The First Newcomer Family Reunion

Copied by Carol M. Newcomer-Cox from The Waldron Recorder, July 8, 1937, Waldron, Michigan USA. The family group in this account are the descendants of George Debolt Newcomer.

The Newcomer Family reunion was held Sunday July 4 at the beautiful country home of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Newcomer.

This was the first reunion to be held by the family group. A bountiful co-operative dinner was served. All but four if the family group were present for the first gathering. Guests included Mr. and Mrs. Clare Tedrow and son George, Mr. and Mrs. Wave Tedrow; Mrs. James Tedrow, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Tedrow and son Jimmy of Delta, Ohio, Mrs. Mert Newcomer, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Leininger and daughter Ruth of Wauseon, O. Miss Dorothea Leininger of Detroit, Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Lee and Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Lee and family of Waldron, Mr. and Mrs. N.J. McCully and daughter of Midland, Mich., Mr. and Mrs. C.O. Merrifield, Montpelier, O., Mrs. Lawrence Ruffer and daughter, Nancy of Archbold, O.

An invitation was extended by Mr. and Mrs. Clare Tedrow for the next reunion to be held at their home the first Sunday in July 1938.

Cousins: Family and Connection

Of all of my 1st cousins on my father's side of the family, I was the baby of that generation of the clan. By the time I came along in 1949, many of those cousins were already in high school, and some were already married with children of there own, a couple of such children being as old or even a little order then me.

That providence of differing ages made family get-together's interesting for me. As a young kid, it was a little fuzzy at times as to how everyone related to me. The other impact was that I did not have the degree of mutual experiences with these older cousins that I had with those on Mom's side of the family that were more my age and generation. That pretty well describes the gap that existed; it was a generation gap. Some of them were actually closer to my Father in age then they were to me. Sadly, some of those cousins are no longer with us; they have passed away and the opportunity to connect and relate has passed.

With my retirement back in December of 2013, I find I am now having time to "catch up" with the lives of some of those older cousins who are still with us. We've had occasion to get together and visit, and share some of the stories of our lives. I find in that a certain fulfillment. These cousins are family and also friends. I hear stories about my Grandpa and Grandma, and about my Aunts and Uncles, and of course, the cousins themselves. After all these years, I am connecting with them on a level not previously known. That's pretty neat, and it is pretty precious.

Waldron Cemetery Family Gravestones

The Waldron Cemetery in Waldron, Michigan

My sister Joy.

Dad and Mom

Aunt June was Dad's sister.

Frank was my cousin who died in infancy. He was the son of Clair and Martha (Newcomer) Merrifield. Aunt Martha was Dad's sister.

My Grandparents, Guy and Sadie (Gray) Newcomer.

Guy Vernon Newcomer (1879 - 1940)

OBITUARY

Guy Vernon Newcomer was born August 17, 1879 near Wauseon, Ohio, the son of George D. and Melinda Newcomer.

In 1901 he was married to Miss Sadie Gray of Fayette, O. To this union were born five children. The first ten years they made their home near Wauseon. In December 1910 they moved to the present home near Waldron, Mich.

He was an active member in the Masonic lodge and for four years was worshipful master of Leonard lodge No. 266, F. & A. M. At the time of his death he was a member of the school board of the White district.

After an illness of several months, he passed away Tuesday, May 7, 1940, age 60 years.

Survivng him are his widow, five children, Mrs. Clare Merrifield, Montpelier, Ohio; Mrs. Nathan McCully of Midland, Mich.; Mrs. Lawerence Ruffer of Waldron and Rex and June at home; two sisters, Mrs. E. C. Lee of Waldron and Mrs. Clare Tedrow of Delta, O., and nine grand children and many friends.

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CARD OF THANKS

Words fail to convey our appreciation of the many beautiful things done for us by our friends in this our last sorrow.

Mrs. Guy Newcomer and family.
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This obituary of my Grandfather was transcribed from a copy my sister Carol sent me. There is no indication on that copy of which newspaper the obituary was originally published in. The Card of Thanks did appear under the obituary. Grandpa's mother was Melinda (Mikesell) Newcomer. It is through Melinda that our line of Newcomer is connected to the Mikesell and Bayes families.