REFLECTIONS ON THE 2014 KILGORE COUSINS REUNION

This Memorial Day weekend, 61 descendants of Virge and Sarah Kilgore met on the old home place in Nauvoo, Alabama (Winston County) for a  reunion gathering.  This special reunion occurs  every two years, falling on even-numbered years. That means relatives can put the date on their calendars for Memorial Day weekend, 2016.  The location will be the Virge and Sarah Kilgore old farm again.  We had  6 guests for the day, making a total of 67 present.  Our guests were Linda Noles (Granny Kilgore was a Noles) and the Pope family of Poplar Springs, who attended during the evening session. Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day…somewhat hot, but truly a good weather day for meeting outdoors under the enormous oak trees of the old home place. I THANK my brother, Ricky for mowing the grounds for the occasion.  Ron McKeever and Jerry Kilgore also came two days prior to our gathering and helped out some.  The reunion preparations were truly a team effort.  

Virge and Sarah Kilgore had 10 children.  One child died at birth and was not named. Then there was Johnie Kilgore who died at the young age of 26, never marrying, and Lou Etta, the oldest daughter, who never had children.  The remaining 7 siblings had large families.  I, along with 29 others, make up the first cousins in the Kilgore lineage. All the Kilgore branches of the Virge Kilgore lineage were represented at this reunion, with the exception of two.  The registration showed that the Grady Kilgore family had 11 people present; the Lois Kilgore McKeever family had  20 people present; the Ruth Kilgore Spain family had 2 people present; the Cecil Kilgore family had 22 people present; and the Lorene Kilgore McKleroy family had 6 people present. There were no representatives from the Dolly Kilgore Sherer/Gordon family nor the Ruby Kilgore Chadwick family.

The oldest living first cousin, Herbert Kilgore, age 85, was present with his beautiful wife, Mozelle.  The oldest family member, and the only living spouse of the children of Virge and Sarah Kilgore, is my mother, Beatrice Kilgore, who was also present.  Within the same family line, the youngest in the Kilgore lineage, Graham Isaac Allen  (born April 2014), was present with his parents.  Here is a photo of Beatrice Kilgore holding her great-grandson at the reunion.  They were the oldest and youngest present.

The day was filled with a multiple number of recreational games and things to do, spear-headed by Ricky Kilgore’s wife, Pat Schubert Kilgore.  There was corn hole toss, volleyball, checkers, bubble blowing, chess, horseshoes, “Closest to the Pin” golf, Hula Hoops, parachute play, and the list goes on. 

There was much just sitting around, talking and recalling memories and catching up with each other.  Chairs were provided by those attending,  with an extra  number of chairs provided by James Phelps, Ron McKeever, Beatrice Kilgore, and yours truly, Johnny Kilgore. The snow cone machine was an instant hit during the warm day.  Pat Schubert Kilgore, Ricky’s wife, took care of renting the machine and manning it during the day.

Mike Kilgore provided a large canopy tent for the registration area, where the registration and donations took place. My sister, Rebecca Smith, assisted me in manning headquarters.  For the flower fund, we received $180 for the day.  That money was given to Patricia Phelps to be used for decorating the graves of Papa and Granny Kilgore, Uncle Johnie Kilgore, Sis (Lou Etta) Kilgore Romans, and other family members.  This is a special ministry that Patricia and Carolyn Lampman provide for the Kilgore family.  We thank them for that.  The second donation was applied to the expenses incurred from hosting the reunion. My bills were covered because of your generosity. 

As a matter of record, the following is the report of the expenses incurred and the total donations made on Saturday.

KILGORE COUSINS REUNION EXPENSES FOR MAY 24, 2014

Card stock from Staples                                                 $ 21.22

Paper from Staples & Name tags                                      12.41

Main Card Mail Out (Post Office)                                       29.92

Follow-up Card Mail Out                                                       1.70

Ink Printing (just a portion)                                                10.00

Donation containers (Dollar Tree)                                        3.24

Food, Drinks, Paper Goods (Walmart)                              113.20  
Snowball Machine Rental and supplies                              60.00

Total                                                                         $ 251.69

Money received:                                                             $ 253.00

Of that amount, Celia Spain Johnson contributed $100 in the memory of our relatives, Glenn McKeever and Micah McKeever, who passed away since the last reunion.

The evening wiener roast and sharing time was a little different than previous years.  I appreciate James Phelps for bringing his grill and roasting a lot of the wieners.  The fire was used also by some to roast their wieners.  We started the campfire early so that it would be just right for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs at 6:30 pm   I asked my brother, Mike Kilgore, to oversee the sharing time.  He did such an excellent job of facilitating the time of storytelling as we sat in the front yard and on the front porch of the 100 -year- old Kilgore home. 

