Speaking of dads... I wrote an article a year ago about the Veterans History Project. He served in Korea, and I would love to record his story (stories!) for inclusion in the Project. I was going to link to it, but GW says it's not a valid link. WRONG! It is...please go look at it if you know a veteran. www.loc.gov/vets

Aside from that, I have accomplished much of what I'd like to do in life, but there are places and things I'd still like to see. Specifically, the northern lights! :-)

This is a great subject Ronf. I think it's something everyone should do! Just think how fascinating your great great grand children will find life back in the "olden days."

Oh, how I wish I'd written down or tape recorded stories my parents told, paid more attention to family history, personal details of their forebearers, etc. Few days go by that I don't wish I could ask one or the other a question. I try hard to to recall Mother's home remedies, recipes, etc.

My Sister, now in final stages of of cancer, barely eats at all & recently said she wished she had a taste of Mother's potato soup. I made some, using Mother's recipe & she ate more than she had in many days. That alone was a million times worth the time taken taken 50 years ago to write it down.
Suzi

Ronf,

I have done what you are suggesting. I have written little stories, essays, vignettes, call them what you will, and have some of them on my website.

I have found, though that very few people are interested in them, including my son and daughter, and some relatives I have sent the URL to. Not whining, just stating a fact.

Maybe what it comes down to is that such things as having lived through the Depression and WWII have been told, written about, movies made of, that it is ancient history and redundant to the younger generations.

So far as there being things that we need to do before we leave here, that is different. I think I have pretty much covered those. Unless there are some types of things I am overlooking. If you have any suggestions what they might be, help me out here.

Sue

Oh, Sue, don't get discouraged and think no one is interested. I'd be willing to bet that as those younger generations grow up, at least some of them will get interested in the family genealogy and will be so grateful for what you have preserved!

I don't know how old your son and daughter are, but I was 21 when my parents died (they died a month apart, and my 21st birthday was between their deaths). I certainly wasn't interested in family history then, but now, at the age of 58, I am obsessed with finding out as much information as I can. Daddy was in the Army and we were relocated every 2 years, including spending several years living in Europe, so I didn't grow up near relatives, or hearing stories about relatives or ancestors. I would give anything to have access to first-hand information like you have.

Ron, bless you for preserving memories for your children, too, and for starting this thread!

Ron, writing it down is the ultimate storage version for the future. Tapes can get messed up, videos sometimes quit playing and even CD's and CDR's can quit on you.

Good for you for writing things down.

Do you also write down what you remember of your dad's stories?

Moni

Moni, no I haven't. But, I should. And my Dad told me some of the stories that he heard from his own father. The few of those I can remember are very interesting. My paternal grandparents were born and raised in what was East Germany and came to Minn. in their mid 20's in 1913. My Grandfather never learned much English and he died when I was in my early 20's. I wish now I had heard some of his stories from growing up in the "old country".
Ron

Most of my maternal ancestors came from Ireland, and settled in Minnesota, in the 1850s or so. My mother's maternal grandfather was born in Germany, his family first came to Wisconsin, then to Minnesota.

Minnesota has a tremendous amount of historical and genealogical information online -- both through the Minnesota Historical Society and Ancestry.com.

My mom wrote down her memories a couple of years before she died. Year by year throughout her childhood. I wrote it all up, added pictures and graphics from that era, making a several hundred page scrapbook that I made copies of for my siblings and kids.

YOU GO RON!! I'm just thrilled to have my mom's handwriting in some of her letters and I'm so glad I kept them..she wrote just like she talked and they are sooo special to me!...I begged both of my parents to write down little stories...My first son was born 6 weeks before my mom died and I had sent both of the Grandmas a "Grandmother Remembers" book, she never touched it obviously, and neither has the LIVING Grandma..and I've been bugging her about it for the last 20 years! I so wish she would write something in it!

dir yfingernails...I would be awestruck to have a scrapbook like that...Your MOM did a WONDERFUL thing!

I've been keeping a "Mom Remembers" book since my sons were born...sorta like baby books but with more details!

That is a great idea. I wish all my older relatives had done that. I remember some of their stories, but who will after my siblings and I are no longer around.

Another tip is to have all the really special photos, like early childhood photos, graduation and wedding photos restored and copied then printed onto the more stable color photograph papers of today. Or you could turn them into Black & White photos which last longer then color photos, around 100 years. Color photos before 1980 have started to fade after only 10-20 years even if stored in a box. Some might last as long as 50 years, but all will fade in time. And don't forget to label who is who on the photos.
Clare