Members of the Niblack-Jackson family came together from across the country recently to celebrate their 40th anniversary family reunion.
The family chose the Waterfront Inn as its reunion headquarters, with many staying at the facility during the event, which lasted from July 20-22.
Janice Harris, of Fruitland Park, one of the organizers of the reunion, said they chose the Waterfront Inn so family members could take advantage of the surroundings in The Villages. She said she has friends in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown and enjoys shopping and seeing doctors there.
“My family was very impressed with The Villages,” she said. “We held activities throughout the county, including Lady Lake, Leesburg and Tavares.”
The family, which was photographed by Van Brown throughout the reunion, also celebrated with a fish fry that was a popular event. And the group’s banquet, which brought out smiles on the faces of every attendee, was held at Harbor Hills Country Club. It was a red-carpet-type event that featured high fashion and fellowship among the members of families who traveled from near and far to be there.
Harris said her family has a long history in the Lake County area. Her grandparents relocated from the Lake City area in the 1920s. And her grandmother, Eva Mae Niblack, was one on the few African American midwives in the area.
Harris said it’s also important to note that the founders of the Niblack-Jackson Reunion 40 years ago were her mother, Marian Eliza Niblack Harris, and her brother, Willie Niblack. She said her mother’s other brother, George Niblack, also played a vital role in family gatherings but passed away before the first reunion was held.
