Jessie Butler and Susie Mikel were married in 1931. To this union twelve children were born. The family had a very blessed, fruitful and joyous life. It was in June 1982, when Daddy died that Mother made the statement, “we have too large and too beautiful of a family on both Jessie’s side and my side for us to come together only at  funerals. She said she would like to see all of us get together on a more joyous occasion. So Mother and Daddy’s kids and their kids came together for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas as we always did before. She said this was nice but it brought back sad  memories because Daddy was not there, but she would still like to have a family reunion so that both sides could participate.

 

So our first Family Reunion was planned to be around Mother’s birthday in April 1983. If you were there, then you know how proud this made her and if you were not there, you missed a treat. She was just dancing around out in the yard, laughing and having a good time like a little kid.  This was definitely a Kodak moment.

 

We had the reunion every year after that even though it had to be moved sometimes between the months of April and March because of the weather. One year we all agreed to move it to the month of May, the Sunday before Memorial Day, and it has been on this day ever since.  The location was always in Drews-Landing at the home property, until one year due to several factors:  the weather, the number of people in attendance and the health condition of several family members, we decided to rent the community center in the big town of Shepherd.  This facility had several additional features: playground, toys for the small children, three baseball fields, a basketball court and an air-conditioned building for all who did not like the heat.

 

Mother died in February of 1989 and one of her last wishes was for us to stay together, “not just as a family, but as a close knit family,” just as she and Daddy had taught us and to please continue with the Family Reunion. 

 

To the grand-kids, great-grands, and great-great grand kids of Jessie and Susie Butler, we the siblings are now getting older and want you all to know that we need you, we  support you, we thank you for all of your endeavors, and most of all, we love you.

 

Onward and upward.