Lipovsek family has gathering

The family has been traced to the late 1600s in Slovenia, where some of the Lipovsek family still reside today. One family lives on the original Lipovsek farm.

Andrej Lipovsek and Marijana Podbelsek had 13 children, all born in Slovenia. Four of those children came to America hoping to find the American dream.

Magdalena Lipovsek Petelinsek, Francisek Lipovsek (Frank Lipasek), Filip Lipovsek (Liposek) and Ferdinand Lipovsek (Lipasek) settled in the Franklin area in the early 1900s. The Lipovsek men worked in the local mines and farmed.

Magdalena Petelinsek's husband was a farmer and land developer. A sub-division in Arma carries the Petelinsek family name, and a street was named for her.

The hall was decorated with red carnations, the Slovenian national flower. A 28-foot family tree was displayed. Name tags and T-shirts were adorned with a photo of St. Gotard, the church the ancestors attended in Slovenia.

The day was spent viewing displays of photos, family histories, memory books, displays and maps about the homeland. On display were books showing the beauty of the Slovenian countryside, atlases, Slovenian dolls in native dress, Slovenian money and a variety of other Slovenian items.

Slovenian folk music and polka music played in the background.

A slide show of old and new family photographs was shown continuously throughout the day.

Dinner was catered from Gebhardt's Chicken Dinners. Following lunch a cake decorated with the Slovenian flag was served.

Kim Youvan from Country Gardens photographed the family against a background including an American flag and a Slovenian flag.

A total of 90 family members and friends, including 57 direct descendants, attended from Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, Iowa and Kentucky. There are 881 known family members.

Those attending were Charles and Joyce Adams, Linda and Murray Adams, Melissa and Brandon Andrews, Chuck and Regina Barton, Josephine Barton, Scotty and Phyllis Bitner, Frank and Myrtle Buchanan, Raymond and Irma Buchanan, Larry and Barbara Carlson, Jennie Fontaine, Mike and JoAnn Gerant, Michael Jr. and Sheila Gerant, Rebecca Gerant and Caitlin Gerant, Alfredo and Jennie Gonzales, Jacqueline and Jessica Gonzales, Carolyn Hanks, Melvin and Della Hohl, Stephanie Hohl and Gregory Beesley, Andy Kmetz, Rose Ella Lepoglow, Don and mary Lipasek, Melissa Lipasek, Shaina Lipasesk, Jason and Tracy Lipasek, Joe and Anna Mae Lipasek, Lynn Lipasek, Mike and Becky Lipasek, Kinsey Palmer, Kyleigh Lipasek, Kellyn Lipasek, Randy and Vicki Lipasek, Ron and Jeanell Lipasek, Steve Lipasek, Frances Ann Maxwell, Gene and Billie McCloud, Brittany McCloud, Cody McCloud, Dana Mead, Hank Sneed, Shari and Shawn Mullen, Anna Mullen, Patrick Mullen, P.J. Mullen, Catie Mullen, Edward and Virginia Petelinski, Frank Pier, Allen Pier, James Pier, Allan and Jean Podbelsek, Franklin and Noretta Podbelsek, Curt and Katy Sinclair, Brooke Sinclair, Brittany Sinclair, Marilyn and Larry Sinclair, Bob and Darlene Slaper, Mary Slaper, Adeline Terlip, Gary and Margaret Terlip and Ronald and Mary Ann Tims.