A Boone Gathering

The Gathering of the "Clan"

Of course, the main reason for being at Tygart Lake State Park, was to gather together as a family. While not an "annual affair," re-unions of the Boones have occurred in past years. And while the participants and the venue have varied through the years, nevertheless, the format has remained the same.


You have various family members who bring along old photos and keepsakes. Sometimes, the persons in the photo are known. At other times, the persons are not known and so another photo can be discarded. On this occassion, Alice set up a special display of 6 generations of her side of the family. They were/are, (from right to left), Dress, "Grandmother" Ware, Grandmother Kathryn Boone, Rankin R. Boone, Alice B. Riecks (at age 3 or 4), Kathryn G. Riecks (age 17), and John Ahuia Kanne (age 7 months).

And of course you have many conversations with family members whom you have never met before. Here is a picture of Douglas and Jennings Boone discussing things with Megan Boone, daughter of David Boone. Douglas and Jennings were, in part, the reason for a get-together this year. They are missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators in East Africa (most recently living in Narobi Kenya), who are home for a year on furlough. Douglas is an experienced Linguistic Surveyor, while Jennings is a consultant to the translators (all of whom are from that area of the world). Megan, is a Junior at West Virginia University, majoring in International Studies.


Friday evening, and most of Saturday were devoted to these gathering times. People talked over past times, shared pictures both of times past, as well as recent adventures. On the left Bob Boone and "Harold" Boone are recalling times past, while Jennings and Douglas look through some old pictures. Alice Riecks and Barbara Boone are also discussing issues. On the right we see Steve Boone showing off his shots of his canoe trip through Voyageurs National Park with Barbara Boone while David Boone's wife, Annette talks with Steve's wife Jan.

And of course there were also many pictures taken of this re-union so that future re-unions will have something to see. And of course, some of us smiled for David Boone (pictured here), and some didn't. Some had their eyelids closed, and others didn't. Some were talking, gesturing, eating, others were perfectly posed. Some liked their picture taken, others hated it. But, hey, that is the way things go at a family re-union.

About 1 o'clock on Saturday the entire family adjourned to the dining room for the traditional re-union meal.

The highlight of the meal was the celebration of the "double" birthdays of Bob Boone (he will be 80 on the 28th of June), and Barbara Boone (who became 75 on the day we had the celebration).

All in all, everyone seemed to enjoy the time together.