Lost, Forgotten Photo...

While going through some of my grandfather's things after his move to the nursing home, we found this old photograph.

It shows my grandfather standing on the back porch of his sister Marion's home in Palmyra, New Jersey, along with his three sisters, a dog named "Buddy" and my father slouched in a chair.

This photograph was taken in either 1945 or 1946 - and was once hung by a thumbtack in my grandfather's workshop.  Sometime in the middle 1970's it was taken down and framed and moved to my grandfather's office at the family business.  When my grandfather finally retired (in his late 80's), he took hardly anything home with him - but this photograph disappeared about that time.

It was found in a small box left in a corner in the attic, and it was full of things he cleaned out of his desk drawer - an old steel tape rule, a small magnifying glass (for reading blue prints), a small brass award plaque from the PMA (Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association) and another from the AFS (American Foundry Society) and other detritus from a long and successful career.

I'll keep everything that was in this box, but will re-frame the photograph and enjoy it the most.

My grandfather (b. 1909) had three sisters, all of which he has long out-lived - from left to right - Joanna Rachel (b. 1916), Mary Dreby (b. 1920), and Emma Marion the oldest (b.1907).  My dad, half-hidden, draped over a chair, looks pretty bored with the procedings.

I remember (or have at least one memory of) each of these sisters.

Aunt Anna lived in Kentucky (and later Arizona) and I remember in particular, a camping trip on Skyline Drive in the Great Smokey Mountains with her - she was an accomplished aviator - and her husband had a to me, unusual name "Lyman".

Aunt Marion was always a delight to be with - I remember her musical chuckle more than anything else - and always strove to make her laugh.  I was in the house shown in the photograph a few times - the last time in the early 1980's.  I think I can probably find it again.

Aunt Mary was the one I saw most often - and probably loved the most.  She was a wonderful, caring person and was married to Uncle Jim.

They may be gone - but they are not forgotten and soon, I'll have this photograph hanging in a spot of honor were I can see it every day.