My great aunt who lives in Texas passed away today...

[Major Kong]

she had been ill for a short time and passed away in Dallas this morning.

She was just 5 yrs. older than my mother and was just a wonderful person (my grandmother's last living sibling).

The reason I'm writing this though is that my Aunt "Robby" was the last of my "great" aunts or uncles. I guess it comes from having all 4 grandparents coming from very large families. My grandparents had a cumulative 45 siblings between them and 42 were alive when I was born. I really don't remember a time when I didn't have an Aunt Em or Uncle Charlie to talk to or visit.

As with most large families my extended family was like horse manure we were spread out all over the country and world...I have cousins in Scotland, Isle of Man and Malta that I so want to visit. The interesting thing that in 4 cases my Dad or Mom were actually older than their aunt or uncle. I had 2 great uncles die in Vietnam, a great aunt passed in a car crash in Indiana (she was actually only 11 yrs. older than me) and another great aunt drowned in a lake in Minnesota. In 5 other cases the siblings of my grandparents married (grandfather's brother or sister marrying grandmother's sister or brother) or in one case my Dad's uncle marrying my Mom's aunt so there are 14 double 1st cousins once removed...needless to say family reunions had to be held in a stadium.

As an aside there is only one sibling of my Mom and Dad alive and that is my Mom's youngest sister who is a double breast cancer survivor.

I guess it's a generational thing but I got to thinking about my grandniece and grandnephew (grands) and they only have 4 great-uncles...me and 3 brothers of their Dad. I'm very close with my grands (as I've said before my wife and I raised my niece and nephew after my BIL passed away and the kids are more like our grandkids and we consider them as such). One of my BIL's brother and his family are also close to the grands the other two brothers live far away (Alberta and Nebraska) and have had limited contact.

Getting older you expect these thing to occur it is the natural order of things but it just struck me as something that I had for most of my life is something that the generations behind me haven't and will not experience. That is huge family reunions (for better or worse) , the experiences and the stories. I find now that I am the crotchety old fart uncle with the smile and great stories.

[RiverguyVT]

Sorry to hear, Major. Condolences to your family.
A post like yours is why I enjoy these message boards. Nice bit of writing there, that makes me feel like I know you.

All of my "great" aunts/uncles are gone now. That generation is completely gone for me, and has been for some time now.
Both of my parents were an only child, so my children have no great aunts/uncles. I loved my "greats". Many many fond memories growing up.

In my Dallas news, my dad left Rockwall for a fun driving trip. He's gone from Rockwall to Amarillo to Abq and eventually to the Grand Canyon before turning home. I told him he should stop at the Rte 66 museum in Santa Rosa. (I assume they've got Grapes of Wrath type stuff there).

Thanks for the share, Major. God bless you.

[Hokie5150]

she had been ill for a short time and passed away in Dallas this morning.

She was just 5 yrs. older than my mother and was just a wonderful person (my grandmother's last living sibling).

The reason I'm writing this though is that my Aunt "Robby" was the last of my "great" aunts or uncles. I guess it comes from having all 4 grandparents coming from very large families. My grandparents had a cumulative 45 siblings between them and 42 were alive when I was born. I really don't remember a time when I didn't have an Aunt Em or Uncle Charlie to talk to or visit.

As with most large families my extended family was like horse manure we were spread out all over the country and world...I have cousins in Scotland, Isle of Man and Malta that I so want to visit. The interesting thing that in 4 cases my Dad or Mom were actually older than their aunt or uncle. I had 2 great uncles die in Vietnam, a great aunt passed in a car crash in Indiana (she was actually only 11 yrs. older than me) and another great aunt drowned in a lake in Minnesota. In 5 other cases the siblings of my grandparents married (grandfather's brother or sister marrying grandmother's sister or brother) or in one case my Dad's uncle marrying my Mom's aunt so there are 14 double 1st cousins once removed...needless to say family reunions had to be held in a stadium.

As an aside there is only one sibling of my Mom and Dad alive and that is my Mom's youngest sister who is a double breast cancer survivor.

I guess it's a generational thing but I got to thinking about my grandniece and grandnephew (grands) and they only have 4 great-uncles...me and 3 brothers of their Dad. I'm very close with my grands (as I've said before my wife and I raised my niece and nephew after my BIL passed away and the kids are more like our grandkids and we consider them as such). One of my BIL's brother and his family are also close to the grands the other two brothers live far away (Alberta and Nebraska) and have had limited contact.

Getting older you expect these thing to occur it is the natural order of things but it just struck me as something that I had for most of my life is something that the generations behind me haven't and will not experience. That is huge family reunions (for better or worse) , the experiences and the stories. I find now that I am the crotchety old fart uncle with the smile and great stories.

Prayers...

[awesome guy]

she had been ill for a short time and passed away in Dallas this morning.

She was just 5 yrs. older than my mother and was just a wonderful person (my grandmother's last living sibling).

The reason I'm writing this though is that my Aunt "Robby" was the last of my "great" aunts or uncles. I guess it comes from having all 4 grandparents coming from very large families. My grandparents had a cumulative 45 siblings between them and 42 were alive when I was born. I really don't remember a time when I didn't have an Aunt Em or Uncle Charlie to talk to or visit.

