Bittersweet Journey

Mother and I will fly out to Chicago early, early tomorrow morning. This hastily-planned trip will take her back to her childhood roots and to Kalamazoo, Mich., where her sister June died Wednesday night. It will definitely be bittersweet for Mother.

At 81, June was two years younger than Mother. She spent her entire adult life in Michigan where a major portion was devoted to the Sullivan family of Kalamazoo and their many children. June worked as a housekeeper/nanny for the Sullivans and was considered a member of their family. In fact, they took care of her needs for the past several years.

Her funeral will be Tuesday at the beautiful Nazareth College campus, the Catholic Women's college where Mother received her art and French degree. The college closed down several years ago and has been used for other purposes. Besides saying her good byes to June, Mother will, no doubt, take some sentimental journeys during this visit.

She also plans to return to Grand Rapids and visit a friend (for whom I'm named). The two attended Marywood Academy during their grade school and high school years. I'm sure there will be great stories told of their impish school years with the nuns as their teachers and guardians.

In Chicago, Mother's birthplace, we'll stay with long-lost family members but definitely close relatives. For years, much of the Short family had no idea whatever happened to Mother and her sister when their dad Frank Halter took his wife Lillie (Short) and daughters west to Idaho. Shortly after arriving in North Idaho, their mother died near Wallace in 1924.

That's when a lot of contact was lost until cousin Karen found one of my postings on a genealogical page about six years ago. She called me. Then, she called Mother's cousin Bill. He called Mother. Later, they came West to visit, and a lot of catching up over seven decades of separation occurred.

My ears will be focused this next few days as I'm sure to learn vast amounts of family history. I'll try to post as often as possible while on this bittersweet journey.

This trip and its dynamics exemplify another good reason to blog.