18th Annual Syx Family Reunion - June 28, 2014 - Hueytown, Alabama

Hueytown, Alabama, June, 2014:   Open the gates to the Council of Clubs Community Center on Oak Avenue in Hueytown, Alabama and you will have flashbacks to many gatherings of the descendants of John Corbin Syx and Olive Ann (Farrow) Syx.  Olive Ann bore all but one of their twelve children in Jefferson County (mostly in Wylam).  The Syx couple both spent their final days in the area and are buried high on a hill in Oakland Cemetery in Birmingham along with many of their children and spouses in the flat area below where they can still watch over them. 

The Syx Family Reunion moved to this quaint Community Center behind the pool and baseball field after trying out Tannehill State Park, Brooklane and Concord's community centers.   But the Council of Clubs seems to be the best fit for our wild and crazy antics....  so we keep coming back year after year.

At 11:00 AM on  Saturday, June 28th 2014, in the spirit of the reunion becoming a beach party, the water started splashing on the huge palm tree laden slip 'n' slide,  set up in the parking lot of the community center.
 

A fun time was planned for all the youngsters and their parents at the 2014 Syx Family Reunion Beach Party.  Lots of little boys and girls in swimsuits, with towels in tow, started dashing towards the water shortly after the gates opened- soon they were all running, screaming,  yelling, slippin' and a slidin'!!!

By noon, more family members came shuffling through the door with all kinds of delicious lunch dishes and desserts in hand.  As they entered, they stopped to sign in and get a name tag at at the front table and as  always were greeted by cousin Wanda Syx Irwin.  Many of the attendees now sport the cool permanent name tags created by cousins Mary Ann Syx Wilkinson and Lindell Syx Howard. These unique tags not only have each person's name etched on a piece of wood but they also contain beads indicating their relationship by generations to John Corbin and Olive Ann Syx.  As the food tables continued to fill up with all sorts of goodies,  many adults filtered back outside to watch the kids splash it up on the slip n slide and listed to the likes of the Beach Boys famous hits and Jimmy Buffet belting out Cheeseburger in Paradise.....Let the beach party begin.   As they all entered, they also were greeted with a colorful Hawaiian Lei to help get them in the spirit of the day.

At  12:15, our traditional Master of Ceremonies, cousin Roger Dale Syx of Daphne, AL called the group together for a short meeting to address some family business.  Paul Frederick Syx, started us off my leading the pledge to the flag.

Roger sent out special 2014 birthday greetings to family members in their 80s and 90s this year :  Paul Herman Syx, 83; Margaret Syx Brabham, 86; Claudine Syx Bigelow, 89;  and Calvin Vernon Syx - our most senior Syx clan member who will turn 89 in August.

Vernon Syx  'Doc'

Also happy Birthday to several who have married into the clan: Helen Dabbs Syx, 81; Annette McClain Syx, 82; Helen Perry Syx, 86; Ola Mae Perrine O'Dear, 92 and Lloyd Bigelow, 94.  We have a mighty hardy stock.

Ola Mae O'Dear

With a quick head count made, it was determined that the descendants of Erskine Syx had the largest contingency present this year.  They returned to dominance over the Eugene V. Syx branch of the family who took the honor away from them in 2013.  Congratulations!!!

Roger announced next that the new family members born since the last reunion had a new place at  on a special table where pictures of the newborns and info about their ancestry was on display.  Everyone was invited to check them out.


A huge 'Thank-You' to all the volunteers who helped this reunion come together again including:

-Debbie Syx Routledge, Teri Duplesis, Tanner & Dalton Duplesis, and Mary Ann Wilkinson for     assistance with setting up the hall for the reunion.  PS: Dalton is the "Chair" Man of the Board as he set up more chairs than ANYONE else!!!Debbie thanks for all the utensils and cups too!!!

-Mary Ann Syx Wilkinson and Lindell Howard for handling the permanent name tags.

