Hundreds gathered for the 78th celebration to enjoy music from a variety of local artists and catch up with old friends.
The music started at 8:30 a.m. and went on for seven hours, stopping briefly to present prizes to the oldest woman and oldest man in attendance and the couple married the longest.
Ruby Smith, 103, took home the oldest woman prize for the second year in a row. Ms. Smith remembers going to the very first Pioneer Day with her mom when it was in the square downtown.
Ms. Smith wasn’t the only return winner. Ray Tippin, 98, was back for another win as the oldest man in attendance.
The prize for longest married couple went to Huey and Esperanza Fox, both 92, for 68 years of marriage. The Foxes have been attending Pioneer Day for more then 20 years.
Friends and neighbors Charlene Easley and Howard Brading have attended together for the last two years, but Ms. Easley has been going for more than 20 years.
“I have been coming for as long as I can remember. My husband and I came, then after he died I kept coming and I still come,” she said. “I will keep coming as long as I’m able to.”
Mr. Brading and Ms. Easley met at church after both of their spouses died from Parkinson’s disease. They lived only two blocks apart but had never met, even though their children went to school together.
Mr. Brading, along with several other veterans, were asked to stand to be honored for serving the country. A roar of applause signaled approval.
Mr. Brading sat down, turned and said, “I served in World War II and the Korean War. Ask where I was stationed in World War II,” he prompted. “Now don’t laugh, but it was Bermuda. How about that? That is where people go for vacation and that is where I got to spend the war.”
Jolean Eichinger, 62, of Cameron was there for her 15th time and always brings her mother, 80-year-old Alice Kuhn.
“I drag people along like old shoes. I love the music, the atmosphere, and the people are nice. Even if you don’t know them they will be talking to you,” she said. “They are good people, like neighbors or friends.”
The Temple Daily Telegram has sponsored Pioneer Day since 1931 to honor area pioneers, meaning anyone who has lived in the area for more than 50 years, but the event is open to anyone of any age.
