Willow Glen HS, Class of 1974: 50th Reunion

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of another member of the Class of 1974. The sister of Suzanne Bauquier (Gayda) let me know that Suzanne passed away last year. Her passing was entirely unexpected and she had no known health condition.

I want to convey what her sister told me: “Suzanne truly was a wonderful person. She was well-loved as a sister, aunt, friend, principal, teacher, president of her church, leader in the Lion’s Club, and regional leader of a glasses recycling center in the northwest – serving the sight of the needy worldwide. She had a widespread impact, even more than I realized until after she passed.”

Sadly, we lost another 1974 class member. The sister of Donald Ortega posted on the Willow Glen HS Alumni FB page that he passed away on June 2, 2025.

Please be aware that scammers have recently been posting offers for Willow Glen HS shirts and other items on this site. They may be after credit card info. As the admin for this site, I’ve tried blocking and reporting them, but they just change the name and reappear. Please be careful.

PHOTOS courtesy of Dan Belshaw:

MORE REUNION PHOTOS courtesy of Dan Belshaw:

CONTACT INFORMATION: If you received your 50th reunion invitation through Facebook and would like to add information to our records for more direct, future contact (such as a future reunion), please email it to Janis Shank at [email protected].

Thanks! We had a great event!

PHOTOS: Please post your photos from last night’s epic reunion as replies (comments) here. This will gather them in one place.

GOOD NEWS! The Dream Inn has waived their two night minimum. If you want to make a reservation for one night, or change your existing two night reservation, please contact the reservation desk at the hotel. You will be making a new reservation, so be sure to cancel any existing reservation within the next 72 hours.

To those attending the Willow Glen, Class of 1974, 50th reunion:

We look forward to seeing you soon at our 50th high school reunion!

Our reunion is Saturday, October 12 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz. The Dream Inn is located at 175 Westcliff Drive in Santa Cruz with plenty of parking directly across the street. We will be gathering in the View Room, a spectacular venue overlooking the Main Beach, the Boardwalk and the Monterey Bay. The dress is casual. When you arrive, please be sure to check in and grab your name tag. You'll be greeted by classmates to instruct you about the evening’s events. We will be eating, drinking, dancing, and remembering our time together in school, as well as sharing life stories with over 160 classmates.

Your ticket allows you hearty appetizers served during most of the the evening and prepared by award winning chefs, a drink coupon, an end of evening french fry bar, a commemorative t-shirt and a surprise exit gift. A cash bar will also be available for those who choose additional drinks. Music will be provided from 9-11 p.m. by the "Joint Chiefs", a popular local band playing music from the 70's and 80's.

Please reach out to Jim LaTorre ([email protected]) or Janis Shank ([email protected]) with any question you may have.

We so look forward to an evening to remember.
Sincerely,
Our reunion committee

IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!

There are still spots available at our WGHS 50th Reunion Golf Event! Female golfers are encouraged to join the fun!

Paul Cachopo and Paul Bertoldo are the organizers of the Friday, October 11, golf event. They forwarded this information:

We've blocked 10 foursomes at Seascape Golf Course in Aptos for Friday, October 11th. Tee times start at 10am. We thought it would be nice to have some fun at the golf course on the Friday before the Saturday reunion. This is NOT a tournament, but just a fun time out together. We realize that a lot of us don't play that much golf, but would enjoy the time out. We'll have some small prizes for closest to the pin on some of the Par 3 holes. Hopefully a few drinks and sharing old high school stories at the 19th Hole (Clubhouse).

Here's some info regarding the golf event:

- Fee $90.00 includes green fee and golf cart
- 10am First Tee Time (max 10 foursomes)
- Since we are so close to the event, please immediately text Paul Cachopo at (408) 666-4720, or Paul Bertoldo at (408) 391-0038 to sign up
- Venmo Paul Cachopo at: immediately if you want to play. The course requires an advanced commitment.

Please help to spread the word. Looking forward to this fun weekend in October!