A special thanks to Jim Kilgore for coming one day recently to help me put the plywood down on the porch of the old house so that we could sit there during the day and even be able to go into the house.

I could say more, but thought it  appropriate to share some thoughts from our cousin, Joe McKeever which he posted on Facebook.  

"May I take a moment to say a word of appreciation to the homefolks who knock themselves out for weeks in order to host a FAMILY REUNION? In our case, they laid out roads and cut the grass on 15 acres using a tractor and hauled in chairs and tables from every direction, laid plywood sheets on the floor on the ancient house for safety, brought in a generator and snow-cone machine and 800 other things. All we out-of-towners had to do was drive up and enjoy. My thanks to Johnny Kilgore and his team! Delighted that many in the family cared enough to drive in from Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Atlanta, Baton Rouge, etc. So disappointed that others did not make it. Like everything else in life, family reunions are becoming a thing of the past. The younger generations--the very ones who stay away from reunions because 'I don't know those people' --are the ones who will suffer most from not knowing their kinfolk. Too sad for words.

By the way, Joe had both his sons  and their families present.  Neil lives in the New Orleans area and Marty lives in the Charlotte, NC area.  Both traveled quite a distance proving it can be done.

Here are some pictures to help those who did not attend to see a glimpse of family, a day together, and a hope that we will see everyone in two years.  

The kind remarks concerning the reunion are greatly appreciated.  Mike McKleroy posted a message, and I share with you now.

"With Tracy McKleroy at Poplar Springs in N Alabama. On the farm that my grandfather homesteaded, and my mom and all her siblings (10) were born here. My mom was the baby. This farm has been in the family for over 100 years, but no one has lived here in over 50 years! Thank you to my cousins, especially Johnny Warren Kilgore and his wonderful family, for all their hard work, and for letting all of us cousins descend on the farm every other year. It was great!!"


I conclude this article by saying that even my dear wife, Pat, who doesn't care for reunions, told me as we drove on I-22  at 10 pm heading to our Birmingham home after the evening's reunion festivities, that she had a good time.   That's what it is all about and coming from Pat that was saying a lot.  2014 Kilgore Cousins Reunion is now in history.  Let's look forward to the future.  See you all in 2016, if not sooner.  Love you.

Johnny Kilgore

Kilgore Cousins Reunion Coordinator

A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES OF LOIS JANE KILGORE MCKEEVER by Ron McKeever

Lois Kilgore McKeever
July 14, 1916-June 2, 2012

Being the oldest of 7 children, I might have a memory or two that my other siblings doesn't have.  Asa child, I helped to see after the younger ones, helped Mom cook and prepare food, hauled wash water to help in the washing and learned to iron the hard way.  

I was born in Nauvoo and we moved to the old farm house (burned in 1954) in 1937 and the next 5 were born at the farmhouse with Charles being born near the coal mines in Nauvoo.  

Mom had all the hard work ethics of the Kilgore's and was a top-notch cook.  When I pastored, it was always a joy to carry hunting friends to the farm to eat Mom's cooking.  She made apple and peach pies out of this world.  For years, our church would have an old-fashion day and Mom always prepared 100 fried pies.  The churches kept me as pastor because of the fried pies.  I would carry my hunting buddies to the farm and they later told me that the only reason they went was to eat as many fried pies as they could consume.  

I remember her boarding that train in Beckley, West Virginia to make that long ride home when Papa Kilgore passed in 1949.  During the course of her almost 96 years on this earth, I remember all the major surgeries that she endured.  After Pop died, she continued to remember her wedding anniversary since, as far as she was concerned, she was still married.  

At Mom's funeral, I mentioned that she was never nominated as Mother of The Year, but what other mother could claim that she had two sons with a combined total of 100 years, serving God in various churches.

  She awaits the resurrection at Oak Grove Church, along with Pop, Charles, Hugh Francis, Glenn, Russell and a host of other family and friends.  Once more, I wish I could tell her how much we loved her, and if, possible, love her more in death.

MOTHER'S DAY 2014 RECOGNITIONS IN THE KILGORE FAMILY by Johnny Kilgore

This Sunday, May 11, 2014 is Mother’s Day.  During the worship hour at the churches I have served through the years, we have honored mothers by recognizing the oldest mother present,  the youngest mother present, and the mother with the most children who was present in the service.  

I take this time to acknowledge in our large Kilgore family the oldest mother living, the youngest mother alive, the mother still living with the most children, and the most recent mother who has given birth.  In recognizing these four, we also honor all the mothers within our family. 

