In honor of Women's History Month and each of the brave, generous, tenacious women described:  Barb and Bob, Ted and Lola: Loss, war, love and enduring friendship .   The story begins at the meeting place: 4711 Meridian Avenue, Seattle .  4711 Meridian Avenue, Seattle, Courtesy of Google Maps Four families and a l egacy of connection What seems like chance—the convergence of four young lives in one small house in Seattle—created bonds that would last lifetimes. The story of Bob and Barb, Ted and Lola reminds us how seemingly random moments can shape generations, including the author's very existence. The Meeting Place: 4711 Meridian  The story begins in a modest house in Seattle, owned by Mary Shutt, a woman who had already weathered more than her share of grief. Living with her was her daughter Barbara Jean, known to everyone as "Barb," a bright Lincoln High student with her whole life ahead of her. The Foundation: Mary's Journey Mary Reese was born in Indiana i...

Early in our virtual meeting experiences of 2020 we began attracting visitors from around Washington State as well as other parts of the United States.  Among our visitors was Ron Sailer, a neighbor from the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society in Lynnwood, just north of Seattle. Ron shared information that his great grandfather was buried in the pioneer cemetery here in Auburn and gave us information regarding research that had been done. http://www.auburnpioneercemetery.net/biographies/hopkins.php#.YA9Id-hKiUl .  In February, 2021, we did a blog about the research that had been done, quite extensively, and that more newspaper articles had become available thus showing the progress of research possibilities. https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2021/02/newspaper-research-progress.html A few months ago MaryLynn made contact with Ron again when she found a common link at WikiTree.  Small world! Valorie received The StillyGen newsletter [1] in early January 2023, and read with shock: ...