Saturday, March 14

Memories

Memories linger. Meet Bill and Jean. These people are Michelle's grandparents and Brandon and Jordan's great-grandparents.

Bill died when he was 43 years old of a heart condition. I was never told the name of the condition but apparently his arteries grew in, instead of out. No one knew back then that he even had a heart condition. He lived on the outskirts of a small village and had walked the distance of about four city blocks to the Post Office to get the mail. He collapsed beside an old oak tree at the end of the driveway on his way home and died instantly. The doctor said that he couldn't have helped if he'd been standing alongside him when he fell.

My first husband was Bill and Jean's oldest son. They had two sons. Lynn, my husband, being the oldest. He and I grew up together and were married young. He died of the same heart disease as his father at the young age of 31.

Jean remarried after her boys were grown up and she had another baby late in life. Peter is Michelle's uncle, though he is only a few years older than her. We saw him recently at a funeral and I can't believe he is a middle aged man. Where did all of the years go?

Lynn died on December 31, 1977. His mother died the following year. She just wasn't the same after Lynn died. She had lost her first husband and her oldest son. It took its toll, as did alcoholism, diabetes and emotional abuse by her second husband.

Jean treated me just like her daughter. She was a great mother-in-law and I still miss her. I never knew Bill. My husband was only 8 when he died and that was three years before we met. It was ironic that when her father died, Michelle was also 8. Odd how things happen.

For many years, Michelle had to have checkups to ascertain she didn't carry the same genes as her father and grandfather, though the disease is more prevalent in boys. Now Brandon too has to have these checkups, but today's medical technology could prevent death--something it couldn't back then.

When Michelle uploaded this photograph to Facebook, I just had to have a copy. Jean was a lovely woman and I wish Michelle had been able to know her better. Brandon and Jordan would have loved Grandma Jean.

Do you have photos of someone that was special to you? If so, I would love to see them. Old photos are one of my favorite things. If you post some, please be sure to let me know.

Today was a beautiful day here and we got out and about for a change. I will tell you about it later in the week. Enjoy the warm spell. We never know if the chilly air will move in once more. ~Blessings, Mary~

13 comments:

  1. mary...your blog is always filled with lovely photos and beautiful words. It's a true pleasure to visit you!
    ~AM

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  2. I really enjoy your memories posts.

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  3. I really enjoyed this. I love old pictures and I think it's a great idea to share them. I may have to dig out a few of mine!

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  4. Thanks for sharing such precious memories.

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  5. I love posts like this Mary, it's almost like seeing a window into your world. They sound like lovely people, yes I do love old photos, I'll post one of my own tomorrow :-)

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  6. ok Mary I've done my memory about my Uncle Les and Aunt Fran's 1960's wedding photo :-)

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  7. Fabulous share Mary. It's so amazing what a photo will do to us with our memories. I love the fact that you took time to let us read a bit of your family's history.

    Enjoy the Spring like day then....it's still cold and damp here. I got the house all cleaned because of the weather. Too cold to be outdoors.

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  8. Good Morning Mary,
    This is such a wonderufl Memory of your Mother in Law and I love the picture also. I love looking at old photos, but I don't really have any myself. I might find some at my Mom's or my Mother In Laws. I'll have to check with them next time I'm at their places. Technology sure has come along way hasn't it? I was verbally and physically abused at times by my first husband. We got married when I was 18 years old, just right out of high School. But we all learn from our mistakes. I'm "THANKFUL" now I have a good husband that truly loves me and takes care of me. That's not to say we don't disagree from time to time, becauser we are far from perfect. Only GOD is perfect but we can strive to be like HIM. I'm glad you are finally having some nice weather and can get out of the house for a spell. When I get a hold of some old pictues, I will let you know. "THABK YOU" Mary for sharing a wonderful memory of yours. Take care my friend and have a BLESSED Sunday. May God Bless you and yours.
    Love,
    Karen H.

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  9. You have an amazing way with words. You write with such warmth in your writing.

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  10. I love old photos too Mary. I love to read about family history. I find it all so interesting.

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  11. Mary thank you for sharing a bit more of your life with us. I love your memory posts as they bring back sweet memories to me as well.

    God bless.

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  12. Interesting bit of family history.

    We are having some lovely weather. Today, March 16, they expect 10C and sunny. The melt is on.

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  13. Always love your history posts Mary! So sad about the heart condition taking them early. And so strange that they both lost their fathers at the same age.

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