Bluth Family Forever! Reunion 2012

 An OSCAR EMMANUEL and

LUCY LAVINIA MACDONALD BLUTH 

gathering was held in

Queen Creek, Arizona November 23, 2012.

The 3 living children are:

 Flossie (Faudie) Bluth Robinson, 96 years old

Oscar Emmanuel Jr (turning 90 years old in 10 days)

Gayle (Chato) 87 years old

and spouses

 WW (Bill) Bunker (90 years old yesterday) (Lucy) 

Ora Lunt Bluth (Gayle's wife) 87 years

LaRee Lunt Bluth (Lynden's wife) 85 years

In attendance were 150 people who were able to be in Arizona after Thanksgiving day.  Our last reunion was in 2005 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico.

This reunion was planned in an effort to teach the children of their magnificent heritage!

      

OscarEmmanuel Bluth and Lucy Lavinia Macdonald

 

 

 

 THREE OF THEIR LIVING CHILDREN AND 3 SPOUSES

from left to right: LaRee Lunt Bluth (Lynden's wife), Oscar E Bluth Jr, Ora Lunt Bluth, Gayle (Chato) Bluth, Flossie Bluth Robinson, W.W. (Bill) Bunker (Lucy's husband).The reunion started in the foyer of the chapel, where we signed-in, lots of hugs and delight to see one another, large posters with pictures and history of:

August Christian Fredrick Bluth

Alexander Finlay Macdonald

Oscar Emmanual Bluth and Lucy Lavinia Macdonald

their 9 Children:

Lothaire (Bud)

Fannie V

LaPrele

Flossie

Mac

Lucy

Oscar Emmanuel Jr.

Gayle (Chato)

Lynden (Lyndy)

 

 Elizabeth Hatch Miller (who is currently in the Missionary Training Center, preparing to serve with her husband in the Mexico City South Mission) and her daughter Kiffany Miller Javier prepared a Genealogy Power Point with a poem which was presented by Jacque Bluth Gurney.  The script and power point will be shared to all family members by email, if you contact Jacque at: jacquegurney@gmail.com

The power point is helpful to point out missing information that our family needs to search for in order to provide temple ordinances for our ancestors, as well as to give interesting information about many ancestors.

 

Gordon Bluth and his wife Mariann prepared a hand-out with a timeline of August Christian Fredrick Bluth's life (1842-1930).  He had a hard life, his father dying 2 months prior to his birth and 9 of his immediate family members (wives and children) dying - - yet he was a faithful man, a true pioneer - the first member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Bluth Family.

 

August, the father of Oscar Emmanuel Bluth, received a copy of "A Voice of Warning", the "Book of Mormon" and other LDS literature from the Mormon missionaries in 1876, and when he read it and prayed about its truthfulness, found it to be true.  He shared the literature with his sister, Fredricka Wilhelmina, who was living with their brother (John ML Bluth) after her husband's death.  John had seen the Mormon literature and threatened to burn it, but Fredrika hid the book from him and kept reading it.  John found the book, and read it - and he also joined the church and was baptized.  Through August's testimony 6 members of his Bluth family were baptized and followed August to America to settle in Utah.  August's family lived in Grantsville, Utah (where the man who baptized him sponsored him), then in Brigham City, and then Ogden.  Our grandfather, Oscar, was born in Ogden.  August saw 7 of his children die (he made their coffins) and 3 of his wives.  His life was extremely hard, and Oscar always had tears stream down his face when he recalled his childhood, saying, "I hardly know how we survived those days".  The Bluths were thed 3rd family to settle in Colonia Dublan,Chihuahua, Mexico (as political exiles due to their obedience to God).

 

Alexander Findlay Macdonald, the father of Lucy Lavinia Macdonald, came home to Scotland from working on the sea at the age of 17 years, with a Book of Mormon in his coat pocket.  When his father saw the book fall from his jacket, he beat him and kicked him out of the house.  Alexander was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was a powerful leader, pioneer, explorer, negotiator, surveyor, Stake President and member of the church for his entire life.  When Alexander and his wife immigrated to America, his mother had died and he brought his father with him. 

President Brigham Young called him to assist in the construction of the St. George Temple, to survey Springville and many southern Utah towns, then to explore and survey in Mesa, Arizona.  The road BASELINE is his baseline surveying measurement.  His home was on the southeast corner of Main and Macdonald.  He was the first Stake President of Springville, Utah, and the first Stake President of Mesa (Maricopa Stake) - as well as the Mayor of both cities.  He later was called to explore and find land for church members to flee to Mexico (forming 7 Colonies), and Alexander settled his family in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico (as political exiles - due to their obedience to God).

We played a JEOPARDY game, led by Gordon Bluth, where the family was divided into 2 teams, and competed with questions about their family history.  The apparent winner was Mary Louise Marsh - who couldn't resist the answers that others just did not seem to know!!!  Way to go Mary-girl!  We love you! 

 

The kids of the great-grandchildren were so happy to get out of the chapel and play!

and great-grandsons' wives were good sports to play games (Brielle and Ashlee shaking ping pong balls out of tissue boxes "Junk-in-your-Trunk") game.

 

 

Andre Bluth (Chato's son) and John Hatch (Fannie's son)

...and the first OSCAR in the "great-great grandchildren" (see nametag on baby)!  His dad is Shaun (in black is Andre's son,  pictured with his brother (far left) Dustin, his wife Heather, Tono (Gordon's son) and Shane Armstrong (Chelsea Bluth's husband), Lothaire's daughter.

Mary Louise Bunker Marsh (Lucy's daughter), Gordon Bluth (this sacred spot where we held the reunion was donated by Gordon to the LDS church for a Stake center and ballfields) - Lynden's son, Michelle Bunker Jones (Lucy's daughter) and Scott Robinson (Flossie's grandson by Jerry).

Lunch was potluck - with favorites by Gary Bluth (Chicken Mole and Rice), and Renee Bowman Hatch (Chile Verde) and beans by several!  During lunch the Mike Montandon family (Antoinette Bluth's) entertained us with a rap "The Bluth Twins of Prussia" and a "Turkey Waddle Game".

And a special surprise ... Joe Brown, Netta's oldest son, came!  So here are our 2 JOES!  Thanks to Joe Wagner, who called me and asked me a couple months ago to plan a reunion!  It was my gift to  Joe, to Aunt Flossie, to Uncle Oscar, to Uncle Chato. to my mother, LaRee - and to Netta Hatch Brown - a very special cousin in my life, who took me in when I most needed her love - and taught me how the Savior loves.  Indeed, Families are Forever!

Thanks to all of you who were able to come!

We missed all of you who were not able to come!

 

...a note from Jacque:  This blog is open to any and all of your pictures, stories and family history research.  I have many more pictures of the reunion, but am out of time for tonight, so tonight ... I just want to say how grateful I am for the privilege of being born through these great people!  I appreciate their sacrifices, their endurance, their testimonies and their teachings - and hope that we can leave this same kind of heritage for those who come after us!

Love to all!  Besos y abrazos para todos!