Strange Family Folklore
Strange Family Folklore
Meet the 2026 Strange Family Board
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Dues-paying members of the Strange family democratically elected their 2026 board members, who will serve for four years. I got to know who the family representatives were at the 85th Strange Family Reunion.
My great grandfather, Jesse Strange, was born a slave and when he was 13. His 12 children were born free, and referred to as "The First Freeborn Generation." In this podcast series, I interview Jesse Strange's descendants in order to document our stories. This is Strange Family Folklore.
Dues-paying members of the Strange family democratically elected their 2026 board members, who will serve for four years. I got to know who the family representatives were at the 85th Strange Family Reunion.
Teresa Roberson
Hey Franz,
Franz Watkins, daughter of Jenniver and Joe Louis Watkins, granddaughter of Annie Mabel Strange Adams and Frank Adams, great granddaughter of Jessie and Mary Strange, great great granddaughter of Jesse and Lucy Strange.
thank you so much for sitting down while you're trying to eat here at the fish fry at the 2026 Strange Family Reunion. You're on the board. What's your position?
Franz
I'm the treasurer.
Teresa Roberson
So, that's just counting the money.
Franz
Just counting the money, keeping track of, taking it in, or people will send it in.
Teresa Roberson
Why was it important to you? This is the start of a new four years. Your second term. How did the first term go? What changes would you like to see for your second term?
Franz
The first term went fairly well. For the second term, I would like to see people pay in advance instead of waiting 'til the day of or the last minute. Because the ones who take up the money don't get to really enjoy it, because they're taking the money.
Teresa Roberson
Well, I'm guilty as charged. I'll just tell you this: I was confused. I knew I had paid something. I paid my dues...
Franz
Yeah.
Teresa Roberson
Twice.
Franz
Twice.
Teresa Roberson
...and then went to the education fund, and I thought...
Franz
Thought you'd paid the reunion fees?
Teresa Roberson
That's my story, and I'm sticking to that, because you even texted me, and I said, "Oh, yeah."
Franz
Yeah, because I knew you'd paid. So, I just mentioned you'd already paid.
Teresa Roberson
I used to be a teacher, so that made sense. That would be my request. I would like to be able.. I don't know how we're going to do this, but...
Franz
It would be good, because, like, last year, for the reunion, some of us started it off by paying our dues toward next year. You ain't got to worry about the dues part. Only thing you got to worry about is the reunion fee.
Teresa Roberson
I wasn't worried about the dues part. I paid it twice.
Franz
The reunion fee, when it's time, all you gotta do is, actually you can start paying on that ahead.
Teresa Roberson
Ya'll don't announce it until later. Is it, always going to be $55?
Franz
$55 is pretty cheap.
Teresa Roberson
I know it is.
Franz
We have people that complain about it, but you can't go nowhere and eat. Look at all this food you get for $15. Some will complain, but the cost of everything is going up, and this was a cheap family reunion.
Teresa Roberson
I would like to say "inexpensive."
Franz
OK.
Teresa Roberson
Because it is riches that’s not monetary. Any final words?
Franz
This year's gonna be better.
Teresa Roberson
Jennifer,
Jennifer Watkins, daughter of Jenniver and Joe Louis Watkins, granddaughter of Annie Mabel Strange Adams and Frank Adams, great granddaughter of Jessie and Mary Strange, great great granddaughter of Jesse and Lucy Strange.
thank you for allowing me to briefly interrupt your fish fry plate, and you actually have a hot dog. Go, girl! No shame in that game. Y'all work hard, I know you have an appetite, but please, tell everyone what's your board position.
Jennifer
I am the financial secretary of the Strange Family Association.
Teresa Roberson
This is also your second term.
Speaker 1
This will be starting my second term.
Teresa Roberson
And why was this important to you? To step up and be a board member?
Jennifer
I love my family, so I do whatever needs to be done and help out where I can. It was open, so I put my name in the hat a couple years ago, and still here.
