Happy Family from California

                        
Several months ago I was contacted by Betty Villasenor, who lives in California.  She was trying to make a wish come true for her 93 year old mother, Hilda Velarde Salas.  Her mother was trying to locate the burial spot of HER mother, Josefina Duran Velarde who had died in 1929. 

I could find that Josefina was buried at San Jose Cemetery, but the exact location is lost.  This cemetery has been under the auspices of several different churches in Albuquerque through the years and records have been lost.  That is sad as it is a large cemetery with many names.  Thankfully I have two old records with names and we were able to ascertain that Josefina was here.

Betty, her mother Hilda and her three sisters as well as many family members travelled to Albuquerque from California to pay respect to their dear relative.  Their niece painted a rock to leave at the cemetery to honor her. 

I am so thrilled that through the work of the New Mexico Tombstomb group we could reunite this family.

A great year - and Fantastic volunteers!

December 10, 2013

As we finish this year, I am once again thankful for such dedicated volunteers.  But calling them volunteers seems wrong - they are actually family to me.  All of us consider each other our extended family.  Each brings such special joys and talents to our small but productive group.

Lee Miller is our world traveler.  He has been to Africa, India and many places inbetween.  He has taught German and his writing is so precise that it is difficult to read at time!  He is affectionately called our "Candy Man" as he brings a well-stocked bag of chocolates and goodies to every one of our meeting.

Sharon Serrano is one tireless worker!  She has single handed finished up Sunset Memorial Park with hours and hours of work.  She is tackling Mountain View (Barton) now all by herself.  She transcribed some old death records too!  Her hours almost exceed the groups totals!  And she comes in from the East mountains on sheets of ice at times.

Wink Winkeljohn is another tireless worker who keeps going even when he isn't feeling well.  He has done all the mapping work for the cemetery submissions to Charles for our website.  This takes quite a bit of effort with searching for signs of cemeteries on the satellite views and then getting precise directions.  And he likes doing this!

Diane Bloom has many hats she wears - even sometimes to Tombstone!  She volunteers in many, many different venues.  But she has tackled a very difficult book to currently transcribe - it is burials for Valencia county and most of it is written in Spanish, which she has to translate.  And she doesn't speak Spanish! 

Beautiful Barb Borowy - my fellow Corralenos!  Barb works tirelessly for Tombstone but she is also very versatile and knowledgable with Genealogy.  She has helped me find some of my relatives and set me on paths to find out more.  It was through her love of genealogy that drove me to find more.  I can always go to her with a question.  And her handwriting is gorgeous in our Tombstone books - the transcribers love her work!

And my non-complaining husband...he may want to, but doesn't dare.  He writes what I give him, drives me to hundreds of cemeteries in the state (actually in ANY state) and walks with me in the cold, wind and rain just to get 'one more picture of that grave over in the corner'.  I think the chocolates that our Candy Man brings keep him coming!

Missing this day at the library were Gloria Henderson, BJ Minshall and Betty Lamberti.  I'll catch them later.