Back in 1968 I asked my father a really simple question: What was your Grandfather Laberdee's first name? His not knowing the answer led to my unwavering interest in genealogy. After 25 years of sporadic research, I wrote the History of the Labadie/Labardee/Laberdee/ Laberdie/ Laberdy Family (1702-1992). A copy of this booklet is in the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, as well as in the Detroit and Monroe County, MI, Historical Societies and in the Mansfield, OH, chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

After finishing that book, due to other demands of life, I kept my interest in genealogy but took no more active steps to keep up with family genealogy; in fact, I was relieved that I no longer had to deal with it. Then I retired and discovered Find-A-Grave, FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com, none of which existed (as far as I know) during my previous 25 years of research. What great tools THEY are to find your family roots. During the research of my family history and genealogy, I had to physically visit numerous places and manually record the information obtained. It was a real time-consuming chore!

I enjoy strolling through cemeteries looking for graves of not only my own family but any graves. It's like a challenge to myself to find them. If you are looking for a grave in my local cemeteries (Willow, North Oregon, Lake Township, St. Ignatius, St. John Lutheran), please feel free to ask me to try to locate it.

In 2018 all of the gravestones in Sections B, C, M, and the Single Adult and Single Infant Sections in Willow Cemetery that needed photos were photographed by me. A couple of years afterwards I attempted to find unmarked graves in the latter two Sections but found it to be an impossible task because there were so few gravestones in those two Sections, (which are among the oldest in the cemetery). Burials are no longer taking place in these two Sections.

As to the Single Infant Section, I found that infant burials are not always in the designated Single Infant Section - although the online index indicates that is where they are supposed to be located. They are often buried in the Single Adult Section, sometimes with a parent, sometimes not. Just a week ago (April 2025), I happened upon the gravestones of several infants whose cemetery records indicate they are buried in the Single Infant Section. They are not buried in that Section. They are located directly across from the maintenance garage in the northernmost part of the South Section.

At any rate, since I have taken photos of all gravestones in these two specific Sections, I can say with reasonable certainty that individuals ACTUALLY buried there per the online index who do NOT have gravestone photos on their memorial pages, it is because their graves were NOT marked with a stone. I will NOT attempt to find Infant burials in other Sections nor will I attempt to find unmarked graves in the designated Single Infant Section. It should also be noted that the Infant Section has almost totally deteriorated and there are hardly any gravestones still remaining there.

As to requests for photos in all other Sections including B, C and M, I will continue looking to find graves there.