Dad and Grandma Cornelius

Found this nice picture of my dad with my grandmother taken in 1943 or 1944. The photo was taken on the farm southeast of Madrid, Nebraska. On the window to the right of my grandmother is the gold star insignia that all families, with children in the service, kept on their windows.

Site update

I've received a couple of e-mails asking if I'm still updating this site. I'm planning to add some additional content over the next few weeks. After I posted my mother's Johnny Carson story, I was reminded that she also had her 15 minutes of fame sitting in with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra one evening at the old military base in Kearney, Nebraska. In short, she substituted for the piano player. I asked her to write down her recollections so I can post them here. She also came across some more family photos.

On Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson died Sunday at the age of 79. Although not a relation, my mother did have contact with Carson while they were both students at the University of Nebraska. I spoke to her Monday and posted her story on my other blog.

In his Sunday best

Edward Kostal, my maternal grandfather. This studio portrait was probably taken in 1915 or 1916 before his military service in World War I.

Wedding Day -- Photo Three

Mom on her big day. My sister now has this dresser in her home.

Wedding Day -- Photo Two

Photo taken at my maternal grandparents' home in Ravenna.

Wedding Day -- Photo One

My parents' formal wedding photo! They were married on June 15, 1949 in Ravenna, Nebraska

The Vitalis years

Here's another exciting picture taken in front of my grandparents' house. In this case, we were visiting my maternal grandparents in Ravenna, Nebraska. I'm holding a prayer book so I'm guessing the picture was taken as we were preparing to attend Mass. Judging from my hairstyle, the photo was taken in the mid-1960s. Not sure why my sister isn't in the picture.

Summer vacation 1963

Here's a picture of us taken during the summer of 1963 outside my paternal grandparents' farm house in Madrid, Nebraska. My sister Sheila (six years younger) is in front. The picture did not scan very well, hence the small size.

I wish I could remember being so skinny. [sigh]

May Chamberlain Cornelius -- Photo 3

I've posted several pictures of my grandmother, May Cornelius. These earlier pictures have shown her as a young woman years -- decades actually -- before I entered her life. This is a picture of how I remember her -- in her farmhouse kitchen with an apron tied around her waist getting ready to prepare another meal. This picture was probably taken in the early '60s.