My favorite cousins among Momโs numerous siblings were Sandy and Pete. A unique bond formed between Mom and Sandy when Mom began assisting their mother and her sister, Mary. Maryโs first child with her brilliant but somewhat eccentric husband, my uncle Ed Shaw, was named Edwina. Tragically, Edwina suffered a severe fever at a young age, resulting in brain damage. Consequently, Maryโs primary responsibility shifted to caring for Edwina, leaving Mom to take care of Sandra and Pete.
Their relationship was almost like that of siblings. Sandy was present at my birth in New Mexico. At the tender age of 13, she flew out and stayed with us that summer in Alamogordo. When I was young, she visited us many times in Florida. We spent our summer vacation visiting her and her family in West Virginia. Her brother Pete was a Vietnam War veteran and my hero.
As an adolescent boy, I had a crush on her. However, when she met her husband, Tom, I was devastated! Surprisingly, he turned out to be a cool guy, and we got along exceptionally well. I visited them when their first child, my cousin Pam, was born in 1968. They also had a son named Todd about six years later. I had only met Pam as a toddler and had never had the opportunity to meet Todd.
In 1968, we flew in a private plane and visited them in their apartment near Dover, Delaware. Tom had a job as a high school teacher and athletic coach. He had that job for many years and was deeply loved by the community, as they both were. Sandra started out as a social worker, raised her children, ran her own business, and was a tremendous asset to the community. She organized many activities and made their home a vital part of the community.
I hadnโt seen Sandy since Momโs funeral in 2019. We also met Todd and his incredible family. We spent one day exploring the sights around Dover, and the other day, we traveled about two hours north to Pennsylvania with Todd.
Dover
Their homestead resided in a 1960s development less than a mile south of the old town of Dover. It was settled in the early 1600s and Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution.
Dover is the home to Dover Air Force Base. This base is renowned for its pivotal role in military air transport, particularly in the re-patronization of fallen armed forces members. Surprisingly, the base houses an enormous museum dedicated to this mission, aptly named the Air Mobility Command Museum. I had no idea it existed!
Their collection is truly exceptional! I had the privilege of strolling through several renowned aircraft that have played a significant role in World War II and beyond. It was Veteranโs Day, and the museum was filled with people eager to share their knowledge about these magnificent machines. One particularly knowledgeable gentleman even took the time to show me the supercharged/turbocharger on a B17 motor. It was an unexpected and delightful visit.
We drove out to the nearby Bowers Beach. To our surprise they were having a Pirate Festival there! We had a great hamburger at a restaurant on the inlet. I had been jonesing for a gut-bomb burger since the beginning of the trip.
The next morning we made a lovely drive northwards to Oxford Pennsylvania where Todd and his family live. We drove through very pretty countryside. As we got closer we began to see the Amish in their horse and buggy wagons. We stopped at a cool store along the way and picked up a souvenir for the trip.
Todd lives in a beautiful area surrounded by farmland. We had a great time visiting a local winery and listening to some good tunes by an excellent guitar player singer with plenty of electronics to enhance his sound.
Todd’s wife Jen and his daughter Sophie are truly a force of nature! Sophie is off to college, a drama queen who loves theater and STEM. Their son, Todd, looks like he could be on the cover of a teen magazione and is a genius-level sports guy. I was delighted by the incredible awesomeness of their children.
We shared many things in common (except for the sports, but I enjoyed listening to them talk about it). I was thrilled to learn that Jenโs father was at Woodstock. I regret not getting to meet him. Todd is the coolest 50-year-old Iโve ever met. Iโm truly grateful to be part of their clan.
Sandra and I spent a considerable amount of time discussing Mom and her recollections of the early days of my family. She shared numerous photographs, but I was most humbled by the writings of her brilliant father, Ed Shaw. His handwritten poetry was compiled into books, and his journal, documenting his activities in the 1930s, was filled with his observations about life. It was truly remarkable.
He is ultimately responsible for my existence because he introduced my grandfatherโs son, Edward Tubridy, to his sister-in-law Betty Kovac on that fateful day. Granddad worked as one of Ed Shawโs mining engineers. They were watching a 1952 World Series game on Edโs new TV. Deep thoughts, indeed.
I am incredibly grateful to be a part of such a wonderful family, a testament to the incredible spirit of existence.
