Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Genealogist and Cornhusker

Do you know what is is like growing up genealogy? That's where somebody in your family lives and breaths genealogy. They talk non-stop about genealogy. All they want to do is go to courthouses, libraries or cemeteries. That was my Mom. We grew up in Nebraska where the obsession was Cornhusker football for my Dad and genealogy for my Mom.

When my brother and I were in early grade school Mom decided to take us to a cemetery. It wasn't too far from home, but in the country here in Nebraska. Mom was working on a special project and it was summer...what a great family outing this would be. What she didn't realize was that my brother and I would find every bug in the cemetery. We actually did not want to go and so once the bugs started biting we threatened her that we would telll Dad that she had taken us to the cemetery and that's where the welts came from on our legs and arms. Dad never said a thing because he knew Mom's obsession.

My Dad passed away last year and there's a Cornhusker hellmet on his tombstone. Mom's side has a tree with "Genealogist" under it. Now Mom and I are in the same town and having fun together, doing the things mothers and daughters do. I have noticed though that she is tempting my nine year old daughter into genealogy....taking her to cemeteries, libraries and helping her with the family tree. It never seems to end.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Susie, I enjoyed reading your blog. I'm a genealogist also and currently working on a Genealogy Trip to Salt Lake City from Scottsbluff, NE. Your Mom has contacted Floyd about the trip and told us about your website.

    My mother wasn't a Genealogist but she was the "Family Cemeterian". That's my word for the relative that's in charge of decorating all the family graves in Fairview Cemetery, Rushville, NE, each Memorial Day.
    She was almost obsessed with what a pretty cemetery we had. It never failed that whenever we had visitors, Mom would drive them up to the cemetery to see the graves.
    My cousin told me this story years ago. On a trip back to see her mother, the highway passed the road to the cemetery. Her daughter said "Oh Look! There's the Cemetery where Auntie Flo lives". I guess Mom had taken them to the cemetery so many times that Janie just thought she lived there.

    Good luck on your blog.
    Sincerely, Jeanie Knudtson

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  2. Hi Susie,
    Thanks for coming to the fair last night. Tyrah is doing a good job. I think she's caught the Genealogy Pox from her Grandmother.
    Your mom is so great. I'm so glad she moved back. She's like a set of jumper cables. Our Society was dying a quick death and she comes back and jump starts the whole Society. She's just what we needed.
    We'll have to drag you and Tyrah out on a cemetery prowl the next time we go. You'll have a blast. Your Mom is a hoot to watch with the witching sticks.
    Later,
    Kaycee

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