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So sorry to hear of your loss, but so glad that you were able to have this talk with him before he died. I am the family historian. I've learned that genealogy is not just about collecting names and dates, it's really important to collect stories. To that end interviewing family members, especially older family members, is key to understanding their lives and the lives of those who came before them. I've interviewed not just my parents but also their surviving siblings, my great aunt before she passed, a distant cousin in his 90s, and perhaps most importantly my late father in law who never talked of his wartime service with his family but opened up to me. I recently shared one recording with his son, my brother in law, and it was really quite moving as he could hear his voice and stories that he had never known in detail. People who take on the role of the family historian learn that lots of old photos, letters, and other keepsakes will come your way. One of the best things was an account written by a maternal great aunt about our immigrant ancestors and her impression of their personalities. The story of this document is interesting in itself. My older 1st cousin once removed back in the 70s had a similar role to mine, and tried to get her to record it on cassette. She refused, but decided to write it out (in longhand) which the cousin's wife typed up. A copy was lying around the family cabin. I can't tell you how overjoyed I was to find it. I've built a small business based around genealogy, and I love to evangelize and encourage people to connect with relatives and share stories. In this age of endless distractions and digital tools and bad stuff happening around the world, talking with people and learning about their lives (and their family stories) is one of the most important things we can do IMHO. |