Welcome to the Odessa Missouri Class of 1981!
We are building a community website to help us keep in touch and memorialize our class reunions. If you haven’t already submitted your contact information, please do so as we would love to keep in touch with everyone that was part of our class from Kindergarten to Graduation.
The Class of '81 45-year reunion is on:
Oct 9, 2026 5:00PM-Midnight
Yager's Higginsville Estate
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WwutdMsRsaNNiyhTA
Pappy Paul BBQ (pay as you go)
Day sport shooting
Night Bonfire
Free RV camping
Oct 10, 2026 5:00-9:00PM
OHS Tile Gym (our old lunchroom)
5:30 School Tour
Heartland Pantry catered dinner ($25)
9:00PM Broken Dollar "Shenanigans"
(Cramer's opening a tab)
I'm thinking Marcia Johnson would be pretty happy with my 5 W's & H summary.
First, I am still nowhere close to any proficiency with this damn website. I will be asking for help. Time for Lesa Baxter's phone to go on the fritz.
Much more important is to thank Lisa Wyzard for making all this happen where the rubber meets the road. She immensely improved a couple of my ideas, added 6-9 of her own, and locked in these people, places, and prices. We are very lucky to have "Red" in our class.
She's kind of taken over and I love it! I think she's recruiting Becky Jones, Randia Weaver, and I think James Friend has something to do with the money. I'm sure I'm missing some good folks.
Also can't thank Paul Bragaw enough for holding onto his BBQ wagon and agreeing to drag it out to Yager's. Pretty sure I'll be buying some to take home, too.
Turns out my autumnal fire requirement is now Phase 1.5. The outdoor bonfire somewhere in the country we test drove at Shelly & Mike's last October seems perfect to me. Lawn chairs, coolers, Pappy's BBQ, and brush pile incineration at sunset. How can we not thank Ron Yager enough for having a shooting range for Phase 1 sporting firearms?! The man didn't even bat an eye when the bonfire was mentioned. (then again, this is the man that said a campfire should be no bigger than your truck)
See his website https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100023459622978
Phase 2 involves significantly less gunpowder and flammables at our Alma Mater. Again, hat tip Lisa for taking a good idea from last time and giving it a 45-year modification. It just never hurts to occasionally act our age for some civilized discourse. I'm just wondering if it still smells like school. I am pretty certain that lunchroom will smell of Heartland Pantry after the School tour. The menu will be:
Smoked brisket, Rosemary Chicken, Smoked Mac & Cheese
Homestyle green beans, Salad ,bread tray, dessert, table, sweet tea, lemonade, water.
I've got for a lot less for $25
Phase 2.5 down at the old downtown Mattingly's location now known as the Broken Dollar is another great idea from Red. I don't think I know the gal that runs the place, maybe I heard the name Tina, but would appreciate you locals keeping her business. I think she's going to reserve a pretty good sized spot for us out of the goodness of her heart (and the generosity of Cramer's tab!)
While my intent is for this website to be a one-stop shop for all things 45er Reunion, I'm currently in the failed miserably category. But I'm confident Lesa will correct my course (she's not as bad with a fly rod as you'd think.)
What does work well is more good work from Red on the little blue f in the upper right corner.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/241545625873701
I think that leaves us at get the word out. Red has a plan for using the roster we inherited from the good folks of the 40-year (the respectable Barry, Lesa, and others I'm sure I'm missing) for contacting folks. But as we all know, nothing's as effective as the grapevine.
- Barry Luff
OHS 40th Reunion
Our 40th reunion was held on March 19, 2022 and a great time was had by all. It started off with a pancake breakfast and tour at the Odessa High School. It was surprising how much the school has changed in the last 40 years.
The day concluded with an event held at the Emerald Event space in Blue Springs. A delicious appetizer buffet and desserts were served with a cash bar available. Barry Villaverde started the night off with some special ice breaker events to get the party started. Lots of fun was had by all as the attendees reconnected with their previous classmates.
To view photos of the event, check out the Photos page.
Help Keep Your Contact Information Up-to-Date
To help us keep our contact information accurate, please submit your latest information so we can keep you informed of any new events or social gatherings we, or any of your classmates, plan throughout the year. Worried about privacy, no problem. Just mark that you want to keep your information private and we will not give it out to anyone without your permission and will only use it for events arranged by our reunion committee.