In its “Off the Beaten Career Path” series, The Washington Post of Sunday, January 27th had an article about a person known to many genealogists. It featured Connie Potter, an archivist at the U.S. National Archives & Records Administration’s Washington DC site. Click on the series title to see the full article about a friend to genealogists. I told Connie I can always say “I knew her when . . .”
My genealogy friends have helped me through some very trying times the past few years. Five days after my Mom’s death on January 8th, a group of these friends held a memorial service for her. It was held at the Salt Lake Plaza hotel in Salt Lake City. I was there that week teaching at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and for meetings of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. I will never be able to put my gratitude into powerful enough words to express my thanks to the friends who did the planning and those who attended. Some drove to downtown SLC on their day off from work at the Family History Library. Some were flying back home that day and gave up prescoius last-minute research hours to be there. Thanks to Marilyn Markham and Geoff Morris for letting the Institute teachers and registrants know about my Mom. Thanks to Rich Williams of the Plaza Hotel for providing the room and chairs for the service.
J. Mark Lowe, from Tennessee, presided at the service. His loving and humorous eulogy touched many people. Some said it was as if he knew my Mom. He didn’t, but I did know his special Mother who passed away just this past September.
For a few days before the service, Mark and others were making notes of things I said about Mom. Mark used these in preparing his remarks. Pam Boyer of Virginia was not in Salt Lake City, but did a nice job of informing people about Mom and the service. During the service a slide show of pictures of Mom and a recent four generation family picture were showing continuously. The four generation picture included Mom, me, my daughter Katie, and her daughter, Kendall. (Someday I will tell you about the quirks of another four generation family picture.)As we walked into the service, music with a meaning was playing in the background. The day before, I was given a CD of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir by the Institute staff. Several songs from that were playing, as was a meaningful spiritual sung by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus that another special genealogical colleague belongs to. As a group we sang On Eagle’s Wings (Mom requested this for her funeral) and Amazing Grace. Marjorie Sholes from California sang a solo of How Great Thou Art and we joined in. Readings were done by Mark, Jan Davenport from Arkansas, Pat Oxley, Texas, Lou Szucs, Illinois, and Josh Taylor from Massachusetts. Birdie Monk Holsclaw from Colorado and Karen Mauer Green also helped with music and other parts. Martha Henderson from Missouri helped with the set up and passed out the yellow ribbons.
There were bouquets of flowers, including yellow roses to represent my Mom’s favorite color. Tea candles were lit and placed on mirrored tiles. (Thanks, Josh) A guest book was placed next to them by Sue Kaufman of Texas. The wonderful friends spent a long time making yellow ribbon pins for us all to wear. Another friend, Dawne Slater-Putt from Indiana, gave me a special Angel to add to my pin. I was crying and smiling at the same time. The service was very ecumenical and was also a healing time for friends who had lost parents, in-laws, and friends over the last year. Some who attended were in the midst of personal health and other strife.
I did giggle a bit as I realized this meaningful service was put together and carried out by genealogists. Mom probably groaned at this! Mom, you didn’t get to choose the time for this gathering, so it was a time that worked for many others. I hope she also realized how many faiths were represented by the 50 people in attendance. Genealogy is not judgmental in the areas of faith, color, disabilities, nor in the horse thief ancestors. I counted Catholic, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Mormon, Episcopal, Lutheran, Jewish, Orthodox Jew, Baptist, and other religions in the room. Those in the room represented many U.S. states and Jan Gow from New Zealand was there. Others were there in spirit and by emails and cards.
Thank you all for honoring my Mother. After more than a decade of suffering, she is at peace. Your outpouring also helped my Dad and helped me be at peace with her passing. I am so fortunate to have my birth family and my special genealogy family. I love you all. Now, she can help us by urging our deceased ancestors to show us the way to solving those genealogical questions that are always on our minds!
One of publications that I subscribe to is Digital Genealogist. It is edited by Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, CG, CGL. Liz was editor of the Computer Genealogist that was published by Ancestry. Liz created the Digital Genealogist to fill the void left by the demise of that publication. She is also the editor of the NGS NewsMagazine. I eagerly await notice of each new issue and as a disclaimer, I don’t write for DG and paid for my own subscription. DG is only available online which is so fitting. I do read this publication from beginning to end and add considerably to my technology related education. I am not a techie by any means, but I can understand what is written, gain practical knowledge, and even better, learn while sitting at home in my robe.
