Top left: David Autrey, Linda Autrey, Ethan Autrey. Bottom left: Verna Pellham and Jay Autrey.
Linda Autrey said she had to pinch herself when she gathered for a family photo a while back. What made Linda want to check and make sure it was real was the fact all five of them gathered for the photo, were from different generations.
Gathered for the photo was great-great-grandmother Verna Pellham, 89, followed by her daughter, Linda Autrey, age 71, then Linda’s son, David Autrey, age 49, David’s son, Ethan Autrey, age 20, and finally Ethan’s son, and great-great grandson of Pellham, Jay Autrey, who was six months old at the time the photo was taken.
Pellham, who died on Nov. 17, migrated from Missouri around 1948. She settled in Woodland where she and the next two generations would stay.
Linda, David and Ethan all graduated from Woodland High School.
Linda described the gathering of the five generations as a precious time.
“This was a once in a lifetime thing,” she said.
Linda explained that it was challenging to get everyone together for a photo, given all their separate lives and the fact that Ethan now lives in Kelso with his wife Ali and their son Jay. But after months of trying to make it work, they were finally made it happen.
Not long after, less than two weeks, Verna passed away.
In regards to what it felt like to see five generations of your family there, Linda had three simple words: “It was wonderful.”
The most generations alive in a single family was seven, according to Guinness World Records.
