I drove my parents down to Fort Smith, Arkansas mid April to attend the 50th Anniversary Party of my Aunt Dorcas and Uncle Harley…Mom and I were asked by my cousins to photograph the party as well. We stayed at the Residence Inn while there, one of the most comfortable hotels there and centrally located. My Uncle Harley is my Mom`s youngest brother…here he is in a family portrait many years ago, the blonde boy in the front row on the left side, sitting next to my grandpa….

….he and my Uncle Joe are retired from many years of service to the Fort Smith Police Department…he was a motorcycle cop for the first several years with the department…..seen on the left riding his Harley Davidson Hog….

……and then transitioned to a police car later on, even pulling a short stint in communications when he first made Sargent. I have many fond memories visiting with them on our frequent trips to Waldron, often stopping off at their house near Kelly Highway, and his motorcycle was always parked under the carport. Aunt Dorcas worked in one of the major manufacturing plants there on the other side of the city and they raised two of my cousins, Billy Joe and Sherri, who are now married and have their own families. Sherri and Bill contacted me through Facebook and asked if we could come down and document this for their family, and after checking to make sure I could take that weekend off from work, we graciously accepted. Soon after arriving and checking into the hotel, we met them over at the Furr`s Buffet Restaurant for supper.

The next morning we drove over to their church, Temple Baptist Church, arriving to find Sherri and her husband Darrel, sons Derek and Seth…with Bill and his daughter Alison, decorating the fellowship hall…..Bill`s wife Peggy and son Greg arrived a little later to help as well…..

Bill showed me the slide show he had set up to play while the dinner and cake were being served, and there was one table set up with photo albums as well…Mom and Dad were checking some of them out too….there were some neat old photos in the slide show….

 

 

 

 

 

…as people began to trickle in, Mom and I were able to shoot some family portraits of our families there….starting with Uncle Harley and Dorcas` family….

…then Uncle Harold and Aunt Raye`s families…..

…then my Mom and her brothers, Uncle Harold, Uncle Joe, and Uncle Harley….

…Uncle Joe and Aunt Billy Jean….

…and then everyone started with the dinner…bbq from a local restaurant with all the fixins…

…the cake arrived during dinner and we began shooting more photos soon after that….

…and then it was time for the photo including everyone that was at their wedding fifty years ago, so I had my cousin Steve take this photo for us….

…and then all of us first cousins present……

…and Bill`s family helping Sherri serve cake and punch to everyone….and Uncle Harley was visiting with his friend Cecil….

 

 

 

 

 

…and my cousin Marilyn took a great photo of Bill and Sherri`s families eating dinner after serving dinner to everyone first….Great Job to a Great Crew Here !!