Family reunions are something that I have grown up with. In June each year when I was growing up, my grandfather and grandmother, Aubrey and Minnie Ramer Springer, held a family reunion! It was usually Father's Day weekend, but not always. My dad and his siblings would alternate who would host each year and they would finalize the date, the place and send out the invitations. Here is one example:
On the selected day, many of our aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents would gather together, share a meal and usually pose for group photos. Sometimes members of my grandmother's, Minnie's, family would also drop by!
If the reunion was held on Sunday, my parents would insist we go to church near the location of the gathering and bring back a bulletin to our church, so we could get credit for attending. This was especially important, since my siblings and I were earning Perfect Attendance pins for Church (Sunday) School!
Because we gathered every year, even though we did not live very close to each other, we grew up knowing our extended family very well. My sister and I were the youngest grandchildren of my grandparents, so we were especially close to the older cousins in the next generation. Even though we are not earning Perfect Attendance pins anymore, I kept a bulletin from the worship service we attended a couple of weeks ago while we were vacationing in Williamsburg, Virginia. Old habits are hard to break!
Here is a reunion photo from 1940!
We held this reunion up until about 9 years ago. The last of my dad's siblings passed away in 2011 and I believe that was the last time we got together.
We also had a bigger Labor Day Weekend Family Reunion. This one was the descendants of my grandfather's (Aubrey's) grandparents - Robert and Elizabeth Jane Kelly Springer.
For many years I remember going to this reunion in Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas. That is the town my dad grew up in and where he graduated from high school.
Just like the Aubrey reunion, different families hosted each year, but we had Officers - a President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer who sent out the invitations.
Here is a photo from one of these reunions in 1961.
But for some of us who were younger, and several generations down the line, it was kinda hard sometimes to figure out who belonged in which family and how they were related to me! But, it was always fun to have lots of distant cousins to play with and of course, the food was fabulous!! Everybody brought enough food for their own family and then shared everything!
As the years went by, and as the1st and 2nd generation cousins started to pass away, the younger generations began to stop coming. This reunion also ended about 2012, when it became just a small gathering of only a remnant of the former family gatherings.
I am lucky to have many memories of these family reunions and also to have inherited many of the family photos. I miss seeing my extended family, but understand we all have very busy lives these days and our own nuclear families to visit and remain close to. And that in itself can be a challenge!
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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| Personal Collection - My dad's parents and siblings L-R: Delton (my dad), George Henry, May Ruth, Aubrey, Minnie, Janella, Ramer and Buford (JB). This was the 70th Anniversary Aubrey Springer Reunion |
On the selected day, many of our aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents would gather together, share a meal and usually pose for group photos. Sometimes members of my grandmother's, Minnie's, family would also drop by!
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| Jimmie Ann Ramer, daughter of Minnie's brother, Ernest Ramer Johnnie Prue Ramer Borders, Minnie's youngest sister Robert, Ruth, Nell Borders Sliger-Johhnie Prue's sister-in-law and Sylvia Personal Collection from 1989 |
If the reunion was held on Sunday, my parents would insist we go to church near the location of the gathering and bring back a bulletin to our church, so we could get credit for attending. This was especially important, since my siblings and I were earning Perfect Attendance pins for Church (Sunday) School!
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| Personal collection of Perfect Attendance Pins. 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, then 1-5 years! |
Because we gathered every year, even though we did not live very close to each other, we grew up knowing our extended family very well. My sister and I were the youngest grandchildren of my grandparents, so we were especially close to the older cousins in the next generation. Even though we are not earning Perfect Attendance pins anymore, I kept a bulletin from the worship service we attended a couple of weeks ago while we were vacationing in Williamsburg, Virginia. Old habits are hard to break!
Here is a reunion photo from 1940!
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| 1940 Reunion: L-R: not sure who the one on the left is, Uncle George Henry (coralling the little one) cousins Jimmy, Jerry, Sylvia and Billy. |
We held this reunion up until about 9 years ago. The last of my dad's siblings passed away in 2011 and I believe that was the last time we got together.
We also had a bigger Labor Day Weekend Family Reunion. This one was the descendants of my grandfather's (Aubrey's) grandparents - Robert and Elizabeth Jane Kelly Springer.
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| Robert and Elizabeth Jane Kelly Springer Personal Collection |
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| Key to above photo of Robert Springer and three of their children's families |
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| L-R: 3 STANDING MEN: William A Pennington, George Aubrey Springer (in front of window) and John Robert Springer. SEATED AND STANDING in 2nd row: Lena Springer Pennington, Philip Springer, George Andrew (father), Ella Busby Springer (mother), Raymond Springer, Mattie Kirkland Springer (John's wife), FRONT ROW: Rudolph Arden Irvin Delford (baby), Ruby Springer and Doretha Springer |
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| A Collage I created of the original family |
For many years I remember going to this reunion in Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas. That is the town my dad grew up in and where he graduated from high school.
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| A newspaper article about our Springer Reunion 1963 |
Just like the Aubrey reunion, different families hosted each year, but we had Officers - a President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer who sent out the invitations.
Here is a photo from one of these reunions in 1961.
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| I'm the one sitting on the ground in the front on the far left. Personal Collection |
In the early days, it was important to hold these reunions on Labor Day weekend, because it gave an extra day - the holday - for a travel day for those retuning home, who lived far away. And in those early days, the oldest generation was very close, like me and my cousins at the Aubrey Reunion.
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| 1961 Reunion - Siblings - children of George Andrew and Ella Busby Springer Ruby Springer Pollock, Aubrey Springer (my grandfather), Doretha Springer Broyles, Rudolph Springer |
As the years went by, and as the1st and 2nd generation cousins started to pass away, the younger generations began to stop coming. This reunion also ended about 2012, when it became just a small gathering of only a remnant of the former family gatherings.
I am lucky to have many memories of these family reunions and also to have inherited many of the family photos. I miss seeing my extended family, but understand we all have very busy lives these days and our own nuclear families to visit and remain close to. And that in itself can be a challenge!
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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