Page 3 - McCastle Family Program Booklet 2017.indd

San Diego, California 2017
McCastle Family Reunion “Eternal Flame - since the 1800’s a legacy that never ends.”
It is a pleasure for the McCastles of San Diego, California to officially extend a warm and sincere “Welcome!” to all who came from far and near to share in the special occasion of our 45th Family Reunion. Your very presence has made it possible for this celebration to be the wonderful family event that we envisioned. It is said that “families are like branches on a tree; we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one”.
We are so thankful to Almighty God that our ancestors had the foresight to have established our Family Reunion tradition and for those committed family members who have kept up our tradition for 45 years! We pray that your time this weekend will be an enjoyable one and will encourage your continued commitment to praising God, knowing our history and promoting our family unity.
We must keep in mind some words heard in the past. There was a very common saying among our family members for years, because of the loss of many family members during the early ‘70’s. “We must stop meeting at funerals!”, we heard over and over. There was a time when we seemed to be going to the funerals of a whole generation. Then, not everyone was able to get home at the same time or for major holidays which some family members called a “reunion”. So, many families began to make their family reunions their own designated, special family vacation and holiday time.
We especially appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of the McCastles of Little Rock, Arkansas, descendants of Robert and Emma McCastle, the founders of our family reunion. They hosted the very first McCastle Family Reunion in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1973. The month of July, each year, was set as the time for our family to enjoy each other, remember our ancestors and celebrate our heritage as McCastles. Now, through the ongoing efforts of many of our family members nationwide, we share, contribute, and continue to learn about how the McCastle family tree branches are connected through our ancestors for generations as far back as the 1800’s.
Each one of us, as a member of this family, has a responsibility to contribute to our McCastle family legacy for ourselves and the generations to come. The most influential people, the ones who leave behind incredible legacies, will live on in the hearts of the people they touch. Physically, they will no longer be a part of society— but their principles, philosophies and achievements will become immortal, spreading from generation to generation. We hope you will be able to see contributions to our rich legacy left by our ancestors, to this point, as you go through this booklet. They have left us a legacy of their lives of labor and love. You can start making your mark on our family and the world today by pushing yourself to greatness. Take control of your destiny and draw inspiration from the motivating quotes throughout this booklet. Hopefully, this will encourage your personal commitment to leave behind your own inspiring legacy for our family.
As a final gesture on this significant occasion, let’s all take time out for silent prayers in honor and memory of our deceased family members. This booklet is a collection of photographs along with a brief history of the McCastle Family. Most individual families within the McCastle clan contributed photographs to this effort. A very special thanks to Dexter McCastle, Dennis Alexander, Geraldine Higgins and William McCastle for collecting historical information, taking pictures and collecting old pictures for this publication. These photographs and information are a rare collection memorializing our family history, past and present. This project has been a rewarding experience for us. Enjoy your journey through this McCastle Family Reunion souvenir booklet. It is our hope that you will come to consider it a treasured possession to be shared with your children and other family members in the years to come.
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