Vandivort family to hold reunion

The Vandivorts will hold their 50th family reunion from Friday to Sunday in Cape Girardeau. The more than 100 family members, heirs of Julia and Clyde Vandivort of Cape Girardeau, will be headquartered at the Victorian Inn.

Five of Julia and Clyde's seven children who lived to maturity (there were nine) left Southeast Missouri, but their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have returned annually for the last 50 years to hold a Fourth of July family reunion and business meeting.

After the death of their parents, the seven Vandivort children formed a subchapter S farming corporation to continue farming their father's acreage through the help of tenant farmers. Some of the farmers have been with the family for three generations and are invited to a special luncheon to honor them at the Royal N'Orleans.

The family meets in Cape Girardeau to visit one of the farms and discuss their mutual farming heritage and meaningful sites around the city. There are four family farms, totaling 2,672 acres. Some of the places they will meet are The Royal N'Orleans, Cape County Park, Bent Creek Golf Club and the Riverview Room at Buckner Brewing Co.