REUNION RECAP 2023
The 75th Spencer Reunion
This year’s annual Spencer Reunion was one to remember. 97 people joined us for the big 75th celebration, making this the best attended Reunion in many years. We had a great time reconnecting with cousins from as far away as California and Vermont and as close as Alvin and Nelma. That connection and the strengthening of family bonds is what the Spencer Reunion is all about. Our Spencer ancestors would have been proud to see the friendship and goodwill generated by their descendants.
With all of those people, Avie, Queen of the Kitchen, had her hands full making sure we had access to all of the great food everyone brought. The kitchen serving counters were sometimes three dishes deep and we even had to add an extra table just to accommodate the bounty. Chicken, pasties, salads, hot dishes, and fresh fruit filled our plates – two or three fillings for some of us! And the desserts, WOW! The crowning glory was the special 75th Reunion cake that Connie brought. Be sure to check out the photo section to see a picture. Kudos to Avie and the entire kitchen crew for filling us up and thanks to everyone who brought a dish to share.
Not only were the cousins generous with their food offerings, the donations people made to the silent auction were incredible. The auction offered something for everyone. For the kids there were super soakers, games, and a movie basket. Kids at heart were enticed by a corn hole game, two cribbage boards, a collection of hunting knives, a fishing net, and an amazing jigsaw puzzle featuring the last photo of the Spencer clan before moving from Kentucky. The gourmets could find homemade jams and honey, candied nuts, and smoked salmon from Alaska. If you were a little chilly (although it was a beautiful day) you could bid on a Pendleton blanket, baby blankets, or a hand crocheted wool shawl. If you were thirsty there was wine, wine, and more wine. There was original art work, beautiful handmade crafts, clothing, and personal care and beauty items. The list could go on and on. There were three picnic tables (including the benches) filled to capacity, plus three additional benches full of auction items. An original oil painting of Achsah Jane feeding the cows on the Spencer homestead was auctioned off live. Between the silent auction and the live auction a record $1358 was raised for the Reunion Fund.
For many people, the highlight of the Reunion was the Spencer History Seminar conducted by Professor Emeritus Lucy. For almost an hour our honored elder regaled us with stories and remembrances of the Spencer’s early days in northern Wisconsin. A natural storyteller, Lucky kept us enthralled with both prepared remarks and a lively question and answer session. There were lots of laughs and even a few tears by the end of the session. Thank you Lucy for this truly special Reunion treat! (Lucy's prepared remarks are available on Download page.)
Lucy’s history talk was supplemented by the Memorabilia Table. This year’s collection of shared items included loads of historic Spencer photographs, a Spencer ancestry sheet tracing back six generations before Alvin Spencer, and a couple of yearbooks from the old Elvoy School (1931 and 1954). Also on the table were copies of Reunion Memories. This collection featured the remembrances of twenty Spencer cousins and was compiled as a special project for the 75th Reunion. (Available on the Download page.)
One of those memories was reenacted by Tom and his siblings Joan and Pete. At one of the Reunions in the early 1980’s they performed a scene from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night's Dream. Over 20 years later they reprised their Reunion roles for us. (Shakespeare! Us Spencers got class!)
The Family Meeting also included a bit of history. The first Spencer Reunion was held in 1947. Spearheaded by the youngest of the 15 Spencer siblings, Etta and Straw, the Reunion was started as a way for the family to all get together aside from funerals. The Spencer Reunion has been held every year since then with the exception of 2020 when it was canceled because of the Covid pandemic.
During the Family Meeting people were invited to join the Reunion Sterring Council. This council will help chart the course for the Spencer Reunion for the coming years (more information is located on the Home Page). We also are looking for people to take on Special Projects to help enhance and strengthen the Reunion moving forward (more info on the Home Page for this, too). A few of the projects people have volunteered to work on include the family tree, publications, a 75th Reunion scrap book, a talent share, and a Spencer cookbook. We would be delighted if you have a project you would like to take on as well – just let us know and we will help anyway we can.
