A Flory Reunion

The Flory family will soon be meeting for their annual summer reunion/picnic. We will gather at the little park in Bridgewater that has been our rendezvous spot for a number of years now. We will all be a year older which is great for the children, alright for the middle year folks, and possibly problem laden for those above 65. Two of the older sisters require some oxygen and my wife Lib, has some “back” associated issues that will be addressed by surgery in late Fall. Though the baby sister of the original family, it is her turn to be "in charge" and host.
Already we're assembling the items and planning for this occasion.

It will take some time to set the tables for the expected family, arrange the food for easy access, greet the family as it arrives, and give the necessary introductions and invocation. Afterwards we will catch up with a year’s absence, especially with those who are some distance or are one or two generations removed from the original family. For a few it will a little daunting to meet so many they are supposed to be kin to. For we older folk, it will be a joy
just to know that we have made it through another year. How we will relish the telling of
our aches,pains, and the rare maladies our physicians have pulled us through. The oldest children, new grandparents themselves, are learning the nuances of this patter. We will recount the exploits of our children and grandchildren. Our grandchildren will resemble those of Garrison Keillor's "Lake Wobegone". They will surely be above average!!

Most likely we’ll have 30-40 for a 12:30 lunch. There’ll be the traditional assortment
of meats and drinks. The weather prognostication is for a hot day near 100 degrees. Too hot for a really good gathering, but maybe a cold front will move through or clouds cover us and make it more comfortable. At least the gurgling of the river nearby may create the illusion of coolness.

Among our family we have teachers, at least one physician, business and sales folk, transport expert, former farmers and a large group of retirees or near there. Most of us are “church” folk, meaning we attend at our local congregations. After all, Walter and Emma Flory, who begat this large clan were pillars in the Church of the Brethren, first at Garber’s and later at the Dayton, Virginia CoB.

I particularly look forward to this gathering because my stuation is SO different this year. My two successful hip replacements from the beginning of the year have made it possible for me to move almost as easily and pain free as seven years ago. It’s hard to remember how different it was from the debilitating effects of osteo arthritis which really made me an “old” man. Many who remembered me walking slowly and painfully with a walker or cane are going to be surprised at the change in me. I’m truly grateful for the skill of my surgeon and the prayers of my family and friends.

A Garst Reunion

Last week my sister, Mary, and her cousin, Robert pulled off the first “Garst” reunion of our segment of the large Garst family in quite some time. Only one “Garst” sister, Nancy, survives and one Garst sister-in-law, Ruth. Both were there and put some of us to shame with their vitality and cheer. One is over eighty and the other is ninety plus!

It was also a second Kinzie reunion within the year. All of the living brothers and most of their spouses were there. All of Mary’s children and one new grand-daughter, Penelope graced us with their presence.It’s hard for me to imagine Mary and Malcolm being grandparents, but they are.

Kinzies and Garsts both have functioning musicians. No one had suggested bringing instruments and joining forces to make music. My brother, Mike, a musician who plays anything with strings, brass, or flute and can sing (he’s a professional country/western entertainer) quickly called Andy,another fine picker, composer,and singer on the Garst side ( our cousin ) and discovered that, yes, he planned to bring a guitar.

Mike helped get it all together. We found a working keyboard at the location and for about an hour before the meal Andy’s wife, Terry, a fine keyboardist, Andy, Mike and I had the time of our lives discovering music we had in common. Had always wanted to “jam” with Andy and his wife, but we see each other so infrequently it just had not happened....we didn’t know each other musically. Mike brought a case of harmonicas and we were treated to interesting “blues” licks on some of the pieces. Now there is something to build on if the opportunity presents itself again. Some of the local citizens at “the Home” were curious who the band was and wondered if they could be persuaded to return.

The catered meal provided by the Bridgewater Home staff was much better than I had imagined. The room was large and bright and the food was hot and served buffet style. Lib and I got around to as many cousins and relatives as we could, but were able to have extended conversations with only a few. Lib interacts with one set and I another. That way we get to exchange twice the information. I learned that a cousin, Elaine, on the Garst side lived in Williamsburg and sang in a concertizing chorus there. We had an interesting discussion about grant writing.

Some of our cousins we see at the “Sounds of the Mountain” folk tale event sponsored by Camp Bethel in Fincastle, VA. It was good to reconnect with them. One family, Jeff and Dorothy are kin to us from both sides, Dorothy’s father, Hubert, was a cousin of mine on the Garst side and Dorothy’s mother, Evelyn is my wife’s sister. Dorothy was there with her husband Jeff.

Don’t know if we’ll ever get this crowd together in my lifetime. It sure blessed us to do it even once. Thank you Mary and Robert again for making it happen! The pictures were taken by Robert Trout.

P.S. If anyone who was there has pictures to share I’d love to post a few on this blog. Get in touch with Mary for my email address.

Emerald Isle/Bridgewater trips

We’ve been on the road to visit family. Had a nice visit with all our immediate family while they were vacationing at Emerald Isle. NC. We were there at Jeff and Cathy’s invite for a two night stay. Just long enough for a supper out on the town and to enjoy some beach amenities. On the trip home we ran through a hard rain storm, it’s the only rain we’ve seen for a while.

