Wilcox family gathers for 50th reunion

The Wilcox family in 1957

The Wilcox family celebrated its 50th family reunion April 27-28 at the old Bulah schoolhouse. The event began Friday, April 27, with some of the family members gathering at the school to clean and set-up for the following day. After the work was finished the grills were fired up for a cook-out of hamburgers and hot dogs and then a campfire was lit for roasting marshmallows as everyone sat around taking turns telling old stories.

More than 200 attended the Saturday event. The tables were overflowing with food and desserts.

This annual reunion began 50 years ago, but to go back to the real beginning of this family one would have to travel back to the year 1907 when John William (Bill) Wilcox married (Emma) Elzira Hutchins. The two had 15 children, Odelle, Hulen, Amy, Preston, Hubert, Willie, Myrtie, Leslie, Grady, Lora, Lorene, Jane, Carl, Vernene and Delton. To date there are 44 first cousins and 108 second cousins. To keep track of who belongs to who, each family has a color that they wear to help with such growing numbers.

Those who worked on Friday were Kenneth, Myrna, Vernene, Bennie, Lora, Jill, Preston, Emadean, Charles, Leslie, Jackie, Donnie, Barbara, Marie and Dennis.

Family members, Jimmie, Howard and Lora mailed letters and made name tags; Jill and Lora sold tickets and worked on the family directory; Karon and Belinda worked on the candy guessing game; Kenneth and Glenn worked on games, with the help of Gale, Nicki, Trena and Ashley; Anita was in charge of the entertainment; Joyce and Myrna brought the guest book and the special table for the brothers and sisters; Marie was in charge of honoring the military and family pictures; Leslie brought the adobe wagon; Dayton and Vernene were emcees; Donnie was in charge of cleanup; Emadean, Beverly, Stella, Kay, and Sonya, the kitchen setup; and Dayton provided the banner.

One of the special highlights of the day was the presentation of the cup to Preston, who was 94 this year. This tradition began in 1987, when the first cup was presented.

Each of the brothers and sisters names are engraved on it, as well as their parents.