TWENTY NINE - Get my Ducks in a ROW

The ONLY photo of my SIS and I together as children!

"AH HA" idea was WISHFUL thinking.

 My subscription to NEWSPAPERS from Ancestry is running out. Been a member for a few  years with No revelations. I decided to spend the last few days of my subscription doing searches in Florida. If Nothing comes thru I plan to cancel and try plan B. My thought was since MOM got her divorce there in 1979 maybe she was still there, under a NEW married name. Having her Florida resident as a witness means she had some connection there. So I used every variation of her name(S) I could think of....Nada! I spent many many HOURS and went back for more punishment today. I need a break for my brain to come up with another Hair brain idea. As I'm writing, I think I will check the Florida Census. I am sure I have already tried that, but who knows maybe it is there waiting for me?

"NEVER GIVE UP" reminder

When I first started my search in March 2018 I joined a few Facebook groups. One of the ladies started helping me, directing me on places to look. Often I would get frustrated because I couldn't find any new leads. Being a hobby Genealogist she would keep telling "NEVER GIVE UP" and she was right.  Maybe 3 years FEELS like a long time, but considering I am trying to dig up history that has been dormant for Decades, I shouldn't expect it to be easy. I have been using GOOGLE to get new ideas for where I can search.  

MY PLAN OF ATTACK ~ KEEP MY EYES ON THE PRIZE

A Year ago the FB Ancestry site asked me to tell my story, but I was selling my house and never got around to it. The Social media angle is likely my Best chance to find MOM.

Facebook - Ancestry

Facebook 23+me

Facebook SEARCH TEAM - United States Search Angles

Facebook Search Squad

Facebook - searching for biological family

Twitter

Instagram

https://www.23andme.com/

https://www.ancestry.ca/

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection 

https://www.myheritage.com/ 

WISH ME LUCK!!!! I'm going to FLOG the internet, 

Maybe just Maybe I will find where our mom is buried!

I need my Post to be shared enough that "Someone" will come forward.

PLEASE SHARE MY FB POST!

TWENTY EIGHT - RECAP of Time Line Facts

?? Mom where are you ??

Hoping a TIME LINE "recap" will HELP

"MOM" was Born ANNA ROSE ELLIS May 9 1932 in Kentucky USA

Father ROY ELLIS JENNINGS died April 1932 Carrollton Kentucky

Mother - ANNA MAE PICKERELL died 1935 Buffalo NY

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"MOM" found as LENORA ANN BLOOMFIELD 1934 Buffalo NY

Paternal Aunt LENORA Bloomfield was guardian in 1933 Died 1943

"MOM" attends school in ILLINOIS 1948 moves to TORONTO Canada

Visits USA briefly and returns to Toronto Ont Canada by 1950

Gives birth 1950 to son "STEPHEN" is adopted by Children's Aid 1952 

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"MOM" marries Peter Edward Veri ~ March 1953 Chicago Illinois

They move to Toronto North York Ontario Canada 1953

Gives birth to daughter Maria Yvette VERI March 7 1954

Gives birth to daughter Christina Marie (Tina) July 4 1956

"MOM" separates from Peter Veri 1958, continues to live in Toronto

We visited DAD 1964 the Custody fight began, never returned to Mom

2019 I found documents Peter Veri won Custody Jan 17 1969 

"MOM" stays with brother Late 1960's in River Grove ILLINOIS

"MOM" lives with FRANK WEIR (Canadian) River Grove ILLINOIS

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"MOM" visits California then moves to Florida about 1974

LENORA VERI granted divorce May 1979 MIAMI DADE FLORIDA

(RESIDENT of Miami Dade Florida is listed as a WITNESS in Divorce)

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This is when MOM DISAPPEARS, NEVER to be heard from again!

I am guessing Someone in Florida knew her? I can't find any Census with her listed. Chances are whomever she was living with didn't list her legal name. Perhaps they were living as Common Law? 

I don't understand WHY she would get a divorce unless she planned to marry again. "Some One" requested a copy of the Divorce years after the fact. The name is not listed so NO clue who it was.

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RANDOM Facts of LENORA ANNE JENNINGS

Slender, small frame, strawberry blonde, 5 ft 2, U.S. citizen

Children's Aid & Custody documents list MOM as Fashionable / well kept / well spoken / educated / personable / artistic / pleasant / articulate 

MOM worked as a Cigarette Girl / hair and cosmetics demonstrator /  Frans restaurant hostess / cashier / waitress

MOM was Musical, especially the piano and singing / artist / swimmer / Ultimate Fashionista with Perfect makeup, hair and clothing

MOM was often surrounded by male and female  friends. 

I remember her love of dancing while listening to Jazz music

She enjoyed Movies, playing cards, singing, live plays and socializing.

MAYBE THIS WILL JAR SOMEONE'S MEMORY!

TWENTY SEVEN ~ Take a second look

 

More questions than answers?

It's Time for a second look!

It is almost the THREE year anniversary of the search for my mom "Lenora Jennings" I have found countless First, Second, third and forth cousins, none of whom I knew existed. I have also found Aunts, Uncles, grand parents and other people in my Family Tree. 

