Mack & Ada (Ford) Graham
Reunion Origins
The Graham Ford Family Reunion began after a family member’s funeral highlighted that these somber events were the only times the large family of Mack and Ada Graham came together.
A Committee Was Formed!
Realizing the need for more joyous gatherings, a committee was formed to organize a family reunion. This committee included Roscoe and Bertha Spicer, Hazel Weathers, Joyce and Bill Sterling, Marva Jean and Junior Freeman, Clendell Henry-Barnes, and Annie Mae Criglar.
The First Family Reunion!
The first family reunion took place May 26, 1968, over Memorial Day weekend at Roscoe and Bertha Spicer's home in Broseley, MO. The family enjoyed a picnic-style feast on Sunday afternoon, featuring a variety of Southern dishes. As the years passed, attendance grew steadily.
Growing Numbers!
Due to the increasing number of attendees, the reunion venue was moved to a rental hall in Poplar Bluff, MO, and later, until 2000, it was hosted by the Jenkins family branch in Malden, MO. The location remained in southeast Missouri to accommodate the elderly Graham siblings.
As time went on and many of Mack and Ada Graham’s children had passed away, there was a growing sentiment among the family to rotate the reunion locations. This led to the reunion being hosted in various places such as Cape Girardeau, MO; St. Louis, MO; Topeka, KS; and Chicago, IL.
