About The Shirey Family Tree
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As far back as I can remember, I was always interested in my family history. As a child I was very curious about those who had come before us, and no one seemed too interested in answering my questions. I remember going to Balzer Family reunions and being utterly amazed that somehow, I was related to ALL those people. When my family moved from Ohio to California in 1963 those familes ties were broken and I never heard much more about them again.
Then in 1979, as a result of family gatherings, some relatives took time, energy, and love, to create a photocopied booklet called "Statistical Data Pertaining to the Posterity of Schaefer, Balzer, and Hoss Families." My father was sent a copy of this book.
Sometime after the death of my mother in 2000, my father mailed me a package. In it were old family photographs - unfortunately with no one being identified, and his copy of THE book.
Since then, I have asked living relatives for more information. Only recently have I taken the time to create a family tree and to connect with others on their journey into their past to see where our families may be joined together. 2006 was the beginning of my journey into my past. We were expecting the birth of our first grandchild. Hopefully the first of many my four children will produce for Beth and me! Guess what? Noah Nathan Lee Shirey arrived March 8, 2007! He was a strapping 9 pound 8 ounce, 23 inches long, BEAUTIFUL baby boy. Even after 30 hours of intense, unmedicated labour, Rebekah remains our beautiful baby. Please pray with us as we adjust and as Noah grows into a man of God. It is my desire to leave to each of our grandchildren a rich Spiritual heritage as well as a documented, complete, family tree so that they may 'know' of those who have walked this Earth before them, preparing the way for their future. I hope I don't drive my family crazy in the process. They don't fully understand this drive that I have.
The journey continues...it is now 2012 and Noah is almost 5 years old! My wife ended our marriage of 33 years, but life, somehow, continues. My family tree continues to take "shape." My ex's side of the tree is very large and regular additions are being made. My side has been a different story. After inputting hundreds (probably thousands) of names from other reputable Shirey researchers, I discovered a mistake. Past Shirey researchers had placed my great grandfather in the wrong line! It was an honest mistake... but chopping off my tree at that point was very painful. It took a couple of years to finally find his real parents, and so, the tree is sprouting once again in that direction. Phew! This can be very hard work! But for me it is a work of love and I find the results very rewarding. It is still a work in progress and I doubt that I have it perfect. Please contact me with additions and corrections that you may have for me.
It is now 2020 - the year of the Covid-19 pandemic! Life has certainly changed and I wonder what future genealogists will have to say about it! Noah is now 13 and a star football player! His mother is pregnant, expecting a girl in Jan 2021! I got remarried on my 65th birthday, May 14, 2018 to David W. Richards and now have the joy of completing his family tree! Time marches on...it waits for no one. Births, deaths, taxes...all continues!
Today is Dec 31, 2022. David and I are in Dayton, OH visiting his ailing father. While here, the city of my birth, I will visit a few family tombstones in the area and take pictures. My tree continues to grow, get pruned and grows! My last update mentioned expecting a new granddaughter. Delilah Hilde Shirey Bueher arrived Jan 19, 2021 and just 10 days ago on Dec 20, 2022 she welcomed a little sister, Joannah to her family. Life continue.
The following 'story' that I found in someone else's tree describes quite profoundly why I feel the way I do, and so I share it with you now for your enjoyment.
THE STORY TELLERS... (Unknown Author)
We are the chosen. My feelings are that in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors; to put flesh on their bones and make them live again; to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts, but instead, breathing life into all who have gone before.
We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes.
Those who have gone before cry out to us... Tell our story. So we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family? You would be proud of us. How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.
I go beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can't let this happen.
The bones here are bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.
It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us that we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family story tellers.
That is why I do my family genealogy and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on their bones. |