I’ve been working on a non-Cape project, so you’re on your own to put name to the faces of the 1967 Central High School cheerleaders. (You can click on the photo to make it larger.)
I don’t have a copy of the 1967 Girardot, and I don’t know if the photo ran in The Missourian, so I didn’t have a quick way to ID them.
Older cheerleader posts
(The posts, not the cheerleaders are old.)
- Jackson cheerleader clinic
- Are these real cheerleaders?
- Anne Buchanan and other cheerleaders
- Trinity Lutheran School cheerleaders
- Pep rally in front of Central High School
- Pep rallies and plaid shirts
- Cheri Pind was a cheerleader
- Notre Dame’s cheerleader Cathy
UPDATE
Nancy Gerecke was quick to provide the names: from left Mary Hirsh, Debbie Baker, Brenda Parsh, Pam Beard, Jane Dunklin, Chritie Seabaugh
Someone else pointed out that Brenda Parsh had been murdered. I remember that very well. Brother Mark and I rigged up a panic switch that Mother could push that would set off an alarm loud enough to alert the neighbors if she heard someone trying to break in. The murder went unsolved for 31 years. You can read the details in The Missourian.
From left Mary Hirsh, Debbie Baker, Brenda Parsh, Pam Beard, Jane Dunklin, Chritie Seabaugh
Well, that was easy! 🙂
I remember the first day Brenda Parsh came to the Jr High in Cape. Her family had moved there from somewhere else (I don’t know where). She was in several of my classes. I can truly say that she was one of the sweetest girls I ever met. She was so beautiful and, as an immature girl, I admit I wanted to hate her the first time I saw her because I was jealous of her beauty.But once I got to know her, it was impossible to hate such a good-hearted girl. She treated everyone with respect and didn’t seem to be limited to only associating with the “elite”. Her murder saddened me & haunted me for all those years that it went unsolved. Myself and another fellow student tried to be investigators and figure out who did it but never were able to. I am so glad that it finally was solved and that the man responsible is behind bars. He took many lives. We may never know how many. Thanks to DNA this was finally solved.
I love hearing stories about people in these small commmunities getting together and trying to keep these cases open. She looked very beautiful and how you said she was very sweet it just seems so unfair that these type of people are always taken from the world sooner and in such unfair and horrific ways. You kind of wonder where they would be now if this had not happened…..may Timothy rot in hell for the crimes he committed. I live in a small town in New Zealand, we have had a few unresolved crimes over the years but in the early 2000s DNA proved the cold case murder of a 6 year old girl that was raped and murdered and buried at the beach in a shallow grave in the 1980s. The man still denies it today as he sits in prison for the rest of his life
I enjoyed seeing this photo and recall with fondness each of the young women therein, knew some of them virtually an entire life. That said, I’ve no choice but to echo Darla’s comments about Brenda Parsh. She had every reason and opportunity to be other than she was, though in the end it was her essential nature that won out. She was all those things Darla mentioned and more. She was happy, kind and considerate. I never heard a harsh word from her and I was fortunate to call her a friend. It seems that a sole explanation exists for how she died and when. Simply, it was her day. I know she rests in peace.
Great picture…lots of memories. I grew up with Jane and Christy, the others from Junior High on except Brenda since she moved to Cape later. She was such a nice, beautiful person and murdered the night after our 10th high school reunion. I was still in Cape and heard the news the following day/evening. I’m thinking I remember that Skip Stiver took her home that Sat. night after reunion and it happened the next day or later that night.
Nancy, where are you living now?
I just finished watching the story of Brenda Parsh & her mother’s murder on Beauty Queen Murders- Investigation Discovery channel. Just an absolutely heartbreaking story.. Her poor father.. Being in the hospital for heart surgery while that horrific tragedy was going on. My heart really goes out to her family and friends, all the people of the charming little town of Cape Girardot, and for the all the people involved with that monster’s many other victims. I send my prayers to all of you and the beautiful and lovely innocent victims, such as Brenda Parsh. God Bless