I was just barely eleven when an article about my grandfather Pete appeared in The Seattle Times Magazine on Sunday, November 30, 1975.
Click here to read it.
My dad's cousin David authored the article. He is retired now after enjoying a successful career as a reporter, editorial writer, and columnist for The Seattle Times.
The article is a beautifully written very personal account of David's experience remembering his "Uncle Pete" who died at the age of 51 in 1959 after a devastating stroke and a lengthy period of tragic suffering.
He describes the events of one night in 1975 when Pete’s spirit seemed to appear after David sat thinking about both the sad way Pete died and the joy with which he lived. A wire clothes hanger knocking repeatedly in the bathroom that night with no apparent cause must have been Pete's way of reassuring David of his presence, right? That's the way it seemed to him.
This touching story came to define, at least in part, my relationship with the grandfather I never knew. I grew up believing that any unexpected knock, clang, or sway of a hanger might be Grandpa Pete saying hello to me. To this day when a solo hanger in the closet momentarily swings or twists in the air, I think of my Grandpa Pete.
My enduring reaction to the old article shows the power of writing what you know. I've placed the article permanently on my website and am discussing it in this post to highlight again the impact writing about your family may have on current and future generations. (See my past post "Write It Down!"). Whether it is a list of genealogical facts about ancestors, a story about a date cake recipe, or an essay describing a mystical encounter with a long-deceased uncle, these stories matter.
Consider how a single article, one of thousands my dad's cousin must have written over his career, could become a family heirloom. It's because of the impact of the personal narration and the inclusion of details about my grandfather's final struggle, as well as his exuberant joy of life before the stroke - all packed into this short piece. It's memorable and filled with information.
In fact, the article is so well known in my little branch of the family that when I decided to write this post, I told my mom I needed David's article, the original newsprint one with the blue top, the one that's all folded up and dog eared and used to be stored in the drawer of the cupboard. She knew exactly what I meant, and she found for me, where? In her genealogy files under Grandpa Pete's name.
Anyone who reads my blog will recognize my mantra "Write It Down!" We may not all be professional writers or have a newspaper like The Seattle Times publishing our work, but we can all document our family stories and offer our life experiences in our own ways.
Finally, I cannot conclude this blog post without also saying that as a budding very young writer at the time of the article's publication, oh boy was I impressed that we had a professional writer in the family! A reporter for The Seattle Times! Thanks David!
Please Note: I have posted the article on my website with permission of the author and The Seattle Times. Click here.
Additional information:
The online version of the current Sunday magazine: Pacific NW Magazine | The Seattle Times
A 2020 article discussing the history of the most recent incarnation of The Seattle Times Magazine: Pacific magazine debuted 40 years ago. Yeah — we’re gonna celebrate that. | The Seattle Times
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