Christmas 2010
Bev and I want to wish all our friends a wonderful Christmas season, and the best for 2011. We've had a great year, but have to admit that the year brought some sadness with the many medical problems, and even death of some of our dear friends and relatives. On Jim's side, the last of his previous generation, Charles Matthews died in August and on Bev's side is a beautiful young daughter of her cousin who is recovering from removal of a brain tumor and of course, we missed Bev's mother greatly all year. The February death of Jim Sherry, the father of our daughter-in-law, left a hole in the hearts of so many. For all our friends who have similar situations, we hope for a great 2011.
We celebrated our 44th anniversary March 20th, with wonderful friends at the conclusion of our first cruise - 10 days and the Panama Canal! Jim enjoyed his "fantasy vacation" experience of farming ND twice this year - spring planting and harvest! He always has a great time with the great friends he has made in North Dakota! It's a success if he doesn't get hurt or break any of their equipment!
We hosted a Winsnes family of 7 in our house in South Carolina which was made easier as we were in NY for all but one day of their over 3 week stay here :o) The house just couldn't hold that family and us, and besides, we had to head for the Great Sacandaga Lake to host the Annemieke, Jan, and Marrit Eulan from the Netherlands. Annemieke was an exchange student for 3 weeks with us in 1983 and returned with a great husband, and a daughter that we fell in love with! After the week with us, they traveled to Denver and spent some time with Amy and traveled the National Parks for a fantastic vacation. We enjoyed our friend Kathy Reed of the Philadelphia Orchestra at the place in NY while the orchestra performed again at Saratoga. She again brought a retired Dr. friend of her family and we enjoy their company immensely.
I guess I would say that the highlight of the year to me is that Bev completed publishing 8 volumes of her Caudell Family history and a special book on the life of her wonderful grandmother, Minnie Bell Brown Stephens ("Mom Brown"). Bev's dedication to researching in detail her family lines with all the trips to libraries and courthouses for almost 20 years has been incredible. Her Caudell Family History volumes have been donated to the libraries of NE Georgia and Anderson SC and are quite impressive. Hopefully, someday someone will find their ancestry there and say "who was this Bev Winsness?"
A major home run for Bev was realizing she descended from the Mayflower immigrant Francis Cooke and a visit to Plymouth, even with a visit to his reconstructed home! Without a doubt, she now blows me away with her fantastic ancestry. We were able to put into her "Mom Brown" book, a section "Our Mayflower Connection" which could not have been accomplished before the Plymouth realization! Fantastic for the family to now have that documented.
As for us personally, we seem to be slowing down a bit, but are really enjoying life and that is made so easy with such wonderful friends that we have made over they years. Life has been very good to us, and retirement has been very busy but has allowed us to do most of what we want.
Please take care of yourselves, and keep in contact. We love you all,
Bev and Jim
The book about "Mom Brown"
Bev, and to the right are the 8 volumes of Caudell Books!
And here is Bev outside the reconstructed Francis Cooke House at Plymouth MA!
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