If my last name was Smith, she NEVER would have found me

    I am not a huge 'Facebook' user. I even forget why I signed up.

    Over the years I have acquired a number of friends both work and family related. Recently I have been using Facebook to keep up with customers activities and lives. When I talk to them on the phone, it's nice to say "I saw that picture on Facebook."

    To be honest, after a fifty hour week in front of two large computer monitors, I do not spend much time with social media.

    I prefer to spend my weekends with a power tool in my hand, or a beer. But never both at the same time.

    But I am trying to do a little better. And last week it paid off !

     As I looked at the "Friend Request" in my in box that day, I got to thinking.

    'If my last name was Smith, she NEVER would have found me.'   

    All my life people around me have made issue of my last name. 

    I've been called 'Stalewater, Junkwater, Saltwater, Coldwater, Rainwater and the list goes on and on. Some I won't even print here.

    But to my close friends I am just known as "Fresh" and an occasional "Lee J."

    Hearing those mindless jokes about my name never bothered me, as I was proud of my West Virginia heritage.

    I was named after my grandfather Francis Lee (F.L.) Freshwater. Thank God I got the 'Lee' part.  I am proud of my family, so call me whatever you like.

    That friend request reminded me that I am only HALF a Freshwater. There is another whole side to me that I hardly ever think about. And for that, I am ashamed.

    I wondered if it was because as a society, we place the fathers side of the family at the top of the family tree ??? That just isn't fair.

    I got to looking at all my Facebook family members. I never realized what a diverse group we all are and how scattered have become. And it only took two generations.

    I thought about cousins I have not seen in forty years, close family members I only get to see once every few years. I thought about my nephews teenage daughter, whom I have never met. I thought about how much I have missed.

    It actually did bring a tear to my eye.

    Let me explain a bit about the other side of my family. I hope I get it right as the memories have faded over the years.

    My mother was one of several children born into the Fersch family. She was the youngest and her mother passed away shortly after she was born in 1919. Her father was not prepared to raise an infant so she was given up for adoption to a close Fersch family friend. Their name was Jennison. (and that is where my middle name came from)   

    Mother grew up in a loving home and the adoption was never kept a secret. And over the years she was able to stay in limited contact with her sisters and brothers. But to me, Earl  and Clara B.Jennison were always my grandparents.

    I was not informed of the adoption and did not meet my extended family until I was about 11 or 12 years old. At the time we were living in Western Pennsylvania and they came for a visit.

    Most of the family lived in the Milwaukee area, but my mothers sister lived in Indianapolis. After we moved to Indiana we saw a lot of Aunt Marie and Uncle Harold. Occasionally the group from Milwaukee would come visit.

    I spent many a nights before the Indy 500 camped out at their house.

    But soon college, marriage, and career took me away.

    Soon Aunt Marie was gone and we lost my mother in 1983. It was the last time I saw any of my extended family. I remember my cousin Ronnie coming from Indianapolis to see her shortly before she passed away. It was the last time I saw him. But time moved on. We all went our separate ways.

    So when I saw the friend request from Claire Fersch, I did a double take. My heart skipped a beat. The name looked so familiar. It only took about two seconds for me to realize who it was. And when I saw Ron Beck as one of her friends as well as Delores Buchenthal, I knew Claire was my long lost cousin and she had found me.   

    I guess it was easy thanks to my last name. Look up Lee Freshwater on Facebook and keep looking until you find one that came from Indiana. I wonder how many Smith's there are from Indiana.

    Over tha last few years I have thought about and searched for some of these people. But I had little success. The memories were just too faded. But once I saw that friend request, I shot back to 1966 faster than a speeding bullet. It seemed like yesterday.

    Then I again though of how much I had missed and it made me sad.

    So your assignment this week: 'Search out some one.' Perhaps a family member you have not seen for years. Or it could be an old high school friend, former workmate or an old neighbor.

    Thank you Clarie for finding me. It's time to re-connect.