A Family Affair

 

This is a family portrait of my dad's family taken around Christmas time 1946.  It is complete minus the youngest child Shelley born late in life in 1951 as a complete surprise to her parents.  Now going from left to right we have Annie second born, A kind and loving mother of four she ended up having to move back home after a bitter divorce and so I got to know her and her two daughters well.  Her sons stayed in New York with their dad.  next in line is Ruby, oh how special she was fifth born but a twin to my father she never married and kind of adopted my brother, sister and I as her surrogate children and showered us with love and attention.  Sadly she died from cancer at the age of 40 we all missed her greatly.  Next comes Emery he was born sixth he was a showman.  He always seemed to be quoting Shakespeare but was actually just being eccentric in speech.  He showed his love, but was a quiet and private man.  Again we lost him to cancer as well only last year.  whose next?  My dad He is a twin, He is funny he has a great sense of humor.  He takes good care of his family.  He always makes sure their needs are met.  He was fourth born but only by minutes.  then My uncle Bud, His real name was Frank junior but we always called him Bud affectionately.  He was third born.  Now he was always ready with a joke, a corny one, but a joke.  He too never married, or had kids of his own and cared for my brother a sister and I with extra love and attention.  Believe it or not He died only three years ago from cancer.  we were all very sad at the loss.  Finally is Freda, first born, she died of cancer at the age of 27  and none of my siblings or I ever met her.  I was told she was very vibrant and full of life and very fun to be around.  The aunt not in the picture is my Aunt Shelley she gives great bear hugs and rode skate boards when they were new. she fell in love with a man who died in the Vietnam war.  she is currently marreid and living in Arizona with her husband and three greyhound dogs.  She rescues them.

 

I tell you this tale not to make you feel sad for those we have lost but to share with you all the love we have had.  this is a picture from 2003  when we gathered to celebrate the life of a super great lady my grandmother.  We weren't all there in fact two of my own children weren't able to come just my youngest Nicky came with me and my mom, also my brother and dad and mom came.  It was a day of honoring the memory and family that had been so special and the family ties that proved to be special still.  

The children, the grandchildren, the great grandchildren, and the great great grandchildren that were there all shared a common bond.  And yes my Grandma had lived to meet everyone who was in attendance that day.

It is amazing what happens when two people fall in love and join together to become one, they may become many.