Some of my memories and thoughts

Instead of calling this the Dulashaw Family Reunion, I wonder if we should not call it the Hlatky family reunion. Since most of the people that went to the farm on those Sundays long ago were from Grandma’s side of the family, Uncle Mike/Aunt Rosey, Aunt Julie Paulochik, Aunt Margaret/Terchanik, Aunt Mary/Uncle John, Uncle George/Aunt. It also included all the Dulashaws since it was at their farm. Aunt Agnes/Uncle Mike Buckus, Aunt Ann/Uncle Red Grosik, Uncle Fred, Uncle Ed/Aunt Florence (Flossy), Aunt Ethel/Uncle Ernie Seaman, Uncle George/Aunt Donna, Uncle Paul (who couldn’t play much because of his heart he passed away when he was sixteen), Uncle Joe, Aunt Mary/Uncle Phil Manculich, and Uncle Tom/Aunt Connie and their families as they grew.

I want to impart a couple of stories that Great Grandma told me when I was cleaning for her at the farm. One of her stories was about how, after losing her first husband in a mining accident, leaving her with a young daughter (Agnes), she had left her young daughter with her mother, who had a daughter (Margaret) around the same age. She said Pap went to her father to ask permission to marry her. Permission was granted, because Frank needed a wife, and Grandma needed someone to look after her and Agnes. Upon hearing his name, she said, “I thought I would never be able to spell it. So, in her great wisdom, she decided she would spell it like it sounds.

Dulashaw. 

Grandma told me that Pap came over on a boat paid for by the priest who took him in when his father sent him to live with him. Although they lived on the Czechoslovakia-Austrian border he sometime said he was from Austria. His mother died, and his father remarried. His stepmother was a harsh, uncaring woman, especially when she started having her own children. His father sent him to the church to live with a priest. When he was twelve or fourteen, the priest purchased a place for him on a ship bound for America. Uncle Joe said they had often asked him to tell them the correct spelling of his name and anything he could about his family. His response was always the same: he didn’t want anything to do with his family.

While reading the information, I think it was Uncle John's research. He stated that Pap came to America when he was sixteen; he also noted that Pap was baptized Teodor. he married a woman named Anna Semko. He came to America within a year of marriage because his wife was with another man. John said this was related to him by Aunt Julie. In that research, they spelled Pap's last name Dostsiska. I could be mistaken, though, from how I was reading that research. I would be interested in knowing other thoughts.

One of Dan's favorite stories was when he and Tom would go into the garden, pick tomatoes, then eat them right there. Since they did this quite often, he didn’t think anything of it until he was in the garden with Pap, supposedly to help him pick tomatoes. Pap turned around and saw him standing there eating his tomatoes. Although he couldn’t understand him, there was no 

mistaking that he was angry as he chased him out of Tomato Patch with his cane.

Dan also had stories of when he stayed down at the farm and how, while in bed, they had quilts and haps on the beds, but when you got up, you would have to beat feet down to the old pot belly stove to get warm and dressed. He said there was no heat except the old pot belly. Brr 🥶 thank God they thought of better ways of heating the house.

These are just a few of our stories, would it not be nice to put together these stories before it is too late or forgotten? It is a sad time as we lost another leaf from one of the branches of our family tree. I am so glad that Tom Grosik was able to join us in the past two years. It was nice to reconnect with him. Although we no longer meet every Sunday, I wish we could meet once a year and keep Grandma’s tradition going.

We also had a couple of happy times this year that allowed our family to grow. Chris Hartell got married to Gabby West in September. Chris is the son of April Walsh, grandson of Georgetta (Dulashaw)/Jim Walsh, and the great-grandson of George/Donna Dulashaw. Then, in October, Conner Dulashaw married Allie McKeel. Conner is the son of Danny Dulashaw/ Liz Hemming, grandson of Dan/Patty Dulashaw, and the great-grandson of George/Donna Dulashaw.

Barb and I discussed how Aunt Rosie and the other older women wore those house dresses. Barb also reminded me that we are the same age as Grandma and Rosie were back then. Wow, did that make me feel old? 🙍 Thanks, Barb! So, upon reflection, we need some younger blood. Susie is great, and Barb and I are willing to help as long as we can, but we need younger people to get involved. Diana has said she would be willing to help, but we need more. We would do conference calls throughout the months until the reunion. Maybe we could take turns doing a newsletter like this to let us all know your stories. I believe the more input we have the better the event.

 ; 

Last year, Susie had her jellies and fairy gardens these and other items made to be chanced off gave us the starting funds to start this year's reunion. Do we want games for the little ones? Maybe we could do some face painting. The older ones like to swim. Maybe set up a volleyball, baseball, or cornhole. We could have story time where older ones would tell us stories. We need someone to orchestrate the food; this is all we can figure out. Once we get the committee gathered.

If anyone wants to help plan this reunion, please contact,

Barb Wallet (814) 244-0476

Susie Grosik (330)883-2833

Patty Dulashaw (814) 322-5255

Diane Farabough (814) 242-2472

I don’t know about the other ones but I prefer text.

We know not everyone has Facebook, so please share this information with all your relatives. We really hope this year’s reunion will be the best one.