Family Reunion

 

Back row:  Steve Haack, Joe Brehmer, Brian Brehmer, Carol Scott, Karen Chatterton, Tom Whipple
Front row:  Mary Wilson, Pauline Williams, Jude Brogan, Dick Prokasky, Donna Busse, Ginger Maliszewski

Over the weekend, we hosted the Prokasky family reunion at the New Haven Township Hall.  This has not happened since October of 1988!

What an amazing afternoon!  My mom didn't talk about her relatives a whole lot that I can remember, so meeting all of this extended family was such a treat for me.  

So, for background, this is my mother's paternal family.  Her dad, Emil Prokasky, was the oldest of 10 children born to Martin and Gertrude (Vogel) Prokasky.  There were 6 boys and 4 girls; one girl died as an infant.  

From those 10 children, there were 19 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, 41 great-great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-great grandchildren (to date).  Wowza!!  All because two people fell in love, right?

I heard stories about how my mom, her sister, and their cousin doted on one of the younger cousins and sang "How Much Was That Doggy In The Window" to her.  

Image courtesy of Google Arts & Culture

I learned that two of my mom's uncles owned and operated Fisherman's Inn for a time.  

Image courtesy of Post Bulletin

I learned that one of my mom's aunt's and her husband's nicknames were Bert (Bertha) and Doodle (Julius).  Bert, for obvious reasons.  Doodle because he used to bounce the nieces and nephews on his leg singing "Doodledy doodledy doo."  Bert and Doodle; I love it!

I learned that my mom's aunt and uncle ran a bar in Pine Island called the CarcaJou which was in an old railroad car situated where the current grocery store sits.  They also owned and operated an eatery called The Hamburger Stand on Main Street in Pine Island (also know as the Popcorn Stand) that was famous for its onion rings which mom's cousin eventually ran.

I learned that there is a fellow crochet enthusiast in the group, and Captain had a great talk with another farmer who was there.  

One topic of conversation over the course of the afternoon was how people used to "go visiting" on Sunday afternoons, usually to a family member's house but sometimes to a neighbor's house.  How have we all gotten too busy for the face-to-face, personal connection?  

Is it social media that has made it easy to think, Oh, they all know what's going on in my world because I put it on Facebook.  

WRONG!  Well, yes, they know--but there is no interaction...no finding out what's going on in THEIR world...no clicks of hey, I know the same person you know!

Nothing, absolutely nothing, replaces that connection to and solid relationship with our families.  I know that we are all busy and life is crazy, but at the end of the day family is all we have.  

I am so glad that we had a Prokasky reunion, and there are already plans to do it again next year.  I...can't...WAIT!