I retired in June 2013, after 30 years of teaching in Catholic grade and high schools, with a 12-year child-rearing break.

I now have time to do ancestor documentation, and am really enjoying it. I joined Find a Grave on August 29, 2014. My appreciation to all those who have created these sites.

My interest was intensified by my mother, Jo Ann, and by my paternal Uncle Audrey.

In August 1989, my mother took me on a "Roots" trip through Iowa and Missouri. We visited homes and graves, all the way back to my great-grandparents on both my maternal sides.

My Uncle Audrey was a walking family encyclopedia. In June 1993, he took his daughter, Sandra, and me on a "Family Tree" excursion. We took notes and photographed the tombstones of 13 of our 16 paternal 3-great-grandparents, all buried in two adjacent counties in Iowa!

In January 2022, Find a Grave updated its transfer guidelines as follows: "Memorials are transferred for relatives with these relationships: child, spouse, sibling, parent, grandchild, great-grandchild, grandparent, great-grandparent, niece/nephew, great niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, great aunt/uncle, or first cousin. This would include adoptive, step, and in-law versions of these relationships. "
If anyone is related to (in any way), or even a friend of, a person whose site I manage, please contact me, and I'll most likely transfer the site.

A few reminders for members who take over my sites, or take over sites that I have turned over to Find a Grave:

1. I know this site is all about graves, but a photo of the PERSON (if there is one) is preferred as the cover (top) photo. If the photos are labeled correctly, the photo of the person always rises to the top. Also, it says right there, for cover photos "Person photos recommended."

2. I am very careful about giving credit to sources of information and to people who have contributed to the memorial. If I have my name and membership number on the bio, please do not remove it.

3. As a former English teacher: Initials and abbreviations (except for metric) are supposed to have a period after them. Also, if I have divided the bio into paragraphs, please leave that; it makes for easier reading. Find a Grave has now updated their guidelines for famous bios and allows them to be divided into paragraphs.

4. I only do memorials for ancestors, relatives, friends, acquaintances, or relatives of friends. I go to a great deal of trouble to gather information for the memorials. If I have information or names in the memorial, please do not remove them.

Thank you. God bless.

I retired in June 2013, after 30 years of teaching in Catholic grade and high schools, with a 12-year child-rearing break.

I now have time to do ancestor documentation, and am really enjoying it. I joined Find a Grave on August 29, 2014. My appreciation to all those who have created these sites.

My interest was intensified by my mother, Jo Ann, and by my paternal Uncle Audrey.

In August 1989, my mother took me on a "Roots" trip through Iowa and Missouri. We visited homes and graves, all the way back to my great-grandparents on both my maternal sides.

My Uncle Audrey was a walking family encyclopedia. In June 1993, he took his daughter, Sandra, and me on a "Family Tree" excursion. We took notes and photographed the tombstones of 13 of our 16 paternal 3-great-grandparents, all buried in two adjacent counties in Iowa!

In January 2022, Find a Grave updated its transfer guidelines as follows: "Memorials are transferred for relatives with these relationships: child, spouse, sibling, parent, grandchild, great-grandchild, grandparent, great-grandparent, niece/nephew, great niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, great aunt/uncle, or first cousin. This would include adoptive, step, and in-law versions of these relationships. "
If anyone is related to (in any way), or even a friend of, a person whose site I manage, please contact me, and I'll most likely transfer the site.

A few reminders for members who take over my sites, or take over sites that I have turned over to Find a Grave:

1. I know this site is all about graves, but a photo of the PERSON (if there is one) is preferred as the cover (top) photo. If the photos are labeled correctly, the photo of the person always rises to the top. Also, it says right there, for cover photos "Person photos recommended."

2. I am very careful about giving credit to sources of information and to people who have contributed to the memorial. If I have my name and membership number on the bio, please do not remove it.

3. As a former English teacher: Initials and abbreviations (except for metric) are supposed to have a period after them. Also, if I have divided the bio into paragraphs, please leave that; it makes for easier reading. Find a Grave has now updated their guidelines for famous bios and allows them to be divided into paragraphs.

4. I only do memorials for ancestors, relatives, friends, acquaintances, or relatives of friends. I go to a great deal of trouble to gather information for the memorials. If I have information or names in the memorial, please do not remove them.

Thank you. God bless.