Saturday we were at the Flory reunion in Bridgewater. Pretty much the same family members there. I’ve already written about the Flory reunion, so if you’re curious just look it up on the search box in this blog. It was a hot day, but we were under a shelter and there was a nice breeze most of the time. Big trees nearby also helped keep it relatively comfortable.

I’m more of a mountain man than beach...but this was a relaxing change from the routine....just a lot of driving all at once....five hours on Friday returning from Emerald Isle and then four more on Saturday. Been relaxing today...and getting up to date on FB and email. Glad we can still run around.

A Kinzie Reunion

When I was a child, a family reunion would not have been my choice as a way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The first one I attended was likely a Garst gathering on a Saturday or Sunday The most dreaded activity was the first one, the huggy/kissy line. It was a gauntlet receiving line where aunts and a grandmother plastered slobbery welcome kisses on all who arrived. There was no avoiding it, parents made certain it was done. We endured it and then went on to more interesting activities such as inspecting the food selection which was being placed on long tables. The Garsts always had theirs around Christmas. It was a large family of mostly girls and was held every year without fail.

(in picture the primary Kinzies: Bill, Mike, John & Mary)


Fast forward a decade and I had married into the Flory family. Another large family where the girls outnumbered the boys. I the oldest in my family married the youngest in her family. It was a mature family and traditions were well set before I came on the scene. Their reunion was always around choice Christmas weekends. Lib and I may have attended a few more Garst reunions but not many. A new focal point demanded allegiance. Since my immediate family was all boys and one girl and I was the oldest, there just wasn’t a convenient time when we might have put together a Kinzie reunion or so it seemed. I would complain to anyone who listened that families ought to share reunion times and not mandate that theirs were to be attended.. The Flory family advanced in age and eventually the next generations wanted their own gatherings and the Christmas event evolved into a summer event still attended by 30 or more representatives from the original family.

Somewhere along the way I discovered that there were some really huge reunions where several hundred convened. Seems there was a Harman gathering in West Virginia where over a hundred came together each year. Lib and I even attended a few Garber reunions. These were usually in the summer and they were quite large affairs.

A number of Kinzies attended Al Kinzie’s (the third brother in our family) funeral some years ago. A light went on in numerous heads. If we don’t plan ahead and make a date we’ll never get together. My baby sister had a wedding in her family a few years ago and many from our family attended. Would we only get together at weddings and funerals? Then, Lib and I moved to Richmond which is a centering hub. About a month ago my sister discovered that the brother directly up from her would be in town over New Years. The call went out over the Net. There’s going to be a family get together on Friday January 1 at her home in Crozet, Virginia. Christmas was over and there was this opportune time. Our Delaware family would also be in the area skiing.

So the most Kinzies from my own family finally had our reunion. It was a rare occasion which I fervently hope will occur again. It’s been long overdue. Kudus to the following:

Mary and Malcom and their families for setting a date and hosting the event.
Mike and son Dylan for being the reason for the date.
Jeff and Cathy for taking us there so we old folks didn’t have to drive.
Lisa and family for sharing part of their Christmas time with the rest of us.
For ALL who brought music and fiddled and strummed ...it was great fun.
Rachel who sat beside her grand dad and talked photography and life.
Devin who played fiddle beside his grand dad (I was SO proud!!)
Dylan who played fiddle and made his Dad proud.
Leanne who looks forward to motherhood in the very near future.
Mark and Jeff, my two fine son-in-laws, who could probably think of a
dozen better ways to spend an afternoon.
Leanne for taking such fine pics of the whole reunion!

What a joyous, fun occasion it was! Food, festivities, and the warm glow that comes from learning once again what it means to be family. We began our reunion almost strangers. We ended knowing that there were common threads in our life experiences and expectations. Think we also have to give some credit to email and Facebook for incrementing the swiftness of our communication and so increasing the likelihood of bringing it all off.

Love ya all! From Bill Kinzie, the reigning patriarch of this branch of Kinzies.

Flory Reunion

A well represented Flory family enjoyed renewing ties with each other this past Saturday at Bridgewater. Every family had at least a few there. And what a spectrum from those in their 80's to one just a few weeks old. Among us were the hail and hearty to those quite frail. Yet, what joy as we picnicked and swapped memories.

We were blessed by the presence of some of Ruth’s children (she passed away last year) who came from Charlotte, NC and from the Athens, GA area. That’s a long drive just to be with family a few hours! Thanks, David, Jack and Donna for making a huge effort.

Some of the family brought Carson from the Bridgewater home. They also brought over his tractor that another member of the family had entered in a recent “tractor-pull” contest. Carson’s wife, Lucille, gamely climbed into the driver’s seat for a picture shoot.

Evelyn and Gene who had both recently been in the hospital were there and blessed us with their presence.

The little park, down by the river that flows by Bridgewater was the perfect place for the family.We met with mixed emotions of joy and sorrow as we realize there is a real possibility some of us will not see each other again.

