52 Ancestors: #3 David Francis Coughlin

In this week's installment of "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge" I am focusing on my paternal grandfather, David Francis Coughlin (1909-1984).

"Dave" was the second son of Daniel Joseph Coughlin (1877-1953) and Bridget Agnes Williams (1883-1973) born on March 20, 1909 in Lake Placid, Essex County, New York.  He grew up in the Palmer Hill section of AuSable Forks, Clinton County, New York. He married twice. First to Constance Ann Hall (1908-1946) and then to Helen Marguerite Torrance (1910-1995).  With "Grandma Connie" he had six children.  He worked in a defense plant during World War II in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He also served on the AuSable Forks Board of Education and a former member of the Jay Fire Department.

I have many happy memories of Grandpa as he, Grandma Helen and "Grandma T" (aka Elizabeth Ann Madden Torrance 1888-1985) would come down for the winters.  Grandma Helen would say it was to see me and my sister. Grandpa would say it was for the golfing!! He loved to golf. I took it up for a few years but just didn't have the same passion for it as he did.  Today several of his grandchildren and great grandchildren continue to play the game he loved!

52 Ancestors: #2 Thomas Raymond Coughlin

I figured since I started out with my mother in the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge" issued by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small, I would follow up with my father, Thomas Raymond Coughlin (1944-1998).

"Tom", "Tommy" or "Dad" was the 5th child and second son of David Francis Coughlin (1909-1984) and Constance Hall (1908-1946) born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts while my grandfather and several of his brothers were working there during World War II. After my grandmother's death, the family moved back to Jay, Essex County, New York.  My grandfather remarried in 1947 to Helen Marguerite Torrance (1910-1995).

My father loved working on cars.  As long as I can remember, he was always working on cars. But since my first car was one of his rescues, I can't complain! I blogged about it in one of my very first blog posts, Cars-52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History.

Here's Dad working on my 1966 Plymouth Barracuda in May 1987 along with Mom's dog, Tippy.  Tippy could be a topic for another blog post!!

52 Weeks of Sharing Memories - Kindergarten Days

The first Challenge in Lorine McGinnis Schulze's of Olive Tree Genealogy "52 Weeks of Sharing Memories" is "Kindergarten Days".

I went to a private school kindergarten at Deer Park Baptist School in North Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina.  At the time kindergarten was optional so not all public schools had a kindergarten class.  The nearest public kindergarten to us was in a not so great part of town so private school for me.  I only went there for one year.

I remember that the school was attached to the church and we entered on the right side.  We had several school plays.  I remember one for Thanksgiving and found this picture.

I also remember that we had a "graduation" and my father wore a tie.  My father never wore ties so I knew it was a special occasion!  And see, I graduated!!!

52 Ancestors: #1 Sharyn Senecal Coughlin

For my first entry in Amy Johnson Crow's of No Story Too Small "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge", I have chosen my mother, Sharyn Ann Senecal Coughlin (1945-1992).

The beginning of January always reminds me of my mother as her birthday is January 4 and her death was on January 3, a day before her 47th birthday.  Always a roller coaster of emotions for me but I am proud to call her "Mom".

Mom was the only child of Ernest John Senecal and Eulalia Mary Duprey.  As is always the case for me lately, I recently found her birth certificate while looking for something else.  I also found her death certificate and noticed we misspelled Grandma's name!!

One of my favorite memories of my Mom and her crafts. She was always knitting, crocheting and just making stuff! On this bitterly cold day, I am wearing a scarf my Mom made for me in high school. Let's just say this scarf is older than a few folks in our suite!!

2014 The Year of Challenges and Basics

It's 2014 already.  Where did 2013 go!!

I have decided to accept the "Challenge" of Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small and blog about an ancestor a week.  In her post Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, Amy (like the rest of us!) wants to blog more and regularly so she is challenging everyone to write (blog, journal, email) about a specific ancestor. It can be stories, photos, research problems but focus on one ancestor.

Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy also a challenge for us.  She is embarking on Challenge: 52 Weeks of Writing Our Memories.  This week is "Kindergarten Days".  So she wants us to dig deep into memory banks to see if we can remember the who, what, where, how of those innocent days.

I have decided on 2 mantras this year: "Challenge" and "Basics". This is the year I want to simplify my life in all areas.  I hope that by accepting the first challenge that I will then move on the next one! Also, I need to get back to the basics. So time to review what's in my life and what's going!

So 2014....here I come!!

Image Courtesy of  Stuart Miles
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