I'm a born-and-raised Minnesotan who loves history, photography, nature, facts, data, and analysis. Genealogy brings all of this together for me, and I love finding and recording information about ancestors.
Walking through cemeteries has become a bit of a pastime, one my younger self never would have expected to enjoy. I take time with each photograph, and while I don't have fancy equipment, I do try to get the best photo possible. Sometimes, I'll come across a memorial that I've photographed previously and see something special that begs me to take another photo (on rare occasions, it'll be so spectacular that I may even replace an existing photo I'd taken!). Maybe it's the way the morning or afternoon sun highlights the colors of the stone or perhaps there have been beautiful flowers left by loved ones. It could be a day when the light is perfect for capturing photos of the older stones, where it deepens the shadows of the engravings and enhances the ability to transcribe or translate (in our area, Norwegian is common on the very old stones).
I do tend to perform some online research for many of the memorials I add, partly to be able to round out the information as completely as possible...but also so I can potentially make a definitive connection to a mother, father, or sibling. It means a lot to me when I can help connect families in that way. I was recently able to locate and document my great-great grandmother's twin sister, her husband, and their daughter who passed at age two due to illness.
The biggest reason I decided to become a contributor on Find a Grave was to help others find and view the final resting places of their ancestors and loved ones. I am so appreciative of the other contributors around the world that have made it possible for me to learn more about my family tree, and I'm thankful I have this opportunity to also give that gift.

I'm a born-and-raised Minnesotan who loves history, photography, nature, facts, data, and analysis. Genealogy brings all of this together for me, and I love finding and recording information about ancestors.
Walking through cemeteries has become a bit of a pastime, one my younger self never would have expected to enjoy. I take time with each photograph, and while I don't have fancy equipment, I do try to get the best photo possible. Sometimes, I'll come across a memorial that I've photographed previously and see something special that begs me to take another photo (on rare occasions, it'll be so spectacular that I may even replace an existing photo I'd taken!). Maybe it's the way the morning or afternoon sun highlights the colors of the stone or perhaps there have been beautiful flowers left by loved ones. It could be a day when the light is perfect for capturing photos of the older stones, where it deepens the shadows of the engravings and enhances the ability to transcribe or translate (in our area, Norwegian is common on the very old stones).
I do tend to perform some online research for many of the memorials I add, partly to be able to round out the information as completely as possible...but also so I can potentially make a definitive connection to a mother, father, or sibling. It means a lot to me when I can help connect families in that way. I was recently able to locate and document my great-great grandmother's twin sister, her husband, and their daughter who passed at age two due to illness.
The biggest reason I decided to become a contributor on Find a Grave was to help others find and view the final resting places of their ancestors and loved ones. I am so appreciative of the other contributors around the world that have made it possible for me to learn more about my family tree, and I'm thankful I have this opportunity to also give that gift.