"BUT"

I have still not found ANYTHING about my mother ~ NOTHING!

It is extremely frustrating and at times I wonder Why I would bother. I don't know anything about her, and she has most likely passed away. There hasn't been any new developments so it's time for a second look!

Trying to make sense of the Documents

I have decided to make a new "LIFE" board using the Legal documents as building blocks. These documents are the only thing I know for sure. (even that statement is not 100% true) My mothers BIRTH Certificate above is a prime example. She is listed as "ANNA ROSE ELLIS" The truth is though that her father's family name was "JENNINGS"  My Grandfather ROY was taken in by the ELLIS family when his family died. When he joined the army, he was using the last name JENNINGS. So WHY is my mom's Birth certificate under ELLIS, she was born a few weeks AFTER her father had died. When her birth was registered, she was a Jennings?

The "SWITCH-A-ROO" of mom's name

My Grandmother "ANNA MAE PICKERELL" registered my mom's name as "ANNA ROSE ELLIS", but shortly after my grandmother moved to Buffalo, dying with cancer. ROY's sister "LENORA Bloomfield" stepped in and cared for the many children. My searches discovered that my mother was renamed as "LENORA ANNE BLOOMFIELD"? My mother came to Toronto without any documents. She returned to the U.S. to get a birth certificate so she could work. Suddenly my mother was "LENORA ANNE JENNINGS" Is it any wonder my search has been so difficult? 

Take a Breath, and start at Square One

So it is time for me to look in earnest at how best to proceed with my search. Even though I discovered many people, I still haven't found my mom. I found out there has been NO activity of anyone using my mom's name for Decades. I have been advised that she is likely dead. I would Still like to find out what happened to her, where is she buried, where is her death certificate and does ANYONE remember her? Fingers crossed!

"LIFE UPDATE explaining my ABSENCE"

My blog has suffered bc of the many life changes in my life. Separation, relocation and renovations....I am ready to begin my Search again.

TWENTY SIX - HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY TINA

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY 64th Birthday SIS

JULY 4th and Thinking of my baby sister TINA 

(my itty bitty teenie weenie tiny little sister)

I cherish the memories of celebrating our Birthdays with Tina. 

Our family always made a big deal out of holidays and special occasions like Birthdays.

A few of our Special birthdays were done proper @ the cottage on Rice Lake. I remember Tina's 30th Birthday at the lake, complete with a bounty of small lobsters. Sis couldn't handle the tentacles, but she could polish off quite a few lobsters.

Mom and Sis were "look alikes"

Tina was a rolling stone like our mother. Always moving around and always ready for a change. I don't think I ever grasped the fact that they could be similar in looks as well until I read the description of our mom in the "Children's Aid Society" report....WHY did it never occur to me before? The report was dealing with the CAS adoption of my Brother Steve, The worker went into great detail on mom's appearance and demeanor

It was like they were describing my sister TINA perfectly. 

WELL GROOMED and NICELY DRESSED - check!

SMALL FRAME and GOLDEN BLONDE - check!

ARTICULATE and WELL SPOKEN - check!

OUTGOING and EASY TO TALK TO - check!

VARIED INTERESTS and ENGAGING - check!

ARTISTIC and MUSICAL - check!

IT DIDN"T STOP THERE!

Tina was Extremely "Fashion Conscious" and always had the latest style of clothes, makeup, furniture, hairdo. Everything Tina did or touched was done with great care. Even visiting us @ the cottage, she and the children would arrive looking ready for the runway. 

I never thought about where this trait is came from or that it could be possibly passed down from our mom. That particular Gene has been passed on to Tina's daughter as well, while I unfortunately did NOT aquire it LOL

Looking at photographs I have also discovered more similarities. Both our mother and Tina had the same teeth. The eye teeth in particular were wonkie. When my Aunt Anne showed me a photo of mom back in 1956 I instantly recognized the same dental problem that Tina had. OH and the "eyebrows"....not only can I see Tina and mom had similar, also "Brother Steve"! All three of them have the same eye brows and nose. FREAKY!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINA ~ luv ya!

TWENTY FIVE - "Happy Birthday Brother Steve"

Tina, Yvette, MOM, Brother Steve....finally together!

"Our little Family"

Thru the skill of some wonderful volunteers on a Face Book page the group "Random Acts of Photograph Kindness", this photo was created. It's a Great group of people that volunteer their time to restore old photographs, check them out if you get a chance - their work is amazing. 
A sweet heart of a woman took a small color photo of my sister and I (1990), a B/W photo of our mom (1956) and a B/W pic of brother Steve (1978) ....and made  them into a meaningful keepsake for "Brother Steve's" 69th Birthday. Another member colorized the photo and I retouched a few areas that had no definition. I realize that this is Not real, it's only a Fantasy photograph, but it is nice to have a visual of a family which sadly were never all together.

I suddenly decide to search

There are times when the loss of my sister Tina is like a massive stabbing in my heart....it almost takes my breathe away. My sister is the ONLY person who shared any memories of our mom, went thru the struggle of moving all the time, and all the other challenges we faced. It's unerving that she is gone. Even being with my husband since I was 16 years old is NOT the same as the bond I shared with my sister. Yet in some strange way I think the loss of my sister Tina in 2009 and then our father in 2018 kicked me into action. IF not for those 2 deaths, I doubt I would have had the urge to find out what ever happened to our mother, and to search for our brother Steve.

