Family History Friday: Searching for my roots

Istiqlál (Independence), 16 Sultán (Sovereignty), 168 BE – Friday, February 3, 2012 about 4:50 PM Pacific Time

I am searching for my roots, so I suppose the first thing to do is to write down what I know and work from there. My mother was born Marie Pearl Newland on a farm in Oklahoma on March 19, 1921. Mom’s dad was Frank S. Newland, I am not sure of his birth date or what the S. stood for. Mom’s mother was Mary Florence Chaplin, I do not remember her birth date or where she was born.

My father’s name is Melvin Fay Darbe and he was born in 1921, somewhere in Oklahoma or Kansas. My grandmother on my father’s side was named Belva and I think her maiden name was Lancaster, but I am not sure and I do not know where she was born.

My father served in World War II in the Army Air Core and was stations at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. My parents lived in Las Vegas right after they were married and Mom was a maid at what is now University Medical Center.

My grandfather on my mother’s side was too young to serve in World War I and too old for World War II. Grandpa Newland’s brother Roy Newland served in World War I. That is all I know at this time, so I will have to do some research to see what I can find.

It’s Sunday Morning in Las Vegas

Jamál (Beauty), 19 Sharaf (Honor), 165 BE – Sunday, January 18, 2009 about 6:40 AM Pacific Time

It's Sunday morning in Las Vegas and the sun is just rising. I've been up since 4:00 AM, in that time I put eye drops in Mom's eyes, give her today's first pill, made coffee, washed and dried one load of cloths, and got on line. My Internet connection is too slow and my browser refuses to let me use more then two tabs for tab browsing. Normally I can use three, but this morning it's being difficult.

My mother lived in Las Vegas right after she and my father were married, which was during World War II. Mom worked as a maid, which meant making beds and stuff like that, at University Medical Center (the hospital wasn't called that at the time Mom and Dad lived here). My Dad was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base because he was in the Army Air Corp.

Things have changed a lot since World War II, but some of the difficulties we face today are the same as those faced by people then. Apparently, the old saying is true "The more things change the more they stay the same."

My parents divorced when I was in grade school. I remember my father as a tall and handsome man. Most of my memories concern my grandfather, who was my father figure after my parents divorce. I don't remember seeing a lot of my father after the divorce and since he died a few years ago I won't get to see him in this world.