My One St. Louis Grave

One of our regular stops when we visited my mother's family in Washington DC, was at my grandfather's sister, Aunt Rose Shapiro, on Missouri Avenue. Aunt Rose, who was a bit younger than my grandfather, was widowed before I was born. She and Uncle Max had three daughters, Bea, Jean (known to everyone as Tootsie) and Ann.

I assume that Bea was named after my grandfather's paternal gradmother, as was my mother. Tootsie carried the name of my grandfather's maternal grandmother (for whom we have MtDNA results - thank you Ruth!) and I assume that Ann was named for my grandfather's mother Anna Kugel who died no later than 1904. I am not sure if these names were shared by Uncle Max' family or if the girls had middle names that I am not aware of.

Bea and Tootsie both lived in the DC area. We often visited with Tootsie and her family, so I knew her well. I met Bea maybe twice - never her husband and children. But Ann lived in St. Louis and we never saw her. Her married name is Garland (previously Gallant) and she has a daughter and a son, neither of whom I ever met. The son has what must be a unique name and I tried to contact him a few years ago, to no response.

Ann died in 1974 at age 55. Cancer.

So finding myself in St Louis this morning, I went to her grave. It is part of a family plot - her husband's family - but he himself is not there.

Perhaps I'll try her son again.

Ann in the foreground, behind her are her husband's relatives.