90th BROWN REUNION
The 90th annual Brown Reunion, descendants of John and Elizabeth Brown, was held Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the Brown Park south of Bogota, IL. Being under the pavilion allowed us to be comfortable during our summer weather and it was a very breezy day. Around 12:30 P.M. Dean Brown asked the blessing and thanked all those present for coming and for those who wanted to be here and couldn’t. We were blessed with a variety of food as seen on all the plates. After lunch the song we usually sang before lunch “Come Home It’s Supper Time was sung and then we sang “The Little Brown Church in the Wildwood”. Too many hungry people!
The gold “Lincoln” dollars were presented to the following people: oldest female: Imogene Kerr, 102 yrs.; oldest male: Dean Brown, 96 yrs.; traveled the farthest: Michael T. Brown, Phoenix, AZ; largest family present: Donna (Brown) Coad; youngest: Kaylyn Leachman, 4 yrs. 11 mo.
The election of officers resulted in the retention of the three existing officers: President, Thomas H. Brown; Vice-President, Jenny (Bridges) Stadge and Secretary-Treasurer, Faye A. Brown.
Our President has been mowing and maintaining the park.
The porta pot was again rented from Snearley’s, Martinsville, IL.
The guest book was signed by: Thomas H. & Faye A. Brown, Newton, IL; Michael Brown, Phoenix, AZ; Nathan P. Stark, Cedar Rapids, IA; Isaac S. Stark, Cedar Rapids, IA; Dorthy Brown, Newton, IL; Larry Brown, Newton, IL; Imogene Kerr, Hord, IL; Maria Hubbard, Effingham, IL; Hunter Burchfield, Piedmont, AL; Amber Emmerich, Effingham, IL; Stephanie Burchfield, Gadsden, AL; Jenny Stadge, Newton, IL; Carole Dewhirst Roberts, Evansville, IN; Melvin & Joann Birk, Newton, IL; Donna Coad, Newton, IL; Dean & Shirley Brown, Clay City, IL; Tim & Lori Dion, Newton, IL; Deanna, Christy and Caden Kerner, Arcola, IL; Andre, Debbie, Gavin, Liam, Quinn and Kaylyn Leachman, Newton, IL; Sherry and Shannon Stark, Cedar Rapids, IA; Deborah and Anna Logan (Faye’s niece), Decatur, IL; Doug Coad, Ashley and Allison, Henderson, KY; and Loretta Emmerich, Newton, IL.
Tom thanked the families who came and for their donations to keep the Reunion going. We do appreciate any help to keep our Reunion going! Our families are so important to keep together and for so many of us they are scattered around the country.
Next year the 91st Reunion will be on August 17, 2025 (third Sunday in August) at the Brown Park.
Please bring your families, friends, food, tableware, lawn chairs, pictures to share and any updates for the family tree, (lunch starts around 12:30 P.M.). Water, tea and lemonade will be furnished. Looking forward to seeing you next year!
