Evans Family Reunion

Sunday was our 76th family reunion. My father's cousin was Bob Evans of the restaurant chain. We still have the reunion at his farm even though he has passed away.  He loved the reunion. He used to say, "It's a sin to miss your family reunion."  I made baked beans, three bean salad and brought fried chicken, sliced tomatoes, a peach pie and an apple crumb pie with cheese.  Our ancestors came there from Wales. When I was young and my grandparents were alive, we sang the Welsh Nation anthem in Welsh. The older generation is gone, so we no longer sing. The reunion was always one of the highlights of the summer. We used to have over one hundred people, but attendance has dwindled over the years. Cousins have become more distant in relationship and in geography. This year we looked around and there were less than twenty of us. Lowell made his family's traditional crock of lemonade and led the meeting. We announce new births, deaths and family achievements. We ask who is the oldest and who is the youngest. We ask who traveled the farthest, We have a president, secretary and treasurer who passes the hat for donations to pay our expenses. Under new business we discussed whether we could keep going with so few people.  My heart sank even to think of it. I remembered all the dear faces I had loved to see. Grandparents, parents,  aunts, uncles - all gone. I never want to lose my extended family. It brings tears to my eyes now, as I think of it. I would travel from the ends of the earth to be there. We decided to meet again next year and see how it goes. Here is a photo of the Evans family for whom the reunion was created.