By Brenda Hooper-Rowland, Community Contribution
The St. Stephen High School (SSHS) Class of 1984 has come together to honour the memory of their classmates with the installation of a new memorial bench along the pathway between Pizza Delight and the Royal Bank, close to the site of the former Queen Theatre, a popular hangout spot for many who grew up in the 1980s.
The location was chosen by classmate Heather Hogge in August 2023 after consulting with fellow classmate Lori (McFarlane) Brown. Hogge noted it was especially meaningful because their late classmate Linda Boyd’s family once ran the theatre.
The idea of a memorial bench was first proposed in 2024 during preparations for the class’s 40th reunion. At the time, the reunion committee decided to hold off when another initiative, Operation White Heart, was introduced by classmate Louise Mason-Armstrong. The committee agreed, however, that the bench concept should be revisited in the future.
By the end of spring 2025, two more classmates had passed away, bringing the total number of losses to 16 out of the original 172 graduates. That sobering reality brought Hogge, along with Brown and class president Brenda Hooper-Rowland, together to move the memorial bench from idea to reality. Hogge contacted the Town of St. Stephen to arrange for a site, Brown reached out to Smet Monuments about the design, and Hooper-Rowland led the fundraising efforts. Smet Monuments made a generous contribution to the project, with owner Jarvis Spires — Lori Brown’s son — providing direct support.
Support from the class was overwhelming.
“We have the most amazing class and classmates,” said Hooper-Rowland. “Everyone came together, reaching into their pockets to contribute through raffle tickets as well as cash donations, making what once was just an idea into reality in six short months.”
Hogge credited Hooper-Rowland’s return to the area and her leadership as the SSHS Class of 1984 President for making the project possible.
“This would not have been made possible without Brenda’s leadership,” she said.
On August 1, 2025, about 20 people gathered at the site for the official unveiling. The location, provided by the Town, offers a quiet spot under a tree with westward views of the sunset. The ceremony closed with a reading of When I Am Gone by Lyman Hancock, followed by a gathering at Dooley’s where classmates reconnected and reminisced.
Hogge also reflected on the unique place of the Class of 1984 in SSHS history.
“We were the first graduating class to attend the new high school for all four years, from 1980 to 1984, during the transition from junior high to middle school,” she noted. “We were also the first to implement Safe Grad, and our graduating theme song was Bryan Adams’ ‘The Best Is Yet to Come’ — fittingly, the last line of the poem Brenda chose for the unveiling reads, ‘And remember only my best.’”
Looking ahead, Hogge said the group plans to continue gathering regularly. “The SSHS Class of 1984 has agreed to hold annual mini reunions the Friday before NB Day for classmates to gather and catch up. Our 45th & 50th reunions will come soon enough. We did and continue to have the best class!”
Organizers extended special thanks to Hogge for the original idea, to the Municipal District of St. Stephen for providing the location, to Smet Monuments for their assistance, and to the Class of 1984 for coming together to create a lasting tribute to those no longer with them.
