From Then 'til Now by Patty McGraw

From Then ‘til Now

I attended my first McGraw Reunion in July, 1969, at the John McGraw Grade School gym, a month before I married Mike McGraw.  

Mike told me about his family and their reunion, but until I had attended I had no clue what I was in for.  

You see, I suddenly realized I was in trouble.   I had never seen so much food in all of my life.  I was about to marry a man whose family were all good cooks and I, as the old saying went, couldn’t boil water!

So began my experience of learning to cook.  I watched and learned from my dear Mother-In-Law, Lois McGraw.

I remember watching her cook for the reunion.   She would start cooking the Saturday before the reunion.  She made Shake ‘N Bake chicken, macaroni salad, and baked beans.  Lois liked baking and would make the best desserts.  Her homemade chocolate pies, lemon pie, cherry delight and apple cake desserts were delicious.

From Lois, I learned to make Mike’s favorite dishes. Before she passed, she would call me and say come up and help me cook whatever she was cooking. She would say, “You need to learn how to make this.” I can truthfully say I have very fond memories of my Mother-In-Law.

During the 1970's, I watched as Mike’s Aunts prepared for the McGraw reunion. His Aunt Galena and Aunt Wilda would start baking cakes and pies early in the week for the reunion. 

At that time, Galena still had the store and Post Office in McGraws and was working. Wilda would walk out to her store daily to see how many cakes or pies Galena had made.  If Galena said ten, Wilda would go home and make eleven so she could say she had made more.  Thing was, sometimes Galena would tell Wilda she had more than she really had - that’s sisterly love and competition for you!

It would take several men and boys to help carry in the food Galena and Wilda had prepared for the reunion.

Mike’s Mom, Lois McGraw, his Aunts: Galena McGraw Kerns, Wilda McGraw Shumate, Naomi McGraw Sadler, and Rita Riley McGraw were all good cooks.  Their food was homemade from scratch and prepared with love.  I learned from the best and I did learn to cook!

Fast forward to July 19, 2020, fifty-two years since I attended my first reunion.  Instead of serving our usual reunion food, we will be sharing a virtual meal.  This will definitely be a first for everyone.  My Brother has attended our reunion twenty-plus years.  His comment about the virtual reunion was “We (he) couldn’t eat the food.”  Sorry, Steve!  

After this Covid-19 event, I would hope and pray that next year, the good Lord willing, we will once again meet the third Sunday of July, for the 68th McGraw Reunion.  I hope to see you in person in 2021.

Sincerely,
Patty McGraw

P.S. I will be cooking!