Did You Get To Meet These Relatives?

[Virgo10]

I was a child born to older parents and my parents were also born when their parents were older. This left me not knowing 3 out of my 4 grandparents and, of course, none of my great grandparents. I always felt bad about that because there was so much I would have liked to ask them.

From time to time you read stories about a family of 5 generations getting together. How lucky they are! All that history there for the asking.

So who in your family did you actually get to meet? Is there someone on this board who has or had 5 generation living or maybe even 6?

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

All four of my grandparents are still alive.
I have one great grandmother remaining but when I was born I had 3 great grandparents alive.
Most of my great aunts are still alive.

 

[Sleepy]

On my fathers side, we made it to 4 generations. On my mothers side....only 3. Everyone had children late in life (after 40), so just having grandparents was a miracle.

I forgot to add that on my husbands side of the family, everyone has kids very early. So, for example, my MIL was a grandmother by 32. Greatgrandmother by 45. I don't keep up with that side of the family anymore, but I am sure in the next year or 2, if not already, she will be a greatgreat grandmother and she is not even 60.

 

[Rachie0507]

I knew my mother's father and my father's mother--the other grandparent on both sides had already passed away when i was born. Both of those grandparents have passed away since I've been around. Both of my mom's grandmothers were alive when I was born. One was just a like a grandmother to me and she passed away when I was 13. The other died when I was young. Some of my parents aunt and uncles are still around, but I don't know them well. There is an aunt on my mom's side though that would be my great-grand-aunt, I believe. She was my grandmother's aunt. She is a sweet, old woman from Canada who calls me on birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. She remembers all that at 90 when I can barely remember what day it is at 26!

 

[CamColt]

I chose Grandmother and Granfather, but I only knew one of each. They both passed away by the time I was 5 so I only have very vague memories of them.

 

[dmslush]

My parents were in their early 20's when I was born, so I was increadibly lucky to know a large extended family!!

Let's see, on my dad's side, I know/knew: Grandfather, Great Grandmother, Great grandfather (died when I was about 2), several great aunts and uncles. My dad actually committed suicide when I was 2 1/2, so that left Pa (his dad) as my only real father figure. Pa died in a car wreck, a drunk driver hit him, when I was 12. It was devestating!!

On mom's side: My granny, her husband who was like a grandpa to me, my great grandmother, and her husband (he died when I was 2 also, but I counted him anyway), a huge ton of great aunts and uncles. My great grandmother, Ma died when I was 21 years old, so I feel blessed to have known her long enough that she was a huge influence on my life. Granny, one of my best friends in the whole world, died two years ago when I was 30. We are all still reeling from that one. We didn't expect it. Again, like Ma, I feel so blessed that I had granny for so long and that she could have such an influence on me and my child!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I feel the same way as you, and I think about it often...how much I missed out on.

I had one grandfather...my mom's dad...but he died when I was 5, and he was sick for years before that, so he wasn't exactly "grandfatherly". I also had one great-grandmother (mom's mom's mom) who died when I was 8, but she didn't speak English and I didn't speak Italian.

Occasionally, when we lived in the same state, I'd see my mother's old aunts. But being the youngest of 5 (oldest is 13 years older than me), there was always someone around to babysit, so I didn't get out much!

I feel so bad for my kids. Since I'm the youngest of 5, my kids' cousins are all older than them, and no one really lives nearby anyway. On both sides of the family, the youngest cousin to my kids is 4 years older than my oldest. And I AM the great-aunt! I've got 15 great nieces and nephews (and one on the way). My 14 yr old DD is going to spend a couple of weeks this summer helping her cousin (my niece) with her 4 kids.

 

[always quiet]

I only knew one grandmother on my mom's side. It's funny, I never got to meet any "greats" but I have been a GREAT aunt since I was 19 and now I am already a GREAT GREAT aunt. Gosh, I don't feel that old!!

