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May 1985 - Invitation
Yes---there will be an L.A. Iverson family reunion this year.
Yes---it will still be held at the ranch house.
Yes---it will be over the Memorial Day Weekend (May 25th, 26th, 27th)
No---we are not very organized this year.
Yes---we still hope to have family dinner.
No---we can't say which day it will be.
No---we haven't planned any entertainment.
Yes---we are open to any and all suggestions and volunteers.
No---we won't except any excuses, we hope to see everyone there!
FIASCO YEAR 1985 REUNION
A-Z Ranch Mohave Co. Arizona
TALLY SHEET
LEE'S FAMILY, 2
100% honorary attendance for the last five years, for effort. They were
the only ones to show up for family dinner on Sunday--awful rough to come
18 hundred miles for a can of pork and beans and then not even find a
can-opener, ain't it!
DUARD'S FAMILY, 20
Had the most members there.
Comment from Stella; "You ain't taking my picture, you took it last
year." Thanks Glenna, Lori, and little ones for letting me take your
picture.
Final comment from Stella, "Don't drive to fast going back to town,
you might miss some of the bumps!
CARLA'S FAMILY, 1 and 2 guests. (Joe and Sharon Parham)
Carla just wandered around asking dumb questions.
HARLEY'S FAMILY, 4 and 1 guest. (Paul's friend Kim)
Never saw Harley though, he spent the day digging ditches. Merna went to
the mountains, she ain't no dummy! Shamane tried to take a cactus thorn
out of Chrissie's toe with a hunting knife; how's your toe Chris?
GARN'S FAMILY, 4
100% attendance. Barbara gets a salute for coming as she's been ill, plus
she only comes every other year and this wasn't her year, huh Barb? They
took a trip up to Nixon, as Garn doesn't understand a reunion without a
pine tree. (He and Tris need to get together.)
BOYD'S FAMILY, 0
They were in town drinking coffee.
MARY'S FAMILY, 1
Shawn was there, having a swell time mudding it up in the pond with David.
Jamie was in Salt Lake City doing a good deed. He planned to come out
Sunday, but he was smart and checked the grapevine first.
MAX'S FAMILY, 4 plus ½, Mickey was there. Mickey is a dog, but Holly
thinks he is a person. She walked up to him and said, "If you want
this hot dog speak, and I'll give it to you." He said, "Woof,
woof," and she gave it to him. Hard to believe. She must have got the
idea that Mickey is human from Nita, who has been known to refer to Garn
as Mickey's uncle! (How do you think that went over?)
The stories get worse, on their way to town Saturday night they
reported UFO sightings. Their story was backed up by Duard's and Garn's so
I'm told. Some suggested they were rockets, but II like the UFO's better.
After all it was that kind of a reunion, we need one once in a while to
keep us on our toes!
One family member, who rarely shows up, claims ALL of our reunions are
about as well organized as a Polish Cavalry charge. Guess who's house the
organizing committee is going to meet at for coffee next year?
END OF TALLY SHEET.
A-Z RANCH, MOHAVE CO. ARIZONA 1985 NEWSLETTER
The 6th annual L.A. Iverson family reunion 1985, or a comedy of errors,
or the family circus, which ever you prefer.
Week # 3, before reunion time and counting down.
Question: Tris, is the family dinner on Sunday as usual this year?
Answer: I don't know, I want to go to Pine Valley.
Week # 2
Question: Tris, who's in charge of what to bring for family dinner?
Answer: I don't know, I want to go to Pine Valley.
Week#1
Question: Dog gone it Tris, are we going to have family dinner or what?
Answer: I don't, I want to go to Pine Valley.
Day#3 before reunion, and still counting down.
Message from Brent's house in California; we can't come-truck motor
blew up on the freeway-were going to come in the van, but now it's acting
up-it's in the shop. Kids are crying in disappointment, had to take them
to Disneyland to stop the flow of tears.
