Descendants of David and Maria (Neyer) Schwartzman met this past weekend for a family reunion at the Embassy Suites hotel in Centennial, Colo.
Reunion hosts were Kim (Bezdek) Benage, Amanda (Schwartzman) Cappella, Tina (Bezdek) Hanson, and Brian Bezdek.
The David Schwartzmans sailed to America in 1869 on the SS Saxonia and settled in DeKalb County, Ill. In 1878, David and Maria and their six children, Louise, John, Sophia, Hedwig, Lena, and Edward traveled to Dickinson County before settling near Tampa in Marion County in 1885.
Three generations participated in a weekend of golf, shopping, stories, and memories. Thirty-two family members enjoyed a barbecue dinner Saturday evening.
Family members attending were Wayne and Maurita Schwartzman, Parkville; H.J. (Schwartzman) McGonigle, Maize; Pat and John Schwartzman, Salina; Joe and Mary (Schwartzman) Roccasalva, Olathe; Rita Hensley and Julie (Hensley) Utt, Winfield.
Lee and Bernie Schwartzman, Wildwood, Mo.; Gayle and Leo Bezdek, Crystal Lake, Ill.; L.J. and Florence Bezdek, Liberty, Mo.; Christina (Bezdek) and Mike Hanson, Kathy Mankey, Mario and Amanda (Schwartzman) Cappella and 10-day-old Cynthia Ada, and Gene, Danny, and Darci Schwartzman, Aurora, Colo.
Leslie Bezdek, Denver, Colo.; Brian and Lisa Bezdek, Brandon and Aiden, Parker, Colo.; and Mike and Kim (Bezdek) Benage and Caedmon, Arvada, Colo.
The family will meet again in July 2010.