Here is Wilma Cooper, with all of her daughters - Dorothy Ann, Margaret, Jean, Merry and Carol. We are together at the wedding of Michael Herman to Mary DeMarce in Minneapolis, in July of 1983, after the Cooper Clan family reunion at Potato Lake. The reunion photos are shown below...
In 1983, a family reunion was planned for the week of the 4th of July. I think by this time, Michael had bought my folks' cabin, and my sisters had the red cabin. Linda and Reg and their kids and Rachel were at their cabin, and they were involved in the reunion fun as well.
Our family had some regular 'comedians' and they made this reunion a real blast! There was much planning of meals, entertainment, and activities, and it 'ran like a clock!'
Here's our mother, arriving the night before the big festivities began. She looks like she's ready for a fun time! In the background are Michel, Jill and Jack, and this shot was taken in the dining area of the red cabin.
Dorothy Ann is ready to 'party!' In this shot, she and mother have just arrived and are entering the red cabin through the kitchen. Margaret is greeting Wilma, and Doug is standing by...
The flag was raised at the beginning of the reunion, and we even had a reunion flag with the cabin's logo on it!
In this shot, you can see that the first night's picnic was a bit chilly. But, it wasn't long and things warmed up. (These photos were taken from a huge scrapbook I made of my mother's life, and some of them have portions of other photos overlapping.)
This photo was taken in the 'great room' of the red cabin, with Janey seated on her dad's lap (Jack), Al with his back to the camera, and Dorothy Ann enjoying a cold drink the first evening of the reunion.
Since it was, after all, 4th of July week, the group planned a 'flag-raising' ceremony. With the Cooper Clan, things are often a bit silly, but fun and memorable in any case! Here are Merrel, Merry, Jean and Dorothy Ann saluting as Jack raises the flag onto the flagpole, to open the Cooper Clan Reunion of 1983.
Just as the flag went up, the flag crew got into formation.
...and, after the brief ceremony, the flag crew bows for applause...
Here are the colors flying with a couple of the reunion attendees visiting nearby. This was how the red cabin looked when the Cooper sisters had ownership. It was a great place for all of us to gather.
Merrel gave a 'speech' and Dorothy Ann, Merry and Jean joined with the other 'clan' members in applause, as Merrel takes a bow.
Wilma and our daughter are getting ready to enjoy the entertainment and visiting on the 'deck' at the red cabin.
Jean had gathered a box of fun hats, and in this photo some of our family were wearing a few of them - Wilma on the left with a 'charming bonnet,' our daughter with her 'hoodie,' Doug in a patriotic hat, and Bonnie wearing a nice sun hat!
Here are the Browns in their various hats...Jack, Jill and Jean. You will also notice some face-painting on some of the participants - we had all sorts of fun activities at that reunion!
Here are Jill and Dorothy Ann outside the front door of the cabin.
In this shot, Wilma, Jeff Neufer, our daughter and Jill are gathered and wearing their 'hats!'
In the top photo you can see Janey Brown adjusting the hat of Ray Picard. Below left are Bonnie and Ray Picard, and on the lower right is Ray Picard with some balloons and a ladies' hat...laughter and fun was the goal, and it was accomplished!
'Big' Al is having a good time...that is a maraca in his hand, as Merrel looks on through the door.
Al and Margaret stay warm at the party!
Even with a sore neck, Al is in good spirits...as he makes the sign for 'Texas!'
In this photo, our daughter looks on as Susan and Julie enjoy the party with Lindsey and Jennifer.
Another shot of Susan and Julie with Lindsey and Jennifer, and our daughter looking on...
Margaret enjoys touting all of the benefits of living in Texas...her shirt says 'This T-shirt Contains One Absolutely Fabulous Texan!'
Here's another shot of Margaret's shirt....I think she is 'proud to be from D.A.L.L.A.S.!'
Jim Herman looks great in his 'umbrella' hat!
Even the little girls enjoy playing with the various hats... our daughter and Jennifer with Lindsey in the back.
Our daughter and Jennifer with 'charming' hats!
We had several fun activities, including a pontoon ride around the lake, a program with some funny episodes involved, a family dinner at Compadres in Nevis, and a wedding shower for Mary and Michael whose wedding was to take place after the reunion, in Minneapolis. Below are some of the photos from those activities.
Dorothy Ann (Dot), wearing her Kirkwood College T-shirt, is about to show off her 'dots!'
Julie gets a good laugh at Dorothy Ann's 'dots!' (At the lake, we can be a bit risque...all in fun, of course!)
Jim and Susan on the pontoon.
Mary DeMarce, Wilma and Michael, riding on the pontoon.
Here's Doug on the pontoon.
Al has his hands full...he's the 'captain' of the pontoon, and he has our daughter and Jennifer helping him steer. Jim is looking on...
And, here are Michael, Al and Jim, enjoying the nice day on the pontoon.
Wilma and Jean getting off the pontoon.
The craft has landed, and everyone is disembarking. Time for the program!
