Taylors reunions — 1960’s
Memorable and enjoyable Taylor reunions in the 1960’s
I have many wonderful memories of our great Taylor reunions which were held every summer in Provo (and later in Pleasant Grove) at the home of my paternal grandparents, Leo and Stella Taylor. These experiences were, in many ways, the highlights of my younger years. I loved my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, and my cousins, and I especially loved the feeling I had when I was with them. Living in Nevada and only seeing these great people once a year made these reunions cherished times. Our ten-hour drive from Reno to Provo was always long and tedious, but we always stopped in Elko to buy a box of soda crackers, a block of cheese, and cans of Shasta soda, and then we would hit the road again. Mom would make us little sandwiches out of the crackers and cheese. The housing accommodations for the out-of-towners, such as us, rotated every year among those who lived near Provo. I particularly loved staying with Hal and Anna or Garth and Naomi so that I could play with my male cousins that were my age. Our reunions usually lasted 2 or 3 days, and always included a horseback ride, a day in a park, lighthearted skits by each family, a testimony meeting, and at least one long story-telling session dealing with Redmesa by my dad and his brothers. The horseback ride was always in one of the canyons near Provo, and these usually were as much rodeos as they were rides. We inevitably would have a contest to see who could keep their bare feet in a cold mountain stream the longest. My grandmother Stella would win hands-down (perhaps feet-down) every year. The ride also included a rock-rolling or rock-throwing contest as well. Our evening meetings always included Leo reciting his memorable poem, “Cuz I Gotta Go To School” and Grandma and Grandpa singing a duet, usually “Dear To The Heart Of The Shepherd” or “Before Thee Lord I Bow My Head”. Rich and abiding are these wonderful reunion memories.
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