Teresa Roberson
Fantastic. How will the second term be different from the first term?
Jennifer
Hopefully everything will improve. As far as people paying their dues, so they can have the upkeep of this building. Mainly with paying and having more people being involved, not just come down for the family reunion. Be on the calls, coming down for any events that we may have. So, just looking for some increase in all that.
Teresa Roberson
When you say "be on the calls," you're talking about ...
Jennifer
As far as our family reunion calls. Yes. Or volunteer to be on committees also.
Teresa Roberson
So, those are the nearly monthly...
Jennifer
Yes, monthly reunion calls, every second Sunday. May change in February and change in May of when we have the meetings because of football and also Mother's Day, but other than that, it's every second Sunday of the month.
Teresa Roberson
Any final words?
Jennifer
Looking forward to my second term as the Financial Secretary.
Teresa Roberson
Spoken like a true politician.
Teresa Roberson
Carla,
Carla Roberson, daughter of Velma and Karl Roberson, granddaughter of Floyd and Beatrice Strange, great granddaughter of Jesse and Lucy Strange.
thank you for sitting down to interview with me. Tell everybody what's your role and what does that mean.
Carla
So, my role is the Sergeant of Arms, and what I do is I keep order when we have our family reunion zoom meetings. I keep order while everybody is on the call. I come on right when the meeting starts. Let them know that they need to mute themselves after they come on, and say hello, and then mute yourself until the chair recognizes them. The chair is the president, and once they are called, then they can unmute themselves and start talking.
Teresa Roberson
How did you prepare for this role?
Carla
I prepared for it by reading the book, The Robert Rules of Meetings. I read through it, and it let me know how you're supposed to govern yourself when you're online in Zoom meetings or meetings in general, but because we do a lot of Zoom meetings, the Robert rules of order when you're having a meeting let you know what you should do. How to table things when you have to talk and discuss them later. How many minutes to give someone to speak on rebuttals. When someone is unruly and whatnot, I come in and I let them know, look, this is your warning, and on Zoom calls, after three times of being muted, you're just kicked out automatically.
Teresa Roberson
You are the middle child of Karl and Velma Roberson, right?
Carla
Yes.
Teresa Roberson
So, you didn't learn how to be bossy by your younger and older sister?
Carla
No, I really.. I don't like confrontations. I shut down when an argument happens. This really got me to get out of that and to start doing what I needed to do to do the job. So now, I can hit it right on, but I can be tactful about it. I don't have to meet them where they are, and start talking like they do. I just tell them nicely, and then I mute them.
Teresa Roberson
Any final words?
Carla
It was a nice job. This is my second term in doing it, so now that I'm doing it the second term, I won't have any more positions other than being a volunteer.
Teresa Roberson
Nicholas.
Nicholas Brown, son of Sonja Jackson, grandson of Theodore Strange Jr, great grandson of Theodore Strange Sr, great great grandson Jesse and Lucy Strange.
Thank you once again for interviewing with me. You're on the board for the first time, and you know what, I'm just gonna brag on you. Are you OK?
Nicholas
Little bit nervous, but it's OK.
Teresa Roberson
You went from being this cute little kid with some Coke bottle glasses. I think I can say that now, because you are a handsome young man. The Strange handsomeness has come out.
Nicholas
I appreciate that.
Teresa Roberson
Then a few years ago, you were the emcee. Knocked it out the ballpark. A year or so after that, your flag design became the family flag.
Nicholas
All praises.
Teresa Roberson
You are now Vice President. What is next?
