Pen in Hand: A fun success for the biggest Tehachapi Oldtimers Reunion ever

Underneath the leafy canopy of old trees at Phil Marx Central Park, about 500 Tehachapi residents past and present gathered Sunday to swap stories and memories and catch up with each other at the 64th

This was the biggest Tehachapi Oldtimers Gathering ever, and the air temperature was a pleasant 84 degrees Fahrenheit with an occasional breeze — classic Tehachapi summer weather.

If you grew up in Tehachapi, it’s easy to assume that every community has an annual Oldtimers gathering, because it happens here every year and is so normal and expected.

In reality, it is an exceptionally unusual practice. Very few communities have anything like the Tehachapi Oldtimers Reunion, where people who lived here 40 years ago or longer are served a free meal in the park, and given the opportunity to visit with others who remember Tehachapi in those earlier times.

The event is sponsored primarily by the city of Tehachapi and the Tehachapi Valley Recreation and Park District, with additional contributions from M & M Sports, Albertsons and Waste Management.

The Tehachapi Oldtimers Reunion is organized by a committee consisting of Donna Dieterle, Joyce Young Davies, Sheila Hamilton Townsend, Pat Gracey and Mary Morphis. It always is held on the first Sunday in August, and consequently past Tehachapi High School graduating classes often hold their reunions the Saturday before, so out-of-town travelers can go to both events. It is common for 30-, 40- or even 50-year Tehachapi High class reunions to be held the day before the Oldtimers Reunion.

People come from all over the country to attend, and about a dozen different states were represented this year. The 2023 most long-distance traveler was Frank Ruff, THS Class of 1968, who came all the way from Florida. His father, also named Frank Ruff, was a longtime teacher in the Tehachapi Unified School District.

Members of the varsity, junior varsity and freshman football teams from Tehachapi High pitch in each year and set up tables and chairs, serve the meals and do clean up. They helped again this year, and these polite and courteous young men are a source of pride — Tehachapi is home to some great young people.

The Warrior Booster Club and Warrior coaches run the drink tent, while Tehachapi Mayor Mike Davies is the emcee. Music and sound are provided by Andrew Ledesma, who grew up in Tehachapi, through his business Lil' Ntertainment. Andrew’s business has grown to include a variety of event rentals, and the tables and chairs this year also came from Lil’ Ntertainment, which has an online presence.

This year’s oldest man in attendance was retired Rev. Lewis Wakeland, who is 94. The oldest woman was Hattie Harris Snider, who is 98. Other longtime seniors included Del Troy, 97, and Pat Gracey, 94.

The yearly celebration was started in 1959 by Herb and Ola Mae Force as a way of honoring longtime Tehachapi residents who had lived in Tehachapi for 40 years or more. That first year, anyone who had lived in Tehachapi in 1919 or before was given a free lunch. Herb and Ola were passionate and dedicated Tehachapi residents, and it was a portion of their antique collection that formed the basis of the Tehachapi Museum, which opened in 1973. This year one of their granddaughters, Laura Johnson, was among those in attendance at the Tehachapi Oldtimers Reunion.

In the early days, Bud Cummings donated beef which was cooked by volunteers deep pit style, and for many years serving was done by girls in the Eastern Star program.

This year, anyone who lived in Tehachapi in 1983 or before was given a free meal catered by Coconut Joe’s in Bakersfield. Those who moved to town later, or younger family members of older residents were still welcome to attend, they just had to pay $15 if they wanted a meal.

Tehachapi residents tend to develop a strong attachment to their community and their friends and neighbors, and the annual Tehachapi Oldtimers Reunion provides a way for them to gather together and renew old ties and acquaintances.

I’ve been a Tehachapi Oldtimer for a lot of years now, but even before I was, I still tried to make it to the Oldtimers Reunion every year. As an avid student of Tehachapi history, I always enjoyed the chance to listen to stories of the old days told by those who lived it.

Now I attend every year, and the time flies by — before I realize it, there are vacant chairs as the park starts to empty out. There simply isn’t enough time to visit with all the Oldtimers that I’d like to connect with. So I’m always looking forward to the first Sunday in August next year. . .

Have a good week.

Jon Hammond has written for Tehachapi News for more than 40 years. Send email to [email protected].

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