The main gathering of our family was on Sunday but on Saturday, Velma Vanicek Flynn of Davenport led a Souhrada Heritage Walk at the Oxford Junction Mayflower Cemetery. She told where many of the Souhrada immigrant relatives were buried and about their interesting lives.

Many of the Souhrada relatives met Saturday evening at the Depot Restaurant in Maquoketa for a time of good fellowship and dinner. Family and historical documents were on display in the Legionnaire Ballroom in Oxford Junction as early Sunday arrivals enjoyed a 10 a.m. morning brunch. At noon our potluck meal was set for us to enjoy and this was followed by a program with family introductions and a video of the 2000 Souhrada reunion held in Pisek, Czech Republic.  The following is an e-mail sent by Jiri Souhrada (the host of the reunion in the Czech Republic) to be read at our reunion:

“Dear Relatives, I am happy that your Souhrada reunion is in Oxford Junction. I have very nice memory and know very good people and relatives from Oxford Junction. I know history and remember of Mike Souhrada, very interest or relative was born in Dolni Novosedly, as my father Jan Souhrada. My father’s history is very near Mike Souhrada. He liked music, worked long time on train station in Pisek, he did not have a car, prefer train or bike...History about Mike Souhrada and emigrated Souhrada’s and people near Pisek to America is now in new open Czech historic Museum in Milevsko, 15 miles from Pisek. I am working on book about Souhrada history and emigrations to America from Pisek area. I would like for new information about Souhrada’s or emigrations to America from Bohemia, old pictures, photo, interest story, old postcards (also copy) for a book “To America". I invite you to Czech Republic for Souhrada reunion 2002 in September 2002!

 Good luck!

Jiri and Vera”

 Dave Stephens of Tipton, Iowa served as auctioneer in selling many donated items to help defray reunion expenses. Following this many door prizes were awarded and recognitions were made. The youngest attendee, Ezra Flynn of Ontario, Wisconsin was one month old and the oldest was John Souhrada, 85, of Lime Springs, Iowa. Newlyweds of one week were Leota Campbell and Milton Anderson of Bloomington, Minn. That evening many members met at The Depot Restaurant in Maquoketa for dinner and more good fellowship.

By Velma Vanicek Flynn

Elizabeth Vanicek, Chris Gotstein, Nelda Vanicek, , Pat Lyon, and Leroy Powelka

To view the entire picture album from this year's reunion, click here