Last Saturday, March 30, 2019, in what I believe to be the largest family gathering and reunion ever held by the Proctor Family of Tallahassee, about 110 family members attended covering four generations, some coming from as far away as New York and Texas. We even had descendants (Bill and Liz) of the Mickler and Saxon families in attendance.

As I walked into Sanders Hall at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church my eyes were blinded by smiling faces and a sea of colors; yellow, blue, green, purple and red. Each individual color representing the families of the Proctor children Earl, Florie, Theo, Louise, Ruby, and Ralph.

As I navigated and steered my way through the crowd, I encountered cousins I had not seen in many years and was introduced and greeted by new generations of Proctors and their spouses I had never met before. The love in the room was palatable and intoxicating as people hugged and kissed and laughed as they greeted each other and tried to catch up on the lives of their children and grandchildren and everything that had happened since their last meeting, and even new friends were made.

Against the wall were large charts some as long as ten feet displaying the family trees of the ancestors and descendants of each of the Proctor children of Willie and Lela Proctor. And on large screens were photos and historical documents dating back to the 1780s that continually changed as they displayed the generations of Proctor, Mickler, Sandiford, Temple, and Saxon families.

As the day progressed the families gathered on the stage for group photos that perhaps may never happen again as time will claim us all. These moments frozen in time will forever be cherished for generations to come.

Those in attendance included our family patriarch Theo Proctor Jr. (the eldest surviving Proctor at the reunion) as well as his first cousins Madeline, Proc, and Sandy, all representing our oldest surviving generation of the Proctor Family.

The next generation of Willie and Lela’s great-grandchildren (2nd cousins) included 29 of the surviving 46 in attendance, which ranged from the next-to-the-oldest Palmer and the youngest Peggy, a time span in ages of 34 years.

After a long and tiring day which first began for me at 9:30 a.m. and later after four hours of pure love and joy, and as the crowd gradually dwindled and the last person left, I sat alone in this grand hall, and my mind raced with thoughts of what had just transpired in this extraordinary moment of family history. In addition to the 110 attendees, never had this number of Willie and Lela Proctor’s great-grandchildren been together in the same location.

In this very room, once the main church sanctuary which was started with the help of my parents Clifton (Sissie) and Clinton, many family events had occurred. Madeline and Tom were the 1st church members and couple married in this room, and Amelia and Bob were married here as well, and the funeral of O. Earl Proctor was held here 56 years past.

As I near next month, my 66th birthday, I wonder if I will ever witness another grand and glorious reunion like this one that had just occurred on this most beautiful day. I am thankful for cousins Debbie and Dave who pulled this all together, and I think about those that were unable to attend because of health and distance. If you are one of those unable to attend, you were indeed sorely missed.

I think about those that have passed recently and those long ago, and I am saddened but yet joyful in the memories of my family that I hold close and dear to my heart, and this day will forever be another one of those most cherished memories.

I only regret that I did not get around to shake the hand of each and everyone in attendance, but perhaps one day we can do this again, and I will finally have that chance.