Harry & his Family - Harry E. Findahl

As mentioned previously, Myrtle Lillian (who was born two years after Uncle Bert) died at an early age in 1912 --the day after the Titanic left on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City.

Uncle Harry was born about two years after Myrtle (in 1891) and he would eventually marry Mabel E. Wilson and they would have four boys: Dale, Earl, Wayne & Kenneth.  Mabel and Harry lived nearby to Harry's parents Jessie and Nels which allowed them to more easily look after the elderly couple.  Jessie would come to stay with them after Nels passed away until her own death three years later.

Back Row:  Harry Findahl is holding son Kenny, brother Gordon is holding my mother Margie, parents Jessie & Nels Findahl

Front Row:  Harry's sons  Wayne & Earl

Late 1920s in Galesburg, IL

Harry Findahl is shown front center with his wife Mabel holding son Kenny behind him.

To the left of Harry is brother Gordon holding daughter Marjorie and behind them is wife Martha.

To the right of Harry is niece Isabelle with her mother Florence directly behind her (wife of Uncle Bert)

Harry's three boys are left with Wayne, Dale & Earl and Marjorie's sister Betty is in front of them.

This must be about 1929 or 1930 in Galeburg, IL

Very early 1930s time frame, with brothers Dale, Earl, Wayne and Kenny in front.

Cousin Isabelle to the left and cousin Eileen to the right.

Uncle Harry with his brother Virgil's son, Robert Findahl taken during the summer of 1934 in Galesburg, IL

Another photo from the same time period of 1934 with cousin Eileen and Kenny both watching over baby cousin Robert.

Left to Right is father Nels Findahl, my Uncle Paul's father Victor Johnson, Harry, brother Frank (Uncle Bert), my Uncle Paul Johnson (who would marry Betty Findahl), and I can't positively identify the last person.  (Mom thinks he might be Willard Windom, Eileen's father.)

As a side note, I noticed brother Frank's name on Mom's wedding gift list noted as "Uncle Burt".  It was my first inclination to spell it that way, however, since his middle name was Gilbert, I'll stay with "Uncle Bert" for the purposes of our story.

Nice photo of Dale Findahl and his wife Beulah with children Harriet & Howard during a visit to Belle Isle, Detroit, MI

Updated February 21, 2014
In late 2010, I had the pleasure to meet over the internet cousin Mark Findahl, who is the son of Howard (shown above). Mark reminded us that his grandfather's name is actually Harry Dale Findahl and I wanted to add that records show he was born on Feb. 21, 1916 & passed away on Dec. 18, 2001 in Galesburg, IL.

On Sunday, Mark telephoned us to let us know that his grandmother, Beulah Ursula (Pearson) Findahl had passed away the day before, Feb. 15, 2014.  She was 95.

Born Feb. 2, 1919 in Henderson Grove, IL she married Harry D. Findahl on July 29, 1937 in Muscatine, Iowa.

Harriet & Howard

Robert Findahl (Virgil's son), Gordon, Beulah & Dale Findahl (with children Howard & Harriet seated in front of them), Martha and her daughter Marjorie Findahl & Christine Foley


Seated in front of Robert is Lillian Foley and this photo was taken somewhere on the East side of Detroit near Roseville, MI

Christine & Lillian were step-sisters to Robert.  I believe he also had a step-brother Edward from information I found on the internet.

Earl & his father Harry Findahl

Earl Findahl

Earl passed away early this year 2010 at the age of 92

Cousin Eileen and Wayne Findahl

This was taken in July of 1943.  Wayne passed away in 2002

Wayne Findahl and his wife Florence

Mabel with her grandchildren Harriet & Howard, her son Wayne, Bob Johnson (my Uncle's brother), husband Harry Findahl, Martha (my grandmother), Mabel Johnson (my Uncle's mother), Beulah, Eileen & (my mother) Marjorie

(Added November 2010) -- We did eventually find this photo of Paul Kenneth Findahl and his new bride Jenelda from the Spring of 1950.

(Added March 2011) -- Just posted another photograph of Kenny Findahl in his Navy uniform from the early 1940s here: http://tinyurl.com/4ua477e

For now we leave our family to enjoy the summer of 1943:

Marjorie, Eileen, Bob Johnson, Wayne & father Harry Findahl at his home, Galesburg, IL

Earlier I'd posted that we didn't have an exact date of Harry's passing, however I just found information on the internet stating his name and date of death as being in June of 1965.  If I'd ever met him it would have been during a visit early in my life to Galesburg and, of course, I wouldn't remember it being so young an age.