It was Easter Sunday, April 11, 1971, and the Ray family was together for Mom’s traditional Easter meal. It was a special day made even more special by having Daddy and Momma Jones there with us. Mother was the second oldest of nine children and the Jones family was a very large and loving family. For many years, the Jones family would get together at Easter at the Jones’ house. To have this memory captured in pictures showing Daddy and Momma Jones, our mother, and daddy, and all the grandchildren at that time is precious these days. The grandchildren pictured are Kim, Karen, Pam, Greg, Tammy, Robert, and Jennifer being held by Momma Jones.
It was a time when wearing your Easter “best” clothes was more important than the hunting of the Easter eggs later that day. It was a time when stores were closed, and churches were the most attended. A day that being together with your family was just expected and honored. Sitting at the table sharing food that Mom and others put a lot of effort and love into preparing for us. Conversations about our individual families and sometimes sharing silly stories about the past.
After lunch, some adults would hide the eggs while others kept the children from peeking, and then the kids would be turned loose to get as many as they could find. Then the process would be repeated. These were good bonding days for the children and the adults. As the years would go by and the kids got older, their involvement at school and with friends would reduce the times when everyone could get together as a larger family.
Many of those that were there that day are not with us today, they have moved on to Heaven. All the children in this picture and Jeff (not born yet) have children of their own and some of them have grandchildren now. With all the activities of the world, we have lost much of the family bonding that was so important in the past.
Family identities are not retained without an effort to keep family events scheduled over the years. A precious memory from a different time.
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