BY SALLY E. CATES

The Cates Clan Reunion began in 1953, after the death of our grandparents, Allen L. Cates and Sallie Emma Whitehead Cates. She died on Christmas Day 1951, and he died the day before Christmas in 1952. It was kind of odd that they died one day apart and one year apart. So we had two sad Christmases together, but we survived and bounced back in our lives and moved forward.

The 66th annual Cates Clan Reunion was held Saturday, July 25, at the Little Doe Fellowship Hall at high noon. We have a total membership of 286, however, not all are able to attend every year. But, the ones that do come have much fun and enjoyment in seeing our cousins. Everyone should try to attend a family reunion at least once and experience the enjoyment that follows.

It was the John H. Cates family’s time to host the event. It was led by Stephen Cates King (grandson of John). He had some help this year from his sister, Sandra, who came from Nashville to help him host the reunion.

John H. Cates departed this life on Jan. 12, 1972 and joined his parents, Allen L. and Sallie Whitehead, and brothers, Jim “J.R.,” Bill and Paul, and sisters, Carrie, Pearl and Rhoda, who preceded him in death.

Thanks, Steve, for a job well done. That’s a big responsibility for one person to lead and thank you, Sandra and family, for traveling from Nashville this year to help him.

You have to have quite a large amount of love and compassion for your family.

One way to became a member of the Cates Family is of course to be born into it.

Liam Alexander Garst was born on January 29, 2019, to Chris and Ashley Hyder Garst. He weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. He is the grandson of Nat Edens and Sherri Hyder and great-grandson of Ed and Elizabeth Hyder.

Dustin and Brooke Cates Jaynes came to the reunion as a party of “two” and later that day they had to go to the hospital for the birth of their first child, a son, Matthew Royce Jaynes. He weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces and was 20-1/4 inches long. He is the grandson of Glenn and Vivian Cates, and the great-grandson of the late Roy and Alma Cates, and is the newest member to the J.R Cates Family. 

The second way to become a member of the Cates Clan is to marry into the family. Jack Allen Jaynes and Curry Susanne Deloach were married on October 6, 2018, in a lovely outdoor ceremony on her family farm in Siam. He is the son of Thelma Cates Jaynes and the late Bill Jaynes, of the Bill Cates Family.

James Frank Cates and Danielle JoyAnn Loving were married October 20, 2018, in a lovely outdoor ceremony in the Watauga community.  James is the son of Frank Cates and the late Leta Gattshall Cates of the J.R. Cates Family.

We have had a lot of births, weddings, and special events in the Cates Clan. It is not an easy thing trying to keep a record of important events in the lives of the Clan.

Apologies if any information was left out or incorrect.

We had 56 Cates Clan members in attendance this year, and I am eagerly awaiting next year’s gathering.