By Velma M. Rose Smith, 1978

I wish I had kept a diary
From the time our kids were small
I can remember a great many things
But I can’t remember them all.

Looking at the family records
And bringing them up to date
This newly arrived grandchild
Will be number twenty-eight.

Our first grandchild was Sandra Lee
Linda Rae followed soon, making two,
Then Ralph, and two years later –
Along came little Gail Sue.

Sandra Lee had long black hair
Her eyes were a beautiful brown
Linda Rae’s eyes were big and blue
Her short blond hair was like down.

Sandy haired Ralph Edwin was robust
He arrived fighting for life
Gail Susan, tiny, but spunky
Born with a will to face strife.

And that same year of 1950
I can well remember
Looking so very different was borne
Carmen Elaine and Leslie Wayne in September.

In January of fifty-two
A baby boy named Gregory John
Was born to John and Wanda
In the city of Youngstown.

Carmen Elaine, blue eyed and blond
Called Skeeter by her Dad.
Leslie Wayne, a slim black haired boy
Sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Greg, a cute little chap
Bright dark eyes, dark curly hair.
David a tiny little mite,
Lived, because of tender care.

Little tiny boy named David Jay
And baby girl Roxanne Lynne to date
In ’52 in the month of September
Bringing the number up to eight.

Roxanne, black hair, near black eyes
Like as her mother’s double,
Mahlon, blond and perky
Loving books, brought him trouble.

The next year was prolific
Mahlon Gene in June and Karen Elizabeth in August
Carl Warren in the month of October
All boy – agile and robust.

After tarrying an extra month
Came Karen born to tease
Then Carl, ready for a fight
Always moving like a breeze.

In 1955 Robert Arnold arrived in July
And Bruce Miller had arrived in May
The next July, Denise Lenore was born
March 2nd ’57 is John Stephen’s birthday.

There was a lovely baby
Born in April of ’56, named Janine
But God took Janine April home so quickly
No one knew her but Marion and Eileen.

Robbie, quiet, yet full of fun
Following Papa, arms behind back
Bruce, slow to anger
But courage, doesn’t lack.

Denise, red-haired, petite
Called Pollywog by her granddad.
Johnny, always wearing a smile
Curly haired, a handsome lad.

In June along came Kyle Vincent
Then a lapse of time
When little blond Susanne Marie
Born in October of fifty nine.

Kyle with his ready grin
Has everyone loving him.
Susanne with her pretty blond hair
Keeping herself neat and trim.

Then in nineteen sixty
All was quiet and serene
When on February 11th
Martin Lance arrived on the scene.

In September of that year
Brian David came to top the others.
Christmas season of sixty one
Krista Kay came to join her brothers.

Marty, little, wiry and noisy
A second Arnold I swear.
Brian, brown curly hair and cute smile
Krista with the beautiful golden hair.

The Gile family had its beginning
In Germany in January of sixty five.
In Nuremberg on January 6, Theresa Rose
Was their first baby to arrive.

Lyman Thomas on April 8th of sixty-seven
And Russell Ray in March of sixty-nine
Wade Arnold in March of ’71, when Dianne
Declared, that’s the end of the line.

Theresa with blue eyes and black hair
Lyman, small in stature, but strong,
Russell with his ready laugh
Energetic Wade, not still for long.

July 20th of Nineteen seventy-two
Tina Marie was born, made Berwyn glad
For he has a little blond girl
To follow him, and call out loudly, Dad.

The Smith family was very happy
To welcome Michael Charles, the cute little boy
That arrived in ’74 at the Quimby’s
To give them a lot of joy.

Michael is a bright little youngster
Happy with Erin, his Irish Setter.
Until along came Elaine Catherine
Blond, mischievous, none better.

In far away Korea, a baby boy
Left to join his new family in America
After months of waiting, the Quimbys were full of joy.
To meet this bright, lively son, Mike.

