Rees-Williams family
Fifty members of the Llewellyn Rees family gathered at the West Campus of the Emporia Presbyterian Church on June 3 for the annual family reunion. Llewellyn Rees came to the United States from Wales in 1871 with his parents, William and Mary Herbert Rees. He returned to Wales in May 1886 where he later married Margaret Jones at Llwyncoedwr. They returned to the U.S. and settled on the farm south of Emporia where his parents had lived. They had three sons, William Llewellyn, Ivor Jones and Albert Edward, in the U.S. and four more children, Mary Catherine, Llewellyn Morgan, Margaret Ann and David Luther before the entire family settled on a farm southwest of Emporia in 1900. There are more than 230 descendants of this family.
Llewellyn Rees died in December 1905. His widow later married John I. Williams and to them was born Claudia Anita Williams. Thus the annual family reunion is referred to as the Rees-Williams Family Reunion.
Dorothy Rees Spade, daughter of Luther and Katherine Rees, was the oldest descendant present. The youngest was Rees Spade, son of Gwen Rees and Michael Spade and great-great-grandson of Luther Rees.
A covered dish dinner was enjoyed by all, after which there were introductions and news about families. The group sang the birthday song to Emma Catherine Wheeler, who celebrated her ninth birthday that day.
Attending from out of state were Elmer and Margaret Holzrichter of Kearney, Neb. Attending from Kansas were Craig and Haley Rees of Hays, Grayson and Dorothy Spade of Reading, Brian and Dixie Rees and Kate of Allen, Jay and Sharon Williams and Tyler of Olpe, Gary and Bronwen Fees and Alex of Manhattan and Gwen Spade and Rees of Admire.
And, from Emporia, were Tomas and Becky Wheeler, Jenika and Ashley; John and Ruth Wheeler, Emma and Jacob; John and Joy Morgan; Ernest and Evalee Williams; Glenda Williams, Lisa and Ann; Marie Williams; Larry and Gayle Milroy, Jeremy and Kari; David and Linda Orear; Donald and Janet Rees, Andrew and Brittany; Trevor and Darlene Rees; Gerry Rees; David and Juanita Rees; and Ralph and Evora Wheeler.
Dickson family
The annual Dickson Family Reunion was held June 3 at the Emporia Jones Park, celebrating the fact that four of the seven children of Matthew and Julianna Dick of Bornholm, Denmark, came two at a time to America more than 110 years ago. By 1893, Hans, Anna, James and Matthew had arrived in Lyon County since their Uncle John Dickson had a farm near Reading. They all came to Lyon County and worked for their uncle to help pay for their passage from Denmark.
Bob Symmonds was the master of ceremonies. The Rev. Carl Lemke gave the invocation. Heidi Williams of Helsinki, Finland, came the longest distance. Esther Lemke was the oldest person present and Bonny Gunkel, nine months, was the youngest.
Hans Dickson had no children, but the other three were represented.
Descendants of Pete and Anna Dickson Ahlstrom present were Howard and Eunice Gunkel of Emporia and Rodney and Sandy Gunkel, Katie and Bonny, of Lenexa.
Descendants of James Dickson were Bill and Velma Dickson of Council Grove, Dale and Ann Dickson and Gary and Donna Robison of Reading, Willard Dickson of Topeka, Mark and Janet Harrouff of Emporia and Joanne Pherigo of Neosho, Mo.
Five of the six children of Matthew and Elizabeth Davis Dickson and 13 of the 16 grandchildren who were present were: Dud and Esther Dickson Lemke and sons Carl Lemke of Bend, Ore., and Ed Lemke of Boise, Idaho; Ruth Dickson Lyddane; Robert and Valerie Symmonds; and Will Symmonds; Adam and Brooke Didde and their children, Eli and Jaylon, Lauren Symmonds, Lawrence; Alice and Joe Campbell, Manhattan; Laurie and Curtis Scott, Sydney and Sophie, Augusta; Wayne and Anna Symmonds, Shane Bitler, Admire; Rodney Symmonds and Stuart, Reading and Charisse Symmonds, Kansas City.
Augusta Dickson Shepherd, Joyce French and Garland, Jim and Mary Shepherd, Mike Prohodsky and Bill and Naomi Dickson Snyder, all of Emporia. Jana Snyder, Lawrence; David and Judy Hawkins of Wichita; Jeri Snyder and Hiram and Maxine Dickson of Topeka; Ron and Diane Mittenmeyer of Olathe; and Erica Dickson of Phoenix, Ariz., Richard and Susan Dickson of Tucson, Ariz.
Admire alumni
Sixty-nine members and guests met June 9 for the 95th annual Admire Alumni Association gathering at the Admire Elementary School. Officers were Marilyn Spade Haag, president; Don Maxwell, vice president; Dolores Maxwell Mann, treasurer; and Wanda Lewis Spade, secretary. Members and classes honored were Helen Muller Coxen, class of 1927; Grayson Spade, Velma Bathurst Decker and Melvin Stanford, 1937; Ray McAntee, Bonnie Olson Stinson and Ailene Johnson Bocquin, 1947; 1957, no graduates present.The oldest graduate to attend was Helen Muller Coxen, class of 1927.
