Reunions

We just returned from Oklahoma where we attended the reunion for the classes of 1950-1955 of El Reno High School. Thomas graduated from the Class of 1953. These get-togethers are held every five years (except for celebrations of 50 years as it was for Thomas's class in 2003). It is a weekend event and a big deal in the town of El Reno, Oklahoma. We attended the activities and Thomas got to see and renew acquaintances with many of his former classmates. In this photo the Class of '53 is trying to assemble for a group photo.

It was also a time to visit with family that we only get to see once a year at most. Thomas's brother, Carol and his wife, Hazel, who were our gracious hosts, and his sisters, Betty and Janice (and her husband, Don). Several nieces and a nephew-by-marriage popped in too. We also visited the gravesite of his oldest sister, Hazeldean. We were in El Reno just over a year ago for her funeral. Also while there, we had to visit some special sites like Roberts where we indulged in onion fried burgers and coneys. No place but El Reno can you get onion fried burgers and enjoy the experience of watching them prepare them. They toss hunks of hamburger on the grill and flattened it with an object much like a trowel. Then a large handful of sliced onions are thrown on top and again flattened. This is flipped and flattened and then after the bun has been placed on the burger on the grill (to soak up some extra grease, I think), it is put on your plate to enjoy. Part of the fun is just experiencing the process. We all had onion burgers at the luncheon on Saturday at the reunion too. Yum.........an El Reno delicacy to be sure !!! And then we went to Red Rock Canyon, a place the Hardwick family visited often when Thomas was a child. I find the Oklahoma landscape west and south of El Reno fascinating. You can go along, the land is flat and then there is this crevice/ravine which is deep. Anyway, such is the case with Red Rock. As you approach the town of Hinton, OK, you would never know Red Rock Canyon is there. You enter at the edge of town and go down, down and there it is in all of it's RED splendor. It's fascinating to see trees growing out of the red rock. We went deeper into the canyon, but this gives you an idea.





We visited with our Oklahoma grandsons, Zachary and Gregory. Zach is a senior this year at El Reno High School and Greg is in his 3rd year of a 4 year stint in the U.S. Air Force currently stationed at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City. We enjoyed spending some time with them both and reunioning with them!!

We also spent time going over the diaries/ journals of Thomas's parents, old photos, and the wonderful geneology that Thomas' brother, Carol, has worked on. We brought copies of many things home to share with our children so they can learn more about their family history on their father's side.

We drove home from central Kansas to central Iowa in rain hoping that it would follow us to Rockford, Illinois........but it did not!! We were glad to arrive home safely and look forward to our next reunioning!!