July 2011 Everything’s Relative

Say cheese
I came across an obituary for Catherine J. Kerr, who died Dec. 22, 2010, at the age of 88. She is of no relation to me, but her life seems interesting: “She enjoyed country music, cooking, baking, playing bingo, spending time with her family and friends, and especially enjoyed eating cheese curls.” It made me laugh!
Beth Caporali, Vandergrift, Pa.

High hopes
The 1906 original newspaper obituary of my husband’s great-great-grandfather didn’t raise family members’ eyebrows, but the typographical error in copying the obituary to an online genealogy message board did. The post read that his great-great-grandfather “had hope of a glorious immorality,” rather than the original “hope of a glorious immortality.”
Gladys Boice Tolbert, Denver

Geography? Geology?
The El Paso Times issued a correction the day after this obit ran: “Haywood L. Winter, 90, veteran of World War II, left his family that loved him so much on April 22, 2008. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and during his youth, traveled extensively with his military family. Haywood met a cadet nurse while stationed in New Orleans and married her. Later in life, he dedicated himself in writing his family’s gynecology.”
Terrie Cornell, Fort Collins, Colo.

Space crafts
In an obit for Martha A. Gunia, 93: “Martha had been accomplished at all types of needlework, particularly knitting, and enjoyed making gifts for friends and family. Her former home was believed to have contained enough yarn to make a scarf reaching the moon.”
Beth Caporali, Vandergrift, Pa.

Worth the wait
From a 1930 Lancaster Daily Eagle: “Mr. Fred Mast, much better known about the city by the call of ‘Wait a Minute!’, a carpenter 80 years of age, passed away Friday … The sobriquet ‘Wait a Minute!’ originated in 1908, the year the famous pennant-winning Lanks played at Eagle Park. The deceased was an ardent fan whose deep bass call, ‘Wait a minute!’ rattled many an opposing pitcher in the midst of his windup.”
Kenneth E. Mast, Galion, Ohio

From the July 2011 issue of Family Tree Magazine

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