Day # 2 before the reunion
Inquiry to Craig's house in California, car is acting up. Craig was
going to come on his motorcycle, but his friend (brother-in-law) probably
not a friend anymore, dumped his cycle, it's in the shop.
Day # 1 before reunion
Inquiry to Kurt's house in California. (After convincing Paula that it
was not an obscene phone call) car is acting up, Kurt has taken it to the
shop.
Now folks, I want you to know that I can take a joke as well as the nest
one, in fact I love "em! So I take this all in fun and good humor.
Saturday morning, Day #1 of the reunion
I rounded up Shawn, and two friends, loaded up
and headed out. After a stop at Harmon's (grocery store) Harley's, K-Mart,
Parham's (my friends) K-Mart again, and Albertson's. (Another grocery
store) Yippee, we are on the road! All goes well and we make it to the top
of Quail, with out even having to get out and push.
When we were driving up Main Street Valley the
wild flowers was pretty, so we decided to stop and take a picture. Shawn,
wanting to be the photographer in charge had the camera and kept walking
back down the road. When told not to go back to Wolfhole before taking it,
he said OK, but this camera sure does magnify, "click" and took
a picture of his own nose; he was looking through the wrong side. His
story was that it was an honest mistake, but did his traveling companions
buy that, no way! They decided the kid has a narcissus complex.
We arrived at the ranch just in time for lunch,
had the best chili I ever tasted. Trying to find out the name of the cook,
I was given three, Duard, Cindy, and Barbara. The old saying, "too
many cooks spoil the broth" certainly did not hold true in this case.
It was great!
All is fine; I'm here-- but having heard a vague
rumor that Lee Alan was coming (never heard Lee might) I kept asking - is
Lee Alan coming? Answers I got ranged from, "I never heard that, I
don't know, blank stares, and I wish I'd gone to Pine Valley!"
Finally some caring soul gently suggested to me,
"Well I guess he just couldn't make it." OK I understood-
couldn't make it- from the California group, so I scratched that one, and
went around trying to take pictures (which very few would hold still for-
appreciate those who did though) and nagging at all to write in the
journal.
Max took a group of us to Daddy Noaks' grave, and
for a tour out in the back, where I hadn't been for many years, enjoyed
it. Thanks Max.
Now back at the ranch house, I ask Tris, "
Are we going to cook dinner, if so I brought food." "I guess so,
he says, I'm going to stay out here over night." Now, I think is this
just a ha, ha--he might-or a really belly laugh-ho ho ho--no way! So I ask
Stella, and she indicated that in her opinion it was a real ho ho ho!
So having had about all the fun and dirt I could
handle for one day (also being a very chicken person) I take some more
pictures of Duard digging out the cellar, and sinking the water
tank, and then get ready to go to town. Shawn doesn't want to
go-having lost his shoes and also being engaged in a card game with the
fun members of the group. This is fine, gave him instructions and left him
in Nita's care. (By the way Nita was the yaustie winner, however she may
have been playing with the kiddies, I'm not quite clear on that.) But as
you can tell I'm not quite clear on anything!
Ahhhhhhhh, I'm back in town, and in the shower
early Saturday evening.
Sunday: Day #2 of reunion.
Late afternoon my phone rings, it's Merna. She
says, "Do you know Lee and Lee Alan are here and that they went to
the ranch this morning thinking we would all be there?" I was
stunned, completely flabbergasted! I don't remember what I said, but it
was something like, "Are you kidding, I don'tbelieve it, how did this
happen, or I wish I was in Pine Valley!"
After regrouping my thoughts and pulling back
from the edge of hysterics, I suggested we get all the family together at
a local eater; by this time Harley is also on the phone, and he thinks we
would have better luck having a cookout on his lawn. Fine I say,
"I'll call everyone, pick up a few thing at the store and be right
down."
I made contact with all the households in the
area, and got what I thought was a yes, dash out and jump in my car---you
got it-- it was acting up; it wouldn't start!
My first thought was, I wonder if I could
possibly be on TV's bloopers and practical jokes?? Back on the phone and
called out a search warrant for Arnie; was told he's out of town. Out of
town where? You're not going to believe it, Pine Valley!
