Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
The Fearsome Fivesome, lifelong friends, to celebrate 70th birthdays
Six decades ago, five girls met in the seventh grade at Kutztown Junior High and became close friends.
They were Janice (Bond) Stanislaw of Exeter Township, Linda (Dunkelberger) Ellison of Albany Township, Marilyn (Baver) Adam of Greenwich Township, Diane (Scheiwe) Ohlinger of Ruscombmanor Township and Diane (Berger) Miller of Albany Township..
After many years of hanging out, they grew into young women and went to Kutztown High School together.
In their senior year, when the yearbook committee was seeking patron ads, they decided to place an ad as a group. They wanted to use a clever name for themselves. So, they thought, there are five of us, and we are fearless, so let’s call ourselves the Fearsome Fivesome.
More than 50 years later, the Fearsome Fivesome group is still going strong, and they all turn 70 within a 4 ½-month span. The group is planning to celebrate by having a celebration party at Hummels Restaurant in Lenhartsville on Sunday at noon.
It wasn’t easy keeping the group together after high school as they all got jobs, got married and started families. But they
would get together periodically, and in time their visits settled into monthly gettogethers.
They played cards, had clam bakes, Christmas parties, dinners and homemade ice cream nights. Sometimes their spouses, who all get along, would be included.
Everyone is retired, they have time on their hands, and, of course, they choose to spend a lot of it with each
other!
No longer do they get together monthly, but instead weekly. They meet every Thursday. They go to lunch, play cards and laugh like they did back in their high school days.
They also go on yearly vacations together. They have gone to Hawaii; Florida; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Avalon and Cape May in New Jersey; the Poconos; Nags Heads, N.C.; Alexandria,
Va.; the Finger Lakes in New York; Ocean Pines, Md.; Mystic Seaport, Conn.; and even a Caribbean cruise.
On each vacation, they laughed, cried, picked on each other and were as close as sisters.
They have been through a lot together, including birth of children and grandchildren, the deaths of parents, the deaths of a few spouses, children’s weddings and retirement.
At their planned 70th birthday party, each will be roasted. In addition, a poem will be dedicated to them.
It reads:
“Hey girls don’t be upset — after 70 you will just forget! Don’t rush to make your will — because you’re now Over the Hill. Take time to smile — you’ve got a while Before everything goes south — and your teeth fall out of your mouth.”