41 Years Ago Today

Olin W Davis....is my namesake really...at least as far as middle names go. My middle name was always a mystery to people when they would see the initial "O"...let's face it, there are not a whole lot of options: Otto, Oscar, Ollie, Othello, Opie. Olin wasn't really on anyone's radar screen...it was and still is not. The background of this unusual name is Middle English meaning Holy or Holly. There is also a Norse variation mean "of Ancestors" . My Grandfather's Father was a Preacher so Holy would make some sense but there is no other person named "Olin" anywhere is our family tree that we can see.


On 20 November, 1970 my "Paw Paw" (Grandfather) past away after lengthy heart related issues. He was 66 years old...


I was adopted by my parents shortly after my birth in Grand Rapids MI in October of 1962. I am the oldest of 2 kids, my sister is 4 years younger and was adopted in 1966 in Akron Ohio.


Both of my mother's parents had already died by the time I was born and honestly, I don't remember my Grandpa that well though I do remember him to some degree. Most of my memories of him are centered here at Coldwater Lake where he built with his buddies the original cottage that stood here. He was a solitary man and he lived to fish...hence the reason for having this property on the island in the first place. 


The grand kids in the family did not have much interaction with him which was typical of that time, kids didn't interact with adults (other then their parents) to the extant that they do today. And I was no different though I do have a recollection of going fishing with him which was a big deal since fishing was sacred as far as he was concerned. The deal was if you went, you stayed out without complaint until he came home. And that basically meany ALL DAY...it could be a lot to ask of a 6 year old but man did you ever catch fish!


I was much closer to my grandmother who lived until the late 1980's. But my grandma gets a post all her own! But 41 years ago today, the origin of my mysterious "middle named" passed away...