Glenwood’s ‘Outcasts’ reach 50-year milestone
Hear ye! Hear Ye!
Let it be known the Glenwood Outcasts are celebrating their golden anniversary at this year’s homecoming celebration.
Fifty years ago, Dr. R.S. Troutman, a Glenwood veterinarian, and John C. Watson spearheaded the formation of the Outcasts as an outlet for local residents who didn’t graduate from Glenwood High School but wanted to be part of the community’s annual homecoming celebration.
According to notes in the official Outcasts’ scrapbook, “Tickets for the first dinner meeting of this unusual organization sold for $2 to non-graduates of Glenwood and as a gag, tickets for those who had graduated from Glenwood were $2.50.”
More than 100 people attended that first dinner held in the old teen center at City Hall. About a fourth of the meeting attendees had graduated from high schools in states other than Iowa.
Those in attendance decided the Outcasts would have their own king and queen – Glenwood residents who were making significant contributions to the greater good of the community. The first Outcast king was Lyndol Livengood. The first queen was Mary Edwards.
Enough money was made at the inaugural Outcast celebration for the organization to donate $35 to the Mary Jane Miller Scholarship Fund. In the second year, when more than 150 people attended the Outcast celebration, profits were given to the family of a local person dealing with a terminal illness.
Dale Linville, a Glenwood graduate and banjo player known professionally as “The Iowa Farmer” provided the entertainment at the first Outcast party which turned into an annual dance that lasted well into the 21st Century.
The Outcast king and queen are traditionally introduced during the homecoming parade. In recent years, they’ve been the guest of honor at a post-parade gathering, which will take place again in 2017 at Keg Creek Brewing Co. The Outcast celebration is open to the public.
In addition to scholarships, the Outcasts have made financial donations to several local causes over the past 50 years, including Glen Haven Home, Glenwood Booster Club, the Glenwood Police and Fire Departments and a local Christmas lighting campaign.
King Don Duysen and Queen Kate Dean are the reigning Outcast royalty. Their successors will ride in Friday’s parade.
1967 – King Lyndol Livengood, Queen Mary Edwards
1968 – King John Watson, Queen Fannie Foy
1969 – King Cookie Wilson, Queen Gloria Wilson
1970 – King Mike McGrath, Queen Joan Campbell
1971 – King Wally Johnson, Queen Sandra Petersen
1972 – King Jack Burroughs, Queen Cheryll Ross
1973 – King Raefael Roure, Queen Liz Biggs
1974 – King Marvin Fernald, Queen Barbara Fryzek
1975 – King Burton Kent, Queen Veda Flint
1976 – King Jim Stanley, Queen Cathy Christiansen
1977 – King Jim Hughes, Queen Anny Demory
1978 – King Gerald Rupe, Queen Janine Smaligo
1979 – King Bob Blasi, Queen Marilyn Thomas
1980 – King Don Langholz, Queen Lois Jurgens
1981 – King Laine Mathiason, Queen Lil Gray
1982 – King Patrick Ross, Queen Barb Kruse
1983 – King Tom Demory, Queen Mavis Miller
1984 – King Larry Patterson, Queen Monica Hughes
1985 – King Chuck Kruse, Queen Sybil Finken
1986 – King Sam Boone, Queen Marian Blankenship
1987 – King Ed Thompson, Queen Karol Jean Rohrberg
1988 – King Gary Stouder, Queen Mary Ann Gregory
1989 – King Bob Lothrop, Queen Kathy Wasenius
1990 – King Vaughn Bennett, Queen Suzanne Tuma
1991 – King Larry Winum, Queen Betty Bales
1992 – King John Bueltel, Queen Mary Fernald
1993 – King Gordon Woodrow, Queen Carolyn Demory
1994 – King Jim Ebmeier, Queen Pat Hiller
1995 – King Jim Rolling, Queen Nancy Bristow
1996 – King Phil Hardiman, Queen Mary Kay Hockabout
1997 – King Bill Magnuson, Queen Deby Martin
1998 – King Mike Artist, Queen Kelly Conley
1999 – King Mark Wanning, Queen Elizabeth Wanning
2000 – King Larry Raabe, Queen Lu Peverill
2001 – King Joe Foreman, Queen Bev Cullison
2002 – King Ron Hansen, Queen Nancy Lincoln
2003 – King Mark Ford, Queen Lori Gregory
2004 – King Pete Jacobus, Queen Mary Simms
2005 – King Russ Finken, Queen Kathleen Loeffelbein
2006 – King Bill Campbell, Queen Theresa Romens
2007 – King Mike Kenkel, Queen Angie Winquist
2008 – King Leon Portrey, Queen Ann Staiert
2009 – King Dave Blum, Queen Chelle Ringsdorf
2010 – King John Nebel, Queen Mary Gunderson
2011 – King Mark Starner, Queen Stephanie Patzer
2012 – King Scott Miller, Queen Amber Dyer
2013 – King Brent VonEssen, Queen Marlene Sprain
2014 – King Matt Kirsch, Queen Sandra McComb
2015 – King Cliff Johnson, Queen Jerri Bolan
2016 – King Don Duysen, Queen Kate Dean