I am counting my Blessings

There are Many blessings that have happened to me because of my exhaustive search. I could never have guessed that staying up til 3AM could result in finding any family...and that it could change my life in such a Good way!

I have found so many Wonderful people that I can call "my Family" 

They are members of MY Tribe, they share my DNA, & they are my ONLY link to my mother. My mother, the evasive "Lenora Anne Jennings" who is STILL missing after all my searching. But hey mom, I know Your family....and Luv them! Something I Never thought would happen....and Best of all mom, I found "Brother Steve" and we talk a few times a month! 

You know, the baby you cried about when I was a small child. The son I am sure you Never thought you would ever see, or know about.

YES there are Wonderful Blessings in my life, they in no way can fill the void left in my heart BUT my heart is filled with JOY. I am SO damn Lucky.

And just watch me because "ONE DAY" I WILL find my mom 

"LENORA ANNE JENNINGS"

TWENTY FOUR - Learned a new skill and it gives a new perspective

Mom's wedding photo is given a new life and a new obsession

A few pitiful photographs get a make over

When you have only a handful of photographs, it's hard to feel a connection with your past. Most of us enjoy looking thru old photos and recanting old memories that are connected to them. Brother Steve and I do not have many pictures of our lives. Unfortunately there is only a small handful of our mom. There is a group called "Random Acts of Kindness of Photography" and they are on Face Book. The group help fix old photographs out of the kindness of their hearts. It is a great group of volunteers. 

Photographs bring your Ancestors to life

One of the Volunteers colorized a picture for me....and I was amazed. After thanking her for it, she told me of a site "Colorize" which does it automatically for you. You upload a black and white photo, Click and it's done! Let me just say that I have been using it every day since. I am working my way thru all the old pics and amazed at the results. I can't wait to colorize the really old photographs I found on Ancestry. TRY IT, it makes the people more real!

Hello Aunt Rita, Mom and Dad

For almost my entire life I have wondered who the Pretty Brunette lady was standing up for my mom when she married my dad. I didn't find out that she was my "Aunt Rita" until Oct 2018 during my first meeting with my Maternal cousins in Chicago. The Jenning cousins had other photos of Aunt Rita so there was no doubt it was her. BUT the Black and White photograph was just an old photo without depth. When I colorized this photo is made me feel like I was seeing my Aunt and my mom for the First time. I don't have Any photos of my mom in color....and here she was in all her glory. I felt I was actually seeing my mom for the first time, as a young 21 year old woman excited to marry. And then there is Aunt Rita. I realize that perhaps she didn't wear a pale blue dress, but the color on her face made her feel real to me.

Genealogy and research are not the only way to bring your Ancestors to life.

TWENTY THREE - Spending time with my "Brother from the same Mother"

Visit with "BROTHER STEVE" @ his Favorite look out point in BC  July 2019

Getting to know ya Brother ~ it's Amazing

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days with my "Brother Steve" this summer. His partner of 16 years is invested in us siblings getting to know each other.  I have a lot of family out west, so it is a bit hectic trying to squeeze a bit of time with everyone....but it's Veri important for my brother and I to have this bonding time. Even though I call Steve every week to chat, it is much more enjoyable actually getting to spend time together laughing and chatting.

Hey, you remind me of my sister

It's a strange feeling to listen to a complete stranger like my brother and then get a glimpse of my sister Tina. What is even stranger is knowing that Steve and Tina most likely are doing things that my mom "Lenora Jennings"  probably did. The way they laugh or a certain "look" they give when they are telling a joke...be it ever so lame of a joke - LOL 

My mother and sister were both City gals and it was a surprise to find out that Steve is a Nature lover like myself. My brother left the big city decades ago to enjoy the beauty out west. We spent our 2 days at the beach, at his garden at home and then visiting his Favorite "Look out" point in Vancouver. 

It was a ZEN visit with Good food and conversation.

How many clues are in the reports

I look at Steve's Non-identifying reports from the Children's Aid Society every few months, looking for new clues. The reports say mom was an out door kind of girl, but I only remember mom as the Ultimate Lady in her dress and manners. Mom liked the vibe of the city life. My sister Tina was always on the go and a fashionista. I realize now that it was in my sister's genes. 

I must admit it is frustrating that Ontario has this policy, and some provinces will tell all. It seems so unfair to think that even after "SIXTY FIVE YEARS" that a person is not Allowed to know about their history. Let's face it, how many of the people involved are even alive 65 years later? Something is Wrong with the system!

On the up side, Steve has a record of his physical and mental growth during his young years. Even though at times the report reads like a weird experiment, I feel it also gives me an insight into his younger life before he was adopted. I wish I had something similar to share with Brother Steve. It would be interesting to see how our lives were similar or different growing up. A bummer that both Brother Steve and I have virtually no photos of our life, but we at least have a chance to make memories and take photos Together as Seniors. We are LUCKY to have found each other!