I have to confess, I have no interest in genealogy. The family I focus on are those members who are still living. Sadly, for the last almost 30 years I had forgotten my Aunt Margaret.
When my Dad's Navy career took him away from Des Moines, Iowa, we rarely returned. In 1998, on a Haerr Family road trip across America, we found ourselves in my parents' hometown and we connected with my family there. I had a close relationship with my Dad's aunt, Rosalie (on my left). When we met up she invited Margaret and her daughter Theresa... at the time complete strangers to me.I have been sending Christmas cards to Margaret ever since not really recalling how we are related. In my last holiday hello, I asked her to remind me of who she is to me. She wrote back with these two photos writing, "Dear Denise, I am your Aunt. I am your Dad's youngest (half) sister. Someday we need to talk!" This mid-1960's photo op was arranged, again by my great Aunt Rosalie, who was the one who tried to hold the family together. I never met any of my other aunts with Margaret being the last Saffell link.This is the only photo of my Dad's Dad that I have ever seen. The gal with him is his second wife, Margaret's mother, Julie. I met my Dad's mom once sometime before her death in 1967. She was the only grandparent still alive by the time I came along.Regarding my newly reacquainted Aunt Margaret, I did give her a call and we have had lovely conversations since that initial one. It goes to show it's never too late to make relationships happen. I so value the connection to my Dad she offers. Just another reason to continue to send Christmas cards!
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1 comments:
Lovely story, found family ties! Love the photos!
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