Most of the Samson family gathered at "Clear View" for a family picture wearing shirts adertising grandson, Brandon's band. Missing are Kevin, Pebbles, Brandon and McKenna.
Grandchildren Leah and Shane share the hammock.
LLOYD'S COTTAGES
Housekeeping cottages in beautiful Ontario, Canada
Ed's mother, Margaret, was born in Chaffey's Lock and remained a Canadian all her life even though she married an American and lived in Long Island, NY and Warrenton, VA until 1974 when she moved back to Canada. Shortly after her marriage to Joe Lloyd in 1936 they purchased the property which is today called "Lloyd's Cottages." At the time it was a struggling although working farm with 4 very rustic cabins on the lake. These cabins were occasionally used by fisherman during the summer. Ed remembers, as a boy, he and his brother, George, toting ice from the icehouse each day to the cabins for the iceboxes. They would then fill and clean the kerosene lamps and tote firewood for the wood stoves.
In 1955 after Joe Lloyd passed away, Margaret hired a local carpenter to "modernize" the cottages by putting in ceilings, full walls, electricity and 2 piece bathrooms. After that the cottages became popular with more tourists and especially families with children.
In 1967, Ed and Dell took over the operation of Lloyd's Cottages. Along with their kids, Greg and Chris, we struggled to build up the loyal following we enjoy today. The wonderful people who have become "family" to us have made Clear Lake and Lloyd's Cottages their main summer vacation destination.
In the subsequent years, Ed and Dell, along with the awesome and unending help from our family and friends, have done numerous upgrades and renovations including adding showers, vinyl sided all the cottages, added porches and additions, better docks, upgraded appliances and plumbing, and many things too numerous to mention.
David & Lorie Truemner first came to Lloyd's Cottages in 1959 with their parents, Pat and Ross. The Truemner family is the family who have been with us the longest.
Since 1978, David Truemner with his wife Beth and children Tricia, Mary, and Cam still visit us every summer.
In our early years we could always count on the Truemners and the Hageman family. That family started with their patriarch, Carl, his sons, Vance and Dick and daughters. We are now blessed to continue to have many of the Hageman offspring, right down to the 5th generation of that family.
In 1967 we met Morley and Jeannette Truemner and their daughter, Nancy and son, Douglas. Nancy and our daughter, Chris, and our son, Greg, became instant friends and remain so today. Our association with the whole Truemner family has been a long lasting and wonderful one.
Nancy and her husband, Jeff, and children, Aleksandra, Victoria, and Christiaan still visit us every summer.
Mata & Al with family, Cyndi, Kiersten, Kim, Lyndsey and Doug. (Missing, Sue)
Part of the Hageman family are Bill & Susan Hamlen and their children Kevin, Karla, and Krista. They have been coming here since 1967 and used to rent from us for a whole month. They now own their own cottage on Indian Lake but are still frequent visitors at Lloyd's Cottages.
Little Tanner Milburn is a 5th generation Hageman. His Dad, Brett, is son of Karen and Bob Milburn. Karen's dad is Vance Hageman. The Milburn's stayed with us for more than 35 years and finally have purchased their own cottage on Newboro Lake. We still see lots of them and always enjoy their company.
In 1968 we met Mata & Al Wilkins who since then have become some of our very best friends. Mata had come to the lake as a teen ager with her 'grandfather'. After she married she convinced Al to try Clear Lake. His family vacation spot had been Desert Lake, near Westport. Al & Mata have come to Lloyd's Cottages every summer since 1968 where their 2 children have grown up and now their grandchildren are enjoying our ambiance.
In the summer of 1969, Will & Pauline Dierwechter and their 2 sons, Bill & Mark came to Lloyd's Cottages. Will & Pauline come every July with their grandchildren, Christopher & Melissa.
The summer of 1969 also brought a fraternity brother of Ed's and his family. John Fredenburgh, his wife and 3 sons stayed with us every summer until 1974. John started coming back to Lloyd's Cottages in 1990 and he and his wife, Annette, come from Ohio every year to spend a couple of weeks with us.
