Taking a cue from Thomas MacEntee’s “On This Day” posts at his blog Destination: Austin Family, I am starting a regular post called “Family Events.”  Instead of doing this for each day like Thomas does, I am going to post on Sunday’s for the upcoming week.  So, here’s the debut of “Family Events!”

Robert Anthony Briedis – My “uncle” Bob and my dad were first cousins and grew up together like brothers.  He was born on 6 August 1952 to Robert Anthony Dombrowski and Florence June McMahon.  He was later adopted by his mom’s second husband, Vilhelms Briedis.  Although Bob moved to southern California about ten or so years after I was born, we were very close.  I spent several vacations in California.  The last time I saw his was at my wedding five years ago.  He passed away on 2 September 2007 of pancreatic cancer; he was 55-years-young.

Clara Hilda ROTTMAN & Carl SLENTZ – Clara, my first cousin twice removed, married Carl on 3 September 1934 in Ohio.

George STOFFEL – My great-granduncle, George, was born on 1 October 1901 in Illinois.  George was my great-grandmother’s brother.  He died on 3 September 1978 in Illinois.

Mildred Dolores MILLER Hicks – Mildred, my maternal grandfather’s sister, was born on 10 December 1922 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  She married Sidney William HICKS and together they had a daughter, Beth.  They also adopted a son, Paul.  Mildred died on 6 September 1976, six months before I was born.

Ashbel WEBSTER – Ashbel was one of 12 children born to my sixth great-grandparents, Ashbel WEBSTER and Rachel PRICE.  He was born on 8 August 1756 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  He married Mercy SWETLAND on 7 September 1777.  Ashbel died on 13 November 1838 at age 82.