From Belhaven General Alumni Association

The Belhaven General Alumni Association hosted its 54th homecoming celebration on May 6-8. The theme for this year was “Celebrating the Past, Building the Future.” Festivities officially began with the arrival of alumni Friday morning and the highlight of the day was the alumni banquet at the Wilkinson Center. Attire was semiformal.
The keynote address was delivered by Kareen D. Windley, the daughter of the late Bishop Richard and Zuradia Worrell. Graduating from Belhaven High School in 1959, she matriculated at Elizabeth City College (now Elizabeth City State University) where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business education and English. She also completed graduate studies in rehabilitation studies/counseling and ethnology at Virginia Commonwealth University, and program development/writing and teaching persons with disabilities at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
Her distinguished career in education began with her employment at the former Belhaven High School as an eighth-grade teacher. She later held positions as a business teacher at Norfolk Business College, supervisor/teacher at the Albuquerque Business College, which included serving as an ESL teacher to Native Americans, teacher at Drake Business College and as the first Afro-American teacher at Annapolis Senior High School.
Retiring in 2007, she relocated to Kinston, where she is a member of St. Luke Free Will Baptist Church in La Grange. She currently serves as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer. She is an active member of the NAACP unit in Kinston and Lenoir County Democratic Party and past regional director of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Alumni Association of Elizabeth City State University (ECSU).
Married to Leon Windley, they are the parents of two adult children and she enjoys a variety of hobbies.
The evening culminated with the presentation of alumni awards and special recognition to the Belhaven High School class of 1966, which is celebrating its golden reunion anniversary. The presentation will be followed by a memorial service.
Saturday’s activities began with the mile-long parade, featuring a number of local marching groups and community organizations. Parade formation began at 9 a.m. on Railroad Street.

The Triangle Chapter coordinated vendor sales on the lawn of the former Belhaven High School throughout the day. Class reunions were held throughout the day and were announced by class coordinators.
Alumni worship services were held at the First Baptist Church, Pamlico Street, at 10 a.m. Sunday. The guest speaker was Minister Lein Slade Spencer, the daughter of the late Jodie and Hattie Slade and a member of the John A. Wilkinson class of 1978. She is an active member of the Holly Grove Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, where she teaches Sunday school and Bible study. She was married to the late Robert Spencer Sr. and has three children and four granddaughters.
A cordial invitation was extended to all to share in the festivities.