Summer of 1985


Colorado reunion, August-September


Story by Mary Louise (Smith) Parsons, written September 1985




A few weeks before Hazel and Philip Parsons' 61st wedding anniversary their family gathered in Colorado. It was a memorable gathering, and one worthy of record.

Daughter Neta and husband Stan Sharp, from Portland, Oregon, were the first to arrive. Their youngest daughter, Becky, was enrolled as a freshman at Colorado College and had to be on campus in Colorado Springs by August 28th.

Ray and I arrived at Denver airport Thursday, August 29, where our youngest daughter, Barbara met us and drove us to Ft. Collins. (Barbara is living in Denver until December '85 when she will graduate from Metropolitan State College.)

Son, Bob, and his wife Erdeena were now living in Loveland, Colorado, having moved there from California just a few months before. As school teachers they had taken early retirement and purchased Erdeena's parents farm in Loveland after her folks moved into town.

Bob and Erdeena had invited us all to stay at the farm - the youngsters (we were told in Bob's laughing way) could stay in the chicken coop, and Ray and I in the corn field. As it turned out Bob and Erdeena opened their house to us, and we had not only the most comfortable bedrooms but full use of the kitchen an beautiful evening views of moonlight on the lake from their sunporch.

Our sons, David and Tom and their families arrived together the afternoon of the 30th, having arrived at Denver airport from the East around the same time. That evening Neta and Stan brought Hazel and Phil to Loveland for a cookout and first meeting of the great grand-daughter, Joyce - Tom and Kathie's little one. Joyce won the hearts of us all as she 'traveled from one to the other in her walker, greeting us all with her winning smile.

The next day, Sunday, two more great-grand-daughters arrived, Amanda and Jenny. They drove from Boise, Idaho, with their parents, Larry and Patty (Bob and Erdeena's son). They immediately formed a mutual admiration society with Joyce - it was love at first sight for all three. Monday, Labor Day, brought Kelly (Neta and Stan's oldest daughter). She had just flown in from a four week trip to Russia. She had taken the trip for credit in a college class and had lots of interesting stories to share with us.

That evening our daughter, Linda, flew in from Austin, Texas. This would be her last vacation with us as a single girl, as she was planning to be married September 21 - on Hazel and Phil's 61st wedding anniversary! For story of Linda's wedding click here.
I might add here that two grand-children were missing form this reunion. Patty Ann (Bob and Erdeena's daughter living in California), her husband, Steve, and their two boys, Tony and Chris, were unable to take vacation time with us - and Mark (Neta and Stan's son) was on training cruise with the Navy.

Group Photo #1 -The folks, their children & spouses.
BACK (from left): Ray, Erdeena, Bob, Stan, Neta
FRONT: Mary, Hazel, Phil

By this time we were overflowing Bob and Erdeena" house so Neta and Stan, Ray and I were quest at the home of Corabelle and Scott Hall in Ft. Collins. Corabelle is Hazel's cousin, and we loved getting to know her and Scott.

Our week was filled with happy times - golfing for the boys, shopping for the girls, horseback riding, hiking, lots of badminton, computer sessions for Bob and Ray, picnics, house hunting for Ray and me (we might retire to Colorado someday), dinners out at Perkins Pancake House (there were 22 of us at the table), tennis, a game of Trivia Pursuit, Video cassettes at Bob's - oh yes, and a bridal shower for Linda.

The latter might warrant a little detail. The shower had been planned for months by Barbara, David's wife, Marie, and Kathie It was to be a surprise cookout at Bob and Erdeena's farm. Invitations were sent weeks in advance. There was much whispering and hiding of presents. It was a beautiful Colorado day.
Group 2 photo (Grandchildren & spouses) - BACK: Tom, Barb, Linda, David, Larry
SEATED: Kathie, Kelly, Marie, Patty.
ON LAPS (Great-Grandchildren) Joyce, Amanda, Jenny.
The backyard was decorated with crepe paper streamers and red heart-shaped balloons. There was a decorated cake, and lots of presents hidden in the living-room. Linda arrived with Ray, all smiles but (as we learned) not one bit surprised. There had been too little talk about this cookout, she said, not our usual hashing over details. Of course, this didn't stop the fun. She was surprised to see our quests, as they include Aunt Polly Parsons from Denver, the Albert and Bertha Stolz (Erdeena's parents), and Corabelle and Scott Hall. After eating Bob's scrumpuous grilled hamburgers and various salad dishes, we had a picture-taking session. We were all very patient with the amateur photographers and smiled our prettiest!
Photo of Scott Hall, Cora Belle (Knearl) Hall, Polly Parsons
Albert Stolz, Bertha (Stahlecker) Stolz, Hazel (Quint) Parsons, Phil Parsons
We then retired into the house where Linda enjoyed unwrapping all of the shower gifts. It was a memorable day.

As we arrived, so we departed - Neta, Stan, and Kelly started their drive west on Friday; Larry, Patty and the girls followed west; and Sunday Ray and I flew East, with the family all following on their flights.

A memorable summer of 1985!


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