52 Ancestors Challenge: Week #7 - Garnet Jane McNeal

Grandma Jane in May 2009.

This is probably the closest relative I am going to do on my blog.  My grandmother would of celebrated her 77th birthday this week.

Garnet Jane McNeal was born on February 18, 1937 in Rockford, Illinois to Kenneth Ralph McNeal (1916-1983) and Garnet Adele Firman (1913-1997).  She always went by her middle name Jane.  Jane was the second of seven children:

• Janet Arlene (1936-2005)
• Karen Maureen (1943-1943)
• Linda Kay (1945-1992)
• Kenneth Richard (1947-1947)
• a brother and sister who are still living.

Jane married A. Dell Carrico (1937-2004) on March 1, 1958 in Rockford, Illinois.  They would have six children, one of them is my mother.

Jane remarried on October 8, 1985 to James Marvel Dempsey (1927-2012).

My grandmother loved to shop at Goodwill, often repurchasing things that she had at one point donated.  She was also known for her cooking and baking.  My grandmother was an expert pie maker making everything from pumpkin to chocolate peanut butter.  Pies tended to out number people at family gatherings because Grandma always wanted to make everyone's favorite pie.  

Grandma passed away on November 16, 2013 in Loves Park, Illinois.  She is buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Grandma hated to have her picture taken often flipping the bird or covering her face to avoid the camera.  After her passing we found a bunch of great pictures of her.  This one I bare an uncanny resemblance to her, the picture of myself on the right doesn't really do it justice.

Jane and Janet

My parents wedding in May 1983.

Grandma and Jim in August 1991.

Grandma and her children in August 2009. From Left: Debbie, Karen, Brian, Grandma, David, Barbara, Kenny.

Grandma and the grandchildren in December 2012.  From Left: Ashley holding Scarlett, Derek, Lizzie, Grandma, Myself and Dan in background.  Kenny's children, Michael and Karri and Debbie's son, Dustin are not pictured.

I have for some reason been unable to find my grandmother, her sister Janet and her parents, Garnet and Kenneth in the 1940's census so I am not sure where they were residing in 1940.

Ancestry Profile