NO, NO, he'd just got back, came and fixed the
car, and I made it to Harley's. We got all set up for our little cookout,
and no one showed up!!
Harley, Merna, Shamane, Paul, Lee, Lee Alan, and my self had a good time
anyway.
After I had gone home Boyd and Judy came and said
they heard it was going to be at the city park, and had been looking for
us there. Talk about snafu, it was in great supply! In case you don't know
what snafu means---guess! I'm sure Lee knows, it being a WWII term; or am
I all fouled up on that also-a definite possibility!
Some how or other this allllll has to be Tris's
fault! (Just kiddin darlin, we love ya)
Since Harley and I are in charge of the reunion
next year we have already decided; it's going to be in Lee and Marge's
back yard in Springfield Ill. So everyone please start saving your money
right now for your share on the charter jet. Don't worry Marge, we will
only stay 2 hours and bring our own picnic lunch. You can always hope that
your neighbors are out of town, come to think of it now that you have been
warned, you may choose to be out of town!
DAY # 3 of reunion
Harley, Merna, Paul, Lee, and Lee Alan, back
to the ranch. Are they party poopers and chicken? Never! They went down to
Whitmore where Lee Alan and Paul hiked down to the river, Harley and Merna
part way down. Think Lee stayed on top and sat in the shade. (Smart move
Lee)
A friend of Harley's has a lodge down there and
invited them to stay for the evening entertainment, which was singers and
cloggers (dancers), I understand that they really enjoyed it. They had to
be better than our group singing "Rollin in your sweet baby's
arms." By the way Lee Alan, is that why you showed up late, you just
didn't want to have to listen to it ?? [Editors note] (If that was the
reason Lee and Lee Alan showed up late it didn't work as when they visited
with the Las Vegas Iversons they were cornered and made to listen to this
years rendition. Lee Alan even joined right in-played a little guitar and
we really rolled!)
Lee and Lee Alan stayed at the ranch, and
remained on the Strip for 5 days. Anyway that's their story and we believe
you fellows--we really do-just like you believe we really did have a
reunion. Be that as it may, they get a gold star for being the toughest
Arizona Strippers of the year. Lee Alan stayed on for 2 weeks, went back
to the ranch, helped move cattle and brand calves, and had all sorts of
fun.
Now it's June 7th, Lee Alan is leaving, going to
Vegas with Judy. She is going to a bowling tournament. They stop by my
house to pick up a couple of items, get back in her car ready to hit the
road-now group, I know I have a tendency to stretch the facts a little,
and once in a while throw in a bit of fiction-but I swear this is the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but---Her car was acting up, it
wouldn't start! I'm not even going to tell you how that was resolved.
Ah well, you know what they say about the
best-laid plans of mice and men. In spite of all the mix-ups and mishaps
it was a fine reunion. After all what are reunions for other than family
getting together, visiting, having fun, and getting to know each other
better; also poking a bit of fun at ourselves. I had a good time and hope
everyone else did.
Thanks Tris for being our president for the last
2 years, you and Bonnie make great Dutch oven potatoes.
All nonsense aside now, the last three years has
been very difficult for our family. Having lost Barry, Mom, and this year
Glen. We want Cindy to know that our unanimous vote for bravest one there
this year goes to her. She is a fine lady, and we are proud she is a
member of our family.
A SMALL EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE FOR DUARD GLEN IVERSON
(1952-1985)
So many happy memories, of him now gone away
The love and precious thoughts, no words could ever say
His pranks and funny jokes, as a man and as a boy
Always touched our hearts, with laughter and with joy
His compassion for people, whether old or whether young
Can never be defined, by our humble human tongue
His heart felt love was family, let's hold together, yes we can
Then, now, and always, he is our anchor-man.
THE L.A. IVERSON FAMILY
Final Note: Carla sent this to me at least 3 weeks ago, as I had
promised to type it and send it out. If you must, you can slam my fingers
in the door for it being so late. Max |