From Prairie Marble to Streets of Gold  − 24 January, 2008

I just received and responded to a letter from one Shirley DeWolf in Zimbabwe. Shirley is a decendent of my mother's mother's parents which, naturally, makes us distant cousins. It turns out the Shirley was doing so searching online for relatives from that clan and came across a post of mine here which mentions the book that one my mother's mother's sisters wrote. The book is called "From Prairie Marble to Streets of Gold" and tells about the founding and homesteading of that side of the family in Montana back in the early 1900's.

Shirley asked who of the many Nees's I was related to and if I knew anyone who could help her fill the pieces of the Nees puzzle that we missing. I wrote this in response:

Shirley (Culver - Murphree - Nees) DeWolf!

You found me. That's fantastic. I put up that page, as you noted, nearly a year ago. And since then you're the first person from the Nees family to contact me.

I am the grandson of Dorrie Nees - she was the youngest daughter of the Nees clan in Montana and as such Grace's younger sister. Nana, as we call her, died last August. She was 80 years old. Her memorial service was held in New Mexico, where she had raised my mother, Pam, and my aunt, Nancy. Dorrie retired to Roswell and then Albuquerque after living for a good while in Dallas, Texas and Columbus, Ohio (with us).

Here is the Eulogy, which my father wrote.
http://dandelife.com/story/33852

The only other Nees sister (or brother) I ever met was Laverne who lived in Dallas with her husband Raymond. I  forget their surname. Nana was married 3 times, I believe. The first to my grandfather, Glenn Dennis, then twice more to ne'er-do-wells, I think, for stability, such as it was. She kept the surname Dennis through the years.

As for the other Nees's, I've never met them. My mother claims there is one in San Diego (where I live now) but that since we come from Nana's line, we've had a difficult time earning their favor, as it were. I've neither been to Kalispell nor Zimbabwe for that matter. Both are places I would love to visit for more reasons than to help complete the picture Grace started. I'm a nomad, myself, and can think of no greater comfort than a place to stretch my legs, good conversation with new friends, a drink and a hot meal after a long trip in coach class. Perhaps this Dandelife experiment of mine will result in the two of us sharing a table together one day.

I'm so glad you reached out, Shirley. If there is anything I can do to help you in your efforts to find more Nees's, please don't hesitate to ask.

Peace,
K

Comments:

edunn (January 25, 2008. 02:28am)

That is remarkable!

kga245 (January 25, 2008. 03:31am)

Isn't it?