Happy Mother's Day 2010

'

Happy Mother's Day to Mom & her mothers!


How should a genealogist remember Mom on Mother's Day? Well, in my case, Mom is not with me any longer - she died on 01 Oct 1997 with me and my two brothers watching her heart monitor in the hospital. It was a very important moment in my life, a life in which she gave me! She was very important to me in my development growing up. She gave me courage and confidence in myself when I was scared and so unsure of my abilities or what I wanted to do. I think most mom's are like my Mom was to me. Her name was Bernadine Long, the daughter of Mary Myrtle Wood (my grandmother).

I am not sure exactly how my Mom felt about her mother, but I know that grandma was there when Mom needed love and encouragement. Mom loved and respected her mother through the many great stories Mom told me about her mother. Grandma's mother was Donna Isabella Mays. Donna died when Grandma was just a little over 10 years old (Donna was only 33 when she died). My Great Grandmother Donna Isabella Mays' mother was Susan Apalone Lewis who lived to be 83 years old! Susan's mother, sadly died from complications from giving birth to Susan. This mother gave the ultimate for her child and her name was Margaret Mattingly. I have not, yet, learned what her mother's name was. So, that is the end, for now, of the mothers of my Mom. Without these generations of mothers my Mom would not have been born (nor would I) and I would have never known the greatest Mom in the world! Happy Mother's Day Mom. I love you and miss you, Mom!

- Written by JGWest in memory of my Mom

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday

DAR Marker to Recognize

The Red Banks Trace

For Mother's Day, Becky & I went to Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Indiana and found this marker erected by the Vanderburgh chapter Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution in 1966. It is located near the new zoo entrance on Mesker Park Drive. It is to commemorate to Indian trail known as Red Bank trace.

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

"Happy Mother's Day!"

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! I can not go visit Mom, but I can remember her today in a special way:

Bernadine Long

11 Jul 1921 - 01 Oct 1997

My favorite photo of Mom

One of my very first photos that I took as a kid was of Mom in our house in the country (Warrick County, Indiana)

She was the mother of four children: Glen, me, Tina & Don.

She told us story after story about her family that always fascinated me and kindled my life-long love of genealogy. Mom did not like country living and times were kind of tough for work for Dad as a construction worker during the two economic recessions of the 1950's. After I graduated from high school, we moved back to Evansville: Mom's beloved city and home. Every year, without fail, Mom went out to decorate all of the local family grave sites in all of the various cemeteries with flowers... it was a very important responsibility on Memorial Day to remember family members who had died. Don, took her around each year after Dad died with me taking her around every two or three years. Now that Mom is gone and younger brother, Don, passed away in 2000, the responsibility, actually duty, is for me to decorate the family graves. I try to make Mom's the first & most special grave to decorate & remember. I miss you, Mom!

While Mom was the first woman in my life, this is the second woman... the mother of my three sons! Becky McIntyre [adopted name... birth name Meredith] with our first son, Phillip G. West (the other two sons are JJ & James). Happy Mother's Day, Becky!

- Submitted by JGWest

"Remembering Her Wedding Day... on Mother's Day"

Peggy Gilkey is sharing this great Mother's Day suggestion with us.

************************

Since Mother's Day is coming up, it started me thinking about something Ken and I both did sometime ago. I was visiting with my mom in Kentucky before her death and we spent alot of time talking about her family and going through old family photos. I decided to ask her about her Wedding Day. It was wonderful how she remembered every detail down to the cost of everything, the town and what was happening at the time. I scribbled down everything she told me, dates, colors, prices and places. When I got home I went through my notes and put it all in story form. On my next visit I read it to her and asked if any changes should be made. We did the same thing with Ken's mom when she was in a retirement home before her death. It was amazing how she could remember even the cost of her shoes, where they married, people in the town.


With men it usually is a different story, they do well to remember the date. I think they were so happy to win the girl and that was the thing that was most important to them.


Now both our moms have gone on to meet their ancestors but we still have these wonderful stories of their wedding days to pass on to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If you still have your mom spend some time with her this Mother's Day and learn her Wedding Day story, if she is no longer with you write your own story and give a copy to your children or grand children.

- Submitted by Peggy Gilkey

[NOTE: I was going to use today for some follow-up on our Frank Vincent Kiefer mystery... we have some updates on this local actor. It will be in tomorrow's (Sat.) blog. My apologies to the ones that went to a lot of trouble following up on this, but I will have more time to present it better. Peggy's idea is more timely for today.]