I've been researching my family history for nearly 40 years - it's an absolute passion :)

Primary surnames are:

~Maternal: McCluskey/McCluskie, Curran, Barber, Neil and Edgar.

~Paternal: Chester, Thompson, Slawson (w/variations), Templeton and Holmes.

I believe that we are merely stewards of 'our' memorials - we manage them and are responsible for their care & maintenance, but we do not 'own' them. As other members have stated, the ultimate goal should be to have meaningful, accurate memorials with context that honor those who have passed away - regardless of who created the memorial or who maintains it. I'm always mindful that we're all not in this with the same goals; kindness and consideration go a long way.

In many cases I don't have images of an individual or grave, or the BEST photo. If you do, PLEASE post them in their memorials. If you have obituaries, biographical sketches or first hand accounts, I am happy to add them. If you are an interested member of my family, I would enjoy hearing from you.

Many thanks to all who have provided photos, edits and flowers as well as those who have honored my numerous requests. It truly 'takes a village'.

Working within the FAG rules, I'm certainly open to transferring or updating memorials; my goal is to 'connect not collect'. Please use the Edit tab.

You are welcome to copy and use anything I post in any way you like.

Enjoy, Joe (August, 2026)