Jack was presented with the 'cranky fishing guide' award. Someone had taken a photo of him with all the Cooper women in his boat, and apparently he looked a bit cranky. So, they got the photo blown up, framed and presented it to him at the reunion. He seems to be getting a laugh from the 'joke,' as is Wilma behind him.
Jean and Jack often visited Margaret and Al in Dallas, and the two sisters enjoyed going shopping together, which was usually so much fun that 'accidents' did happen! The above story related one of those times...and the following photos are of the 'punk' pulled on Jean about the incident...
(Notice the 'face-painting' Jean is wearing...we were having so much fun...
Jean and our daughter are taking a look at the 'offending' skort!
It's not so noticeable here, but that skort is rather stained in the crotch....and it's actually just tea, but looks like something more incriminating!
Jean was a good sport about the prank, and we all had a great laugh over the story.
In this photo, Bonnie is showing Jennifer and our daughter a fun hand game...
The two little girls are doing a craft together...
...and when it seems like there is nothing new to do, someone gets out the 'bubblewrap' to pop!
Here are Mary and Michael...
Merrel (who is Jewish) painted a Star of David on his bald head...a little irreverence is acceptable at family reunions, and Merrel had the most wonderful sense of humor!
Susan showed her talent for playing the 'spoons!'
Even Murphy, the Irish Setter, had a Hidden Valley visor for the reunion!
Our mother, Wilma Cooper, demonstrates where some of our fun comes from... She was selected to serve as 'Miss Potato Lake, 1983' and in this photo she is wearing her bathing suit, as all beauty queens must do, and has on her head a lovely bonnet, and a string of 'potatoes' around her neck. When your family compound is located on Potato Lake, one must use one's resources to commemorate that name! (The hat was a very cute 'basket' given to Wilma by her niece Linda Eklund, and the potatoes are soft-stuffed nylon stocking potatoes with the 'eyes' sewn into them...after the reunion, the potatoes were returned to their charming basket and replaced on the dining table at Wilma's house!)
Our mother, in all of her 'bathing beauty' glory...at the age of 84 amazing years! There will never be another 'Wilma!'
It turned out to be a nice, warm day, so of course, we had to go swimming. Here is our daughter sitting on a log in the lake while Jill watches her.
Janey steadies the air mattress as our daughter jumps onto it, and Jill observes.
Here are some Texans and one Iowan enjoying the waters...left to right, Lindsey, our daughter (behind), Jennifer, Julie and Margaret (peeking out)...
Almost everyone got into the water that day... That's Dorothy Ann out there on the raft waving at the camera; Doug is riding in a big inner tube; Margaret is floating on an air mattress; and it looks like Susan is right behind Julie (also on an air mattress); to the right are Al and Jack discussing the merits of the air mattress; in front is Julie holding Lindsey as she dips her little feet into the lake; Jennifer is floating with her inflatable ring next to Carol on an air mattress; and our daughter is talking to Carol about something important as she stands with her inflatable ring. It looks like someone is sitting on the dock in the front left, but I don't know for sure who that is...it could be Murphy, the dog!
Doug and Janey took Jennifer and our daughter for a canoe ride...
There's Doug in the fishing boat, with the pontoon behind...
Hi, Al! You can see the red cabin on the right as Al leaves the dock to take the 14' boat for a spin. The cabin on the left belongs to a couple from Walker, MN.
One of our activities was a wedding shower for Mary and Michael. Here they are, looking at a Ukrainian dyed egg made for them by me...
The little girls got all dressed up for the wedding shower. Left to right are Jennifer, Lindsey, our daughter, with Jean looking on...
We had a family dinner at Compadre's in Nevis. Here, around the table - our daughter, Carol, Merrel, Merry, Wilma, Margaret, Dorothy Ann, Jean, Jack and David. Al must be taking the photo...
Here's the group at Compadre's...David in front, left around the table - our daughter, me, Merrel, Merry, Al, Margaret, Dorothy Ann, Jean and Jack. This time I think Wilma is taking the photo!
Here are the 'culprits' who created this large family, according to age - Wilma (age 84), Dorothy Ann (63), Jean (61), Merry (59), Margaret (57), and Carol (me - 43).
Here are Wilma's grandchildren and great-grandchildren (and some significant others!)
Left to right - back row - Mary DeMarce, Scott Brown, Michael Herman, Doug Hansen. Middle row - Jim Herman, Janey Brown, Bonnie Picard, Jill Brown Neufer and Jeff Neufer. Front row - Susan Brookner holding Jennifer Holt, Julie Brookner Holt, holding Lindsey Holt, and our daughter.
Another shot of the grandkids and greats...
And...here's most of the whole group. Back row - Jim Herman, Margaret Brookner, Wilma Cooper. Next row down - Al Brookner, Mary DeMarce, Scott Brown, Michael Herman, Doug Hansen, Merrel Goldberg. Middle row - Jean Brown, Janey Brown, Bonnie Burns Picard, Jill Brown Neufer, Jack Brown, Jeff Neufer. Bottom row - Susan Brookner with Jennifer Holt, Julie Brookner Holt with Lindsey Holt, our daughter, Ray Picard, and Merry Goldberg.
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