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Family reunions and birthdays celebrated over long weekend

Heads up for tornado season; with sightings and touch-downs in Ponoka and near Hardisty, we seem to be in the middle.

GADSBY/WESTWOOD NEWS -- Heads up for tornado season; with sightings and touch-downs in Ponoka and near Hardisty, we seem to be in the middle.

A good crowd of family and friends gathered at the Gadsby ball park on the weekend to help Denise (Nichol) Jacobson celebrate her 40th birthday. Some brought their RV’s to make it a camping weekend. Happy birthday, Denise!

Also this past weekend the Big Knife 4H held their year end wind-up in Red Deer with supper at Montana’s, followed by a movie of their choice. While in Montana’s, the staff surprised Denise by crowning her (with Moose horns) and singing happy birthday.

Bill and Joyce Hansel enjoyed the weekend with a visit from grandson Curtis and Corinne Trenerry and family from Provost who were returning from the Walker reunion in Byemore; daughter Sue and Brad Bauman stopped in that afternoon and grandson Tyler and Breana Bauman stopped in as well. Son Larry Hansel headed back to Drayton Valley, but has returned for a few days while dad Bill recovers from his knee surgery.

About 225 members of the McKay/Quinn clan gathered in Stettler for a family reunion.

Muriel and Shirley Quinn from Coleraine, Ireland were there. Muriel’s husband Sammy was not able to travel (he is a first cousin to all the McKay clan). Barry Quinn from North Carolina was there as was Mark Filipenko and family from Alaska. Great visiting, games for the kids, silent auction and a catered supper was enjoyed by all.

A bit of local history on the family: The McKay family have been an intregal part of the Gadsby/Westwoods and Stettler area since 1925, when Archie and Martha (nee Quinn) and their 8 children arrived in Gadsby. After a short journey back to Ireland they emigrated to the Westwoods district where they farmed. Sandy Quinn farmed just south of them with the Westwoods Centre in the middle. Archie and Martha’s children were Mary (Elmer Smith), Westwoods; Nancy (Earl Hillman), Bonneyville; Sarah (Everette Rossborough), Stettler; Grace (Jack Pearn). Stettler; Bill (Pearl Erksandh), started their married life at “King’s Crossing” near Westwoods; Charlie (local gal, Lorna Quance), Gadsby/Stettler; John (Kay Dykstra), Stettler; Gerry (Blanche Haner), Stettler; Margaret (Dan Marchand), Forestburg and Kathleen (Louie Scheerschmidt), Botha/Stettler. A group picture was taken Saturday afternoon.

It is with sadness that we learn of the passing of Twyllia Long on June 30 (which was her birthday). She was 86. Twyllia Park spent much of her youth in Gadsby, married Glenn Long. Twyllia returned to the Gadsby area (south near her mom Garnett and Alf Tigner). Twyllia (Mrs. Long to her students) taught school in Gadsby from 1969 to 1979. She was a much loved teacher and after retiring, continued to be active in her community, supporting the local bingos, suppers, Bank Building activities to name a few. She leaves many dear friends to mourn her loss as well as her family, Gary, Randy and Lorraine and their families.