How grandparents maintained family connections across generations

SEX: Male [X] Female [ ]

AGE: 18-30 [ ] 31- 45 [X] 46 and over [ ]

PLACE OF BIRTH -- Westminster, Colorado

US or Europe [X] W. Indies & Caribbean [ ] L. America [ ] Asia [ ] Africa [ ]

LENGTH OF RESIDENCE in the U.S.: Less than 5 years [ ] 5 to 10 years [ ] More than 10 years [X]

PRESENT NATIONALITY: American

RACIAL/ETHNIC IDENTITY: White

EDUCATION Up to 8th 9th to 12th Some college orgrade [ ] grade [ ] college graduate [X]

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

FAMILY MEMORIES

I grew up in Northglenn, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. I have lived here my entore life except for two stints of college. I grew up in a lower middle-class family. My parents divorced when I was 3 years old. Both parents agreed not to drag it out through the courts, and came up with shared custody where we would switch off and on. Every other day, and every other weekend so it we spent the same amount of time with both parents. Both parents worked, and when we were younger we were watched by my older cousin until my brother was old enough to take care of the both of us. Each parent would later get remarried, my mother in 1984, and my father in 1985.

Not many sentimental items were kept for the family to be passed down as heirlooms or anything like that. Basic items like photos, and the occasional handmade blanket or quilt were the only things kept from the past.

FAMILY'S INTEREST IN ITS PAST

Rarely was the past discussed on either side of the family, with the exception being my grandfather on my dad's side briefly mentioning his days in WWII, and my mother's side reminiscing about her father who had died when she was only 13. Aside from this, the past was never brought up. I would say I knew an equal amount about both sides of the family. It was a fairly basic remembrance as far as details, where and when certain events took place, and so on. No one really delved too deep into anyone's past.