Overton High School - Memphis, Tennessee
Reunion of the First Graduating Classes 1962-65

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Shirley Buchanan Payne

The date was May 19, 1962; your Senior Class President was Billy Buchanan, who later became my wonderful husband. These are just a few words from his speech that night and I hope that it will bring back some fond memories for you.

Shirley Buchanan Payne. Photo by Susan Wilson

Parents, teachers, friends and fellow classmates: Welcome to the Commencement Exercise of the first graduating class of Overton High School. This is the time in our lives we have waited for for 12 years.

To our parents, we say “thank you” for giving us your love, guidance and continued support. To our teachers, we say thank you for your everyday teaching us, to our learning and helping to mold our lives into the young adults we are today.

We have looked forward to this day for a long time; we will always be the only class in history of Overton that was seniors for 3 years. Not because we couldn’t make the grade, but because they added a class every year.

Thank you for being here to celebrate this time with us.

Because of him, I have come to know and love so many of you.

So in his memory, I, too, say Welcome to the 45th Reunion of the 1st graduating class of Overton High School and thank you for letting me be a part of it.

Return to Reunion 2007 Program