Something So Big: 32 Years Ago

32 Years Ago, my grandma May Myers passed away. Having 100 living descendants at the time, some of her 12 children and grandchildren decided it was important that we keep in touch and remember the Myers stories. The Myers family reunion was born.

Grandpa & Grandma had 12 children. My mom is the youngest.

Marilyn, Dorothy, Clarice, May, Bernadine, Lucille, and Jeanne; Clarice Jr. (Jupe), Dwane, Loyal, Donnie, Neal (Bub), Maynard, and Dale

Mom and Jupe are the only kids left with us. Jupe is in Kentucky and unable to travel at this time, but his daughter Janet and son Marshall made the trip up to Wisconsin to join us. What a treat!

Aunt Marilyn's oldest daughter Marsha sent a wonderful update on Marilyn's branch of the Myers family. They all live in the Phoenix area.

Mom and my cousin Don (Maynard's youngest son) holding up Marilyn's family tree

No Myers Reunion would be complete without old stories (some true, some not so true) and JOKES! My cousin Doug (Bub & Nancy's oldest) can make you laugh just by raising his eyebrows :) I love it when he tells us kids about riding in the back seat on his Aunt Jeanne & Gov's first dates!

Mom surprised us all with an old newspaper article from the Platteville Journal about a 13-year-old girl from rural Livingston who saved her 4 little brothers & sisters from a house fire. Dad's niece found the article in the lining of her dresser drawer, noticed the Myers name, and asked Mom if "C.J. Myers" was her dad. Lo and behold, it was about Aunt Bernadine and Mom's family! Their farm house burned down in 1931 before my mom was born...Can you imagine raising 11 kids (at the time) and having to rebuild in the middle of winter during the Depression?

It just amazes me.

And so does the awesome coincidence that my cousin on Dad's side found this article about my Mom's side....82 years later!!

Aunt Nancy and her awesome family.....

...and Mom and her awesome family. Not all of us, by any means. But a good representation. Dad is always with us, too :)

Later that afternoon, some or my cousins joined us back at Mom and Dad's house. Marshall is an English professor and expert in Civil War history. He is quite interesting to listen to!

Cousin Suzy & Sondra drove all the way from Idaho/Colorado...amazing ladies with broad smiles and positive energy! (Gabe, Cy, and Payton enjoy a game of pool to cool off from the summer heat...)

It was so good to see my brother Ken that day, too.

My cousin Ron and his wife Pam drove from California and stayed with Mom for about a week. Ron did a great job of hosting this year's reunion. Here he is with Tim's little (well, not-so-little!) boy Joseph!