I am the archivist in my family and have enjoyed researching my family genealogy off and on for the past several years. My favorite hobbies are scrapbooking, photography and walking through old cemeteries. I love the history one finds there. I am currently making heritage albums for my siblings and children. During my research I came across a photo of my great grandmother's grave marker. She lived and died across the country from me and I would never have seen it had it not been for a Findagrave volunteer who photographed it. I want to give that gift back and am honored to volunteer for findagrave.com.

In the spirit of giving, any and all photos I post are free to the public and can be considered part of the public domain.

Dear Ancestor,

Your tombstone stands among the rest,
Neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiseled out
On polished, marbled stone.
It reaches out to all who care,
It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I'd exist,
You died and I was born.
Yet, each of us are cells of you
In flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our Blood contracts and beats a pulse,
Entirely not our own.
Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago,
Spreads out among the ones you left,
Who would have loved you so.
I wonder if you lived and loved,
I wonder if you knew,
That someday I would find this spot
and come to visit you.

Author Unknown

I am the archivist in my family and have enjoyed researching my family genealogy off and on for the past several years. My favorite hobbies are scrapbooking, photography and walking through old cemeteries. I love the history one finds there. I am currently making heritage albums for my siblings and children. During my research I came across a photo of my great grandmother's grave marker. She lived and died across the country from me and I would never have seen it had it not been for a Findagrave volunteer who photographed it. I want to give that gift back and am honored to volunteer for findagrave.com.

In the spirit of giving, any and all photos I post are free to the public and can be considered part of the public domain.

Dear Ancestor,

Your tombstone stands among the rest,
Neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiseled out
On polished, marbled stone.
It reaches out to all who care,
It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I'd exist,
You died and I was born.
Yet, each of us are cells of you
In flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our Blood contracts and beats a pulse,
Entirely not our own.
Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago,
Spreads out among the ones you left,
Who would have loved you so.
I wonder if you lived and loved,
I wonder if you knew,
That someday I would find this spot
and come to visit you.

Author Unknown