In April 1978, Erin got another surprise
Now life wasn’t the quiet routine
Alert, happy and healthy Elaine joined the Quimby Family Ties.
Look back at the beginning
When I began to write
Of all my beautiful grand children,
Twenty-eight is right.
Great Grandchildren
Added between 1978 and 1990

Linda was the first to be married
And presented us with Kirk
Our first great grandchild
A cute little quirk.

Born to MaryAnn and Ralph
The second is named Randy
A big baby boy with blue eyes
And hair that is quite sandy.

Then there is Brett and Sean,
Alan, Jason, Todd and Jeff.
Now there are eight, all boys.
I said that should be boys enough.

In time we got a girl
Born to Carl and Marylou
She has been named Carolyn,
Must have given others a cue.

For soon we got another girl
Born to Roxanne and Gary
They named her Kristen
She is Grandma Dewey’s little fairy.

Next, a little girl name Amy Sue
Carl and Marylou’s little mite
And last there is baby Kara
A Knowlton, you will love her on sight.

October 5th of ’79 Ryan Gary Hall arrived
He was unhappy and did much cryin’
They all loved him very much,
But sometimes called him cryin’ Ryan.

The last day of December of 1979
A bouncing boy named Daniel Ray
Made Karen very happy
She will not forget that day.

April, 1980, another Knowlton arrived
Handsome, bright and pert
Cynthia said “No Robert the 4th
We will name him Brett Robert”.

In 1981, after many weeks of waiting
Our Krista, who seems just a girl
Gave birth to Anjanette Marie, August 13
Just a beautiful little pearl.

On August 30, just a few days later
Bruce and Debbie got their boy.
They gave him the name, Nathan
He gave them love and joy.

Adrienne Parris Rose Urban
Arrived in February of 1983
Proud parents, John and Barb
Thinks she’s nice and we agree.

On April 2, the same year
Briana came to join her brother
The Maple Hill Knowltons
Are her Father and Mother.

June 1983, Greg and Linda have a baby boy
Named Nicholas Gregory Urban
A happy surprise to all – we wish them joy
And wish they lived closer by.

Sarah Rose Norton is a pretty name
For a pretty baby born in September of ’83
In Alaska, to Sandra and Doug
She is as cute as she can be.

Anji has a baby sister
Born to Hands, December of ’83
She is named Shelby Sue
And fills Anji’s life with glee.

Jessica Rose is Daniel’s new sister
Black hair and cheeks red and rosy,
The family’s first baby in 1984
Has a beautiful face like a posy.

The snow fell and the wind blew
The worst storm of the winter of ’84
March 28, Jesse David Gile decided
That the world needed one more.

Nathan has wanted a sister
So little Laura Marie
On the 20th of April, in ’84
Came to join the family.

Arriving Dec. 1, 1985 to Krista and Steve
A boy, they named Steven Alan
Another little Hand
They are happy I believe.

Sept. 25th 1985 we say Welcome
To Brandon Frederick Keck by name
Who arrived at Denny’s and Theresa’s
Life will never be the same.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, March 1 of 1986
The Nortons welcome Dustin Jay
Now Sarah Rose has a brother
To look after night and day.

On October 13 in 1986 was born Leanne
To Kecks, so they would have a little girl
She wouldn’t wait until the 17th
We all love this little pearl.

We think of Wanda on her birthday
What better way to celebrate
Than for her granddaughter (in 1987)
Kimberlee Storm Urban to be born on this date.

The Hands built a new house
So there would be room for a new baby
The girls and Steven welcomed him
On July 11, ’87 Brady Eugene. Hi Brady!

Greg and Linda Urban have a baby boy
Born Aug. 6 1987 named Brian Richard
Nick is full of joy
Now he has a playmate.

Wendy Rachelle, What a pretty name
Arrived April 12, 1988
At John and Barb Urban’s domain
Another girl but loved just the same.
Brian and Doris Smith are happy
To let the world know
That Rebecca Rose arrived Aug 11, 1988
And they are waiting to see her grow.

May 1st 1990, a happy day
A boy born to John and Barb Urban
Named John Elliott, John the III
I would call him “J”.