Brick Walls have been falling.

One of my "cousins" had a cemetery listed for my great-grandfather. I'd looked on findagrave before, but could never find him or his first wife, my great grandmother. So... I checked out the cemetery and was looking at the other Strunk's because George and Dillie weren't there. Then I saw a headstone in the background that I could almost read. I emailed the contributor - she checked and created memorials for me with a good photo attached. YEAH!!!!

Remembering Mother

I loved my Mother dearly and she was an affectionate, loving mother. Her early life was good until her father died when she was 13 years old. I don't think she had a really hard time financially, but emotionally there were scars. Her mother was ill and her sisters (9 & 12 years younger) went to live with Grandparents in a different state and she went to a boarding school.

My brother was born when she was 17 years old and she was a single mother. She trained to be a nurse (her Dad was a Dr and there were other Dr's in the family). She became a Practical Nurse (todays LVN).

In 1933 she, my brother and a cousin traveled to Southern California where she met my Dad, a Sailor, and they married after a whirlwind courtship. I wish I had asked more questions about their trip across the USA.

Top Row: George Ramsey and Ellen Toomey Sievers Middle Row: Elbert Chitwood and Elsey Strunk Ramsey (not sure if they were married when this was taken), Front Row: ? and Verda Strunk Weddle Jeffers ( I believe original had 4th young ladies name, but I can't find the original right this minute. Wasn't on my original ancestry.com post)


Ellen Toomey was Verda and Elsie's Step Sister. George Ramsey and Elsie married on 27 Oct 1912. Elbert Chitwood's mother was a Strunk although pretty distant relation to Verda and Elsie. Elbert's Maternal Great Grandfather Isham Strunk b 1817 was the youngest son of Daniel Strunk and his second wife, Abigail. Verda & Elsie's Grandfather was Daniel Strunk, b 1822 son of the first Daniel and his third wife, Honor Pennington.

Daniel Strunk was a very prolific ancestor. Divorced his first wife apparently (no children) and fathered at least 34 children between his other 3 wives.

(I just found that I posted this photo on deadfred.com and there I apparently identified the unknown young lady in front as Cindy Hayes. Don't think she is a relative.)

Another Generation

My Mother's Paternal Grandmother: Emily Elizabeth Cain Weddle - She only had five children





















Her Great Grandmother Martha "Patsy" Tarter Mother of sixteen children. Husband Solomon Weddle beside her.

Give their face a place

Women's History Month:

Inspired by the Give Their Face a Place campaign, here are some of my family's women.





My Mother at my Wedding. She was in the hospital by the time I came back from the honeymoon. Her cancer had returned and she died the next July.

Uterine Cancer discovered Jan 1962 - surgery and radiation. I was Married June 1964 and she died July 1965.












Ruth Weddle about the time she married my Dad















Ruth Weddle as a child





























Verda Strunk Weddle Jeffers my maternal Grandmother. My Grandfather, Herbert Cain Weddle died in 1926. Verda was left with 3 daughters the youngest was only 1 year old. She had health problems and the two youngest daughters went to live with their paternal grandparents who lived in Mississippi. They stayed there for several years and didn't want to go to live with her when she remarried and was able to care for them. The youngest did return to live with her about 10 years later.

Verda did remarry and had a boy and a girl. I remember my mother telling me she visited her in 1937 and Grandma came out holding a new baby which was a total surprise. She hadn't told my mother because she was embarrassed to have a baby at the ripe old age of 42.