Early sympathy cards were announcements of a person's death. They were usually plain and included the person's name and facts, maybe an image of a tombstone. Eventually they evolved into what we know today, a message of sympathy to bereaved family members.
I have been reading through a lot of sympathy cards as I go through things from my paternal uncle's funeral. The thing that stuck out to me was the personal messages written in some of the cards. Words like sense of humor, wonderful, fun, great boss, great friend, special person, great guy, and kindhearted were used to describe my uncle. What a wonderful picture of him that was painted through the kind words of people that he touched throughout his life. A picture that was easy for me to see because I knew and loved him.
It got me thinking, though. How many other sympathy cards will I come across for other deceased family members? And will any of those include kind words that will paint a picture for me of someone I never met? I sure hope that is the case and I plan to keep looking.
One thing I do know is, even though it has been over nine years, I still miss my uncle's kindheartedness and wonderful sense of humor.
Every ancestor is more than just a name. Every one of them has a story. We are connected genetically, physically, and emotionally. We are who we are because of who they were.
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Bills of Repairs September 24,1904
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