Philip DeKorn’s niece–his brother Richard’s daughter–didn’t want the family documents Phil left behind. She has enough papers, and she is not particularly interested in genealogy. Phil’s niece through his wife Marianne, Sue Haadsma-Svensson, is a genealogist who has worked extensively on her branches and compiled several books, as well. She understands the value of these papers. My mother told her about my interest in family history and about this blog, and she very kindly mailed me the documents that were discovered.
Opening the package was quite exciting as I didn’t know what I would find.
There are original death certificates for both Uncle Joe and Aunt Tena, Phil’s parents. There are also newspaper articles, photographs, and letters. Once I have a chance to scan (and digitize) everything and to put each document and photograph into an archival sleeve, I will post my discoveries!
Sue gave me this photo of sailor Phil home on temporary leave on 4 July 1944 sitting with his parents, Uncle Joe and Aunt Tena.
The Family Kalamazoo 
How exciting. WP won’t register my like
I wonder why? That is so strange. It happens to me on my iPad because it keeps logging me out so every time I comment I have to login separately but it still won’t let me like.
So many are apparently experiencing this
It’s very annoying!
Yes
Genealogical treasure! How nice to have this passed on to you ~ the perfect person 🙂
I hope I am! Lots of pressure to get everything shipshape and digitized for the younguns!
I am feeling that stress with everything I am doing 🙂
We need genealogy spa packages!😉
A treasure chest! How exciting! Enjoy the adventure.
Thank you, Margaret. I sure will!
Wonderful – exciting!! Lots of work, though.
Go for it!
I’ve got faith in you!!
Thanks, Sheila!!! Rolling up my sleeves!!!
Every family historian’s dream come true! Have fun with your new discoveries.
Isn’t that true?! Thank you so much, Barb.
Lucky you, for receiving such a treasure trove! Lucky descendants, for the treasure trove having gone to you!
Thank you, Liz! I hope that’s true–I want to get it all organized. But it’s a big job. I wish somebody else were interested in helping haha.
I inherited the family treasure trove, but luckily, my mother did a big chunk of the organizing before it came to me. (But there’s still a lot left to do, particularly with the ephemera. Penciled diagrams my grandfather did of circuit boards in the 1920s?
That does sound like a goody! But so hard to figure out how to handle them. I imagine they are larger for scanning.
They’re actually scannable, just diagrams on random pieces of paper.
Oh, that is lucky then!
Wow! That is so exciting. So I take it Sue is the family genealogist, not the niece? Or are there two nieces? One is Marianne? Sorry—I am confused! (Stupid brain.)
Sorry, I did not explain well. Marianne was Phil’s wife. She passed away a couple of years ago. Phil’s brother Richard has one surviving child, and she did not want the documents. Sue is another niece of Phil’s, but related through his wife Marianne’s side. She is the family genealogist. It looks like she has done a fantastic job, too. I am so grateful to her for sending me the papers and photos. I have scanned them and bagged them. Now to look at them!
OK! Thanks for the explanation—I read too quickly and couldn’t figure out whether Sue was the niece who had the papers and sent them or the other one. Looking forwad to see what you learn!
I am looking forward to reading about your discoveries. I would love to get a package like that myself.
I will be hoping you get one, but for a good or random reason, not because someone passed!
Hey Luanne, its been quite awhile since I have been on here, but looked at your new treasures and they are so awesome, congratulations you’ve worked very hard and your dong a excellent job with it all. And I know your Dad was very proud of what you were doing and the stool he gave me I treasure. I was very ill for half of the year and am just starting back at my book on Ramona, i took have s few more treasured pictures to add to my collection. I am in the process of trying to figure out this Ramona Palace situation, I do know that Henry’s name is of it in 1890’s and as you know on the paper work when the property went up for sell to the City of Portage, but there are so many name who were managing it, There of course were the Buckholz’s, William Hofferbeth, Charles Keys, C.D. Sallisbury, Edward Smith, Howard Bresson, Lester Shelley, Harrison Bull and ofcourse your Father Rudy Hanson. There was a Mrs. Thackery who had charge of the the Hotel for the whole season starting January 20, 1895. So from what I can see and read Henry Waruf just had one manager after another, even the Railroad was in charge of the Hotel for a while. So that’s what I have been doing this pass couple of months trying to put each on in the time slot. Well that’s all I can think of to tell you know, take are and God bless. Paula
I got your email, Paula. Will write you back there tomorrow!
Its great old memories and impressive articles please keep sharing