Death Claims Mrs. Conklin

Click image to enlarge.

Rose and I were living with Don and Bev and their two daughters, Linda and Gail, at 515 Bonita Court. Don came into our bedroom (which was really Linda and Gail's) and in the darkened room he wept as he told us our mother had died. I scrambled out of bed to meet his opened arms and embrace. I cannot think of this without crying. I have no idea whether she died alone which haunts me if I let myself go there. With six children it's very sad if she was alone. Some time later Don instructed his wife to start looking for a bigger house. Our 135 Renida Street home was sold to Don's father. Our '55 Chevy was sold. Our sleeper trailer Mother bought for our 1960 48-state trip was sold to a family at the bottom of our hill on Warren Avenue. I lived with Don and Bev's family until I graduated from high school and got a job in San Francisco at Continental Insurance Company in the financial district. I moved to 280 10th Avenue and shared a furnished two-bedroom apartment with childhood friends Solita, Sandy and Pam at age 17 and they threw a surprise birthday party for me for my 18th. It had been very difficult living with Don's family and I can only imagine how hard it was on all of them to take in two teenagers used to a free-spirited, adventurous mother.

Golden Jubilee Anniversary of 48-State Trip

Fifty years ago today my mother, younger sister and I left for a summer road trip that would take us to every contiguous state, Mexico and Canada. Happy Anniversary to Rose and me.

Mother Would Have Been 100 Years Old Today

Doris was born 100 years ago today in Puyallup, Washington, and today the family numbers 114 including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. To honor her memory I organized a Centennial Reunion yesterday in Concord, California, where her five children came and many family members totaling 39 of her posterity, plus a relative and a friend. The Miranda family performed wonderful Hawaiian entertainment in her honor as well as Paul doing the hakka, with Jocelyn the clown snapping pictures for an hour after a triathlon of swimming, hopping and running. Winners were Chad, Terrah and Elizabeth. Jack placed 4th doing hopping and running. Congratulations! Delicious pot luck was enjoyed, swimming, baseball, horseshoes, bean toss, visiting, charades, and prizes. Thanks to all who made it such a special occasion. Happy Birthday Mother.

My post on ourfamily2010:

Happy Birthday Mother, born 100 years ago today. Because of this Web site, Facebook, and e-mail we located the 114 family members of Doris and organized the Centennial Reunion, held yesterday at Holbrook Heights Community Park. The temperature was 92* and very windy. It was well attended by her five living children and many family members including all of the family members of her youngest two children. Thirty-nine of her descendants were in attendance. Her oldest son Donald and his wife Beverly are deceased. Phil's wife Beverly is deceased, Joy's husband Ed, as well as Olie's husband Michael. Family gathered in the reserved grove under a giant mulberry tree. Chad, Terrah and Elizabeth won the triathlon of swimming, hopping and running; Jack did the hopping and running portions for 4th-place winner. Jocelyn the clown snapped pictures while the Miranda family performed wonderful Hawaiian entertainment as well as Paul doing the hakka during delicious potluck. Because of the culinary expertise of April Harris, a friend at church, there was a coconut cake and on June 13 our family shared a chocolate turtle cake. There was baseball playing, bean toss, horseshoes, pinata, swimming, visiting, charades, prizes and fun. Thanks to all who made it such a special occasion. Eva and Nicole ordered the beautiful triathlon medals with inscriptions; Jade made phone calls to be sure the word got out to everyone; Patrick offered the blessing on the food after I welcomed everyone and we sang Happy Birthday to Doris. Happy Birthday to all as well. The Isers were given the grand prize of Centennial Olympics video set and games. Several girls got hula skirt sets. Rick guessed the closest number of family members and won a backbrace which already came in handy. I passed out the Oklahoma Centennial hats to those who were there in 2007 (I forgot to give them to the Genters). See you next year June 11, 2011!

