Like most families, we have two sides to ours: the Haire side and the Whippo side. I’m going to talk about the Whippo side today.
Debbie and I created this merger in August, 1973. We immediately established our independence by moving eight hours away from both families for three years while I attended seminary in Kentucky.
Debbie is the ‘first-born’ of a family of nine children: Debbie, Danny, Laurie, Cathy, Janie, Wally, Ginny, Tommy and Barbie.
I was the ‘baby’ of the Haire family with a sister fifteen years older – Jeannette. I have no memory of ever living with her in the house, Then my brother, Ira, was twelve years older. I barely remember sleeping in the same room with him until he graduated from high school and left home for New York. Beverly was seven years older and I’m sure I was an absolute pest to her! From the age of eleven on, I was raised like an only child.
When we returned from Kentucky I was ordained and appointed to my first church in Harrison City, PA. Somewhere in and around that time, my father-in-law, Ken, gathered the family in the living room and explained that Debbie and I were going to be in the ministry. He explained the pressures we would be under and suggested that the family should always be a safe zone for us. If we talked about our church, the family should keep our confidence! The farm was to be a safe place for us where we were treated normally.
Although Ken and I were not close [he was still Mr. Whippo to me at that point], I deeply appreciated his intervention and understanding!
That was fifty years ago, and the Whippo family HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SAFE PLACE FOR US! Debbie’s brothers and sisters and their wives and husbands have added untold value to our lives! They have served as a circle of friends, a prayer group and a source of encouragement and help over and over again! We have vacationed together and shared meals at one another’s homes.
Our three T’s grew up with
Charlie and Laurie’s kids almost like they were all siblings! Camping trips at
Pymatuning Lake took place summer after summer!
For ten days every July we shared the experience of being together at the Tri-State Free Methodist Family Camp where Debbie and I first met! For ten days all of us ate, played, went swimming, and worshipped together!
In more recent years we’ve camped with a gang of the family (and some camp friends) every Memorial weekend and Labor Day weekend! Even now, when we worship on Sundays, we see three of Deb’s sisters and two of her brothers in church and Sunday School nearly every Sunday!
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This Friday, we drove to Owego, NY, to attend the wedding of a great niece: Alexandra Semko [Danny’s daughter Mandy’s (and Scott's) oldest child]. It coincided with the town of Owego’s Annual Strawberry Festival, so many of us came on Friday to enjoy the festivities.
Owego outdid itself with a downtown array of vendors, concerts, fireworks and on Saturday a parade that went on for an hour and a half! Totally enjoyable!
Then, Saturday at 3:00 PM, we gathered at Tioga Gardens for Jacob Dove and Alexandra Senko’s outdoor wedding! It was a stunningly beautiful setting and was clearly and carefully thought through from beginning to end. No flaws or faux paus – just perfection!
Whippo family members were present from New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Illinois, Alaska, Ohio and Connecticut. Hugs were exchanged. Introductions of new members were made! Conversations filled the afternoon! Love was evident everywhere you looked! A family that values relationships and looks eagerly forward to celebrations that occasionally bring us together!
Congratulations to the new Dove family! May they enjoy their honeymoon and the true beginning of their life together! Also to the Senko family for a job well done! I think anyone present would declare that it was A PERFECT DAY!
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