Family reunion in Ohio

On Sunday, September 7, 2008, a number of the relatives came together at the home of Leora Minton Long (my father's youngest sister) to say good-bye to Lois Minton Pitsenbarger (their sister), who is moving from Piqua, Ohio to Alabama to live with her daughter Vicki and her family. Pictured here from left to right are: Jean Minton Maher, Bill Minton, Kim Estes, Janet Minton Estes, Leora Minton Long, Lois Minton Pitsenbarger, Bob Minton, Wayne Long, Nancy Minton Roof, Neal Long. We reunited and learned new tidbits about our family history: from homebirths to one room schoolhouses, from farming and milking cows to world wars, The Great Depression years and courting. We learned about ourselves by learning about our roots. We remembered how special Great Aunt Eva was. We remembered who worked the farms, who were the teachers, who worked in an office, who worked in a factory. We remembered life before computers, before television, before telephones, before central heat and plumbing. We missed the recently departed - we have all lost parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins and children. Old photos brought back memories of collie puppies, old cars, hair styles, graduations, births, other reunions. We laughed, we remembered, we rejoiced in our relationships and our shared history. We are not a demonstrably emotional family - tending more toward the reserved, quiet observances of life. But on Sunday, you felt the love, the attachment of family, the warmth of being a part of a long line of relationships which we all share. It was quite a remarkable day for all of us.