Reuions, Reunions, All Over The Place

Here is one more post from Joe. 

In between being sick with cancer, Dad found time to attend three reunions in August. 

I can also report on the Whiting Reunion. Sadly, it wasn’t an  24x7 orgy of meth-fueled fun and excitement like the Phil Brown reunion, but it was a pretty dang good time. After a lot of driving, and a lot of caffeine, Joe, Buffy, and Jacque and kids drove down to the Homestead to enjoy the 2008 Whiting Reunion. It was great to see all those cousins, especially those whom we don’t get to see very often. Dad was especially glad to see all the crowd from his generation there; here are a few pictures of our trip there, and the great time we had.  

I need to state that Reunions in general, but especially the Homestead isn’t the same without my Uncle Brent there; there is a big hole in the entire event for me with that good man missing.

2008 Whiting Reunion - Whiting Homestead, Arizona

This is a picture of Dad with his Brown siblings at the 2008 Whiting Reunion. 

We continue to miss the following people from this picture - Grandma Elda Brown, Aunt Nathel, and most recently Uncle Brent. 
From left to right - Uncle Jack, Aunt Elma, Phil B, Aunt Geraldine, and Aunt Louine. 

At the Sunday service, Dad was supposed to preside over the meeting, but his health wasn't up to all that getting up and down out of his chair. Instead, he was asked to talk. 
Here is a picture of Dad talking at the meeting: 

Here is a short clip of his remarks at that meeting. 

Still from the Whiting Reunion -

This is my post, so you get to see pictures of my beautiful daughter Madeline. 

Here she is getting up-close-and-personal with a milk cow at the Homestead. 
Notice that cool CJ brand!

Here she is at the meeting while Grandpa Brown was talking. 

This is a picture of Dad with his good friend Dan Nowell. These two guys worked together in Phoenix for about 15 years. Dan lives in Pinetop, AZ, so we stopped by to see he and his wife Jan for lunch while we were in AZ. This is Dan, Phil, and the handsome devil on the right is Joe B.  Jan Nowell was nice enough to fix us a great lunch, and then take this picture. 

Porto Portugal Mission Reunion

Then, once we got back, Dad's missionaries had a reunion for him early in August because they were worried that his health wouldn't be good enough if they waited for the October reunion. 

I really want to thank the Elders and Sisters who organized this reunion. There were dozens who helped make it happen, but I especially want to thank Sis. Katrina (Liedke) Leavitt and Elder Brian Hulleberg. They really put this together, and it meant a lot to Pres. Brown.
Here is a short clip of Dad talking to his missionaries. I don't have enough memory to film his entire talk (it was looong) but look how many of these wonderful missionaries came out to see Pres.Brown when he was so sick. 

From Elder Hulleberg's email: 
We had a great showing of missionaries. We had 50+ missionaries and most of their families. It was truly a great event. Everyone was in great form and enjoyed catching up with each other. The missionaries that attended were: Rebecca (Johnson) Akita (Hawaiian), Jeremy Astle and wife Janet (Morrow), John Booth, Margie (Anderson) Boswell, Mike Bradshaw, Kyra (White) Brown, President Phillip Ray Brown, Ariel Bybee, Luis Camara Manuel & wife Angela (Fawson), Scott Chappell, Eurico Costa, Scott Davis, Shawn Durrant, Mark Egnew, Trent Fenton, Mike Hilbig, Jared Holt, Jeff Howes, Brian Hulleberg (Hully), Brandon Johnson, Ryan Johnson (Chinezinho), John Layton, Katrina (Liedke) Leavitt, Paul Martin & wife Laura (Dagley), Kristen (Russell) McQuivey, Michelle (Berry) Mills, Duke Montague, Joseph Murray, Rob Nash, Jeff Rudd, Matt Sager, Greg Spencer, Kim (Garrity) Springer, Doug Swensen, Steve VanWagenen, Mark Vosti, Sister West, Mike White, Ana Xarepe. AND I know there are a few others yet I forgot their name (SORRY – You would think I was 90 - HA). When you see the pictures you will know them.

Joe's note; some of the places this crowd assembled from were: Phoenix, Los Angeles, all over Utah and Idaho, Colorado, Seattle, and yes, Hawaii - thanks to you, Sis. (Hawaii) Johnson.

Phil Brown Sibling Reunion

Finally; the Phil Brown Sibling Reunion - dinner in Kamas, UT on our way up to the "cabin" in the mountains. I am not naming these people; stop reading now if you don't recognize them.

OK, I guess I will. L to R: Becky, John, Jacque, Lexi, Michelle, Nicole, Jeremy, Debbie, Tim, and Buffy. Joe is taking the picture, and Phil Brown is next to me out of frame. 

That is all for now.
We had a marvelous time at all these fantastic reunions.
It is great to be part of such a great family. It was a real sacrifice for some of them to get here from all over the country, but it was fantastic to get to see them all in one spot again.  

Way to go Browns - you know Antoinette is happy to see this mad mob all together again!