Monthly Archives: July 2012

Motivation Monday – Becoming Real

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I can’t really call myself a genealogist, or even much of a family historian. Every bit of information I have gathered has been via the internet, family papers and photos, or talking with relatives. I have sent off for a few vital records and once I even requested a couple of microfilms to view at the local Family History Center…. That’s kind of like a real genealogist.

But I had never actually gone to a place where my ancestors lived. No visits to county courthouses. No cemeteries. Nada.

Just like the Velveteen Rabbit needed to be loved to become real, I need to get out of the house and do some research to become real.

Two days after Jo’s funeral, Dad(Jerry) needed to get out of the house, so we took an afternoon drive to Van Buren County, Iowa. I had done a little bit of preparation before leaving Texas – but not much given that funerals and the travel involved are typically unexpected and offer little time for advance preparations. I found “Tips for Genealogy Research Visits” on the Van Buren County Iowa Genweb Project website, and I printed out a genealogy report for the Smith side of my family. That’s all the preparation I had time for.

Our first stop was the Van Buren County Courthouse in Keosauqua. Unfortunately, we arrived at lunch time and no one was there. We looked at the historical pictures on the walls and the visitor brochures and were about to leave when an employee returned. She directed us to the Keosauqua Public Library where she thought we would have better luck finding information. Dad was getting tired and needed a little nap, so a stop at the library would serve his purposes as well as mine. Libraries are quiet and usually have comfy chairs for napping reading.

The librarian pointed me to the genealogy corner maintained by the local genealogical society and said Teresa was back there and she would be able to help me. Teresa makes frequent visits to the cemeteries in the county and contributes to Find a Grave, so she was able to give me specific directions to the cemetery I wanted to visit. I didn’t have much time – just 40 winks worth – but Teresa helped me locate a file on my family and while I was copying the contents, she found an obituary for me. When I left, she gave me her cell phone number and email address so I could contact her if I needed gravestone photos. Genealogical kindness at it’s best!

I didn’t want to leave the library. I hadn’t begun to scratch the surface of what is available. There is so much more! But my 40 winks were up and we wouldn’t make it to the cemetery if we didn’t get on our way.

I thoroughly enjoyed my baby step into “real” genealogy and look forward to another visit to Van Buren County!

Next up – our visit to the cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

New Eyes and Extra Colors

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“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

– Terry Pratchett, from A Hat Full of Sky

This quote was in my inbox the other day. It resonated with me because I had just returned from a week in Iowa – the place of my birth and early childhood; the place I returned to for a month every summer and every other Christmas as I was growing up.

I traveled to Iowa to attend a funeral and I stayed a week with my Dad(Jerry) to help as best I could during a difficult time. It was one of those rare times when I felt that each day brought what was supposed to happen. Each day I felt that I was where I was supposed to be; that I met or became reacquainted with the people I needed to see and talk to – some of whom I never expected to encounter on this trip. Some questions answered. Some bits of my past put in perspective. Some memories seen through new eyes. Some  relationships put to rest; some filled with potential.

I experienced a trip to the past, a trip to the present, and a glimmer of the future.

It was good to feel at peace in time and place and to sense the hand of God at work.

 

In Memory of Josie

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I traveled to Iowa recently to attend the funeral of Jo (or Josie, or Josefina) – Dad(Jerry)’s wife. We were separated by distance and infrequent visits, but I always knew her to be a lovely, kind and talented woman. I couldn’t possibly do justice to her memory here, but wanted to post at least a small tribute to her.

The picture above was taken at one of the shows that Jo did highlighting traditional costumes and dances of Mexico. I never had the privilege of attending one of her shows, but she did show me some of her beautiful costumes and relate the stories behind them. She also treated me to a private performance or two using a practice board laid out on the floor of her living room. Such beauty and precision!

The funeral service, while marked by great sadness, was also filled with love and stories and laughter.

I’ve copied a few excerpts from her obituary and removed names – words in parentheses are mine:

Josephina at about 8 years of age

She was born Josefina Martinez Pineda on March 19, 1932 in Mexico City, Mexico …

A resident of Hedrick since 1971, had translated for John Deere and the Ottumwa PD (police department).  Josie also taught high school in Texas, elementary school in Mexico, and at a secretarial college – she was absolutely adored by all her students.  She put on Mexican fashion shows at colleges & universities all around Iowa, donating 100% of the proceeds to college scholarships.

She was a member of Hedrick Christian Church and Ottumwa’s Dog Rescue helping her daughter save many pets and find homes for them.

Josie had a fascinating life and seemed to have eternal youth; she danced professionally on a TV show called ‘Max Factor of Hollywood’ on Televisa in Mexico City.  She and Jerry traveled from Iowa to Columbia, S. America TWICE on motorcycle where she stood between dad and gunmen, saving their lives, and was the sole reason they escaped the devastating earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua on Dec. 23, 1972.

Josie was an absolute little lady: precious, delicate, a bit shy at first (then adorably talkative), kind to everyone she met, and sweet so so sweet…yet adventurous and extremely brave.  As a family, Jerry, Josie, and (daughter) scaled various sky-scraping pyramids and ruins.  Traveling with her daughter, she and (daughter) hung in a metal cage being propelled through a rainforest on the island of Dominica.  She also went parasailing with (daughter) and took a dangerous helicopter ride into a canyon.  To be able to go they both had to sign a liability waiver acknowledging when a certain type of air current occurred and hit the helicopter, while in the rainforest canyon, they had never had survivors; (daughter) said she would just go alone since it may be dangerous and Josie declared, “No, I’m going too because if you die I want to die with you!”

Josie's daughter

Jo was a devoted and loving mother. She took a picture of her daughter every day while she was growing up…. and later apologized for the three days that she had forgotten to take a picture!

Jo was interested in and concerned for everyone she met. She kept an extensive prayer list  – divided into days of the week and morning and evening. Her last entry was added on the day she died for a nurse who had cared for her in the hospital.

Jo was a special lady who will be greatly missed!