Banz, - Brooks, - Carris, - Hill, - Justus, - Reunions

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Banz, - Brooks, - Carris, - Hill, - Justus,

          

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You can view the records of the past 49 years here
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>>>Pictures 2005 reunion<<<

>>>Pictures 2009 reunion<<<

If you would like to add, Pictures and information to this record please E-mail the information to Phillip H. Pitzer , thank you.

>>> First a little history on how all this got started <<<

The following was written by Viola Hill, wife of Franklin "Frank" Hill, February 1982

This letter is being sent out as a means of informing family members something of the history of our reunions. I realize that for many of you this is merely a throw-away item and as such will be relegated to file 13. But, since there were some of the younger generation taking interest and asking for information at the reunion last Fall, I have decided to compile a few statistics for you.

It all started back in 1959 on the Sunday before Labor Day when Frank Hill and I (Viola) decided to have a big family get-together at our farm home. /PHP/The farm home of Frank and Viola was the farm they inhertied from Frank's parents Odus Grant Hill and Florance "Flora" Ann Brooks Hill, located approximately 9 miles west of Hutchinson on 17th street./PHP/end/ The weather that day was perfect, no wind. Long tables were set up in the yard under the trees to accommodate the beautiful carry-in dinner. When we ran out of chairs to sit on many found the bales of hay scattered around in the yard worked just as well. Those I recall being there that day included: Mr. & Mrs. Clinton Henry Brooks, Mr. & Mrs. Gene Runyan and girls, Mr. & Mrs. Glen Carris and family, Ova Brooks, Mr. & Mrs. Ellsworth Brown and family, Mr. & Mrs. Roy Pringle and Kirk, Mr. & Mrs. Ray Belford, Odus Grant "Windy' Hill along with all of his children and many of his grandchildren and great grandchildren. There was no business meeting held that day. It was a day filled with visiting and eating. However before the day was over Jo B Runyan suggested to Frank that we make this an annual affair and include all the Brooks descendants in the area. She said she would help with such an undertaking for 1960.

The 1960 reunion was held in the old union Five Schoolhouse south of Sterling. We have no record of who attended, but there were several who were not present at the dinner in 1959. A business meeting was called that day with Frank Hill presiding and Jo B acting as secretary. A committee was nominated for 1961. and so it has been that we have continued the tradition. The 1961 reunion as well as the next few were held at Union Five. Since then we have met at the Fairgrounds, Carey Park and the Masonic Hall in Hutchinson; Midland school north of Nickerson; Wichita; Bible Camp and Mitchell School northwest of Hutchinson; Co-op Bldg. in sterling, Ks., Cope, Greeley, and Buckhorn Mountain in Colorado.

Since that first dinner in 1959 there have been many changes in the family. Of those who were with us that day the following are now deceased: Ova Brooks, Roy Pringle, Ellsworth & Dorothea Brown, Odus Grant Hill, Clifford & Stella Thompson, Raymon & Mildred Trober, Fahrney Slifer, Stanley Farthing, Ralph Hill, Elsie (Mrs. Geo.) Hill, Steve Hill, Dave Hill, Pearl Pitzer Grant, and John Pitzer. Those who have met in other years with the family and are no longer with us include: Louis & Elva Justus, Addie Justus Anderson Detter & Bruce Detter, Gertrude Justus, Bertha & Wilbur Kirkhuff, Lewis Carris, Olive Sollenberger, Fred Brooks, Ray McGonigle, Thomas Kelly Kennedy, Dennis Cessna, and Earl and Ruby Brooks. Just as there have been many deaths in the family over the past 22 years the number of marriages and births among the younger generation have more than kept pace with our numbers. Frank and I have never missed a reunion and since records have not always been kept we have no way of knowing how many more can say the same. There is one family who deserve special recognition for their faithfulness and perserverance in having attended most of the time. That is the Dean Hill family of Cope, Colo. Many is the time they have put in a full days work on the farm putting up hay or whatever all day Saturday, got up in the wee,small hours of the morning on Sunday, driven to Hutchinson and then back home that night and ready for another day in the field on Monday Clint Brooks who is the Senior member of our family now is also on record as having an almost perfect record of attendance. In 1975 I was elected to keep up the mailing list for the family. This has from time to time entailed considerable correspondence, but nevertheless it has its rewards. It does help to get to know the family better and it is something I have enjoyed doing. However, as you can see from the number of deaths over the past 22 years, the torch is being passed and the time will come when I will no longer be among the living. So, if there is some younger member of the family who is interested in keeping up the records, either now or in the future, I would be glad to pass the job on. And, I do hope someone is interested. Viola Hill
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