b'BODY OF CHRIST NEWS MAGAZINE AUGUST 2024The Koonce Family Reunion: Mr. Tom Koonces Blueprint for a Lasting Legacy Written by: Juanita Lenoir Pope-Levy ThismonthourannualKoonceFamilyReunion7th child and only 10 years old when her momannual gathering. We meet every July. We also is fifty-five years old. My grandfather, Mr. Tomdied, says, One night momma went to bed, wenthave elected officers. People are often shocked Koonce is the founder and he gave a commissionon to sleep and never woke up.by this. Our officers serve two years and then to his twelve children to have an annual familywe elect new ones. We have a bank account, we reunion. They got it done. It officially began inMy grandfather became a widower and a singlecollect yearly dues and we pay our bills. It takes July 1969. The twelve were grown up, married andparent overnight. Because he owned his land thatsome money to gather folks together for three on their own, living in several places all acrosshad been in their family since slavery ended, hedays. thecountry,alongwayfromSneads,Florida,was able to be a successful farmer and provide the place they grew up in and where the reunionfor his large family with the help and sacrifice ofWe begin on Friday evening with our fish fry. We would be held. Yet, our granddads vision for themhis extended family. His grandmother was a slaveserve some of the best top-notch fresh fish the to gather on their land continues.andherenslaverdeededhersomelandoncestate of Florida has to offer. Saturday, we have slavery ended. She eventually deeded a sizablethebiggatheringyoualreadyknowitscolor My grandfather and grandmother, Pecola Hearnsportion to her daughter, we all called her Mommacoordinated since day one in 1969; we all wear red Koonce were married very young. They actuallyRena, my granddads mother.and white. We have t-shirts designed by our own had 14 children but two died in childbirth. In 1944,artist in the family. We have dinner on the grounds she died at the age of 35. It was unexpected.Down through the years, our family has kept theof our land under The Koonce Pavillion, built by According to my mom, Ida Koonce-Pope Smith,format used from the beginning in 1969 for ourmy uncles and cousins. Later in the evening, we Continued on pg 14Follow us on 8'