Once in a while Ed gets a chance to relax when his college buddies visit. Here John Fredenburgh and Bill May catch up and reminisce about college days. The Mays started coming to the lake on Memorial Day weekend in 2004.
In 1970, John Macdowall moved to Warrenton, Virginia as an employee of AT&T where he met Ed's brother, George. George told John where he could do some really good fishing so John started bringing his wife and 3 children, John Jr., Janet, and Joanne to the lake. John holds the record for the biggest Bass ever brought into this property. It weighed in at
7 pounds 2 ounces. His son John Jr. caught one 6 pounds 11 ounces the very next summer.
John vacations here every summer with his wife, Ginger, who is also our sister-in-law, having been married to Ed's brother who passed away in 1992.
Jack Hofmann was another AT&T employee who started coming here in the early '70's. In 1971, he and his family arrived here in the pouring rain, remnants of a hurricane. It rained most of the week, but he and his kids loved it and are still some of our regular guests.
Jack and his wife Martha enjoy our beautiful lake for 3 weeks every summer.
Jack's daughter, Michelle and grandson Justin love coming here each summer.
Jack's son Rob along with wife Carrie and daughter Brooke also visit us once in a while.
Ken & Dolly Davis, another AT&T family, were told about Lloyd's Cottages by Jack Hofmann, so in 1972 they came up with their 6 children. Their kids, the Hofmann kids and our 2 kids had some wonderful times together for many years. This is a wonderful place for kids to make lifetime friends.
Three of the Davis girls, Susan, Lori, and Sheryl along with their husbands, children and grandchildren come to the lake every summer to a mini-reunion. Susan lives in New Jersey, Lori and Phil in Virginia, and Sheryl and Glenn in Missouri.
Bob & Lee Smith, another AT&Ter, came with their children Ken & Robyn in 1975. All of them still come here from time to time even though they come from Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
In 1976, the Wilkins brought their long time friends, Gordie & Gloria Samson with their 3 boys, Bruce, Troy, and Kevin to rent a cottage and enjoy the cottage and the lake. This family has truly been a major part of our lives since then. Their kids grew up with our kids. Their grandchildren are growing up with our grandchildren. Bruce and his family come to the lake, besides for a week's vacation in August, at least 4-5 other times a year. We enjoy all or most of the Samson family for New Year's eve every year as well as Memorial Day weekend and many other visits throughout the summer and winter. We, Dell & Ed, often get together with both the Samsons and the Wilkins in their hometown in upstate New York.
Without our family and friends there would be no Lloyd's Cottages at all. Our kids, Greg & Chris, their spouses, Terri and David along with all our friends, are what keeps this place going. There is no way Ed and Dell could manage all the work and repairs that go on here without the help of these wonderful people.
We are also blessed to have our sister-in-law, Ginger, her husband, John, and her daughters Karen, Angel (no picture), & Jenni and their spouses, Scott, Dave, and Mike. They have their own cottage on the property but are a great presence in all our activities.
Our own family is an intregral part of Lloyd's Cottages of course. Here brother and sister, Greg & Chris have a good visit together, Greg's wife, Terri, visits with our niece, Jenni, while Chris's husband, David, looks on.
Chris visits with our neices Jenni and Karen and Jenni snuggles with her mom, Ginger.
What follows are pictures and "bios" of some of our long time guests starting with some families who have been coming even before Ed and Dell started to manage the property. All of these people have become wonderful friends whom we look forward to seeing each summer. It has been fun to see their children and grandchildren grow in the years we have known them. (written around 2000 so many things have changed since then. I just can't keep up!)
And most of all are our precious grandkids, Michael, Brian, Steven and Alaina. They are what make our lives complete.
Brad and Elisa Esser came to the lake in 1983. They were still in their teens. Now all these years later, they still love to come visit us every year. Their children Kyle and Katie literally grew up coming to the lake every summer.