I particularly relished the long chats with Larry, Jeff and Dorothy. There were equally fun but brief visits with Keith, Jodie, Ruthie and Elaine.

Old Folks....Talk Around a Table...

We met for lunch together recently...four and half couples. We are part of an old family that is valiantly trying to maintain a sense of togetherness. Three and a half all live within a few miles of each other, Lib and I drive over a two hundred miles round trip for these meetings. We gather for a restaurant meal to chit chat and exchange news about our families and the lives we are living. We also inquire and want details about each other’s health. Sometimes we get more than we asked for, but that is part of the exercise, to listen, listen, and let each other know we care and that their lives have meaning and value for us.

The oldest couple, Weldon and Catherine, are pushing ninety but are relatively healthy. Lib was a little girl when he was dating her oldest sister. She would plop herself up on his lap and try to get his attention away from her sister. He would bribe her with a stick of gum to leave the room so the adults could have some privacy. This oldest couple has a large and successful family of their own with many grandchildren and a few great grandchildren. They’ve had a long and loving life together. Just recently they have started to slow down. He doesn’t walk as far as he used to and she has an eye going bad. They don’t travel to visit family or attend sports events with quite the old frequency.

The next family member is the half couple. They were the ones that had to grow their own farm operation because he was the second son and traditionally the oldest son had first call on buying the family farm. By being frugal and hard working Carson and Lucille reared a small but successful family. Some years ago he slowly became incapacitated by arthritis and relied on a walker to get around. Then several years ago he had a viral infection that damaged his brain and she shortly developed heart issues. Both have been in and out of the hospital several times and finally she could no longer safely care for the both of them and he is now in a nearby assisted care facility. Their lives the last few years have been tenuous and difficult. Now the separation and his confusion make the pain even more acute. Lucille doesn’t complain but we imagine how lonely she must be and we anguish at his not understanding quite where he is or why.


The sister and husband of the next pair resemble in many ways the eldest couple. In fact Weldon introduced Gene to his wife’s sister, Margaret. He was from Ohio so was not a local person. Because his church background was Brethren this gave him the initial approval necessary for entry into the family. He worked his way up in a trucking business from driving to scheduling and managing in the local office. Their four sons all graduated from college and they have a moderate size family of children and grandchildren. Gene’s had several health scares over the last decade but seems to be in fair condition now. His wife is suffering some memory loss, but both have an up beat attitude about their remaining years. He still sings in the Rockingham Male Chorus and does a fair amount of volunteer work.

The pair ahead of us are still nearly a decade older. Her first husband, a cousin of mine, died from a heart attack a number of years ago. A few years later Evelyn married Lowell and most of the years with him were good. I remember how much fun they seemed to be to each other in those years. Last year she developed a pulmonary condition that requires oxygen maintenance and has suffered bouts of depression. Her husband, an affable and caring person has had some problems with “dizziness" and forgetfulness. Of all the sisters she was probably the most vivacious. Now she just survives the best she can. It’s scary when one becomes breathless at the slightest exertion. The picture I took at the restaurant shows a glimmer of that ability to have a good laugh.

Then there is us. I’m the oldest son from my family and Lib is the last one in hers. I, too, was the outsider, but Lib’s mom knew a little about my family (church of the Brethren missionaries) and her sister had been married to that cousin of mine. That helped! To her siblings she is still the baby. They laugh when we remind them we are in our 70's. We’re just young folk compared to them and they are right. There are a sister and a brother and his wife who have already passed on.

As we look up the family tree from our vantage point we see how our later years may play out. We envy some of our contemporaries who can still walk three miles or dance the night away. How wonderful to be arthritis and pain free. On the other hand, we are most grateful to be able to reinvent ourselves in a new place and be so near, at least, one of our children. We don’t plan five or ten years in the future, but rather live as best we can in the near present. Sudden death by heart attack or accident looks a lot more attractive than the slow debilitating downward and inevitable spiral we are witnessing. It is not a frequent topic of discussion between Lib and I. (Women are life givers and maintainers, death and dying seems sort of an unpleasant subject to be avoided in polite conversation at all costs). I do ponder, because we are statistically at that point in our lives when either the sudden exit or the slow spiral down is imminent. There is much to weigh and consider.

What a blessing to be part of a family even the remnants! This family (originally Flory) still convenes a family reunion each summer in the Harrisonburg/Bridgewater area . There the next generation, now in their early 50's and 60's, mixes and learns from those of us at the next stage. They’re beginning to see life more from our perspective and less from their children’s. We sort of become living parables to each other, to learn how to deal with both the richness and the pain that living brings. I learn from my Flory side in-laws how love between man and wife is expressed in gentleness, patience, and tolerance, helping each other bear and manage their infirmities rather than complaining or blaiming. Another ten years and most of the original Flory brother and sisters will likely be gone. Here’s hoping that the future of the next generation will be as kind to them as ours was to us. And that they, too, will live long enough to understand and benefit from this later chapter in life.