Throwback Thursday: Working Hard

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My grandfather Charlie Weil, about 1939, in Kingston, New York.

Days at the Orphans’ Home

My great-grandfather, George Weil, grew up in an orphans’ home in Pennsylvania. This unique time in his life always intrigued me, because we never knew much about his time there. In the past few weeks, I’ve learned a lot more about his story.

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George Weil and his friend August Potrafke at the Orphans’ Home in 1904 when they were both 15 years old. George looks small for his age!

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Wedding Wednesday: Anniversaries past and present

My grandparents were married 70 years ago today. Before they passed away, they had celebrated 64 anniversaries. This is the first wedding anniversary that they’ll be celebrating together in heaven. My husband and I just celebrated our first anniversary. We hope to share just as many years together!

“We were 50 years old…”

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Marie (nee Lawrence) Loraas and Mildred (nee Lawrence) Kaiser on their 50th birthdays on May 31, 1950.

This photograph is from the day that my great-grandmother Mildred and her twin sister, Marie, turned 50 years old. Mildred wrote on the back, “We were 50 years old…” with the date. Family tales explain that Mildred was born just before midnight on May 30, and Marie was born shortly after midnight on May 31. Both of their birth certificates list May 31, and apparently both of them always celebrated their birthdays together on May 31. Even when they grew older, they still looked very much alike! It’s sometimes hard to tell them apart in photographs.

Celebrating graduations

It’s that time of year again… graduation! Whether it’s high school, college or beyond, graduations are always a time for students to be proud of what they’ve accomplished and look forward to what lies ahead.

This is a photo on my grandparent’s graduation day. The met at college, were both part of campus Greek life, and sang in the choir. They were engaged in March 1957, graduated that spring, and got married within a month after graduation! Two of their children also attending the same university, where one of them also met his future wife!

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My grandparents at college graduation in 1957.

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