Who We Are, Where We Came From, Who Was Here Before Us

About the Book

The book consists of three main parts, all illustrated with photographs. It is written by two sisters in their sixties and takes the form of memoirs written specifically for their grown children. However, it is a historical memoir that can be used by anyone interested in United States History, especially domestic history. It does, however, tie in large historical events and movements. Often these events are delivered from the perspective of a child, and later placed in perspective. It captures life in rural South Dakota before 1950 with vignettes showing daily life at a country school, on the working farm with no indoor plumbing, at church, things grandparents taught them, the end of World War II and its impact. It captures the move to Southern California and deals with the history of that whole Post war migration west on the part of many Americans. It also contains a genealogy section that is specific to this family, but includes some historical references that typify nineteenth century European migrations west. The sisters have obviously wrenched a lot of information from their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents when those people were still available for information.

About the Author

Connie: During graduate school in Santa Barbara, California, Connie married Roger Kelly. She became a stepmother to his two children, Corey and Michael, and she and Roger have one daughter, Anna. They have a grandson, Matthew. Connie taught in Orange County, California until 2003. She and Roger live in Lake Havasu City, Arizona and in Silver Lake, New York. Her hobbies are needlework, singing in a high school reunion choir, her ?silver? business, memoir writing, and traveling. She and Roger enjoy entertaining friends and relatives in their homes in Arizona and in New York.

Pam: Graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in biology and taught high school biology in Orange County, California for thirty-five years. Pam has two daughters, Tanya and Carrie, and five grandchildren, Paige, Logan, Megan, Haley, and Leah. She lives in Monarch Bay, California and is married to Martin Spalding. Pam retired in 2003. Her hobbies include memoir writing, needlework, gardening, singing in a high school reunion choir, traveling, and volunteering for the Orange County Symphony.