Nicholas
Honestly? This is the first reunion, we're about to switch over to the new cabinet, whichI think the foundation that was set is great in itself. Really just kind of building off of what's already set in place. So, I feel like Mark and Universe did such an amazing job, and even before him, Herbert did such an amazing job over the years. I'm really just kind of bringing in a new generation, my generation, to kind of take the mantle. We're doing that with the Family Field Day that we implemented last year, and this will be a second year. Myself, Travis, Desmond, Alex, Reggie, Justin, we've been putting a lot of work to really bring this for the kids, and it went so well last year that some of the adults wanted to get in there, so we're opening up for the adults as well. So, it's going to be really great tomorrow. Overall, the energy in this reunion it's great. It's amazing.
Teresa Roberson
You've been stepping up every year. What specifically, or have you thought about specifically what we would like to do as VP?
Nicholas
First and foremost, I think information is important. Getting people on to those meetings will be very, very important to me. Really, it's a time that we don't just see each other just for the reunion. We have an opportunity with all this technology to see each other throughout the years. I'm just thinking about implementing possibly, maybe a class on some of those meetings, maybe like a canning class that I think would be good, maybe a safety class that I think would be good. Maybe a financial class for our youth would be great. How to interact with the police officers will be amazing. Tangible things that we can really take into the real world. I think that'll gauge and bring people on to the meetings as well too, so they have something to look forward to with the Strange information. Also, just something that's life application.
Teresa Roberson
Any final words?
Nicholas
I appreciate you for everything you're doing. This is not your first time doing this interview. Last year was a more stringent interview, but I just thank you for the documentation of our family. Without that, I don't think we would have something to look back for for the next 85 years, 86 years. Is this the 86th year?
Teresa Roberson
It's the 85th.
Nicholas
85th year. So, I'm excited to look back at 85 more years of all the work that you've done. So, I appreciate you so much.
Teresa Roberson
Universe,
Universe Strange, son of Olander and Gladys Strange, grandson of Floyd and Beatrice Strange, great grandson of Jesse and Lucy Strange.
I tried to track you down this entire evening, and every time I blink, you were no longer in the same spot. So, you should give David Blaine disappearing tips, becauseI'd blink, or something'd distract me, and you were no longer there. Vanishing.
Universe Strange
They keep me busy around here.
Teresa Roberson
I bet.
Universe Strange
I do like serving my people.
Teresa Roberson
Let’s give your intro.
Universe Strange
Yes, I am Michael Universe Strange, the son of Olander and Gladys Strange, grandson of Floyd Senior and Beatrice "Mama Bea" Strange, great grandson of Jesse and Lucy Strange, great great grandson of Richard Dick II and Lucinda Strange.
Teresa Roberson
All right, you went a generation back farther than I even required, and that's why you're the president coming up.
Universe Strange
Tomorrow, I got some information to share.
Teresa Roberson
OK.
Universe Strange
That's important, very important, and proud, and I can't wait to share with y'all.
Teresa Roberson
Fantastic, fantastic. I love it. So, you have been the vice president for the past four years.
Universe Strange
Yes.
Teresa Roberson
And now, you're stepping into the president for four years. What's going to be the difference between being the VP and the head honcho?
Universe Strange
Because that is the head honcho. He has to take on all the stuff from the top, the beginning. He has to start it, organize it. Everybody wants to go to him. So, Vice President was just take care of him. Now I'm him, so that's the difference from taking care of him. I am him. I gotta have my right hand to help me, which is Nicholas.
Teresa Roberson
I've already got him recorded.
Universe Strange
Yes, so I'm sitting at the top position to where you make the most decisions.
Teresa Roberson
Can you share with us some things that you would like to do as president?
Universe Strange
Well, the one thing is get more people involved, right? I want to use my frequency and my telepathy and my inspiration and my example to get my youth and younger generation involved. That's what my purpose is, I believe, right now is to make sure that our young generation, and when I say that, that means 50 and under. In your 50s and under, I'm talking to you. Sixties and up, I'm not even talking to you right now, I'm talking anything in 50s and down, so that is what I'm looking forward to getting more of our people interested in joining on our team.
Teresa Roberson
OK, that's fantastic. Because you and your VP are already aligned on that. He said he wanted to get the younger generations involved, and I'm happy to see that you two already have that in common.
