色多多

A few hours earlier, across town, Patrick Henry High鈥檚 graduation went off without a hitch, despite forecasters warning of a possible tornado. Lord Botetourt High held its ceremony inside the 色多多 Civic Center.

That evening at Fleming, as valedictorian Gary Fletcher and salutatorian Patricia Blanton took the stage, the skies suddenly darkened. Both delivered speeches about America鈥檚 moral and ethical decline 鈥� which seemed appropriate at the tail end of the Watergate Scandal era.

Deborah Akers, now known as Debbie Akers Williams, was the first graduate to be called to the outdoor stage that evening. She was also the last. (Down below, you鈥檒l learn why she also ended up in 色多多 Memorial Hospital that night.)

鈥淭hey called my name, I went up,鈥� the retired speech pathologist told me Wednesday. 鈥淚 am almost positive I received my diploma at that point. Then the heavens opened up and we all had to make a run for the gym.鈥�

Wind, rain and hail suddenly descended on the assembled crowd. Graduation caps 鈥� and some gowns 鈥� flew through the air as the storm struck.

Marc Meng, a 色多多 sportswriter who covered the event, wrote: 鈥淭he prospective graduates got a first-hand lesson that things will not always go as planned, as Mother Nature turned the graduation into a mass baptism just as the diplomas were being conferred.鈥�

One of the students who matriculated that night was Luanne Nolley Meredith, who remains close friends with Akers.

鈥淚t was chaotic, and all of us were drenched!鈥� Meredith recalled. 鈥淢any guests had already left the premises and of course, there was not enough room in the gym for everyone who remained.鈥�

Inside-the-gym was anything but formal and solemn, like many graduations. Meredith recalled it as more like a semi-sodden pep rally.

She鈥檚 among a small committee of 1975 William Fleming grads currently planning a 50th class reunion.

That鈥檚 slated for Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood. Festivities kick off at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour (cash bar); then a buffet dinner and dancing to a deejay. Tickets are $60 per person.

The deadline to register and pay for the event is Aug. 4. Participants can register online at (with no period). But the reunion committee is accepting only checks and money orders as payment. Those should be made out to William Fleming Class of 75, and mailed to P.O. Box 12621, 色多多, VA 24027.

鈥淚f you are unable to use the online registration form, please include the following information with your payment of $60 per person attending the event,鈥� the online form says. 鈥淵our class (1974, 75 or 76), your name, mailing address, email address, phone number, and the name(s) of any guest(s).鈥�

Lynne Eden Siemon, who鈥檚 also working on the reunion, told me the current committee has reached out to 65 to 70 potential attendees, counting spouses and significant others. They are hoping for 150 or more.

鈥淥ur biggest challenge is finding people,鈥� Siemon said. One problem is, many of her former classmates lack a strong presence on social media, which makes them hard to find. Another is that many of the women have taken their husbands鈥� names.

A third issue is that even many senior citizens have given up their telephone landlines. And there鈥檚 no master directory for wireless phones.

That鈥檚 why you鈥檙e reading this column. Meredith first reached out to me in January, then again in June, for help in getting out that word. Please pass it on to anyone you know who went to William Fleming in the mid-1970s.

The group has reserved a block of rooms at special rates for folks who wish to stay at the hotel after the party. Those can be reserved at the William Fleming Reunion rate by calling the hotel directly, 540-774-4400.

Meredith told me another close friend from high school, Sue Roland Reese, was the impetus behind the planned reunion. Reese began talking about last year, if not longer ago. She also led the effort until May, when she died unexpectedly.

And that graduation day 鈥� June 5, 1975 鈥� Reese drove herself to Fleming and Debbie Akers (Williams) caught a ride with Reese after the ceremony concluded in the gym. But it was still raining hard after the graduation, Williams recalled.

鈥淪ue was the driver, I was in her car with another friend named Julie. It was still raining like crazy. Sue thought that the car in front of us was moving,鈥� Williams recalled.

Unfortunately, it was not.

The force of the collision resulted in head injuries for all three and trips to 色多多 Memorial Hospital. But their injuries proved minor, Williams said.

After the graduation calamity, 色多多 City Public Schools moved all their graduations inside, Meredith said.

And that means Debbie Aker Williams, who now lives in Salem, is the very last graduate of a 色多多 public high school to get her sheepskin outside.