As his band played Hank William Sr.’s “Jambalaya” at Bear Grass Suites Assisted Living in Boulder on Aug. 31, John Powell looked out at the audience. Bob Laumeyer, his former Jefferson High School principal and superintendent, was seated in the front, grinning ear to ear. It was Bob’s 90th birthday, and Laumeyers from all over the U.S. had come to celebrate.
As milestone celebrations go, this was pretty much what you’d expect: Family and friends, music, lunch and cake on a fine summer afternoon. A banner hung near the canopy, commemorating Laumeyer, featuring a recent picture of him gardening and a black-and-white illustrated photo of him from his days as a school administrator. The focus, however, was on the musicians, who had people singing along, and a few residents in the back even started to dance.
It was ordinary – and on this day, among this group of elderly Montanans, ordinary made all the difference.
