Hillcrest High School- Dallas, TX 1985 Class Reunion

Hi everybody! It sure was great to see everyone. Not nearly enough time for any us to connect with everyone we had hoped to but it was a really fun weekend.

I would like to thank Chris Cole for doing 90%+ of the heavy lifting to make this reunion happen. He jumped in on day one, pulled a team together, and started making things happen. By all accounts things went really well.

Chris, there is a pretty solid, like 98%, chance this would not have happened without you taking over. It sure wouldn’t have been as thoughtfully executed. We all really appreciate it.

A big thank you to Wendy (Ken’s daughter) 🙂 and Christine, also! You guys are great!

Ignore the woman in the pic. I couldn’t bring myself to crop her out of it. Way too cool and great looking to do that.

Most of us enjoyed this way too much to wait another ten years. We probably will but shouldn’t.

-Jim

Pic 2 of 10 year!!! Check out how some have changed and some not so much. We might need a poster of this for 40th!

Throwback Monday...Might this be the 10 year reunion?

Reunion update including links to blocked hotel rooms at special rates being e-mailed today.

Hey 1985 HHS Panther!

As you know, planning is underway for our 40th Reunion, and we have a great schedule in the works….BUT WE NEED YOUR VOTE on timing!

Plan is for a Friday night and Saturday night, so people can arrive Fri/Sat and leave Sunday. Current options for weekends are:

Early to mid May 2025 (weekends of May 2-4, 9-11 or 16-18), or
Early to mid October 2025 (weekends of Oct 10-12 or 17-19)

****Please reply to this E-mail: [email protected], noting Option 1 or 2 no later than this Friday, Feb 7th.

*If there are any weekends above you absolutley cannot make it, or ones you prefer, please feel free to let us know in case there is a split decision, but it is not a guarantee we can meet your need. There is no way we can fit 100% of everyone’s schedules.

Attached is the current working high level schedule and more info.

Thanks in advance and remember to VOTE,

Thanks,

The HHS Reunion Committee

Jeffrey D. Granberry posted recently:

Joseph J. (Jay) Barta, 54, a public relations and marketing consultant, lost his fight with multiple health issues on January 14th, succumbing to complications from COVID-19 and pneumonia. Son of Carolyn Jenkins Barta and the late Joseph L. Barta, he was born in Dallas and, as a child , known as Joey, attended the Saint Michael School and graduated from Hillcrest High School. Later known as Jay, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism/communications from Texas State University in San Marcos and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Jay was a corporate communications professional for 20 plus years, including 15 years in the telecom/IT industry for Nortel, Avaya, and Infosys, working in various positions as a manager in global and North American communications and public relations. While at Nortel, he spend a year in the UK and France with global responsibility for wireless division PR. His early career years were at E. Bruce Harrison Company/Southwest and Levenson Public Relations. In 2014 , he became solo practitioner, founding Jay Barta Communications. He also relished working as a statistician on the press box stat crew for Dallas Cowboys home games. He enjoyed serving as president of M-Streets Condominium Homeowners Association. He traveled extensively in Europe and Southeast Asia. He loved to gourmet cook, particularly crawfish and shrimp boils for friends, fly fish, deep sea fish, play the guitar and dominoes, and enjoyed camping , skiing ,utilizing skills learned as a Boy Scout.
Jay was a loving son and brother, who loved life and his friends. He is survived by his mother, Carolyn Barta of Dallas; brother Patrick Barta and wife Salisa of Bangkok and niece Raya; Aunt Sharon and Bill Benge of Ft. Worth; Aunt Rose and Carl Siebs , Dallas; cousins Jonna Barta and Pat Cargo and Katie and Greg Ave, all of Dallas; Mary Cass, Scottsdale; Larry Siebs , Chicago; Steve Siebs , Naples, Fl; Barrett Karr, Charleston, Va; Bret Benge Lubbock;and Brook Benge Kansas City.
Funeral Services will be at 4 p.m. April 14th in the chapel at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church Dallas, Texas.