It Suddenly Came to Me

Ethel Stevenson Becker holds me and my twin brother Dennis in the summer, 1948.

Ethel Stevenson Becker holds my cousins, twins Paulette and Pauleen Harris,
summer 1948

As I opened my blog to write this story, I didn't know the identity of the woman seated in the chair in these pictures. The photo at the top, showing me (Becky Margheim) and my twin brother Dennis Margheim was part of a collection I inherited from my parents. But I was unsure if it had belonged to my dad's family, or my mother's.

I recently received a digital copy of the second photo that was part of a collection belonging to my mother's brother. I couldn't believe my good fortune, for I now knew that the woman in the chair was connected in some way to my mother's family. 

As I started this post I was going to comment that I wondered who she was and hoped that someday that question would be answered. And within a minute of opening this blog, the answer came to me, using the clue that this small photo of the woman holding infants on her lap came from a Roi-Tan cigar box that almost exclusively held photos of my grandmother's oldest brother, Joseph Frederick "Fred" and Ethel (Stevenson) Becker. My cousin Nancy has possession of these photos on loan from another cousin Debbi, as she scans them to share with more of our family. She shared this digital picture with me since she knew I had the photo at the top, showing the same lady in the same dress, same chair, same yard. 

As I reviewed other photos that I own of my grandaunt, I came to the conclusion that she's the lady holding the twins. The two sets of twins are grandchildren of her sister-in-law, Nannie (Becker) Flanders. Dennis and I were born November 1947. Paulette and Pauleen were born June 1948. So I think the picture was taken in the Summer/Fall of 1948. Aunt Ethel was born 31 Jan 1891 and died 1 Oct 1949. So she'd have been 57 years old in the pictures. I'm going to believe that Aunt Ethel prompted me about her identity. 

Here are other photos that I have of Aunt Ethel and Uncle Fred Becker.

Thank you, Aunt Ethel, for prompting me about your identity. I'm happy to know that, even though I don't remember you, that you held me and Dennis on your lap. That helps me feel closer to you. You knew who I was, you held me, and I think you were happy in doing so. 

Today is my husband's birthday. But I'm the one who received the gift!