Happy Birthday, Dad!

Yes, ye socks, it was on this day back in 1948 that the sire of yours truly was birthed in this little corner of heaven.

A year later, he was presented with the cake pictured here.

Unfortunately, Dad lost his battle with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease a couple of years ago, so isn't around to celebrate with us in person . . . much less eat any cake.

But, methinks he was with us in spirit this evening as we toasted his memory with some fine Irish whiskey . . . and, we enjoyed a slice of cake, to boot!

Remember, ye socks. Life is short. So, celebrate it every chance you get!

RIP Glenn Hennig

My thoughts today are with the Hennig family, who lost their patriarch Glenn back on 4/28 and will be memorializing him this morning.

If I hadn't already made plans to be out of town this weekend, I'd be there myself--not just because he was a Gators fan and a distant relative, but because the Hennigs are just good people and had to endure the all-too-familiar battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

The Sentinel published a fairly good obit, which I'll attach to this posting.

Of course, they fail to make the aforementioned genealogical connection to yours truly. So, I'll fill ye socks in here.

Mr. Hennig's mother was Effie Johns Hennig; daughter of John C. Johns; and granddaughter of Rebecca Patrick Johns. Rebecca was a youngers sister of my ancestor William Wright "Dink" Patrick, Orange County's sheriff during the Reconstruction Era.

Another day of blog silence

In memory of my dad, Lt. Col. W.S. "Skip" Morgan (16 Oct 1948 - 15 March 2007).

November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Ye socks who have followed posts in this dryer for any length of time know how Alzheimer's has affected yours truly on a personal level.

My dad died of an early-onset case of this horrible disease last year.

He was only 58 years old.

And, he and we suffered thru three of the most trying years anyone could imagine.

Frighteningly, the incidence of the disease are on the rise--thus the need for an entire month to promote awareness.

Two of the many lessons I learned from my family's battle with the disease:

1. It is not necessarily an inherited illness, though it is hard to identify cases in your family tree because the disease wasn't identified--much less understood--until fairly recent times. In Dad's case, I found two ancestors who probably had it but were assumed to merely be "senile." One was his maternal great-grandfather who died the year Dad was born but, according to contemporary newspaper accounts, "didn't know who he was anymore." The other was a Civil War widow whose children had to fill out her pension application because she "didn't recognize her own family, friends, or neighbors."

2. It is much more than forgetfullness, which is why I hate when AD is classified as a "memory disorder." In truth, it is a COGNITIVE disorder. Far more than a person's memory is affected by the disease. In Dad's case, it started with his vision. He saw things, but couldn't interpret what they meant. Then his verbal skills were impaired. Then, too many other things to mention here.

Be aware of this insidious disease, ye socks. And, if you recognize the symptoms in yourself or someone you know, seek treatment as quickly as possible. There are medications and other treatments available today that weren't around for Civil War widows--or even my dad.

For more info on AD, please visit www.alz.org.

(This post made as part of the 60th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.)

60 years ago today . . .

Well, ye socks, today would have been my dad's 60th birthday, a cause for reflection.

Were it not for the insidious nature of Alzheimer's Disease, he'd probably still be with us today to engage in a little reflecting, too.

Instead, I'll be writing out a check to the Alzheimer's Association in his memory. If moved to join me, you can get the pertinent details at their website:

http://www.alzorlando.org

And, if you're in this little corner of heaven, feel free to join us at Scruffy Murphy's on Edgewater Drive for a 60th birthday toast in honor of the old man.

Slainte.

The Ides of March

In memorium.

Lt. Col. W.S. "Skip" Morgan, USAF
(16 Oct 1948 - 15 March 2007)

http://www.alz.org

Henry Oliver Burden (1933-2008)

Condolences go out to the Burden family following the loss of their patriarch early Thursday morning after a long bout with Alzheimer's Disease.

Mr. Burden was born 7 March 1933 at Thomaston, Georgia, and lived in Atlanta until 1979, when he moved to Orlando.

Recently, he moved to Marietta, Georgia to be near his daughter.

He will be remembered as a humble man with a warm smile, as well as for his kindness and devotion to his family.

Preceded in death by his wife, the former Anita Nash, he is survived by his three children, Randy O. Burden (Alice), Angela B. Smith (Billy), and Gregory H. Burden (Beth Anne); sisters, Helen Singer and Barbara Ray (Jesse); grandchildren, Amy S. Thompson (Toby), Elizabeth B. Ariko (Griffin), John O. (Kristen), David W. (Jessica), Garrett O. and Sarah Beth Burden; and great grandchildren, Tanner and Ansley Thompson, and Jack and Anna Wells Burden.

For ye local socks, a visitation will be held at Carey Hand Funeral Home (Curry Ford Road, right around the corner from my office) on Tuesday, January 15 from 6-8PM.

A graveside funeral service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery on Wednesday, January 16 at 10:30AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to

Workforce Advantage Academy, Inc.

2113 E. South Street

Orlando, Florida 32803

Lt. Col. Skip Morgan (1948-2007)

Lt. Col. W.S. "Skip" Morgan, age 58, of Orlando, passed away at his home early this morning. He was the 9th generation of a pioneer Central Florida family, and worked as a paper boy for the Orlando Sentinel during his early years. He was an Eagle Scout.

A 1966 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, he was a classmate of Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty.

He was also a 1970 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. He shared rides with author Pat Conroy from that military college to their common hometown in Florida. And, during his senior year, Skip was named to the elite Sumerall Guard drill team.

After college, Skip embarked on a career in the U.S. Air Force, interrupted only briefly by a stint as a pilot with the now-defunct Air Florida.

He received commendations for his efforts to retain highly-trained military pilots during the Cold War when commercial carriers were competing for their talents.

His last assignment was at The Pentagon, where he worked with Gen. Colin Powell on arms control agreements with the former Soviet Union.

He retired in 1992, and returned to Orlando.

Skip's great passions included big game hunting, Civil War history, genealogy, and his family.

Sadly, he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease in 2002, and succombed only after a 5-year long struggle with the illness.

Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Leigh Anne; son William of Apopka; daughter Mrs. Keith Simmons of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and 2 grandchildren.

Arrangements are being handled by Woodlawn Carey Hand Funeral Home, with interment to follow at Greenwood Cemetery in downtown Orlando.

The family suggests donations to the Alzheimer's Association of Central Florida, 988 Woodcock Road, Orlando, FL 32803. (http://www.alzflorida.org/)