Coolley Family Reunions

Front row, r-l: Kim, Dick & DB (kneeling).
Second row r-l: Dan Phillips, Edna Pearl, Gramp, Twylah Phillips, Ruthie, Jeanne, Aunt Ve, Edna Arlene, Cletha, Grammie Coolley, Dad, ? Forrest, Harold

I've posted this photo before, but upon looking at it again, I thought I'd add a bit more insight from my memories. First of all, where was Ronny? Taking the photo, I think...yes? Second, who was the man standing between Forrest and Dad? Sometimes these reunions took place in Pella at Aunt Minnie's and Gerald's. I remember, perhaps not correctly, that they lived near a park with a Dutch windmill.

This was taken at the farm where the Coolley Kids lived - Edna Pearl, Forrest and Harold. One or both Velma and Cletha were married and lived elsewhere. If I remember correctly, it was a really nice little farm they rented. There were cows and a bull in the barn. Maybe horses? And lots of kittens. I believe there were some kittens hiding in that shrub of morning glories, which explains why I'm looking there and not at the camera. Harold is holding a kitten as well. They were wild little things and we spent the day chasing them down. Dick is about 14 or so here, with DB about the same age. I loved when the Phillips' came north for a visit from Texas - DB was funny and Dick loved the guy. They'd horse around the whole visit. From corn cob fights to playing hide and seek in Gramp's house when the adults had gone to town, there was always something to do there. I believe Dick and maybe Ron stayed over at these times to keep DB company and help Gramp on the farm. Both Jeanne and I felt left out of these overnights - at least Jeanne did. I think I tended to want to go where Ruthy went in those years (#Ruthy'sShadow). But I always got a big kick out of listening to the boys and being somewhat included in their games.

The reunion shown here was on a gorgeous summer day. The women - Ruthy, Aunt Ve, Cletha, Velma, Edna Pearl, Grammie - all spent the morning and afternoon fixing dinner. The men sat on the porch and walked the farm until the dinner bell rang and they were first in line. Jeanne, always a bit ahead of her time, found it appalling at the ripe old age of 11 or 12 that the women who slaved over the food had to stand back and wait for the menfolk to pick over the best of the dishes. I don't remember this, but Ruthie recounted a time when Jeanne just joined the men in line to the astonished gasps of all the old farm ladies. I do remember the small living space and sitting in the front room as the men stood in line and filled their plates. Aunt Ve, Cletha, Grammie - they were exceptional cooks and took great pride in the men going for second and thirds of their particular contribution. Fried chicken, gravy, potatoes, beans, cobblers, pies, sweet iced tea. Grammie also made a mean german potato salad and wilted lettuce dish with bacon drippings. Somewhere in there was a jello salad, likely made by Ruthie :). I remember Ruthie watching Grammie as she cooked to learn her technique, which mostly involved a lot of tasting rather than measured ingredients and recipe-following. And someone would be in charge of the hand-crank ice cream maker. I'm not sure if we'd do this at these reunions or at the house in DM, but I often remember Dick being given the job and managing to fob the middle part of the long effort off onto some unwitting younger family member until it was nearly done. Then the chore of pulling the paddle out of the ice cream was the gift of the first taste, and he owned that part.

DB and Dick help with the lambs (barely distinguishable in the background is the white supply shed, and beyond, the garage with the antlers over the door)

Ron, DB and Dick. Ron and Dick sported buzz cuts with extra bangs in front. This is a style that I see nowadays, too.