Powerful and contemplative. This remembrance is too poignant for words, really. It's a moving story that is so relatable and breathtaking, all I'm able to do right now is to sincerely thank you for sharing it.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being grateful for your and Milo’s curiosity and interest in your family’s history, because this beautiful tribute and story was incredibly moving and such an important reminder of the ripple effect of sacrifice and loss. My grandmother was fortunate that both of her sons returned home from WWII, but their generation knew so many others who suffered losses.Your grandmother’s was unimaginably painful.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful family story, and welcome to central Ohio. My husband and I are also in the middle of moving from our home of 26 years to a much smaller condominium, but I have taken breaks from all the purging and packing to enjoy your stories about the wonderful painting that may be touched after washing your hands... and Sherrod's chair. My father, who left law school in 1916 to fly in WWI, was also a public servant and it has been very difficult to part with his too-big, old, executive desk. A framed photo of the polished desk, complete with with my aunt's unabridged Websters on top, was a lovely Mother's Day gift.
Thank you for sharing more family with us. Having letters in the hand of the writer - Milo has learned cursive, I so hope - is having their presence as if reading the letter to the reader many years later. Milo will learn his family and then the War will be far more real.
You just sent your sweet grandson a bittersweet piece of his history. Can you imagine his excitement at receiving that little wooden box(of course you can!)? What a treasure of memories which I’m sure he will treasure! Thank you for sharing.
I don't know how to make an investigative journalist aware of this but you will. This is Portage County , Ohio where the sheriff made national news encouraging neighbor's to report homes with Harris signs.
From Talking Points Memo:
Something Strange Afoot In Portage County, Ohio
A webpage on the Portage County, Ohio Republican Party’s website advertising a $99 “training” taking place in the county in June has been taken down after local news outlets and a Democratic state senator caught wind of the upcoming event. The description of the training is unnerving: it is supposedly designed to help teach “communities to identify individuals and organizations hostile to liberty and creatively and lawfully flush them out,” according to a copy of the flyer that was published by WKYC, a local NBC affiliate.
The event is called an “Into Action class” and, it appears, will be hosted by a something called an Allied Special Intelligence Group. The flyer on the local GOP website described the organization using some militia-coded language: a “unique organization of patriots who are military combat veterans with special operations experience, former law enforcement, elected officials and intelligence professionals.”
“By the end of the course students will be organized with a clear operation plan to effectively accomplish specific missions in their communities to reduce the adversaries’ ability to operate, while beginning the process of re-establishing a Constitutional Republic form of government in your communities,” the flyer said.
It’s unclear if the event has been canceled or if the Portage County Republican Party just chose to stop advertising it.
Having all of my family's letters and photos from the time of World War II, I find it hard to reconstruct in my mind how tough those times were, and how tough the people that lived through them became. This story pulled those memories out of the mist.
You write from your heart into ours. I am 80 and I also have these boxes. By sharing your stories ....you encourage us to tell our own. I don't think I've ever read a more honest writer.
Connie, thank you so much for this. Your words made me feel like an audience of 1 looking at members of your family. That's how real it felt, although I didn't describe it very well.
Again, thank you for sharing your family with us. ❤️
Powerful and contemplative. This remembrance is too poignant for words, really. It's a moving story that is so relatable and breathtaking, all I'm able to do right now is to sincerely thank you for sharing it.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being grateful for your and Milo’s curiosity and interest in your family’s history, because this beautiful tribute and story was incredibly moving and such an important reminder of the ripple effect of sacrifice and loss. My grandmother was fortunate that both of her sons returned home from WWII, but their generation knew so many others who suffered losses.Your grandmother’s was unimaginably painful.
Thank you Connie for an intriguing glimpse into the history of our family. As usual, wonderfully written!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful family story, and welcome to central Ohio. My husband and I are also in the middle of moving from our home of 26 years to a much smaller condominium, but I have taken breaks from all the purging and packing to enjoy your stories about the wonderful painting that may be touched after washing your hands... and Sherrod's chair. My father, who left law school in 1916 to fly in WWI, was also a public servant and it has been very difficult to part with his too-big, old, executive desk. A framed photo of the polished desk, complete with with my aunt's unabridged Websters on top, was a lovely Mother's Day gift.
Thank you for sharing more family with us. Having letters in the hand of the writer - Milo has learned cursive, I so hope - is having their presence as if reading the letter to the reader many years later. Milo will learn his family and then the War will be far more real.
You just sent your sweet grandson a bittersweet piece of his history. Can you imagine his excitement at receiving that little wooden box(of course you can!)? What a treasure of memories which I’m sure he will treasure! Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful as always. Thank you, Connie.
Thank you for sharing this. I can't imagine the loss your grandmother experienced.
I don't know how to make an investigative journalist aware of this but you will. This is Portage County , Ohio where the sheriff made national news encouraging neighbor's to report homes with Harris signs.
From Talking Points Memo:
Something Strange Afoot In Portage County, Ohio
A webpage on the Portage County, Ohio Republican Party’s website advertising a $99 “training” taking place in the county in June has been taken down after local news outlets and a Democratic state senator caught wind of the upcoming event. The description of the training is unnerving: it is supposedly designed to help teach “communities to identify individuals and organizations hostile to liberty and creatively and lawfully flush them out,” according to a copy of the flyer that was published by WKYC, a local NBC affiliate.
The event is called an “Into Action class” and, it appears, will be hosted by a something called an Allied Special Intelligence Group. The flyer on the local GOP website described the organization using some militia-coded language: a “unique organization of patriots who are military combat veterans with special operations experience, former law enforcement, elected officials and intelligence professionals.”
“By the end of the course students will be organized with a clear operation plan to effectively accomplish specific missions in their communities to reduce the adversaries’ ability to operate, while beginning the process of re-establishing a Constitutional Republic form of government in your communities,” the flyer said.
It’s unclear if the event has been canceled or if the Portage County Republican Party just chose to stop advertising it.
Talking Point Memo
© 2025 TPM MEDIA LLC
Thank you for this. My home state continues on its way harming others. Letting others know is the way to avoid it and have it investigated.
Having all of my family's letters and photos from the time of World War II, I find it hard to reconstruct in my mind how tough those times were, and how tough the people that lived through them became. This story pulled those memories out of the mist.
Thank you for sharing your family’s story of service and loss.
You write from your heart into ours. I am 80 and I also have these boxes. By sharing your stories ....you encourage us to tell our own. I don't think I've ever read a more honest writer.
Thank you, Arvilla.
I love the poignant fact that at the bottom of your update is the Substack admonition: Start Writing.
This is (characteristically) beautiful, Connie, thank you!
Oh my!
Just amazing how writing ran in your family! So much love here.
After the terrible speech from our <ugh> president...
I am so sad :(
Connie, thank you so much for this. Your words made me feel like an audience of 1 looking at members of your family. That's how real it felt, although I didn't describe it very well.
Again, thank you for sharing your family with us. ❤️