-Wanda Syx Irwin for handling the greeting table.

-Paul Frederick Syx for bringing ice for the drinks and leading the pledge.

-Roger Dale Syx for serving as Master of Ceremonies again.

-Grady Syx for offering the blessing.

-Crystal Wilkerson for serving as our "official" photographer.

-Judy & Jim Wells for bringing a PA system & holding an after-party at their home on Saturday night.

And finally to all those who helped with clean up afterwards....

THANK YOU- THANK YOU- THANK YOU!!!

Regarding the reunion date for 2015, it was announced that the Council of Clubs Community Center will be available for the 4th Saturday, June 27th for 2015.  This will be the 19th Annual Syx Family Reunion.  As no one objected,  the date was set for our next gathering at the same location.

Donations for next year were collected as the pot was empty after this years expenses were paid.  Thanks to all for your generous donations once again.  We are almost good to go for next year.

Before breaking for lunch, everyone gathered on the stage for the Official Family Portrait to be taken by Crystal Wilkerson.  Crystal was also available to take other group photos after lunch.   All of the photos taken by Crystal were posted on a web site for all to see.  Prints may be ordered online to help fund next year's reunion.  Family members may check out the Family Reunion Facebook page to find the link and access the photos.  Its a two-fer..... get those memories printed out while helping the reunion at the same time.  Check it out, Syx family members. (offer has ended).

Once the portrait was taken - Grady Syx led the group in a blessing asking for prayers for all those family members who were not feeling well and for the immediate families who lost members this year including:

Theodore Corbin Syx  who was lost in January 2014 - Michigan - Son of John E and Thelma Syx

Doris Gladstone Syx  who was lost in June 2014 - Akron, Ohio - wife of Ellis Syx

A table displayed birth announcements for all the new members of the Syx Clan as well.

As the day progressed,  lunch, lots of visiting and good fellowship was enjoyed by all.  The kids, big and small enjoyed more splashing on the slip' n' slide until 3 PM, when it was time to shut it down and everyone headed for home.  It was wonderful to see everyone again. Missed so many regulars who could not be with us this year but... they'll be back next year!!!   Our final head count was right at 67.   As the gates closed behind us, it was hard not to think about what would the future hold for this gathering.  As always we would love to hear your ideas!!!  See you all in 2015.

In closing her is a list of names from the sign in sheet from 2014 Syx Family Reunion June 28, 2014

 

Wells, Judy and Jim
Syx,  Grady and Rita
DuPlesis, Teri, Tanner, & Dalton
Syx,   Mike
Caldwell, Evelyn (Sissie)
Syx,   Larry Sr.
Smith, Tracy and Diane
Syx,  Phyllis
O'Dear, Ola Mae
Syx,   Randy and Debby
Bartlett, Tammy
Hemmer, Penny
Syx   Lorn, Sheila and Brynnley Shelton
Routledge, Debbie Syx
Syx,   Roger Dale
Wilkinson, Mary Ann Syx
Howard, Lindell Syx
McClain, Mark
Scruggs, Jessica, Andrew and Ben
Garner, Larry, Terressa, Jordon and Josh
Syx,   Sharon and Johnny
Doran/Gilbert, Vanessa, Zoey  and Brandon
Caldwell, Curt, Savanah and Will
Syx,   Paul and Cynthia
Prantl, Sydney and Jase
Wilkerson, Lance, Crystal, Lance Jr and Kendall
Irwin, Tim
Morris, Shane, Kerry, Mims and Merritt
Syx,   Michael, Kelley, Hunter and Madison
Kendrick, Dana
Syx,  Kris

I also added these names for folks that did not sign in:

Syx, Terrell and (fiancee) Shelby Romine
Irwin, Wanda
Syx, Calvin Vernon
Syx, Dale Jr, Tristan and Mason......
2 Friends of Debby and Randy and Ola Mae

Anyone else missing ??? Let us know......