The Table of Contents for the current issue is online and features articles and columns by some well-known names. The range of articles is impressive and as usual, includes the regular column for MAC users. Another regular column gives us a refresher on search engines, key words and phrases, and related help this time. Another explains more about the wealth of info provided by Google Maps, finding addresses, collaborating with others and how to create our own family history maps. I have visited most streets where ancestors lived and found views of the homes. Liz tells us about selling used textbooks and duplicate genealogy books via Amazon.com. These articles represent only a small portion of this 51 page January/February 2008 issue which includes software reviews. DG is viewable in a PDF format which gives readers the ability to increase/decrease the size of the print.
The DG website allows curious genealogists to read the sample first issue of the DG from 2006. Other back issues are available for $4.00 via PayPal and the T of Cs are online. A one year subscription is only $20.00 and can be processed online.
I haven’t posted anything to this blog since January 1st. I left for Salt Lake City on January 3d to teach at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy for one week, for meetings of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and for research at the Family History Library. When I am there, the hours go by quickly. On January 8, 2008 I received word that my mother, Patricia Margaret Ann (Hanley) Stuart had passed away. Five years ago on the same date, January 8th, I was in Salt Lake City when her sister Jeanine died.
Mom died peacefully. One of her caregivers called me shortly after and tearfully told me how he tried to save her. She had suffered over many years with Alzheimer’s, emphysema, severe osteoporosis, and was a cancer survivor. On Christmas Day she appeared to be enjoying the activities, the meal, and watching her five great grandchildren run around.
I didn’t return to Minnesota for the funeral. My Dad wanted the funeral immediately. He called me and told me that I needed to stay in SLC. I was so torn, but that generous call and the cost of the bereavement air fare helped with my decision. I completed my teaching at SLIG, attended meetings, and felt so much love from friends that I had lots of help in my grieving. Telling them stories about Mom helped immensely and the laughs were helpful.
In the next few days, I will post about the meaningful and beautiful memorial service that friends who were with me in SLC had for Mom. I had 50 people to grieve and smile with. Some of them needed that service for their own healing after loss of parents, in-laws, and friends. I love my special genealogy family.
I also learned that at the service back in Minnesota, some of my family and friends talked with each other — some of them might not have had those connections if I had been there and had talked with them separately. I had emails and cell phone text messages immediately after that told me how beautiful Mom looked and that the funeral was beautiful.
I just finished reading an interesting article in the December 31st St. Paul Pioneer Press about an annual list of banned words and phrases. Now, before your mind goes into the gutter, let me explain these are words that are overused, misused, and just plain annoying to many.
Lake Superior State University of snowy Sault St. Marie, Michigan, has published these lists for 33 years. The newest list has such words as wordsmithing, organic, surge, webinar, GITMO, awesome, and the phrase “it is what it is.”
The full list is at the LSSU’s website. You might want to read the hundreds of comments with other suggested words and some disagreement on the 2007 list.
I confess that I do use some of these words.
Where did 2007 go? I definitely did not accomplish all that I planned for 2007. Genealogical items are pretty high on the list. I did not sort through all my old genealogy information files. These are the files that tell me the 1920 census is about to be released to the public (done in 1992), that there is no index to the 1910 census for most of my states (now indexed at Ancestry) and many other tidbits that I excitedly copied for my subject files. At this point I either know the details or know where to find them more easily. The files I have already sorted take up much less space than they formerly did. I challenge you to organize your genealogy files. Toss what you no longer need. Make duplicate working copies of vital pieces of paper and put the originals in a safety deposit box or house a copy at a relative or friend’s home. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. These would either be forgotten or more important things would arise.
2008 will bring a new place to live. I dread the looking stage – where do I want to live? What is affordable? Then there is the challenge of a self-employed woman starting over in life. Not all lending institutions are thrilled with those pieces of the mortgage puzzle! I will stay in the Twin Cities area for now. The majority of my family resides in Minnesota and is great factor in my decision.
Best wishes for a peaceful, healthy, and happy New Year. Several family members and friends are going through some tough times personally and healthwise — I wish for a less painful 2008 for them.
