Uncle Al

Uncle Al was my grandmother's brother. This week I asked my mom to write her memories of Uncle Al to share with you!

Uncle Al Evans was my mother’s older brother.  My mom was a “change of life” baby and her siblings were all older than her.  Mom was raised by her brothers-which probably accounted for her love of sports.  All of mom’s brothers always looked out for mom.

Uncle Al lived just up the street from our house on Cassius Ave.  We would stop by often and visit.  Uncle Al had remarried and lived with his 2nd wife-Aunt Peg.  I always remember my Uncle Al being there when mom needed anything.  If it snowed, Uncle Al might come down and plow the driveway.  With lots of medical bills with our family, I had always heard Uncle Al would help when he could with medical expenses.  Uncle Al was known for being a dedicated Republican.  Mom and my sister would often work the polling booths on Election Day for the Republican Party. It was Uncle Al who helped me get my first job with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.

He will always be remembered by me as a caring, loving uncle and someone who would do anything for family.  Rest in peace Uncle Al.  I love you.

Al & Peg Evans circa 1945 Cleveland, Ohio.

Cousin Eloise

This week I decided to shift it up just a bit and write about someone I actually remember - although fleetingly.

As a little girl, my paternal grandmother was no longer able to drive. My father would drive us to visit her which would often follow with trips to the store, deli, or other errands. Occasionally, "Cousin Eloise" would be in town.

Eloise sounded exotic and on the surface, oh boy a cousin to play with! The first few times she visited , I was too young to understand she was my grandmother's cousin - not mine. She was a Grant - a concept that I also failed to grasp until years later.

Cousin Eloise was my grandmother's first cousin - my great-grandmother Isabel Grant's brother, Robert, was Eloise's father. Although they were close in age, Eloise had married and moved to Texas; however, she never had children.

The early visits I don't quite recall what they did. Their last, it's quite vivid. We had two little old bitties in Tower City Center on the upper deck in the sunshine. My father, sister, and I sat at our own table. All the while grandma & Eloise would eat and talk by themselves. We would sometimes split up from them in the shops synchronizing watches to meet back up. It seemed though that they just wanted to talk - to connect. In retrospect it's as if they knew time was running out.

This was sometime circa 1996 or 1997. Eloise died the summer of 1998 and grandma died that spring in 1999.

A few years ago I found this yearbook picture of her from 1942 West Technical HS in Cleveland . The donated yearbook must have belonged to someone Eloise knew as she was one of the few signatures in the yearbook.

2014 Challenge

I've always had the intention of starting a blogging and keeping up with it - - - intention - - -.

Enter this post. 

My posts will not be 52 weeks as you will see what I have planned for June when it arrives. Each Sunday I will post something new and I have asked various family members to guest post. This could be a memory, story, photo, facts, etc. As little or as much as you'd like. Photos are great too! If I have written about someone but excluded any mention of a son/daughter, etc it's likely I have another upcoming blog to talk about the specific person.

If I have linked you to this blog note, I would like you to write or share something about the person I mentioned in the private message. Tenatively I have a list of names for each week that is flexible and subject to change. Mostly, I am using it as a general guide to keep myself on track.

Although I can spew facts it is not a substitute for what you might share about your mother, brother, father, etc. Note: My intent is to omit information (unless you give me permission to mention you by name) about living individuals for privacy reasons.

My father's brother, Uncle Tom, calls me the family scribe. I guess I'm proving him right:)