 
squad. 
“Back in 1964, there were no female 
cheerleaders. I was very disappointed, but 

I just turned around and went back to my 
dorm.
” 
Myles, who was affectionally called 
“Mickey” in his youth, said, “I enthusiasti-
cally recall my Mumford days although not 
too much about the academics. I struggled 
in typing and remember vividly crawling out 
of the classroom of Mr. Jaaksi’s physics class.
”
I’m not sure if Myles still has any of his 
old high school textbooks, but he will be 
bringing a new book with him upon his July 
return to Michigan. Lash recently published 
a historical novel, Imminent Peril, that tells 
the story of Michigan’s Fifth Calvary during 
the Civil War. More on that later. 

TAMARACK AND TYING THE KNOT
Myles and Linda Lash have literally been 
inseparable since their high school days. The 
two would go on to finish their undergrad-
uate degrees at Wayne State University, and 

continued on page 14

OUR COMMUNITY

Myles and Linda Lash are returning to 
Michigan for Mumford High 60th reunion.

ALAN MUSKOVITZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Lashes were 
Tamarack trip 
chaperones, just days 
after their wedding.

Linda, 
cheerleading 
captain, 
at top of 
pyramid

Myles was class 
treasurer

The original 
Mumford High