Regular readers probably noticed that recent postings are few and far between. I took some time off from blogging for both myself and the 2008 Federation of Genealogical Societies’ Philadelphia conference blog. It was a family Christmas. As of today I have been a part of seven family celebrations with one yet to come in Salt Lake City with a very special family of mine. Not every family was at the same place at one time. There are grandchildren who are still firm believers in Santa Claus. My parents are still with us and I know I am quite lucky to be able to say that given my own age.
This Christmas season was so much fun. One evening I had all four of my Minnesota grandchildren staying overnight. Added to that were two others who call me Grandma. 6 kids in one house and assorted adults, too. Pure exhaustion and exhilaration. We played “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader” several times. Our family did great on the math and literature questions, but not on science. We all laughed so hard. Earlier, I promised to tell you what genealogical gift I gave them for presents. It turned out to be family togetherness, retelling stories, recalling memories, and fun with the younger generation. And a special day with my daughter as we did day-after-Christmas bargain shopping. A long day just to ourselves. We both deserved that.
Merry Christmas to my readers.
The tree is up, most gifts are purchased, and we have snow on the ground. The stockings are hung on the mantles. The ornaments that mean so much are hanging on the tree. I have ornaments that are not antique but that are getting pretty darn old. I remember purchasing them on sale 40 years ago in California. Then there are the special ornaments that were purchased one at a time with that year’s date. Some of my own childhood memories are on the tree as are the kindergarten creations of my children. The inflatable. light-up Christmas penguin is on the front lawn. Christmas penguin? A couple of weeks ago my oldest son came home from a shopping trip and gave me the penquin. Yes, I love penguins.
Christmas is going to be a great time this year. On Christmas Eve I will be with my oldest son and granddaughter, his girfriend and her children. On Christmas Day I will be with my parents at my sister and brother-in-law’s home. Their son will be there with his girlfriend. Their daughter will be there with her 1 & 2 year olds. My other sister, her son, my parents’ caregivers and their daughter, and other “in-law” family members will join us. By dinner time, my daughter, her husband, and three children will arrive from up north. They will stay at my son’s for two days and the kids will have one giant pajama party.
Family. Family changes. New Family Members. “Adopted” family members. All of these will be a part of our Christmas. Along with hugs, kisses, good food, smiles, a few tears, and lots of noise. That makes up the Stuart, Warren, Dougherty, DuBois, & Kerr Christmases. This year we will have the reappearance of the dancing banana. Let’s see, who will be the “victim” this time. . .
I hope you have one like this, too. If you don’t have family around, check to see if a neighbor will include you in their celebrations or take you to church with them. Offer to bring along something for the brunch or dinner. It will be more fun that way. On the other hand, do you have any relatives, friends, or neighbors who will be alone — invite them to join you in celebrating.
Did you notice I said nothing about the gifts being wrapped? That’s because that is next on my list of things to do. Then I have to figure out what genealogically related gift they are all getting. I will tell you about it later — otherwise you might not keep the secret.
I feel like I am in a strange zone. For the past couple of week the Internet access in my home office has been gradually more problematic. Now it is out completely and I am having withdrawal symptoms. The repairman will be here the day after Christmas. In the meantime, thank goodness for Panera Bread in Elk River and its free wireless access.
It is after 10 a.m. here and I have just spent the last three hours online. I know what Fairmont Ave. in Mountain View, California looks like recently. I was able to view other places in that area where I lived in 1968. Next I viewed pictures of my homes in St. Paul. The last house I owned is hidden by a tree! My childhood home and the area around it look much the same as when I last drove by it.
You might be able to find some of your places, too. Only selected cities are included at this point.
First, click on Google Maps and next click on Street Views for a U.S. map that has a camera placed on various city names. Some of these include the Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco areas in California. Some other cities include St. Paul, Minneapolis, Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Phoenix. Individual spots within these cities can be accessed by using your mouse to move the map around or by typing a specific address in the search box. The streets bordered in blue are the ones with photos online.
If you use the Street View for any of these cities you can search for an address, click on the person figure and see a view of the street and the buildings. Once you are on a picture, you can use that mouse and get a panoramic view of the street. Back on just the map, your mouse can also take you around the city.If you are not quite so adventuresome and want some additional help, view Explore Google Maps.
Have fun with these and let me know what you were able to find.