A Tribute to Grandma and Grandpa Gonda

We just got back from a WONDERFUL family vacation to Sequoia National Park and then Reno/Tahoe for Dave's Gonda family reunion. It was a fabulous trip. The kids did great traveling and the trip overall was wonderful. I have to say a little about Dave's family before I get on to some fun pictures (another day). So, the reunion was in honor of Dave's grandparents who have been married for 50 years. Counting his grandparents there are 76 family members including their 5 children + spouses and then grandchildren +spouses and great-grandchildren. Of those 76 family members, 72 were in attendance in Reno this weekend. That, in and of itself is quite an accomplishment. The official anniversary celebration was held one evening at G & G's church. We had family pictures taken, a catered dinner, a beautiful slide show about G & G Gonda that someone put together. Here are G & G cutting the cake.


We really love grandma and grandpa Gonda. They are good people who we feel fortunate to know. Both have remarkable life stories. Grandma Gonda was born #9 in his family. his mother died when he was one year and ten months old (giving birth to child #10 who did not live). His father was too poor to raise the kids so three of his siblings, the three just older than him, were sent to an orphanage to be raised but they would not take grandpa b/c he was still a baby. He was raised by his father and then when he was around age 7 the siblings came back. I remember him telling a story about one Christmas when somehow his dad was able to get him a single orange and how it was a small miracle to have just that orange. I could listen to him tell stories about his life all day. It is just amazing to me how different his life was growing up compared to what we have today. We are so blessed and spoiled.

Grandma and Grandpa Gonda were both married before they married each other. Grandpa was married to Faye Gonda. She died of breast cancer. He was left with 2 young children. Grandma Gonda was married to David Barnes (that is who Dave is named after). She had a baby (dave's dad Dan) and was pregnant with her second when David died in an accident while flying fighter jets as a test pilot. It was not war time or anything, he just went out for a normal day of work and the airplane malfunctioned and he died. From what I understand his eject did not work properly so he was killed trying to get out of the airplane or went down with it. It was here in San Diego over the ocean where this occured. I can't imagine the loss grandma felt.

So, then G & G got married. They each had 2 kids and began to mix the families. They eventually added a 5th kid of their own. One miraculous thing about the family is that they survived this mixing of families. It was very difficult to mix his and hers kids, all around the same ages. It was a little crazy at times but they are a strong family now.

Another amazing thing about the family is that thanks to one person, we are all members of the church. Grandma and Grandpa are coverts to the church. Grandpa's first wife, Faye was a member of the church and after many years of investigating the church Grandpa joined just before she died. After Grandma and Grandpa were married, grandma joined the church and they raised all of their kids in the church. Thanks to Faye Gonda there are 76 members of the church who would not have otherwise had that blessing.