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79 Years of Wonderful Memories and Some Regrets

by Steve Emerson

92 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-0099; ISBN 1-55395-736-9; US$14.00, C$15.95, EUR11.50, £8.00

Inspiring story of the author's life from 1924 to 1999: childhood, military life, and raising a family, including how a surprising discovery led him to track down his family history.

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about the book      about the author      reviews      catalogue info

About the Book Steve Emerson grew up knowing very little about his family history, and wrote this story so his descendents would know theirs. In 1943, Steve was called to join the United States military, weeks after joining the Canadian Air Force. Steve had never even known he was American. Steve learned that his dad was born in Connecticut and his grandmother divorced his grandfather to move to Canada. She took Steve's dad with him to protect him from the First World War draft. Steve's only sister was sent to live in California, and because of knowing so little about his family, it was only years later that he discovered she was living with an aunt and uncle. Steve does not want his family to know so little about their relatives, and describes his life from his childhood, to his war years and having his own family.

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About the Author Steve Emerson grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Reviews

Steve Emerson shares his story in book
By CJ Worrall

Because his parents did not leave their history for their children, Steve Emerson decided he would publish his story for his descendants.

The year 1943 was a revealing one for Chase resident Steve Emerson. It was the middle of World War II and Steve, who had recently turned 19, got a call from a United States recruitment office. It wasn't the thought of being drafted that surprised him, it was more that Steve had just been accepted by the Canadian Air Force three weeks previously and didn't have a clue that he was an American.

How could Steve live for 19 years and not know what nationality he was? His parents, who were divorced, both refused to talk of their past. Steve never knew that his dad was born in Connecticut and that his grandmother had divorced his grandfather and moved across the border to protect her son from the First World War's draft.

For Steve, the lack of information about his roots was a terrible loss. Growing up on Vancouver's north shore had been pretty lonely after his only sister Phyllis had been sent to live with people in L.A. He found out years later that she was actually living with his aunt and uncle but no one told him at the time. The only relatives Steve knew about were his mother and father, who divorced when he was 13, his older sister Phyllis and his paternal grandmother.

When Steve joined the Canadian Air Force, his bomber squadron in England became his family. The camraderie of his flying crew was something that he treasured and after the war he missed that closeness.

Steve's mother Alice was a Bernardos Girl, who was sent to Canada from England to work as an indentured servant. Her parents had died quite young and it was the middle of World War I. Alice's eldest sister, who was to be married, couldn't care for the girls and arranged to send her, and her sister May to Canada. To the day of her death, Steve's mom Alice refused to talk about her past and it is only through communication with Bernardos that Steve found out that Alice's sisters had quarreled about sending the girls. He was saddened to learn that during the war he had visited the area where his aunts and uncles were living and he never knew it.

Steve's Dad and grandmother were similarly uncommunicative about their past, though with a few contacts he has managed to find some of his family in Cuba, New York.

Today, Steve is the proud father of two children and has four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He never wants them to feel as if they are alone in the world or for them to forget the stories of their family. Steve grew up always wanting to know more about his relatives, so when he had the time, he wrote the history of his life. He also compiled a book of his search into his mother's and father's past and gave copies to his family.

Steve Emerson's story is saved; how about yours?

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Catalogue Information

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