52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #4 – "Closest to Your Birthday" – ME!!!

January 29, 2015.Reading time 37 minutes.

The theme this week is to write about an ancestor closest to your birthday. I am simultaneously participating in the Genealogy Do-Over. Week #2 of the Do-Over had us “interview” ourselves and then write a biography. I decided to combine the two tasks and write about MYSELF. WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POST. I won’t […]

52 Ancestors – #13 – Family Loss – Jessica Samuel Gray

April 1, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

Alan and Jessica SamuelProbably 1935 or 1936 Today was a sad day. My Aunt Jessica was laid to rest after nearly 79 years on this earth. But this post is not really about her – it’s about maintaining family connections. Jessica was my father’s sister. After many years of being estranged, she and my father […]

52 Ancestors – #10 – Miniatures, My Mom and Me – Doris Lichtenthal Falcone

March 2, 2014.Reading time 18 minutes.

This is post is a departure from my usual family history posts. March 5, 2014 would have been my mother’s 82nd birthday. Mom’s legacy lives on in many ways in our family; her cooking, her humor (well….WE think it’s funny), her incessant picture-taking (very much appreciated by this genealogist daughter!) But there was one special […]

52 Ancestors: #6 -In recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day and to honor the memory of my maternal grandfather, Paul Lichtenthal.

January 27, 2014.Reading time 16 minutes.

In May of 1938, my family changed forever. I realize that we were blessed that no one in my mother’s immediate family was murdered. We fared so much better than millions of others. I get that. While ours is not a story of horrifying proportions, it still is worthy of being told. It should never […]

Paul Lichtenthal – December 10, 1900- my Maternal Grandfather

December 10, 2013.Reading time 3 minutes.

Normally, I would have a long, wordy post all prepared to go. Truth be told I do have a long, wordy post prepared…..too wordy! I really need to trim it down and determine a focus. Trust me, you’ll appreciate that! So – in honor of my grandfather’s 113th birthday, I am posting this series of […]

Sigmund Lichtenthal – Expert

October 21, 2013.Reading time 11 minutes.

Sigmund Lichtenthal was my maternal great-grandfather. While I don’t remember him at all, I have definitely formed an impression of his personality. My mom used to tell me that Sigmund’s business card identified him as an “expert” – no mention of what he was an “expert in, however. I figured she was exaggerating. After all, who would have […]

My Omi – Rosa "Rose" Spiegel Lichtenthal

October 20, 2013.Reading time 13 minutes.

Warning!! This will be a longer post than usual. Rose was my grandmother!! I have a lot to share. Rose Spiegel was my maternal grandmother. Born in Semarang, Java on October 19, 1903, she was the second daughter of Herman Spiegel and Sophie Weiss. Her sister, Claire Theresa had been born on January 3, 1901. Her brother, […]