When I was five years old, I stayed with my grandparents for six weeks, while my Dad was working in Washington, D.C. One Sunday during that time, we attended the Bowen-Bridgewater family reunion (my grandfather's mother's family). He explained how I was related to her. That day, when anyone asked who I was related to, I proudly announced, "My great-grandmother was a Bowen." It was my first recollection of being part of an extended family greater than just me, my parents, my grandparents, and aunts and uncles! That was 70+ years ago. I am still fascinated with genealogy. I am now retired and do research every day. I recently "found" a second cousin that I had been looking for in California, and found her in Colorado through DNA.

When I was five years old, I stayed with my grandparents for six weeks, while my Dad was working in Washington, D.C. One Sunday during that time, we attended the Bowen-Bridgewater family reunion (my grandfather's mother's family). He explained how I was related to her. That day, when anyone asked who I was related to, I proudly announced, "My great-grandmother was a Bowen." It was my first recollection of being part of an extended family greater than just me, my parents, my grandparents, and aunts and uncles! That was 70+ years ago. I am still fascinated with genealogy. I am now retired and do research every day. I recently "found" a second cousin that I had been looking for in California, and found her in Colorado through DNA.