When I talk to audiences on genealogy today, one of the items that I always mention is how I began to become interested in family history.

It all began 40 years ago when I spent a few weeks every summer in Lyndon Station, WI., visiting my maternal Grandparents’, Great Aunt and Uncle, and my father’s older brother, my Uncle Art. During these wonderful visits with family, I always heard stories of the past and loved to ask questions too. Since I never new my paternal Grandfather, my Uncle provided that role and also had interesting stories about his Dad, my Grandfather August Rettammel, Sr.

One day my Uncle brought out boxes of old photos in various shoe boxes or in old albums that were not in best condition. So 40 yrs I worked on gathering some of these photos into an empty album that had not been used to bring them back to life and seen for the first time in decades.

I still have that album. In the next few months, I hope to share these first photos that I gathered, which is the anchor to becoming a Genealogist today.

Share the passion with old photos and stories.

My Dad in 1933, being held by his Dad. With them is Herman Buehler, Sr., married to Ida Rettammel (My Dad’s oldest sister).