52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 42 Prompt - Family Gatherings

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 42

Prompt – Family Gathering

This past summer while visiting in Saskatoon, my sister, Bonnie invited us to a barbecue at their home. She said she would invite her kids so they could catch up with their Aunt Wendy and Uncle Bill. It had been sometime since we have been together with their kids. Sounded like a great idea.

Bonnie and Doug have four children. Murray (b.1981), Matthew (b.1983), Lynn (b.1987) and Michael (b.1989). Her three sons live in Saskatoon however her daughter, Lynn lives in New Zealand with her husband and two children. I knew that Lynn and her family would not be at the barbecue. It would have been so much fun to add another 4 family members to this gathering. Sadly we  missed you Lynn, Steve and kids.

August 2024 - Cuthbertson Family Barbecue

 Lt to Rt Around the table: Doug and Bonnie Cuthbertson, Marie-Louise M.(Michael's significant other), Erin Lindsay C. and  Matthew C., Julian C (Michael's son) ., Michael C., Vanessa L and Murray C., Wendy H. 

I was surprised that Bonnie had two tables set up in the dining room for a sit-down supper. This brought back all the memories of our Peters family gatherings in mom and dad's small home. And by small I mean 900 square feet, 3 bedroom and 1 bathroom. It was usually at Christmastime. 7 kids and their spouses, 5 or so grandchildren depending on the year, mom, dad, grandmother and sometimes her border. So many conversations at the same time. It was happy chaos. I look back at those gatherings as a happy time.

At the barbecue there was 11 of us sitting together, passing the food around the table. It was listening to conversations. Bonnie and Doug's sons and their significant others were full on adults. Our conversations were enlightening, fascinating and it was such a wonderful gathering with them all together. I was catching up on their lives. And I guess vice versa for them. Although goodness only knows what young adults would find interesting in their 70 year old aunt and uncle. Bill was so happy that he had a few of them interested in seeing the Tesla. He even took them for a short ride. It made his day. 

December 25, 2023 - The Cuthbertson Family

Lt to Rt

Back Row: Erin Lindsay C, Emily M., Matthew C., Vanessa L, Murray C., Steve M., Doug C., Michael C., Marie-Louise M.,

Front Row: Bonnie C., Jonathan (Jonty) M., Julian C., Lynn M.  

Please forgive me if I have misspelled any names. 

Family gatherings come in many sizes and shapes, some happy and some not so happy. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, holidays and funerals are some of the family gatherings I think back on. It is during these times that we reunite with our old selves and reconcile them with our present self. And pray that we can have one more gathering in the near future. 

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Weeks 40 & 41 Prompt - Least and Most

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 40 & 41

Prompt – Least and Most

Lately I have been looking at my Ancestry DNA results. I still do not fully understand some of the results I have. Or maybe, more specifically, I do not understand DNA. According to my DNA results I have 6 ancestral regions. They are as follows. 

63% of my DNA is from the Germanic European Region. Although I am told this could range from 48 to 70%. It is a region from the Dutch and German Lowlands along the North Sea through to the forested uplands to the Austrian Alps. The people in this region are primarily located in: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland. But also can be found in Czech Republic, Hungary, Netherlands, Slovenia.

Of the 63% DNA from the Germanic European Region,  I received 38% from my father and 25% from my mother side of my family tree. 

I always thought there would be some Irish in my DNA.   After all my mother's biological father was apparently Irish whose parents immigrated from Ireland.  I understand that this still could be possible seeing how random DNA is passed down from your parents.  50% from your father and 50% from your mother. The 50% from my mother could mean that I inherited everything except her Irish DNA.  

The totals that I received from each parent are as follows.

Of the England and Northwestern European region my mother contributed 17 % of the 19% DNA from that region. My mother contributed nothing from the Sweden region however my entire 6% came from my paternal side.  Similarly, I received all 6% of Scotland from my mother's side and nothing from my father's side for Scotland. The 4% from Central and Eastern European region came from my father. The 2% of my DNA from The Netherlands came from my father's side and nothing from my mother's side. Mennonites were thought to have originated from The Netherlands - Anabaptist. 

When you put this all together it does seem to match some of my research of my ancestors.  So I guess that I am going in the right direction in my family tree's ancestors. 

Wendy

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 39 Prompt - In The Newspaper

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 39

Prompt – In the Newspaper

Elmer Elvin Hack Ca. 1960

 Elmer Elvin Hack is Bill's maternal first cousin. Elmer Hack was born on 22 Nov 1943 in Melville, Saskatchewan. On 30 Aug 1970 he married Joyce Louise West. They were married at Peace Garden Chapel, International Peace Gardens, Manitoba.

They had two daughters; Tiffany Louise Hack born in 1975 in Brandon, Manitoba, Tamelyn Joy Hack born in 1979 in San Benardino, California.

Unfortunately Elmer Hack died young on 28 Mar 1982 in Palm Springs, California at the age of 38. The family was told he died in a motorcycle accident.

I was looking for his obituary in my newspaper database to complete his information on his family tree. I was looking specifically for the date of his death and where and when he was buried. I came across this article.

Printed on 29 Mar 1982 in The Desert Sun on Page 2.  

I never expected to come across the article describing his accident. I am pretty sure that Bill and his parents did not know of the circumstances of the accident. Elmer Hack was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I never did find a newspaper obituary however Bill's mother did have the funeral card bulletin that her sister (Elmer's mother) sent to her for her keepsakes. I was able to scan it into my genealogy photographs and thus able to complete Elmer Hack's death and burial dates on his family tree. 

 

Wendy