Uncle Bill's Surprise Birthday Party

I was back in the US last week and was able to make my way to West Virginia for the celebration of my Uncle Bill's 80th birthday. My uncle was surprised and so delighted to see 85 friends and family members gathered to celebrate with him! All of his children, most of his grandchildren & great-grandchildren, and lots of other family members were there. It was the first time I'd seen many of my relatives in years, and we had a blast catching up with one another. Here I am with my uncle and assorted cousins: Mom & Dad with Uncle Bill:My uncle with his children:My cousin Rachel compiled a slideshow of 100 photos from Uncle Bill's life, including some from when he and my mother and their siblings were kids. The slideshow ran continuously on a big screen throughout the party. It was so much fun to see the photos. This one shows my grandfather holding my Mom as a baby, with Mom's siblings Bob, Betty, Jim, Bill, and Joe in front:And here are Bill, Mom, and Joe today:And I love this one of the family in their teens and twenties with my grandparents......that's my Mom on the right! And how great is this photo of my Aunt Betty, Aunt Jean, and Mom (in plaid) circa 1970?!? Finally, a photo of my Uncle Bill and Aunt Jean when they were teenagers -- don't they look like the quintessential 1950's cool couple? Happy Birthday Uncle Bill!