Introduction

Hazel Marie Bishop Wade, my Gramma, was an outstanding writer. She wrote a book entitled Wings and Roots, for her descendants of the second half of the 20th Century. In the late 1970s, Gramma pounded it out on an old mechanical manual typewriter. She used carbon paper to make three copies at once. (Three copies - One for her daughter Rita, one for her daughter Margaret, and one for her son Wesley.)

These look like Gramma's.

Carbon paper is a a very dark navy blue on one side. That side was placed against the sheet of paper to be copied on. Pressure made an imprint of the navy blue against the paper. So Gramma placed a paper sandwich in her typewriter - a slice of white, a slice of carbon, white, carbon and white. When she typed a letter on the white outermost sheet, she used sufficient force so that pressure went go through to the last white sheet and the letter was visible. It took a significant degree of force, and Gramma's hands were already suffering the swelling and distorting pangs of arthritis. But it was her labor of love for her children, grandchildren and all future descendants.

Gramma said she titled her book Roots and Wings, because she wanted us to know our roots, and so receive wings, so we could fly. I made copies so that my siblings and I  have our own books.

Gramma told stories of the people who inhabit various spaces on our family tree. She transformed them from dry and lifeless names with birth and death dates, to real people with real lives. Gramma told us about the lives they led, the tools they had for living, their experiences, hopes and dreams. My personal favorite in Roots and Wings" is the "Lee and Sarah" story. I was highly entertained and deeply moved. What heartbreak!

There are many historical and more recent family photos on my FaceBook page, which you will find here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001654774565&sk=photos   You are most welcome to copy any of them.

These are people whom Gramma grew up with and wrote about for us.

 Gramma told us that she didn't want Roots and Wings to be the end, but the beginning. She wanted ensuing generations to add their stories to this multi-generational family saga. Thus far, we have learned of people whose blood we carry traveling covered wagons at 4 mph, to race cars at 100mph. We've gone from farmers and housewives to IT specialists and business leaders.

I am willingly undertaking the task Gramma set before us. Like her, I want the generation of the 21st century to know us from the latter half of the 20th as complete people. I believe that knowing of our successes, struggles, failures, spirit, and tenacity, will give you wings as well.

I've written all of this from my memories, my experiences. There was lots that happened that I was unaware of, or forgot. I'm sure Kay and Jim remember some stories differently than I do. We all experience our lives in different ways according to our vision. That is how it should be, and it's good. I encourage you of the 21st Century to ask my siblings about their lives.

1974.  Back:  Deb, Jim, Terry, Kay.  On sofa:  Jill, Mom, Dad, Tammy.

 I've tried to be honest about us, believing that our humanity, in its pluses and minuses, makes us more whole, more understandable, and more inspiring. For we want to inspire you. The Heinzerlings/Wades of the 20th Century want to strengthen and encourage you. We want you to have rich, vibrant lives too.

Be sure that some of you write the Heinzerling history of the first half of the 21st Century too. We all have a legacy worth preserving.

God bless you all.