Have you ever talked to anyone about your grandparents? Tell us who they were and what they did, if you care to.
My grandfather worked for Ethan Allen in New York from the '20s to the '50s as a furniture designer. I wish I knew more about what he did, so I could look up some of his designs or pieces of furniture.
On Mom’s side, Grandfather made leather goods, primarily shoulderpads used by dockworkers, I think. He died many years before I was born so I really didn’t know him.
On Dad’s side, Grandpa started out as a wrestler (picture a young guy in those long black stockings) and dropped that quickly to become a storekeeper/postmaster. He also became a Finnish Apostolic pastor. He had a very commanding voice and used it to great effect during church services. He could get little old finnish ladies excited enough to roll around on the floor. It would freak kiffa out but I found it an interesting break from those droning finnish hymns.
aenea, have you considered contacting Ethan Allan about your grandfather? I’d think they would have records about his work.
Mom’s dad ran a fruit and vegtable stand. Dad’s dad was a coalminer, then a factory worker. My dad was claustrophobic,but I’m notFWIW
My mother’s dad was a postal inspector. My dad’s dad was a farmer, and not a very successful one. Both died before I was born.
My paternal grandfather was a fisherman, then he ran a fish store (both for food and bait), and then he was a gardener (for none other than David Packard, of Hewlett-Packard). My maternal grandfather came to this country to make his fortune, ran a grocery store until he’d saved his fortune, went back to China to retire (at about 40), then fled the Communists by coming BACK to the US, where he opened another grocery store.
My maternal grandfather was also a coal miner. My dad’s dad was a carpenter, just like his father, and his father.
My maternal Grandfather was an architect (he worked on UA-Tucson) and my paternal grandfather was a welder for Hughes Tool for forty-some odd years. I thought he was a farmer though, because he had a garden and lived in the country.
Let’s see…
Maternal grandfather: Worked as dairyman, B-17 crewman over Germany, then 30 or so years as a chemical plant technician for Union Carbide.
Paternal grandfather: Started as bank teller straight out of high school, got drafted, came back, and ended up senior VP of a local bank in Galveston before he retired.
Paternal grandfather served in the U.S. infantry in the First World War, and was a construction laborer. One of his jobs was building the Terminal Tower in Cleveland.
Maternal grandfather kept store in a small town outside of Cleveland, which became a suburb after WWII. He retired in 1952 to a small farm in Richfield, Ohio, now famous as the town the buzzards come back to every spring.
Both my grandfathers were East Texas cotton farmers. Later, my maternal grandfather worked for the Sabine River Authority, helping to construct Lake Tawakoni reservoir. I remember once going with him to read the gauges on the lake’s spillway when I was about 5 years old. Standing at the rail of the spillway, watching the water as it surged and roared over was both thrilling and terrifying.
My maternal grandfather worked at the Resistol Hat (think Stetson w/higher quality) plant all his life (age 16 to the year before he died at 64). He did pretty much everything at one time or another. I have a Resistol cowboy hat that he had custom-made.
My paternal grandfather worked at an East Texas oil refinery.
I dont know a whole lot about my grandfathers, they both died before I was old enough to remember them
My mom’s dad: Infintry in WWII in Europe
My dad’s dad: Transport pilot in WWII in Asia
both for the us military
Maternal Grandfather was a lawyer eventually opened a law firm with two other lawyers (the firm still operates in New Glasgow, NS as far as I know) He eventually became a judge then a Supreme Court Judge of Canada. Semi-retired and then passed away in '97 of cancer (two days before Diana in fact.)
Paternal Grandfather I’m not certain. I think he did a lot of physical labour type things. His older brother is the one who inherited the farm. Now retired and still around though he is ill (cancer as well).
Paternal Grandfather: Sign painter by day, movie progectionist by night.
Maternal Grandfather: Cavalry in the Phillipines in WWII, buisinessman, and eventually professor at UConn and University of Hartford.
paternal grandfather was an engineer.
maternal grandfather was a lawyer.
My maternal grampa became a minister during WWII, and remained one til he retired in '85 or so. Then he and gramma moved to a retirement community for ministers and their wives. Though I’m not real big on religion, I’ve always admired their dedication to their calling.
My paternal grandfather was a cook on the Katy railroad. Long ago. I never new him, though I wish I could have.
Maternal grandfather: Owned a jewelry store.
Paternal grandfather: Sailor
Paternal grandfather: farmer.
Maternal grandfather: worked making bomber airplanes in CA until he moved to Nebraska where he worked as a meat packer. got several knives out of the deal.
My maternal grandfather was a machinist for the Southern Pacific railroad. He had a very cool gold railroad watch. During the Depression, he had to leave the family in Utah, and take a job at a water station in Wells, Nevada. It was the only railroad job available, and though it meant he left his family behind for months at a time, it allowed him to keep his railroad pension, and put food in the mouths of his family.
My paternal grandfather was the manager of a coal mine.
Dad’s dad was a coal miner, mom’s dad was the manager of the shoe department at Eatons. I still have the rocking chair they gave him when he retired.