My uncle Wayne died last week. Wayne was my father’s brother. My father was the oldest of nine children, and was also the first to die, in 1998. We have since lost the second-oldest brother Garry and, last week, Wayne. Yesterday my uncle Allan hosted a family reunion to celebrate Wayne’s life. This was the first time I had seen any of my cousins in over twenty years. Some I had never even met. And as for their own children–never met any of them.

Of the nine Rowland siblings, eight of them had children. Garry was the only one who was childless. Fourteen of us gathered together for this photo. These are the Rowland cousins. We all have the same grandparents (one set, anyway):

Left to right (cousin’s Rowland parent):
Melissa (Allan)
Connie (Sheila)
Amanda (Allan)
Aleesha (Leitha)
Michelle (Sheila)
Ryan (Allan)
Yvonne (Wayne)
Craig (Carl)
Crystal (Melody)
Travis (Sheila. Travis is the last Rowland first-cousin, born in 1990)
Cheryl (Wayne)
Jason (Leitha)
sitting:
Christopher (Carmen)
Grant (Carl)

Not present:
Jeanette (Wayne. Jeanette was the firstborn, in 1964)
Shawn (Wayne)
Brandon (Carmen)
Charmaine (Sharon)
Chandelle (Sharon)
Joshua (Melody)
April (Leitha. April died as a teen)