A New Cousin Discovered

I got to chat online with a newly found cousin the other day. It happens often enough, doing what I do with my research.  As it happens, this cousin is a second cousin from my grandmother’s brother’s family. We started off “dancing” on Ancestry – I mean, sometimes you don’t want to give it all up without knowing this person gets you. And when you’ve had someone literally steal your work before, trust me,  it can be painful. So, you take precautions and put up walls.

Well, we got over that quickly enough.  As soon as I found out she was Uncle Dale’s granddaughter, she had to be OK in my book.  I know, I know, it doesn’t always work that way, and maybe I’m wrong, but I would lay money that she’s ok.  After all, she’s got 18 grandchildren.  Eighteen, people!  And she’s a couple years younger than me!

A Person Of Some Influence

So, one of the ways that I proved to her that – not only did I know her granddad, but I loved him – was to tell her WHY I loved him.

When we were kids, we got so excited whenever Uncle Dale came over.  I don’t know if he was still out of the county then or not, but all of us (my 2 older brothers and my baby sister) just adored him.  He taught us things I shared with my kids and grandkids today.

“First you put your hands together, like you’re saying a prayer…then scrunch your hands together so your knuckles from both hands touch and you’re looking at your thumbs.  Alternate your fingers, so you have one between its mates on the other hand. Are your thumbs still in front?”  Are you with me so far? OK…  “Here is the Church, and… (Now, you raise your index fingers and touch your fingertips together)… Here is the steeple…  (Now you just twist a bit, ok?) Open the door, (just put your thumbs out, and turn your hands in front) and see all the people!

Uncle Dale also taught us the Apple and the Worm trick…  much simpler!  “Hands together like you’re saying a prayer!  OK, now, bend your middle fingers so the fold over your other hand.  Like this!  Now, you twist your hands, so you make your hand “the apple” and your fingers – just wiggle them!  They’re a worm!”

I was always delighted.  Such simple things to make such an impression. He was just such a person of some influence!

I don’t remember why these seem to be the only things I remember about my uncle,  Maybe I began to feel at the time he passed away that I was past all the kid games. I was a grown up, and didn’t need to be patted on the head.  The one thing I never got past and hope to never get over was simply that he was special to me.  There isn’t any why.

There is no earth shattering story about his employment.  There is no great immigration story here.  It’s just about a guy who took a few minutes to do something unique and different for his grand-niece that impacted my heart for all of my life.  I also remember feeling shattered when I heard he passed away.

To this day, I remember the day of his funeral: October 6, 1981.  Why?  It was the same day Anwar Sadat was assassinated.  And it was my beloved uncle’s funeral day, so I was doubly sad.  Now, I don’t especially know why Anwar Sadat stuck in my head all these years.  I know he was a great Egyptian leader and all, and his assassination was a tremendous loss for the people.

What I do remember was the family gathering after Uncle’s funeral and all the sharing that went on. It was a gentle fall day.  Not outrageously hot as early October can be, but a comfortable Indian Summer day.  The leaves had begun turning, yellows and oranges peeking around the cemetery.

It was a day of beauty for a body to begin its’ final rest. Good night, Uncle Dale.

Calvin Dale Keifer, son of Calvin Dale Keifer Sr. and Clara Myrtle Helmick; born 7 Sep 1908, died 2 Oct 1981.  Buried with many family members at David Cemetery, Kettering, Ohio.  Brother to my great aunt Florence Keifer Morgan Smith; my maternal grandmother, Phyllis Lucile Keifer Rutherford; Philip Franklin Keifer; Virginia Ann “Ginger” Keifer Fischer; Frances Lovine Keifer Dunn; and Louise Geraldine Keifer Riley Miller.

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