Flipside: Reunion--The Annual Smith Family Reunion

Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year.

The prompt for week # 22 is Reunion.

Picnic in our backyard with our Michigan Family
Summer of 1960

A "real" family reunion
Summer 1961

Growing up, my extended family was rather small--or I was told that. We did not have annual family reunions. My Dad and his brother were not close. Cousins we could have shared time with, didn't happen. Twice in a decade we had a gathering.

Imagine my surprise when I began researching my genealogy and all the family I found. I remember mentioning to my Mom that she had numerous cousins she never talked about. Her response, "I guess we all just grew apart." Those same cousins were ones I reached out to for family information.

Smith Family Reunion 1950
From the photo files of Roberta Smith Fatzinger

My husband's Smith family remained close, especially the seven children of Grover Cleveland Smith and Mildred Claudine Tate. There was an annual picnic reunion every summer. To be fair, many lived within close proximity of each other in Tiffin, Ohio. There was a branch, that were railroaders, who relocated to a town in Indiana. Those cousins also attended.

I came onboard in 1969. My first Smith Family Reunion was the summer of 1970 before we moved to the Boston area. I was gob smacked at so many folks all coming together for an enjoyable afternoon. There were games for all ages, conversation, old family photos and THE FOOD. So many delicious casseroles, hot dogs and burgers, and DESSERTS. These women could cook.

Smith Family Reunion 1978

There was a business meeting. They elected officers, decided on the reunion date for the following year and gave prizes for the youngest, oldest and family that came the furthest. My son Aric won the youngest in 1978 at two months old.

I think my favorite event was Bingo. Prizes were given to the winners and most were handmade or old family treasures.

Smith Family Reunion the Hiser Branch
1986

Smith Family Reunion Hiser Branch
1989

My husband and I missed a few reunions while living in Massachusetts; however, once we returned to Ohio, we were annual attendees. I can remember driving to Indiana one summer to have the reunion there.

Unfortunately, I have few photos to share of the Smith reunions when I attended. They must remain as fun memories.

Hughes Family Gathering
Cousin Judy Hughes Wedding
June 1989

Hughes Reunion 1990
North Olmsted, Ohio

My Hughes Family did get its act together in 1986 for Cousin Fran's wedding and 1989 when we all attended Cousin Judy's wedding in Michigan. For the next few years we gathered at weddings. In 1990 I sponsored the first Hughes Family Reunion at my home and we were off and running for the next thirty-five years.

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