Universe Strange
Yes.
Teresa Roberson
Any final words?
Universe Strange
We're gonna continue into the future and ride what our ancestor has passed us this baton, and we're gonna make sure we make them proud. That's my whole thing, is to make my ancestors proud of what they started and what we are continuing to take into the future and beyond.
Teresa Roberson
Fantastic. Thank you for talking with me. Now you can keep running around and disappearing.
Universe Strange
Yes, that's what I'm about to do.
Teresa Roberson
Katelyn,
Katelyn Jackson, daughter of Sandra and Joe Jackson, granddaughter of Herbert and Dorothy Strange, great granddaughter of Floyd and Beatrice Strange and great great granddaughter of Jesse and Lucy Strange.
thank you so much for agreeing to interview, and congratulations on being one of the new board members.
Katelyn
Thank you.
Teresa Roberson
So, tell everybody what's your position, and what that job entails.
Katelyn
Sure, so I'm going to be the new secretary for The Strange Family Association. That will entail, of course, meeting minutes, organization, making sure that the initiatives that we start see to fruition.
Teresa Roberson
What made you want to run for this position?
Katelyn
Oh, I have just felt called to be more connected to the family and really get involved. I feel like I went away to school and I did my education, and now I'm back.
Teresa Roberson
Which school and what did you study?
Katelyn
I went to Penn State for my undergrad in health policy and administration, and then I moved to Charlotte and went to UNC Charlotte for my master's in health administration.
Teresa Roberson
OK, so what you're not probably saying is that your mother made you do it, is that right?
Katelyn
No, no, I'm here on my own free will.
Teresa Roberson
Because your mother will hear this.
Katelyn
I'm very happy that I ran on my own free will, and I won.
Teresa Roberson
That's good, that's good. You're not gonna be in trouble with your mother. I like to tease your mother, who is Sandra Strange Jackson, my first cousin. So, I gotta throw Sandra under the bus.
Katelyn
Of course.
Teresa Roberson
And Caitlin is my second cousin.
Katelyn
And her daughter. So also love.
Teresa Roberson
Right? Your mother has also been very, very involved...
Katelyn
Yes.
Teresa Roberson
Do you know all that she has contributed?
Katelyn
She's been very involved in the Strange family organization, specifically. I've seen all the meetings, heard all the initiatives she's kind of sat in on.
Teresa Roberson
I know one of the things that she has done is because my older sister, who's about around the same age as your mother, they sat down under that shelter, one family reunion, and had all these pieces of paper and had people had pens....
Katelyn
The calendar?
Teresa Roberson
Sit down and do this.
Katelyn
What an amazing initiative that was. That was a labor of love.
Teresa Roberson
Exactly. And when people see our calendar, they just cannot believe that it is not just a calendar. It is more like an encyclopedia, a directory, or whatever, and we've done two of those.
Katelyn
It was incredibly exciting to see it come together, and all the work that went into it. I love, the business side of things, so I love getting into, the logistics, and, planning and executing something of that caliber, but also just seeing family support one another, and it's like, hey, I can give you the birthdays of these family members that I know, I can confirm the births of these people, the marriages of these couples, and so it's really great to see the family come together.
Teresa Roberson
Are you a Virgo or Capricorn?
Katelyn
I'm a Gemini, which frightens people.
Teresa Roberson
I would have never guessed that! As much as you love those Virgo-y, Capricorn-ish things.
Katelyn
My father's a Capricorn, and I do study him a lot.
Teresa Roberson
I wouldn't have gotten that.
Katelyn
I know. I think I'm a Gemini sun. I just was looking at it the other day. I might be Taurus moon.
Teresa Roberson
Any final words?
Katelyn
I'm incredibly excited to get involved. I may not be as much of a familiar face as my mom, but...
Teresa Roberson
You will be!
Teresa Roberson
Exactly. Thank you so much.