Thursday morning January 12th the 350+ students and staff at Lorna Byrne Middle School, wearing their green and gold Spirit Day colors, held an assembly to honor the school's namesake, Lorna Tycer Byrne, on her 100th birthday. The students made a large banner outlining her long teaching career, and sang "Happy Birthday". Principal Tom Hewkin addressed them outlining Lorna's accomplishments and recognizing the current LBMS staff that had been among her many students during her 50 years of teaching in valley schools. Meme Gutierrez Osipovich '72, who works in the office, organized the fun. Other alumni who were also Lorna's students now employed at LBMS and recognized by Tom in his remarks were: Robin Kellert Jackson '73, Julie Miller Pope '76, Neoma Pope Merrell '76, Mike McNally '70, Nicki Clarke Parker '73, Sandee Pope Box '79, and Dean Heald '78, one of Lorna's great-nephews. That afternoon Meme delivered the banner, Happy Birthday balloons, and 100 chrysanthemums, her favorite flower, to Lorna in Grants Pass.

On Saturday January 14th family and friends gathered at the home of Lorna's grandson, Mike Vitto, in Grants Pass to salute the honoree. Lorna pronounced the munchies, lasagna, Italian salad, garlic bread, and especially the scrumptious chocolate truffle birthday cake with vanilla ice cream all provided by nieces Kathy, Jeanne, and Cheryl, and Sandy Turner and Judy Meredith, "wonderful". But the visiting and being all together was the best part, she said.

A special treat was the performance of the renowned local barbershop quartet "Lytning" who led the singing of "Happy Birthday" and serenaded Lorna for half an hour with nostalgic oldies like "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" and "Heart of My Heart". Denny Hare of Cave Junction, sings Lead. Bob Miesner, Baritone, Herb Otteson, Tenor, and Mark Larson, Bass, are all from Grants Pass.

Family and friends enjoying the celebration, most of them alumni of course and most of whom had been her students, were: Hosts Mike and Barbara Atkin Vitto '65 and '68, Grants Pass, their daughter Misha Vitto Cristman, Makenna and Abby of Roseburg; Noel and Sandy Buckendahl Turner '60 and '62, Springfield OR; Tycer Turner and Shannon Connor; Don and Jeanne Tycer Warren '54 and '58, Central Point; Kathy Tycer Towers '60, Medford; Phyllis and Dick Payne '46, Warrenton OR; Sonnie Heald Stone '62, Grants Pass; Cheryl Nealy Gaidmore, San Diego CA; Jenny and Jim Wells '36, Grants Pass; Norma Tycer Frost '39, Grants Pass; Julie and Bill Tycer '36, Medford; Judy and Loren (Sam) Meredith '60, Creswell OR; Dana and Judy Wells Christiansen, Grants Pass; Denny and Evie Hare, Cave Junction; Cher Tycer Nagle. (See picture below, Lorna is sitting in the chair.)

With a chuckle, Lorna said to please tell you: "It's a good thing my eyesight is holding up. I have wonderful reading to last the rest of the winter - hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cards and letters bringing back such great memories; many from those I haven't heard from since they were my students! Thank you all so very, very much."

Bill & Jim: "Do you think we'll make it to 100?"		"Let Me Call You Sweetheart" (the quartet)
Kathy, Sam, Judy, Don: "Happy B-Day Auntie!"		Julie & Norma: "She certainly doesn't look 100!"
Phyllis, Dick, Mike: "Do be careful with that!"		"I'm reading...and reading...and reading...!"