Well, the continuing pressure from family members to start writing down memories of the past 80 plus years has finally become more important as one begins to slow down with age.

The obituary column in the papers seems to draw one's attention, and funerals for our generation become a weekly occurrence.

Something that also pushed me to get on with this project is a recent purchase of a machine which, when added to the computer, can transform tape cassettes on to a CD. Some twenty years ago I started taping conversations with old timers about their lives and events of long ago. I realize now what a valuable thing it is to have some record of the history in which these people were involved.

Some of the things one learns from this type of discussion are the small details of events and happenings from the distant past that professional researchers would have no access to, unless through a local Historical Society.

Out in the hallway there are a couple of large photos of Hildred and myself at the age of two or three. She with her curly blond hair and me with my large sun hat in the yard of the house where I was born in the year of 1924. Twenty one years later we were married and then raised six children. Like many wartime couples we are still together, by the grace of God (and lots of patience and hard work).





A pretty short summary but one which indicates wide boundaries to fill with stories.