FHHS Alumni Reconnect at 30th Reunion

Alumni from Fort Hunt High School’s Class of 1981 returned to their old stomping grounds this weekend for the school’s 30^th year reunion events.

Though the three-day celebration gave alumni a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

“It’s really wonderful. Even though we’re no longer in existence, we’re very proud,” Sue Rushkowski, HR director at WDOT said. It’s everyone from all the different classes coming together.”

On Friday, there was an open-class celebration at The Fish Market.  Alumni poured into the Old Dominion Boat Club on Saturday for a private class of 1981 dinner.

Over 150 alumni, family members and friends attended the open class barbeque at on Sunday.

“We decided to keep it in the neighborhood. Both The Fish Market and Fort Hunt Park were our haunts and both events were open to all classes,” committee member Dallyn Duggan said.

Some of those old neighborhood spots have left a lasting impression on Chris Ryans, a pilot for American Airlines and a Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer for the Navy.

“We’d come up to Fort Hunt Park a lot of weekends. You used to be able to go into the Fort and explore,” Ryans said. “They would have fairs and carnivals here, with animals and rides. And the GW Parkway? It’s hard to find a prettier ride. A lot of people ‘parked’ along the water to enjoy the beauty of the view.”

Half a dozen couples who attended the reunion can thank Fort Hunt High school for their marriages. Take for example, class of ‘81 alumni Mark Mullett and his wife, class of ‘80 alumni Betsy Mullet, who have been married for over 25 years.

“We started dating at Stratford landing pool between 10th and 11th grade,”  said Mark, Mullet,  a Cowles Ford employee. “This brings back a lot of memories. We’re meeting old friends and making news ones.”

“We’ve kept in contact with a lot of the people we were close to in school,” said Betsy Mullet, a Fairfax County teacher. “We met a awhile back, but started dating in high school. I’m not in the class of ‘81, but I know a lot of them.”

Amy Lenox Madeiros and her husband, Adam Madeiros flew into town from California where they are both hairdressers, with three children, two who are also hairdressers.

“I love it. We have family here that we’re visiting and things have changed from before. I had to remember where everyone lived,” Amy Lenox Madeiros said. We came to the ten-year reunion and had a great time, and now we’re back. Everyone has been so great.”

“What a great group of people. Every one was so friendly,” Adam Madeiros said. “Even though I’m wearing a 49’s shirt, they still welcomed me.”

Even Tierney Sadler, a freelance writer living in Bucknell, who only attended Fort Hunt High School for three months was welcomed and remembered by classmates. Sadler invited an out of town alumni to stay with her over the three day weekend of events.

“Most people I’m Facebook friends with and I’m meeting a lot of them for the first time. So many people remembered me, even though I wasn’t at Fort Hunt that long,” Sadler said. “It’s interesting meeting the Facebook friends from other classes, or people I didn’t meet at school.”

As a special surprise, high school band Window Pane brought their group back together and performed classic songs from the eighties, during the barbeque at Fort Hunt Park.

Band members Hervey Keator (drums), Eric Schlam (guitar)and Chris Nottingham (bass) are all Fort Hunt Alumni and Eddie James (keyboard) hails from Mount Vernon High school.

“They were all in school together and have been practicing just for the reunion,” Duggan said. “They sound pretty good to me!”

Editors Note: The original version of this article misstated that Chris Ryans was a class president. He was one of the organizers of the reunion.