Born and raised in Lorain, Ohio. 35year career with computers in Columbus.
Met and married my wife there too. Retired in 2008 and transitioned to wife's
hometown of Loudonville. Dad would visit and say "God's country".

Family history has been a minor hobby for 35 years. Started by creating birthday
and anniversary calendars using a computer program called Calendar Creator.
Later adopted Family Tree Maker as preferred method for organizing family data.

In 2018, my focus shifted to sharing info with extended family and friends.
Earlier, Findagrave was a research tool; now I am a contributor.

Caring for and linking the online memorials of ancestors has been enjoyable.
A separate, but related physical activity mimics the online -- trimming around
memorial stones in our church cemetery each summer. Straightening them too.

Today, Findagrave memorials are everywhere -- created by others, from varied backgrounds. Their time and energy was volunteered to make the memorials visible online today. "I APPRECIATE what you did." are appropriate words to those contributors.

Now in 2022, ancestors can have their memorials cared for by most any descendents, or friends. Of special interest are aunts, uncles, and cousins who remained unmarried, and married couples who didn't have descendants. In our family tree, these "orphaned ancestors" are indeed many of the branches we care about.

Most of the above comments also pertain to my wife as well. Her family tree is much larger than mine, but the desire to care for the memorials is basically the same. And whether I am submitting online edits, or trimming around physical stones, she's busy with other charitable activities on a larger scale. All good things.

Thank you.

Born and raised in Lorain, Ohio. 35year career with computers in Columbus.
Met and married my wife there too. Retired in 2008 and transitioned to wife's
hometown of Loudonville. Dad would visit and say "God's country".

Family history has been a minor hobby for 35 years. Started by creating birthday
and anniversary calendars using a computer program called Calendar Creator.
Later adopted Family Tree Maker as preferred method for organizing family data.

In 2018, my focus shifted to sharing info with extended family and friends.
Earlier, Findagrave was a research tool; now I am a contributor.

Caring for and linking the online memorials of ancestors has been enjoyable.
A separate, but related physical activity mimics the online -- trimming around
memorial stones in our church cemetery each summer. Straightening them too.

Today, Findagrave memorials are everywhere -- created by others, from varied backgrounds. Their time and energy was volunteered to make the memorials visible online today. "I APPRECIATE what you did." are appropriate words to those contributors.

Now in 2022, ancestors can have their memorials cared for by most any descendents, or friends. Of special interest are aunts, uncles, and cousins who remained unmarried, and married couples who didn't have descendants. In our family tree, these "orphaned ancestors" are indeed many of the branches we care about.

Most of the above comments also pertain to my wife as well. Her family tree is much larger than mine, but the desire to care for the memorials is basically the same. And whether I am submitting online edits, or trimming around physical stones, she's busy with other charitable activities on a larger scale. All good things.

Thank you.