 

[MsLeFever]

My kids have a relationship with one set of great-grandparents that thrills me. (Since I married a younger man )

They also met a great great grand aunt and uncle. (the uncle of the great grandpa!)

 

[cynsaun]

I was the only grandchild born on both sides for 12 years or so, to parents that were in their early twenties.

I knew my great-grandmother and great grandfather on my dad's side, great-grand aunts and uncles on my mom's side, grandparents on both sides, and so on.

In fact, I used to go to my great-grandparents house and my great-grandma would make me tiny drop-sized pancakes and homemade oatmeal cookies without raisins.

ETA: My girls once met my great-grandmother, their great-great grandmother!

 

[Beth76]

I never met any great-grandparents and neither did my kids. My grandparents had their kids later in life which I think was odd for the 1940s. (My grandmother was 41 when she had my mom, her second of two.) My "latest" grandfather died when I was almost 21. The other 3 died when I was much younger and I barely remember them.

 

[browneyes]

My paternal grandfather died about 4-5 years before I was born. I knew my other grandparents, and miss them. I also knew my great-grandmother. 4 of my maternal grandmother's siblings are still around. A couple of my maternal grandfather's siblings are still around. I don't know my paterntal family too well. I think some of my grandmother's siblings are still around though.

 

[KingsFanInRI]

DS, 3, actually had a 5th generation living in Utah until last year, but we never got there to see her but he still has 4 generations and we got pictures of them together.
I had 4 gens until I was 21 and although I don't have them all in one picture I have pics with gens 1,2 and 4 and 1,3 and 4. So someday I hope to make them one big happy pic with the magic of PhotoShop

 

[Pin Wizard]

I'm guessing a Grand Aunt is a 2nd generation aunt to me...my mom's aunt. I met her once. Two of them I think. Spent lots of time with my grandparents on my dad's side. Never knew my mom's parents...her dad died when she was 10, and her mom two weeks after my mom and dad married.

 

[LoraJ]

My parents had me kind of late. Mom was 32, dad was 38. My grandparents had also had them later on. I was lucky enough to meet all of my grandparents. And one great grandmother. Plus one great aunt.

I worry because I am getting older, my parents are getting older and I don't have any kids yet. This woman I work with isn't all that much older than me and is already a grandmother.

 

[ASFCurly]

One of my grandfathers died before I was born, but the others I met, I have met many great aunts and uncle, and while not all of them are still alive, some still are. The only great grandparent that I ever got to "meet" was when I was only 6 months old. I was the first grandchild on that side, and my Mom tells me that her grandfather held on long enough to meet me and died soon after.

 

[CarolA]

I voted wrong, but I don't remember the meeting.

I have a photo of myself with my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother and my great great grandmother. I was a babe in arms at the time.

 

[Hermosa11]

Virgo10 --- MaryAnnDVC,
I too never met grandparents or anyone beyond Basic Aunts/Uncles.
My dad was 40 and mom was 33 when I was born and lived on West Coast And mom's family (sisters) lived on East Coast. Grandparents died before I was born. I re-met my dad's brother when I was about 26-27. I always felt "alone" without having MY extended family. My mom passed away when I was pregnant with 1st child, so my two kids never knew her and only knew my dad for about 10/8 years of their lives.

 

[Disneyrsh]

My great grandmother lived to be 96, died when I was 12.

My daughters have two great grandmothers in their 80's, had my grandfather until Sept 2001.

I lost the other grandfather to medical malpractice in the 80's when I was 15, I bet he'd still be around today otherwise.

My daughters have all four grandparents, all in their sixties, for which I am now madly knocking on wood!!!

 

[Lil_Tink]

When I was born I had a great grandfather and great grandmother alive 2/8. Then when I was little both passed away.. I never met one grandmother due to depression.. Do, I wish i met her... Our family is very seperated.. Of my dad family I only remeber maybe 5 or 6 people.. We only talk to 1 now..and my moms family is all over the world