Rater Family Reunion

BURGESS, CANNEY, COOPER, DEHOET, EDWARDS, FREIDRECHS, GILBERT, JONES, LLOYD, LUFKIN, MCCROSKEY, MCGRATH, MORTIMORE, MURRAY, PEUGH, RATER, SMITH, VANDEVENTER, VANTHOFF, ZANDERS

Posted By: Donna Sloan Rempp (email)
Date: 6/13/2016 at 20:15:26

Rater Reunion Held Sunday
The fourteenth annual Rater Reunion was held at Greenwood Park, in Des Moines, Sunday, August 16, 1936.
About 50 were present to enjoy the picnic dinner at 12:30 p.m. In the afternoon a program was given and some games were played. The following numbers were given” A happy birthday song for A. D. Rater, who celebrated his 73rd birthday on that day; A reading by Josephine Canney; Harmonica solo by Bobby Cooper; A song “God Be With You Till We Meet Again”, was sung by all. Officers elected for the coming year are: Honorary President, Philena Mortimore, Adair; Leta Gilbert, Des Moines, President; Sec-Treas. Maxine Gilbert, Des Moines. The meeting place was permanently set for Greenwood park, Des Moines, Iowa and the date permanently for the third Sunday in August.
The oldest person present was W. G. Rater, Adair, Iowa, whose age is 83 years, the youngest was Ronnie Lufkin age 22 months. The couple married longest present was Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Rater, 60 years, 3 months and 8 days. Couple married last present was Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Burgess, 2 weeks. Family coming fartherest, Mr. and Mrs. Will McCroskey and family, Washington, Iowa, 149 miles. Tallest person present over 21 years, Lloyd Lufkin, Newton 6 ft. and 5 in.; shortest person over 21 years, Maxine Gilbert, 4 ft. 11 ½ inches.
During the year there were four marriages: Kenneth Smith to Maxine McGrath, Mettie Lloyd to A. J. Zanders, Dale McCroskey to Lynn Peugh. Elizabeth Rater to Sylvester J. Burgess. Two births: A son to Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Freidrechs, and a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Dale DeHoet, grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. P. E. DeHoet. One death: Billie Van Thoff, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Wil McCroskey.
Those present were Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Rater, Adair; Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Rater, Mrs. Florence Lufkin, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Gilbert and daughters, Joan, Charles, James Van Deventer all of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Rater, Mr. and Mrs. George Smith and daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Smith all of Redfield, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Will McCroskey and daughter, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Murray and family, Mr. and Mrs. Lawerence Edwards, Omar Lufkin and son and Lloyd Lufkin all of Newton, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Edwards, Mrs. Fern Jones, Indianola; Mr. and Mrs. Ollie Rater and family, Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Burgess, Adel; Misses Josephine Canney and Ethel Gil______ Iowa.
Source: Newspaper Unknown; date unknown
(attached to bottom of George Hummel obit)