The oldest living mother in the Kilgore family is Beatrice Manasco Kilgore, age 89, wife of Cecil Kilgore.  I can truly say without reservation and prejudice that she is the best mother in the world.  Cecil and Beat have four children, Johnny Kilgore, Mike Kilgore, Rebecca Smith, and Ricky Kilgore.

The youngest mother in the Kilgore lineage is Rachel Brown, born February 18, 1991.  Rachel is married to Michael Brown, great grandson of Frances Spain Walther. They are in the Kilgore ancestry through Ruth Kilgore Spain.  Rachel and Michael have one daughter, Gemma Catherine Brown, born in June 2013, and they reside in the Guntersville area.

There is a tie for the mother with the most children.  Frances Spain Walther and Rachel Chadwick Tilley both have five children.   

     

Frances is the oldest daughter of Ted and Ruth Kilgore Spain.  Her children are  Kathy Smallwood Cooke, Sharon Smallwood Faircloth, Denise Williams Meyeraan, Joe Williams, Jr. and Sandy Williams Hill.  Frances resides in Madison, Alabama.  

     

Rachel is the the youngest daughter of Dr. Billy Chadwick, and grand- daughter to Johnny and Ruby Kilgore Chadwick.  Rachel’s children are Haley Riggins, Karli Tilley, Ken Tilley, Marshall Tilley, and Gigi Tilley.  Rachel and husband, Mark Tilley reside in Clanton, Alabama. Mark is an accomplished vocalist, and has sung at some of the Kilgore Cousins Family Reunions.

The  mother in our Kilgore lineage who has given the most recent birth is Becca Sweeney Allen, wife of Jeremy Allen and daughter-in-law to Rebecca Kilgore Smith.  Becca gave birth to her third son, Graham Isaac Allen on April 21, 2014.  Graham joins two older siblings, Cayden and Sawyer. Becca, Jeremy, and the boys reside in Maylene, Alabama.

This Sunday is bitter-sweet for many in the Kilgore family because their mothers are no longer with us here on earth.   Knowing that death is not the same for the Christian believer, there will be a glad reunion in the future because we have the hope of the resurrection through Jesus.  “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

But until that time, a mother’s love lives on even after death through the lives of her children and grandchildren.   A mother’s  legacy cannot be underestimated either.  Our successes are attributed to the nurturing guidance and love of the mothers in our family, and seasoned with the honest work, discipline, and integrity of our fathers.  May this Sunday be a blessed day for one and all.
  

A CHILD'S MEMORY OF JOHNIE KILGORE by Ron McKeever

Johnie Thomas Kilgore  

December 1913 - March 1939

I was almost 4 years of age when Uncle Johnie died.  One thing I specifically remember at my young age was that he always had chewing gum for all the grandkids when he came from his job in Birmingham on the weekends.  

Uncle Johnie with a lady friend. Photo
says 1944, but has to be 1934.

  

He was employed by Bayliss Machine & Welding Company and on the weekends when he didn't ride the bus back to the farm, he always wrote a card to the homefolks to let them know that he was alright.

When he died, I remember the hearse bringing the body to our farm house for Mom to view.  She had a baby to die after only living part of the day.  Back then, you spent a week or two in bed since prenatal care was unheard of.  I recall the hearse backing up to the porch, the casket being unloaded and opened for Mom to view him.  The casket was then carried to the farmhouse and would lie in state overnight before the burial.  

Uncle Johnny had a dog named Bulger and the dog had never entered the house.  When they set up the bier, the dog came in and lay under the casket until he was ushered out.

Uncle Johnie & family with the school bus
he drove in the background

Mom told us that Uncle Johnie drove the school bus while he was in school.  He was the protector of her and Ruth and boys never dared to cross him.  

Fast forward 30 years.  

I was pastor at a church in southwest Birmingham and one of my deacons mentioned that he was raised in Helena, Alabama, about 30 miles south of Birmingham.  I mentioned that I had an uncle to get killed on a motorcycle wreck in Helena 30 years ago.  He remembered it, since, as a teenager, he and all the community went over to see the place of the wreck because deaths of this kind were rare.  I requested that he carry me down and show me the place.  It was now paved but back then, it was a gravel road.  A boy and his girlfriend and Uncle Johnie were all on the motorcycle when it rounded the curve and only Johnie was hurt.  

He spent the next two weeks in and out of a coma and finally passed away.  Mom said that he mentioned a couple of times that..."...they hit me and took my wallet...".  No wallet was ever found and no investigation was ever made.  The other two had no major injuries and survived.  Uncle Johnie is interred next to Poppa and Granny Kilgore at Bennett Cemetery, awaiting the resurrection.

Uncle Johnie's grave  at Bennett Cemetery
during the 1950's,
decorated on the third Sunday in May