Also attending were Verne and Carolyn Bathurst; Verle and Marilee Bathurst; Varlene Best; Leda Bechtel and Arden Vernon; Walt and Sally Bowden; Sophia Burns and Carol and Allen Curless; Lois Bradley and daughter; George and Ailene Bocquin; Helen Coxen, daughter Lela and husband Richard Prine; Patricia Davis; Herb and Mary Davis; Velma Decker and daughter, Debbie Riggsby; Hiram and Maxine Dickson; Bill and Lou Estes; Howard and Marilyn Haag; George and Phyllis Hulver; Richard and Dolores Mann; Don and Shirley Maxwell; Dodds and Arvis Miller; Viola Miller; Ray McAntee; Margaret McHugh; Glen and Marjean McMurphy; Duane Ogleby and Jeanne Ghent; Faye Neussen; Francis and Joan Romer; Marlin and Betty Seely; Bill and Kay Sheall; Augusta Shepherd; LaMoyne Smith; Bill and Naomi Snyder; Leroy and Ann Spade; Wanda Spade; Grayson and Dorothy Spade; Melvin and Lou Stanford; Dale and Bonnie Stinson; Duke and Joyce Weaver; and Benny and Marie Holtsclaw.
Entertainment was by Benny Holtsclaw of Cedar Point, who sang and played guitar.
Nielsen family
Descendants of Herman Nielsen of Dunlap enjoyed their first reunion on June 10 at the Senior Center in Americus. The group enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers with the usual accompaniments. All enjoyed sharing stories about their parents and grandparents and reminiscing of times growing up. Four of Herman Nielsen’s children were present: Elsie Anderson, Dale Nielsen, Dorothy Ratcliff and Mary Keen. The deceased children are Chris Nielsen, Esther Griffith and Ray Nielsen. Ten grandchildren attended and two were unable to attend. Also unable to attend were seven great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren. Of the 62 people attending, there were 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.
Those attending from out of state were Mike and Kala, Dawnette and Curtus and Megan and Caryn Sparks and Robert Sweet, all of Aurora, Neb.; Mary Keen of Edmond, Okla; Wayne and Dorothy Ratcliff of Durant, Okla.; and Kris Goforth of Oklahoma City, Okla.
Those from Kansas were Bob and Mary Unruh of Canton; Tim and Julie Toon, Jessie, Jordan, Jamie, Gracie and Chance, of Winfield; Russell Unruh, Amber and Chelsea, of Galva; Jimmie and Helen Nielsen of Allen; Veronica Nielsen, Jerry and Johanna Rumsey, Chauncy Smith, Lindsey, David and Vicki Jones and Larry and Margaret Nielsen, Elsie Anderson and Roger and Jacqui Anderson, Mindy and Cory, all of Americus; Dale Nielsen, Darrel Nielsen, David Nielsen, Damon Nielsen and Amy Whittemore, all of Dunlap; Micheal Nielsen and Payton and Brianna, Adam Gasche and John and Karen Bishop and Loren, all of Emporia; Matt and Brandee Ball, Mick, Zeke and Jake, of Reading; Barbara Nielsen, Michael and Lisa Nielsen and Maraya, and Stephanie and Sierra Hodges, all of Council Grove.
Roosevelt High School
The 75th Roosevelt High School Class Reunion was held the first weekend in June. The class of 1957 met for a cheese and wine social hour on the veranda of the William Allen White house. Dinner at the Olpe Chicken House completed the first day of the reunion (June 8). On Saturday, the group went by bus for a tour of Council Grove historical sights, then to the Council Grove lake for pontoon boating and lunch at the home of Marvin and Lavon Brockleman. The evening dinner and photo session was at the Country Club. The celebration continued Sunday at the home of Billie Max and Gayla Browning, who were hosts for an old-fashioned barbecue picnic, complete with homemade ice cream. Shirley Kusmaul and Mildred Gunkle assisted with the food for the lunch. The Browning’s great-grandchildren acted as greeters and tour guides for the farm.
Attending from out of state were Charles L. and Mary Anne Lill Bouquin of Green River, Wyo.; John and Myrna Brewer Brothers of Alvin, Texas; Harold and Fran Freeman Brier of Springfield, Mo.; David DeLong of Philadelphia, Pa.; Karen Eppink Remington of Palm Springs, Calif.; Paul and Bonnie Fredericksen Hensleigh of Stanford, Calif.; Cecil and Marilyn Johnson Howard of Glenwood, N.M.; Allen and Myrna Kirk of Wilmington, Del.; John and Nelly Welch of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Glenda Rae White Cole of Logan, Utah.
Those from Kansas were Leroy and Barbara Hammer Snook and Richard and Judy Price of Topeka; Marvin and Lavon Place Brockleman of Council Grove; Kenneth and Patricia Preston Willy of Milford; Lester and Shirley Rees Kusmaul of Reading; and Billie Max and Gayla Atchison Browning and Calvin and Mildred Brickley Gunkle.
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