As with most large families my extended family was like horse manure we were spread out all over the country and world...I have cousins in Scotland, Isle of Man and Malta that I so want to visit. The interesting thing that in 4 cases my Dad or Mom were actually older than their aunt or uncle. I had 2 great uncles die in Vietnam, a great aunt passed in a car crash in Indiana (she was actually only 11 yrs. older than me) and another great aunt drowned in a lake in Minnesota. In 5 other cases the siblings of my grandparents married (grandfather's brother or sister marrying grandmother's sister or brother) or in one case my Dad's uncle marrying my Mom's aunt so there are 14 double 1st cousins once removed...needless to say family reunions had to be held in a stadium.

As an aside there is only one sibling of my Mom and Dad alive and that is my Mom's youngest sister who is a double breast cancer survivor.

I guess it's a generational thing but I got to thinking about my grandniece and grandnephew (grands) and they only have 4 great-uncles...me and 3 brothers of their Dad. I'm very close with my grands (as I've said before my wife and I raised my niece and nephew after my BIL passed away and the kids are more like our grandkids and we consider them as such). One of my BIL's brother and his family are also close to the grands the other two brothers live far away (Alberta and Nebraska) and have had limited contact.

Getting older you expect these thing to occur it is the natural order of things but it just struck me as something that I had for most of my life is something that the generations behind me haven't and will not experience. That is huge family reunions (for better or worse) , the experiences and the stories. I find now that I am the crotchety old fart uncle with the smile and great stories.

sorry for your loss.

[miles]

she had been ill for a short time and passed away in Dallas this morning.

She was just 5 yrs. older than my mother and was just a wonderful person (my grandmother's last living sibling).

The reason I'm writing this though is that my Aunt "Robby" was the last of my "great" aunts or uncles. I guess it comes from having all 4 grandparents coming from very large families. My grandparents had a cumulative 45 siblings between them and 42 were alive when I was born. I really don't remember a time when I didn't have an Aunt Em or Uncle Charlie to talk to or visit.

As with most large families my extended family was like horse manure we were spread out all over the country and world...I have cousins in Scotland, Isle of Man and Malta that I so want to visit. The interesting thing that in 4 cases my Dad or Mom were actually older than their aunt or uncle. I had 2 great uncles die in Vietnam, a great aunt passed in a car crash in Indiana (she was actually only 11 yrs. older than me) and another great aunt drowned in a lake in Minnesota. In 5 other cases the siblings of my grandparents married (grandfather's brother or sister marrying grandmother's sister or brother) or in one case my Dad's uncle marrying my Mom's aunt so there are 14 double 1st cousins once removed...needless to say family reunions had to be held in a stadium.

As an aside there is only one sibling of my Mom and Dad alive and that is my Mom's youngest sister who is a double breast cancer survivor.

I guess it's a generational thing but I got to thinking about my grandniece and grandnephew (grands) and they only have 4 great-uncles...me and 3 brothers of their Dad. I'm very close with my grands (as I've said before my wife and I raised my niece and nephew after my BIL passed away and the kids are more like our grandkids and we consider them as such). One of my BIL's brother and his family are also close to the grands the other two brothers live far away (Alberta and Nebraska) and have had limited contact.

Getting older you expect these thing to occur it is the natural order of things but it just struck me as something that I had for most of my life is something that the generations behind me haven't and will not experience. That is huge family reunions (for better or worse) , the experiences and the stories. I find now that I am the crotchety old fart uncle with the smile and great stories.

Our prayers and condolences are with you; greetings and congratulations as well. May you live long and well and find joy and happiness; and wear the crown of family patriarch with honor and distinction.

Many regards,
Miles

[Major Kong]

Miles wrote:

...crown of family patriarch with honor and distinction.

Yeah since my Dad passed I've been looked at as the patriarch for over 4 years now...in my wife's family I'm also considered the poobah since my FIL passed away (my Dad and FIL passed away one week apart in May '09) mainly because my BIL is as worthless as tits on a boar hog when sober which is only on days of a blue moon.

The interesting thing is my Mom's extended family. The family has it roots to the early settling of SWVA and West Virginia. They are very clannish and there is a hierarchy that follows the original Manx and Scottish Highland ways.

My Granddad had 9 siblings....they have all passed. The last of the siblings was my Granddad. He was the Family Leader (over all the properties and other holdings)...after he passed in '01 it goes to the oldest male relative of the last one passed which is me...my uncle passed away in 2000. It's mainly an easy job just making sure the property taxes are paid and the taxes prepared. The only "difficult" thing is if a family member wants to be buried in the family cemetery in Skygusty, WV it goes through me. This year I've had to have 5 graves prepared that in 3 cases are cousins I have never met and have had to depend on my Mom to tell me who they are...and attend the funerals of my Granddad's family.

When I pass it would normally pass on to my son but because he's disabled I've designated my 1st cousin (and he has agreed) to become the leader. He has three boys who can carry on. My wife has yet to grasp that she is the Grand Poobahess.