CNS STORY: Arkansas first Communion class of 1942 is reunited 65 years later

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CNS Story:

COMMUNION-REUNION Jun-12-2007 (810 words) With photos. xxxn

Arkansas first Communion class of 1942 is reunited 65 years later

By Malea Hargett
Catholic News Service

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (CNS) -- Joe Miller, a showman, has spent his life being goofy and making people smile during his career as a circus clown and a carnival-ride owner.

So when he proposed a serious idea, most people just laughed. Miller, who lives outside Lafayette, La., wanted to relive one of the happiest days of his life and reunite with his classmates from his first Communion at St. Patrick Church in North Little Rock.

He dubbed it a Communion Reunion, and for the two months leading up to the June 3 event, Miller became part detective and part party planner to organize the Mass and reception for his former classmates.

If that wasn't enough, the 74-year-old lives seven hours away and had to travel to central Arkansas a couple of times to organize the event. He also had to find people he hasn't seen in more than 60 years.

On April 14, 1942, pastor Father Joseph Burns distributed Communion for the first time to 14 first- and second-graders from St. Patrick School. For the memorable photo in front of the altar, everyone looked angelic with perfectly coiffed hair.

"In 61 years I have not laid eyes on these people or talked to them or nothing," Miller told the Arkansas Catholic, newspaper of the Little Rock Diocese.

Miller dropped out of St. Patrick School in 1946 at the age of 13 to join the circus -- literally. With the academic challenges of school, Miller thought he would be happier on the road working in a circus, and eventually he became a clown.

Miller and wife Earlene married 50 years ago and had four children. The family settled in south Louisiana and operated an amusement company, hosting "Catholic fairs" for churches mainly in Louisiana. Miller retired in 1995 but stays involved with his sons in the business.

Even though he left North Little Rock in the 1940s and didn't live in Arkansas again, he never forgot his early schooling and religious upbringing. His first Communion photo is framed on the bedroom wall of his trailer in Louisiana.

With only that photo as a record of the day, Miller started to gather the names of those who received the sacrament that day and to find out where they are now.

When he found the phone numbers, he would get similar reactions from the people on the other end.

"They get to laughing and they didn't stop," Miller recalled. "They can't believe it really. They are so enthused about this."

Four of the five people he was able to locate attended the Communion Reunion June 3.

Before the 9 a.m. Mass, Miller said, "I just hope they have a good time and (create) memories they don't forget. ... This is history."

The Communion Reunion was a happy day for the four guests of honor. Mildred Dumboski Zaloudek still lives in North Little Rock and is the choir director and organist for St. Anne Church. Zaloudek's cousin, Mary Ann Moix Nahlen, moved to Conway after second grade. She attends St. Joseph Church.

John "Johnny" Nabors also remained in North Little Rock and is a member of Immaculate Conception Church. Pat Eubanks Beaubien moved to Georgia after graduating from Mount St. Mary Academy in 1952.

Cousins Zaloudek and Nahlen had not seen each other in four years and were happy to reunite. They remember their first Communion fondly, wearing the dresses made by Nahlen's mother and the corsages bought by Nahlen's father.

The women said they were surprised to get the call from Miller a couple of months ago.

"I thought it was a prank," Nahlen said. "I wondered, how did he find me?"

"I gave him your phone number," Zaloudek admitted.

Beaubien said Miller had a "wonderful idea" to reunite with his first Communion class.

"I remember being very excited about it," she said of the special day in 1942, "being able to receive Jesus for the first time."

She said making the trip to Arkansas was never in doubt.

"I could tell by the excitement in her voice that we had to go," said Beaubien's husband, James.

Nabors, who likes to remember the way North Little Rock was 50 years ago, was happy to reminisce and look at his old 1949 graduation photo lying on a table at the reception.

"I thought it was great that someone had the initiative to do it," he said of the reunion.

The reception in the parish center was a time to pore over other school photographs and look for family members and friends in the albums.

"I dreamed about it, but you never know what will happen," Miller said at the reception. "It was a surprise to see five of us out of 15 here 65 years later."

END

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