This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: chino1112 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.dowell/924.1.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hi, I went to the website. Wow it's a small world. I have never seen what Ray looked like as a young man.. I have all his letters he sent to family while he was away at war, and after my grandma passed. Vera Dean. I found large containers of pictures of the family. Ray is in allot of them. I met ray for the first time when I was 6. My dad Danny Croasdale took me to Oklahoma for a family visit. My great great grandmother grandma Frair was getting up in age, so my great grandma Frances planned for all of us to get together. I will never forget my 3 week stay. Ray spoiled me rotten. We played kick ball in his back yard, and teased the mean dog next door! We went fishing, and he forgot the fish in the trunk of his car! I think it may have been a few too many drinks! All I do know is that he was the only grandpa I had blood or not. I remember when he died a few years after my visit. I somehow knew it had happened before the family was told hear in Virginia. i did not take it we! ll. Frances who I call NaNa gave us a few things of ray's when he passed. A Kangaroo that held a smoking pipe, a bag of letters that Ray's mom gave Nana, and a projector with tons of slides. I remember my dad looking at them. Two Little girls were on them. My dad told me that they were Ray's children, but they did not talk to him anymore. That's about all I know. Frances my great grandma is still alive! She has been a bit ill, and in the hospital. The doctors are not sure how much longer she has. I don't know if you know anything about my grandma Vera, but i'm trying to locate her father's past. If you know my Nana. you would know she had a wild past. My grandma died only knowing her father's first name. So this is why I've been researching. I am going to send you some of the pictures i have of ray. Please feel free to call me anytime. 540-845-8343. Thank you Frances Croasdale Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.