A Sad Goodbye to a White Cousin

It is that time of year when I try to be in touch with as many of the relatives as possible and hope to hear back from them by way of Christmas cards or calls.  Yesterday I had a call from cousin James Hooker III, Colorado Springs, CO.  It is with sadness that I share that James III’s father, Jim Hooker II died September 30, 2011 from liver cancer.  Jim was diagnosed in July with cancer and was gone by Sept.   I had sent Jim and Ann a Christmas card, their son received it and kindly answered.  We spoke for quite awhile, catching up on the latest news.  Ann is now in a skilled nursing care unit.

Jim Hooker III has promised to visit if he gets out East.  That will be a great time to get all the Whites together again. I have located someone from each of the Alexander Right and Mary Ella (Hess) White children’s families.

Other family news – Cousin Mel Myers (son of Sara White Myers)will be turning 90 as well as Aunt Bea White Mc Cord (daughter of Walter White).  Cousin Bob Spencer (son of Mary White Spencer) has already reached 91 years old.  It is wonderful to see all of these relatives reaching that great age of 90. A Christmas card from a friend who lives in the same development as Ted Locke (son-in-law of Bess White Hosler) says he is now in assisted living and his wife Marge (2nd wife) has an apartment nearby.

As you see, I love those Christmas letters, so keep them coming and I’ll post the news here.

 

Death and Birth Records Now available for PA

The house bill has been passed to allow access to death records prior to 1961 and birth records prior to 1906.  This is wonderful, but we have yet to hear how, when or where they will be available.  The records are to go to the Pennsylvania Archives, but what does this mean?  Will they be on microfilm? On computer?  Will Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org make them available on their websites?  How many birth records will be available since Pennsylvania only began officially recording them in 1906?

This is a lovely start, but we still have a long way to go to make me jump for joy.  We will still have to wait 5 months to receive a death certificate.