ROCHELLE — The McCaslin family reunions have been a tradition since the early twentieth century, meeting every June at Memorial Park. This year marked a momentous occasion for the family as they celebrated their 75^th year getting together.

About 150 descendants of the original four families that gathered in 1943 flocked to Memorial Park last weekend to honor the heritage they all share. The park was filled with plenty of food, fellowship, and most importantly, smiles and laughter. Individual families wore color-coded specially made shirts emblazoned with “75” on the back of their shirts to signify the special day. Inside the numbers on the shirts were the last names of everyone linked in the McCaslin family.

Connie Dougherty of Rochelle shared some special memories of the event she looks forward to every June. It is a time to catch up and reinforce the bond she shares with all of her cousins and extended family.

“One of my earliest memories is of the cigar and pipe smoke wafting through the air and the sounds of horseshoes hitting their mark over and over,” Dougherty recalled, smiling. “We’ve always had an egg toss and a water balloon toss but back in the day we would have gunny sack and three-legged races and watermelon eating contests…the ones where you would have your hands behind your back and you had to put your face in it.”

Dougherty said her grandparents, Roy and Anna McCaslin, lived in a house adjacent to Memorial Park. Their daughter, Rosemary (McCaslin) VanKirk is Dougherty’s mother.

“I look around and see everyone here and it is wonderful,” VanKirk said. “In the blink of an eye and we have expanded.”

VanKirk, 88, shared a special photo with baby Kayson, 6 months, to represent the oldest and youngest attending this year’s reunion.

“Not that many families in the midst of World War II think let’s have a family reunion,” said Daniel VanKirk.

Dougherty explained why the family did not gather in 1944, but has since done so every year after.

“The second year the family didn’t hold a reunion because the week before soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy and so many people had lost loved ones,” she said. “They thought it was not the time to have a party and a picnic.”

Tradition

Every since 1945, the family has made it their tradition to meet on the second Sunday in June. As part of the annual tradition Dougherty and her husband, Ken, host a pre-reunion party and have family members stay over the night before. This year the Doughertys had 120 people at their Rochelle home. Dougherty said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love this weekend, and I know I work hard to prepare for it, but I’m ready to do it again,” Dougherty said. “One of my favorite sights I have in my head is on the day of the reunion and see people just starting to come…I see them coming across the park and it just melts my heart.”

Adding, “If I only had one day to live, I’d live for the family reunion. I just love it.”

The year 1943

According to peoplehistory.com here are some other information that happened the year the McCaslins first decided to get together for a family reunion: Construction of the Pentagon had just been completed; the Great Depression came to an end; due to a copper shortage, the U.S. one-cent penny is struck in steel; the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is created by Chicago Cubs owner Philip K. Wrigley. “The purpose of the league was to try to fill empty baseball stadiums and provide entertainment during World War II,” as noted on the website.

Cost of Living in 1943: Gallon of gas, 15 cents; average cost of a new house, $3,600; average wages per year, $2,000; average monthly house rent, $40; bottle of Coca-Cola, 5 cents.