This week’s blog topic is “War and Peace”.  I’m writing this a week after Veterans Day. War has been a present topic my entire life, and even before that. I, like many of us, have ancestors who came here before the American Revolution and others who have served in other conflicts. I thought I would talk about a couple of them this week.

My Uncle Ollie, my maternal grandfather’s brother, was a WWII veteran. He joined the Army in May of 1941, and was discharged in October of 1945. His draft card is a step back in time. I can remember his signature so clearly – his handwriting was very similar to my grandfather’s. Ollie was 31 at the time and worked for the highway department in our county. Grandpa was listed as the person who would always know his address. Grandpa was the oldest of the children – then Ollie, then Harold, followed up by my Aunt Almeda.

Grandpa and Ollie were close – I feel part of that was due to them losing Harold at age 16 to a lightning strike. Ollie was a quiet man, hardworking, and hard drinking. He was never mean though. My grandma told me he had an engagement, and his fiancée died. Later, he began to work at my high school as a janitor. That was nice as I was able to see him during the week. I appreciate that so much now. He was a comforting presence when my grandfather died. He would always check in on my grandma, until he became ill and passed away 4 years after Grandpa.

The other one I think about is my maternal grandmother’s brother, my uncle Norman. A WWI vet, he was the only one of her siblings born in Ontario, Canada, where her father was from. He joined the army in July 1915, and was discharged in June 1920. He married his wife in California in 1919 and resided in San Jose for the rest of his adult life. In 1927, he applied for naturalization, listing this military service. This application gave me so much about him I didn’t know – his birth date, date of entry (as an infant) into the US, coming into Rochester. It confirmed his birth date, as well as information about his wife. He died before I was born and is buried here in Rochester. I tried to find his grave, and while I know where the plot is, I can’t locate a marker anymore. It is on my list to have that replaced.

So this November, I honor all service people, their families, and both of my great-uncles for their service to our country.

Until next time – when our topic is “This Ancestor Went to Market”.