COUSINS!!!

The Owen Extended Family Reunion was held in Dallas, Oregon, for many years.  Before my Aunt Lois passed away, she was one of the main people to keep the reunion going--organizing things and send out flyers to all of the relatives.  We went many years when we were young and they held it at a large park in town.  Now they hold it in a community center inside a mobile home park.  It is a nice venue and enough room for 50 people or so, but not a place for lots of kids to run around like when we were little.  Of course, everyone is getting older and the generations are getting further apart.

Daniel Owen, one of the main leaders now, was only expecting 7 or 8 people as he didn't watch the RSVPs on the Facebook group where we had posted.  He was so excited when we all showed up from the Robert and Olevia Owen line--the three Owens, six Gibsons and 8 of the Gibersons plus extra family members.  It was pot luck and there was plenty of food for everyone.  

They had arranged for one of the cousins to share about her parents and their courtship which went over 1 1/2 years and included over 100 letters which they had written to each other while they were separated as he started his new job as a teacher.  It was fun to see the power of those original documents to bring history to life--both for those two people which she loved but also a reflection of the times--late 1940s as the country was coming out of war and trying to get back on its feet.

The highlight for me was later in the evening when we gathered with our immediate cousins in Gaston, Oregon, with our immediate cousins.  As my dad was an only child, we only have cousins on our mom's side--she had a brother, my Uncle Bob, and a sister, my Aunt Lois.  (She also had a brother who passed away as an infant--Gene Franklin). We spent every summer visiting our family in Portland for about a week and it was good to be together again---FINALLY!  ALthough our time together was so short.

Margaret had prepared taco salads which were yummy, plus cookies and we all just talked together and remembered stories and experiences we had shared.  And we remembered to take pictures.

My Uncle Grant was a photographer and always made sure we took pictures at family gatherings.  We are lucky to have them.

maybe around 1965

Uncle Bob and Aunt Ruth's three surviving children  (They had a baby boy pass away and then our cousin Frank died in a biking accident when I was 8 or so.  I think he was 14.)

Ed, Virginia (Ginny), Thelma

Eileen and Richard's family ----The Gibersons

(l-r)Scott, Mike, Todd, Rick, Valerie, Me with Robin and Lynette sitting

With spouses and Jena

All of the cousins which were there---

Aunt Lois and Uncle Grant's kids--They had ten children--eight girls and 2 boys.

Renee, April, Lura, Margaret and Becky
Not there:  Marilois, Leith, Dan, Evan, and Michelle
Evan was at the earlier Owen reunion, but
had commitments with other family members this night.

with Ronald and Jordan Bell--Margaret's husband and son

Lynette and April

me and Renee
She reminds me so much of my Aunt Lois
in this picture

I am sure that our parents and grandparents were very happy to see us together!  I don't know how the spirit world works and I know that they are busy doing important things, but I hope they had a glimpse of us together.  That only seems right for them to know.