I started my family genealogy way back in 1970 in Oklahoma. On both sides of my family, we all grew up together. And still now, we all stay in contact with each other. I am very lucky to be surrounded by family my whole life.

I have taken some family lines back to 1300 while others are brick walls like my Great Grandfather James Willison from TX. In all these years, we still do not know who his parents or siblings where. When I heard about Find A Grave several years ago I was hoping to find my James Willison's family graves but so far no luck.

Since the 1980s, and before FaG and computers, I was walking cemeteries with index cards writing down everything that was on the headstone. Started in the town I was living in at the time, then finally out into the surrounding counties. If I was driving somewhere and saw a small cemetery I would stop and take pictures before it was forgotten. I still do. I've taken pictures all these years, did research, etc. You know, the same stuff you do. I enjoy it so much.

Choctaw County Roots Association is a genealogy research group that I am a very active member of in the community and county. We as a group index and take headstone pictures and post them on Find A Grave.

It seems that I have ruffled some feathers with my comments below. I did not mean to. I've received emails saying that I'm confusing genealogy with Find A Grave, that Find A Grave is intended to get all headstones posted not to do genealogy research on. So I guess I am a little confused. lol I thought genealogy was to do research of your family on any and all tools that were/are available.

It makes me happy when I'm contacted about a transfer of a family member. To me they are going home to their family instead of being part of a huge memorial number to put that contributor in the limelight of how many memorials they can controls.

PHOTO PERMISSION: I do not mind at all that you use one of my pictures for your family tree. But if the picture is published other than Ancestry.com please give me a photo credit. Thanks :-)

And I do not mind transferring a family Memorial to you. Just follow the Find A Grave steps by using the Edit Tab to ask for the transfer. If they are not in my family, I will transfer.

And just know in advance that I was more than happy to take a picture for you or do the transfer. Thank You for letting me be a part of your family for a little while.

And if we are ‘cousins' please contact me. I would love to hear from you.

I started my family genealogy way back in 1970 in Oklahoma. On both sides of my family, we all grew up together. And still now, we all stay in contact with each other. I am very lucky to be surrounded by family my whole life.

I have taken some family lines back to 1300 while others are brick walls like my Great Grandfather James Willison from TX. In all these years, we still do not know who his parents or siblings where. When I heard about Find A Grave several years ago I was hoping to find my James Willison's family graves but so far no luck.

Since the 1980s, and before FaG and computers, I was walking cemeteries with index cards writing down everything that was on the headstone. Started in the town I was living in at the time, then finally out into the surrounding counties. If I was driving somewhere and saw a small cemetery I would stop and take pictures before it was forgotten. I still do. I've taken pictures all these years, did research, etc. You know, the same stuff you do. I enjoy it so much.

Choctaw County Roots Association is a genealogy research group that I am a very active member of in the community and county. We as a group index and take headstone pictures and post them on Find A Grave.

It seems that I have ruffled some feathers with my comments below. I did not mean to. I've received emails saying that I'm confusing genealogy with Find A Grave, that Find A Grave is intended to get all headstones posted not to do genealogy research on. So I guess I am a little confused. lol I thought genealogy was to do research of your family on any and all tools that were/are available.

It makes me happy when I'm contacted about a transfer of a family member. To me they are going home to their family instead of being part of a huge memorial number to put that contributor in the limelight of how many memorials they can controls.

PHOTO PERMISSION: I do not mind at all that you use one of my pictures for your family tree. But if the picture is published other than Ancestry.com please give me a photo credit. Thanks :-)

And I do not mind transferring a family Memorial to you. Just follow the Find A Grave steps by using the Edit Tab to ask for the transfer. If they are not in my family, I will transfer.

And just know in advance that I was more than happy to take a picture for you or do the transfer. Thank You for letting me be a part of your family for a little while.

And if we are ‘cousins' please contact me. I would love to hear from you.