Karen passed out a number of special awards during the meeting. This year’s Oldest Reunion Attendee once again went to Lucy (96 years), while the Youngest Attendee award went to little Fisher (3 years). Josh and Bob went back-to-back for the Tallest Attendee, with the award going to 6’4” Bob. Awards were also provided for the cousins that traveled the farthest. Tom came from San Francisco (2,319 miles) while Karen came from Seattle (1,948 miles). The Most Recently Married Couple award was presented to Justina and Ryan.
Everyone pitched in for a round of Family Tree building. Working together with cousins on the same branch, we filled out information sheets to include Spencer cousins beyond the baby boomers. This will be an on-going project, so you may be receiving requests for information about your immediate family to help the project grow. It was really fun to see everyone dive right in to help out! Great job!
One of the most unusual activities ever seen at Reunion was led by Janna and her daughters Sarah and Breanna: worm painting! No, kids didn’t paint the worms. Instead, the kids selected the worms and colors and the little creatures were the artists as they squirmed through the paint and across the paper. Unfortunately, the squiggly masterpieces weren’t created until after the auction. They probably would have been big sellers!
The Stay & Play tournaments were as competitive as ever – and as fun. All three tournaments came right down to the wire. After a one-year absence, Corn Hole was offered again this year. The team of Hunter and Marc led most of the way, but John and Eric made a fierce comeback to nip them in the bud and claim the trophy. Ron and Johnny had to go into “extra innings” to edge out this year’s “bridesmaids” Hunter and Marc for the Backwoods Bocce Ball championship. (Ronnie and Johny were cheered on by Ronnie’s wife Connie!) The stakes were particularly high for this year’s Cribbage Championship of the Spencer World. The tournament trophy was a beautiful natural wood cribbage board made by John. Justina’s final hand had the points to put her out, but Neil claimed the win by having the first count. Thanks to this year’s Gamemasters: Alex (Cribbage), Chris (Back Woods Bocce Ball), and John (Corn Hole).
The 75th Spencer Reunion wrapped up at the Sunday Brunch. The huge array of pastries was supplemented by loads of leftovers from Saturday’s dinner. After everyone had fortified themselves with goodies, we loaded into our vehicles for the Spencer Historic Driving Tour. Seven carloads of cousins headed out for the seventeen-site tour that included old Spencer homesteads, school houses, a skinny-dipping beach (there wasn’t time on the tour to partake, but afterwards . . . who knows?!), the Alvin spring and Town Hall, and Lakeview Cemetery to view the headstones of Alvin & Achsah Jane. The tour ended at the Spencer Mill with a short walk up to “Grandpa’s Rock” at the head of Rock Dam. The Spencer Historic Driving Tour was another special project for the 75th Reunion. Thanks to Lucy, Chris, and Neil for putting the tour together. (Available on the Downloads page.)
Of course, the Spencer Reunion wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and help of many Spencer cousins and in-laws. Please consider signing up for the Steering Council and/or volunteer to take on a special project to keep the Reunion strong and growing for another 75 years! Thanks to everyone who brought great food, auction items, and Spencer memorabilia. Thanks for coming early to set up and staying late to clean and close down. And a special shout out to these cousins for going that extra mile:
Repair of Aunt Etta’s marker: David & Gary
Poster Patrol: Mike & Amber, Brad, Mary
Press Officer: Vonda
Driving Tour: Chris, Lucy, Neil
Silly Awards: Karen
Reunion Memories: Neil
Kids Activities: Jana, Breanna, Sarah
Family Photo Session: Justina, Vonda, Ryan, Josh
Game Masters: Chris, John, Alex
Queen of the Kitchen: Avie
Executive Committee: Dixie, Karen, Neil
The 76th Spencer Reunion will be held on July 20 & 21, 2024.
See you there!