Do you feel like you are loosing history in your family?

@kaysue4 (951)
United States
May 12, 2008 6:28am CST
I feel like I am going to loose so much history if I lose my grandmother. She is 86 and it is only her and her brother left from her side of the family and there is really no one left that knows any family stories from my grandfather's side. I just feel so sad that if I don't get this done, it will all be gone, fading memories, people in the family all passed or passing in a few years, I just don't want to loose it all. Do you feel like this?
4 people like this
8 responses
• Philippines
12 May 08
NOpe....not that at alll... you know even if your grandmother will past away in some point of time of her life...YOU are the next generation who can continue to spread your race..so don't worry at all..JUSt accept the fact that we all people livin on this earth will soon fade away as dust ...this life we had now is not ours and someday the CREATURE his holy NAME 'GOD" will take it back in a certain time that we don't know when...## LIFE's like tHIS ..we can't deny the fact that we had to left our life here on earth .. @jam@ ~live life~ be contented***
12 May 08
I know what you're saying. My aunt has Alzheimer's and now that information is gone. Fortunately some of her memories were recorded. Try to get your grandmother to talk to you on tape!
2 people like this
• United States
13 May 08
Hi kaysue,,, One of the things I regret the most - regarding genealogy and our family history - is that I didn't spend more time talking to my grand parents about their lives. When they were alive, even though I was researching our family history then too, I was more interested in names, dates and who was who.... I wish I had known the questions to ask and I wish I had listened more. I wish I had known then what I know now and been able to be more persistent, asking questions about their lives. Now that they are all gone, there are so many things I realize only they would have had the answers to. I suppose, for some, many of the questions weren't meant to be answered. Loosing them for sure, means I've lost some of the history of our family. Maybe not important to some, but to me, realizing who they really were, how they lived and some of the things they did (that we don't know now), would have been so very interesting. Through research, finding out things from other families who knew them is so interesting. It opens doors to knowing things we otherwise wouldn't know. I hope you spend as much time with her as possible.
1 person likes this
@kaysue4 (951)
• United States
13 May 08
very well said.
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
12 May 08
I have been researching family history since I was 16. If at all possible, take the time to take a small tape recorder, and just let her talk, let her tell the stories. Afterwards, take that tape and type up the stories she has related, as a back up to the tape. Or video tape her, if she doesn't mind it. It is said that so many times the elderly members pass on and noone takes the time to record the family history from them.
2 people like this
• United States
4 Jun 08
Sadly, I have already lost all of my grandparents. I was able to get some information from my dad's parents before they passed away, but not from my mom's. My paternal grandpa also had a brother who was quite a bit more clear on a lot of the family history, but I found out he passed away the last time I asked my dad for his address. I need to get my fiance to realize this as well. Although his remaining grandparents are in fairly good health, it's still a good idea to get as much information as we can from them before they are gone.
@jer31558 (3683)
• United States
12 May 08
Sadly with the passing of my mother recently, I have lost so much family history...She was the last of her family.
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
12 May 08
I've lost all the elders in my family, but I keep their memories alive by having a scrapbook that memorializes their lives. I also have written down the stories they all used to tell me about when they were growing up and all. The stories of how my parents met, my gramma being a one-room schoolhouse teacher, and all the ones that I can remember. I also have been doing my families genealogy project. I've traced most of my ancestors way back to the mid 1800's. It's always nice to have this stuff written down. Our kids may not be interested in it now, but it is something that can be passed along in the family. We have to appreciate our roots!
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
13 May 08
yep same here, we do not know anything beyond my grandmother, and nothing about her husband's family, nothing about my mothers family either.