2010 PICNIC R.S.V.P. LIST
1. Rose Greene - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma--received One Magical Summer
2. Jade Greene - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma--Web site creator, phoned family members, received Shirley Temple DVD
3. Olie Chavez - Concord, California--organized picnic events and supplies, sent reminders
4. Kim Woodhouse - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
5. Natalie Woodhouse - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
6. Joy Cassady - Fremont, California--received One Magical Summer
7. Daniel (Crystal's friend)
8. Chad Cassady Sr - Monterey, California
9. Rebecca Cassady - Monterey, California
10. Chad Cassady Jr - Monterey, California--1st Place, triathlon
11. Jack Cassady - Monterey, California--4th Place, triathlon (no swimming)
12. Ava Cassady - Monterey, California
13. Kimberly Davis Meckler - Jamestown, California--brought CD player
14. Marty Meckler - Jamestown, California
15. Paul Chavez - Provo, Utah-- baseball with nephews, danced hakka, handled pinata, received One Magical Summer
16. Brett Wolf - Jamestown, California--helped set up
17. Marshae Wolf - Jamestown, California--helped set up
18. Tayland Jolly - Jamestown, California
19. Kellie Showers - Napa, California
20. Ron Showers - Napa, California
21. Terrah Showers - Napa, California--2nd Place, triathlon--received hula outfit
22. Richard Davis - Napa, California--received One Magical Summer
23. Judy Genter - Fairfield, California
24. Duane Genter - Fairfield, California
25. Claire Genter - Fairfield, California
26. Grant Genter - Fairfield, California
27. Phil Davis - Castro Valley, California--received One Magical Summer
28. Patrick Davis - Pinole, California--offered blessing on food and family
29. Eva Davis - Pinole, California--ordered embossed medals for triathlon, set up for lunch
30. Nicole Davis - Pinole, California--ordered embossed medals for triathlon
31. Katheryne Iser - Stockton, California--Grand Prize winner Centennial Olympics videos, games
32. Matt Iser - Stockton, California--Grand Prize winner Centennial Olympics videos, games
33. Lizzy Iser - Stockton, California--3rd Place, triathlon
34. Monica Iser - Stockton, California--received hula outfit
35. Cassie Iser - Stockton, California--received hula outfit
36. Crystal Iser - Stockton, California
37. Marilyn Iser - Stockton, California (Matt's mother)
38. Rick Moser - Killeen, Texas--trucked picnic supplies, picked up borrowed tables, set up, guessed closest at 108 family members and won backbrace
39. Evelania Moser - Kileen, Texas--helped clean up and move picnic supplies at 2:30, received One Magical Summer
40. Adam Chavez - Provo, Utah--received One Magical Summer
41. Stephanie Chavez - Provo, Utah

One Magical Summer

http://www.publishamerica.net/product87963.html

This is the journal of Doris's last big trip written and kept by her daughter.

One Magical Summer

The journal of our 48-state trip together has been published. The official release date is 2/2/2010. http://www.publishamerica.net/product87963.html

Three Months Since the Picnic...

and no pictures posted.

Aloha!

That's what I was afraid of. Hopefully those coming next year will bring their cameras and post their pictures for us all to enjoy right after the reunion.

If members of your family have not done so yet, please have them join www.ourfamily2010.com. And please let me know e-mail addresses for the master list.

If you have members of your family without e-mail please help by keeping them informed of the reunion. And if you have any questions, just let me know. Mahalo.

I've changed my blog name to www.gypsyolie.blogspot.com. Everything we did in Hawaii is reflected in the pictures.

Please keep Michael Chavez in your prayers. Mahalo.

Update on 2010 Centennial Reunion, or K.I.S.S.

Hello family of Doris,

The consensus is why fix it if it ain't broken. Instead of having our food cooked and prepared for us which was an idea I heard from others, we will stick with our pot luck. I encourage you to look at Doris's Cooking blog on www.ourfamily2010.com for her favorite foods and add to them if you have something you like to cook better. Are there any professional cake-makers in the family? Anyone who loves to make pies? Cobblers?

For those who have children who have e-mail addresses please send them to me to be on our master list for updates. All blended families are included in the reunion plans. Remember, my Hotmail account is exclusive so you have to send them to me first. Are there any bands and singers in the family? We have four known published songs of Doris and are hoping to get them on CD. The highly talented Andy Lloyd may be able to help with this. Thank you Andy and happy birthday.

I've since learned that a triathlon is a swim, bike and run. However, during the Olympic year in 2010 ours will differ to suit our children. So plan on arriving by 10:30 a.m. to have the 11:00 swim portion on time before the pool fills up with other people. I wrote Dole and received decorations for our train pinata. The Dole Plantation in Oahu has a train.

If you write the e-mail address below you will get my story btw. It's been two months since the picnic already. Enjoy your summer and stay in touch. Please share this with your family who is not online.

Love you.

48 1960, Alaska 2008, Hawaii 2009
50stateclub@gmail.com
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