Memorial Day 2012

This Memorial Day tradition has been observed by my family since 1990. Following the unexpected death of my mother Betty Zane Cassady in February, her brothers and sisters came together to help us remember her life on Memorial Day in May. Originally we met at the Shoney’s but when it closed we were forced to move our breakfast to Golden Corral. Last year following the Joplin tornado we moved our breakfast to Petro, but we returned to Golden Corral this year. Mom was the first in her family of 7 brothers and sisters to die since her Father Clarence passed in 1954. In 1991 we lost Gladys, the matriarch of the Winnie Family, and the following year we lost Roland, and Sue, moms brother and sister. The next year Gladys, the oldest of the Winnie children passed. In 2005, Joseph Winnie, the youngest, was buried in the Wyandotte Cemetery. That leaves two sisters, Ramona Daniel of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Geraldine Walker of Milan, Indiana. They were both present for this year’s event. We visited Mt. Hope Cemetery in Webb City, Missouri to honor my mother, Burkhart Cemetery near Racine, Missouri, the honor my Uncle Roland, Council House Cemetery near Grove, Oklahoma to honor my Grandfather Clarence, and many of his brothers and sisters, and Wyandotte Cemetery, Wyandotte Oklahoma to honor my Grandmother Gladys, my Great-Grandfather John Zane, and my Aunt Susie and my uncle Joe. We are hopeful that a memorial for my Aunt Gladys will be available in Wyandotte for next year’s observance. We completed our day with a luncheon hosted by my daughters Sarah Cassady, Rogers, Arkansas, and Rebecca DePriest, Seneca, Missouri. The luncheon was held at the DePriest home in Seneca. I want to thank all of my extended family who was there for my immediate family in 1990, and I consider it a privilege to be a part of this annual observance.