Memorializing the dead
Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 10:09 AM

I am nearing completion of providing information about the initial list of "those we love but see no longer." I have tried to find an obituary that would give a full biography. Failing that I have left the kind of biographical data common to most obituaries - dates and places of birth, marriage and death, names of relatives, life acheivements. This is my tribute to those whose photos I recognize only from passing in the hall. I expect more names will be added as we look for the missing and I will try to add similar information for them.

I'm using my experience doing funerals (as an Episcopal priest), genealogy and graving to elicit information and present it. If you see errors or are offended, please let me know.

If you have obituaries or know where people are interred, it would help my work greatly if you would pass that along to me.

And the following people have completely eluded my searches. If you know anything about them, even their last known residence, it would help greatly.

COFFEE Leonard

ESCOBEDO  Ramon

GATGENS  Susan-Lee
LESLIE    Jim

OLBERG    Cheryl
SELIX    Dan
SHEPARD    Robert    Charles
TAUFER    Linda

I have also created memorial pages in a virtual cemetery on Find a Grave, a free website with 73 million people memorialized. I use it regularly in my hobby of reading and photographing old graves here in my county. I began to add our classmates there because in the initial phase of my work, some of the data I had looked up was lost in cyberspace. I knew I would be able to retrieve it there, if it got lost elsewhere. But it has the added advantage of being able to add images.  You will find a list at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=vcsr&GSvcid=263516  Then click on a name to see the individual page. I would be glad to add photos there if you want to send them as attachments to emails - marillajw@msn.com

That's it for now. I welcome questions.

Faithfully, Marilla J Whitney+
My reflections are at www.avinaguest.com