Published: May 30, 2009 10:36 pm      

Love and miss my hometown

Love and miss my hometown



The Meridian High School graduates of 1959 recently held their 50th reunion at the Northwood Country Club and it was a resounding success thanks to the efforts and hard work of the reunion staff.

I left Meridian in 1962, married a Mobile, Ala., girl, have lived in Baton Rouge, Columbia, South Carolina, Atlanta, Ga., Houston, Texas, and Mobile, but always thought of Meridian as home. Over the years I have returned to revisit the many friends I left behind and still hold dear and I continue to miss those who also moved away.

Now in my retirement, I often tell my children and grandchildren what a wonderful place Meridian was to grow up in. My teenaged grandchildren can’t believe that a city would have a place like the Teen Age Canteen where all of the high school and junior college kids could hang out and have fun.

The city fathers of my generation are to be congratulated because they must have done it right. I can’t think of a graduating class who has produced more successful men and women than the Class of 59. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 5 or 6 who were president of a company or a major corporation and at least a dozen or more who were vice presidents. Add to that, those who started their own very successful companies, and don’t forget those who became fruitful employees of various Meridian businesses and are now the base of your community.

I will always love Meridian and think of it as home and I envy those of you who are raising children and grandchildren there!

I thoroughly enjoyed the reunion and thank the reunion staff for bringing all of us home.



William O. "Billy" Dyess

Theodore, Ala.