A photo of Russ Chang from his 1960 LVHS yearbook.
A photo of Russ Chang in an ad for his family’s store, MING’S Oriental Art Goods, in his 1960 LVHS yearbook.Photo by Lia Chang
Over the weekend, I flew to Las Vegas to go to my father’s high school reunion with him. On the morning of September 26th, I met many of his LVHS Class of 1960 classmates on the steps of their alma mater where they gathered for their annual photo op to celebrate their 55th reunion. Below are a few recollections of the day.
Las Vegas High School. Photo by Lia Chang
“It was great to reconnect with everyone who came from around the country,” he shared.
The LVHS Class of 1960 gathered on the steps of their alma mater for an annual photo op on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
While shooting alongside the official photographer, a few of his classmates thought I was his wife, before he introduced me as his daughter. We had a good chuckle about that.
Las Vegas High School. Photo by Lia Chang
Las Vegas High School Senior Squares Memorial Project features original squares now replicated on a tile monument. This is a tribute to Wildcat senior classes of the past. 1941-1988. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang, Mike Kessler and Riki Kline at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Russ Chang at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Russ Chang at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 29, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang and Mike Kessler at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang and Cecil Wynn at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Rowena Mitchell Thiess, Russ Chang and Joe Kimmel at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Rowena Mitchell Thiess and Russ Chang at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Rob Goddfellow and Rowena Mitchell Thiess at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni at Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The Orleans Hotel and Casino. Photo by Lia Chang
Later that afternoon, we headed to The Orleans Hotel and Casino for the 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion buffet dinner, held for all alumni of Las Vegas High School.
The Orleans Hotel and Casino. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Russ Chang attends the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Lia Chang and her father LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Russ Chang attends the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015.
The Orleans Hotel and Casino. Photo by Lia Chang
2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Commemorative plate. Photo by Lia Chang
2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Patty Haack, (Class of 1956), LVHSAA 2015 Wildcat Reunion Committee Secretary/Treasurer at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Russ Chang attends the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Dale Reese attends the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang, Fred Diamond and Dale Reese attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang and Dale Reese with his wife Fran Reese, attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang and Philip Lovan attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Photo by Lia Chang
Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang and Ricki Kline with Becki Lewis, attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni and family attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Leroy Milo (seated in red) and his family attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Joe Kimmel attends the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Jim Keeton, Cecil and Darlene Wynn, Russ Chang and Lynne Keeton attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Fran Wynn and Crystal Compese attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Fran Reese, Rowena Mitchell Thiess, Cynthia Woodruff Smith attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Darlene Wynn, Cecil Wynn, Lynne Keeton and Jim Keeton attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Dale Reese, Riki Kline, Russ Chang, Fran Reese and Becki Lewis attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Cecil and Darlene Wynn, Russ Chang attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Our fabulous DJ at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Riki Kline and Becki Lewis dance the night away at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Becki Lewis and LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Riki Kline dance the night away at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni Russ Chang and Sylvia Neelon attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Class of 1960 alumnus Russ Chang and his daughter Lia Chang attends the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015.
LVHS Class of 1960 alumni and family attend the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
“I had a good time, even though many of my classmates were not in attendance,” he said.
Highlights of the evening included performances by LVHS Marching Band, LVHS Color Guard, LVHS Spectrum and the LVHS Cheerleaders.
LVHS Cheerleaders at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Marching Band members at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Marching Band members at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Marching Band members at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Marching Band members at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The LVHS Marching Band performs at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Color Guard & LVHS Spectrum perform at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The LVHS Marching Band performs at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The LVHS Marching Band performs at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
LVHS Cheerleaders perform at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The LVHS Spectrum performs at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The LVHS Spectrum performs at the 2015 37th Anniversary – Annual Wildcat Reunion at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on September 26, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The Orleans Hotel and Casino. Photo by Lia Chang
Thanks to Dave Williams for sharing the LVHS Class of 1960’s Reunion photos on the LVHSAA.com website here and the video highlights of the performances here.
For more information, email lia@liachangphotography.com or click here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
About the Wildcat Reunion
Once a year a dedicated committee works hard to put together the Wildcat Reunion. This reunion is historically held in early or mid-September. It was started in 1978 by alumni Bill “Wildcat Morris (class of 1945) . Hence 2008 was the 30th anniversary of the Wildcat Reunion. The reunions were held in Morris’ backyard until they became too large. It was then held in various locations until Morris died in 1998. In 2001, alumni Bill Boyd and other members of the class of 1949 started it up again at the Stardust Hotel. It was moved to Sam’s Town in 2002 and has been held there annually ever since. In 2012 it was again moved to The Orleans Hotel and Casino.
Mark your calendars for the next Wildcat reunions on September 24, 2016 and September 16, 2017. Contact Patty Haack at (702) 876-6660 or LVOwl@aol.com for more information.
Click here for more information on the Las Vegas High School Alumni Association.
Lia Chang Photography 