Week 22 - Reunion - Sheridan

Growing up we all went to the Sheridan family reunion. It was always the 2nd Saturday of August.  We all knew where we would be on that day. Rain or shine, warm or cold.  Mom would make potato salad and tuna macaroni salad. Pack the car and we were off by noon.

We gathered at Uncle Don and Aunt Tressie's in Chesaning, Michigan for a few years. Mom always talked about Uncle Don playing the squeeze box...I don't remember ever hearing it. How about you? Aunt Edythe would hide candy in the front yard while we were all in the backyard waiting for her to say 'go'! Uncle Mike always had a new-fangled camera, and we would have to pose for pictures. If you got too close to Uncle Fay, he would pinch you. Or was that Uncle Kahl? 

John always had a new car...a real car buff.  Uncle Fay had a transistor radio next to him, and we listened to Ernie Harwell announce the Detroit Tigers baseball game. Aunt Aggie always brought homemade butterscotch pie and fried chicken. 

We gathered at Aunt Al and Uncle Kahl's some years. Don't run in her house, the floors were so slippery you would fall on your bottom. But there was a tire swing in the tree, and we all took turns swinging. We had a number of years of meeting at the Thomas cabin in West Branch. All weekend campouts. Great memories of pancake breakfasts and horseshoe tournaments and games for the kids.

Then we went to the park at North Star. We played lots of games, ate very well, went swimming and shared stories of the past year and back 'when we were young'....

I have a couple of pictures from Prince reunions held in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. Those were before my time, so only a few people are familiar to me.

Prince reunion - 1937 
(l-r back row )Mike holding Pauline, Kate holding Rexie, Pauline Sheridan, 
Gpa Frank Prince holding Sally, Gma Prince (Callie 2nd wife), unk
(l-r front row) Rexford, Agnes, unk, Alice, unk
(Behind Alice) unk, unk, John Sheridan


John Sheridan, unk, Lorraine, Frank T Prince, Kahl, Alice, Pauline (gma) Mike, Agnes, unk, Rexie, Pauline, Sally, Lois, 8 unk, Beulah I think w purse, Carolyn, Cathy, Judi, 4 boys unk

Today, we are lucky to get our own families all together at the Holidays, let alone for a reunion. Unless it is a marriage, a death or a graduation we often go years without seeing extended family. 

Here is a look back on some photos from family gatherings over the years. How many people can you name? 


             1940 going away party for Aunt Mayme (Sheridan) and Uncle Rollie Lewis as they moved to California. 



I hope you have enjoyed this walk down memory lane. It's always good to remember everyone and all the stories.

**I also have been honored to have found a sibling that had been adopted out by the system and be a witness to the reunion between a brother and a sister that had not seen each other for over 60 years. He was age six and she was age three the last time they had been together. That made my heart swell and my eyes water.

Another time, I was able to bring about a reunion between a brother and six new half-brothers. He went from being an only child his whole life to one of a large welcoming family. 

 Reunion - an instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation.

Barbie




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