I ran across this picutre the other day while looking for something else. As I was looking at it it occurred to to me that only three of the people in it are still living. That made me kind of sad, but later I started thinking about them all, trying to come up with some happy memories. That and a bit of family history is what follows. This picture was taken in June of '68, I was still just a little kid then. :) It was a family reunion, at my G-Aunt Aileen's house in Agency. She lived a couple blocks from the church, and the school. It was probably a get together for Grandmother & Hilah's birthday.

I'm going to start with the older woman in the back, because this is a picture of her with most of her grandchildren. Missing are my Mom, Aunt Nancy Wagner and Suzanne Ussary.

That's Mom Thomson, my g-grandmother on Mom's side of the family. What I remember most about her is that she lived in a little white house, on the Platte River in what would be downtown Agency. Across the street from the school that she worked at & that her kids and most of her grandkids graduated from. The memory that sticks with is that her peanut butter came in a big sliver can and you had to stir it up before you used it. I found out later this was gov't peanut butter. Uncle Kenny told me that one time he and David stayed with Mom T. while the rest of the family went on vacation. He said they each had a quarter to spend while there. Only she wouldn't let them buy soda or candy. So they had their money left when they went home. Of course, he always made it sound funnier than I do. ;)

Now from the left is Paula Clinton, for over 40 years Paula Korneman. Paula is Aileen and Robert Clinton's daughter. She & her husband had 5 children, their oldest Roland died in an accident when he was 9. The other 4 are all married and have children of their own. I used to see her every year or so at the reunions but we don't have those anymore. Paula and Dana were in town a couple of years ago for something. They stopped in to see us and we keep in touch with them through letters and facebook.

Next to Paula is her brother Phil. I don't remember much about him. He always kept to himself. I keep in touch with his girls on facebook. I remember being at a party at his house, I think it was Christmas or New Years. All the cousins were there and it was a wild night. ;)

Behind Phil is Kenny Settle, my uncle. The stories I could tell about him. LOL Kenny was like a big brother than an uncle at times. Kenny was in the Navy in the '70's he was a fireman. He was actually on the Shangri-la a ship Dad served on years before. He was married twice first to Diane Styp and then to Carolyn Brown he adopted her daughter Mistie Joree. We've lost touch with Mistie since Grandmother & Lloyd died. Kenny & Dave visited us in Fla, the first time we were stationed there. They were just teenagers and drove down from MO by themselves. I can only imagine what kind of road trip that was. :) I remember taking them crabbing and fishing. Toward the end Kenny got stuck in his memories. He must have apologized a thousand times for almost setting me on fire when I was a toddler. If you haven't heard that story and want to let me know. He spent a lot of time here in his last few years. He told stories, that's a Settle trait being able to tell a good story. ;)

Next to Kenny is Uncle Richard Settle. I wasn't real close to Richard mainly because I only got to see once every couple of years. But he taught me how to use a bull whip and how to properly handle a gun. He and some of the other guys took some of us kids out in the woods and taught us how to shoot. I never got very good at it because that was the only time I ever got to shoot. Richard was very inventive and used to build things all the time. He once built a cannon with out any plans just to see if he could. All of the Settle boys loved to build things. In Grandmother's basement they all made zip guns, pipe bombs, bows, arrows, slingshots. The basement of the Peggy Circle house always smelled like gunpowder. Even after he got sick and was unable to move or speak, he communicated with his son and told him what to get and how to put it together to make gadgets. Several were used by his family to care for him or by him to make his life easier.

The boy in front of Mom T. is Randy Clinton, Paula & Phil's brother. He lives on a farm near St. Joseph. I don't really remember much about him either he was older than me so we didn't hang out a lot when we visited the family.

Next to Randy is Stephan Ussary Aunt Hilah's oldest. Steve had a very troubled life. He was married to Mary Lou Mott and had 3 children. After Stephan returned from Vietnam they divorced and he became a recluse for about 10 years barricading himself in a room and only coming out late at night. I remember hearing he once saved the family house from fire when the wood stove caught. He was up and smelled smoke before anyone else and put it out before there was too much damage. Stephan loved the stars, I remember standing outside one night at the farm naming the constellations with him. It's the one clear memory I have of him.

Next to Stephan is Charles Lee Ussary. He still lives and works on the family farm. He bought his siblings out and works very hard everyday. I admire him because he has taken care of Aunt Hilah since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I remember I always loved visiting the farm there was just so much outside to run around in and it was so different from anywhere I lived. Charles Lee let me play with his G.I. Joe when I was little. ;) Plus when I was a kid they always had dogs and cats running around. Uncle Lloyd let me climb on his tractors and big machines.

And lastly is David Wayne Settle, another uncle. ;) Like Kenny David was more like a brother than an uncle. He taught me to use a bow and tried to teach me how to use a slingshot. I was never good with that. I remember following him through the woods, looking for mushrooms, finding arrow heads, and crossing creeks. All the Settle Boys loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing or just walking in the woods. I get a lot of that from them, well except the hunting part. But if I was able I'd spend more time outdoors. David married Angie and adopted her daughter Shelly Marie. At the wedding Shelly was so excited because David was her daddy! Angie made the guys wear grey tuxes with hot pink shirts that had ruffles down the front. Uncle Richard made a real a fuss about wearing hot pink with ruffles. I remember the bustle at Grandmother's apt that morning. With everyone trying to get ready in that small space.

That's all I have right now. If I've forgotten anything it's mostly due to lack of sleep. :)