Pappy Graf is James Great Grandfather, Father to his Grandmother Loretta.

When Joseph George Graf was born on March 18, 1887, in Schönfeld, Lower Austria, Austria, his father, Joseph, was 33 and his mother, Katherine, was 30. He had one son and two daughters with Rose Margaret Huth between 1920 and 1924. He died on January 2, 1953, in Wyandotte, Michigan, at the age of 65, and was buried in Flat Rock, Michigan.

Pappy was very creative and used to make the childrens gifts by hand. He also created beautiful miniature village displays that were so popular in the neighborhood that the press would come out and photograph them for the newspaper. All of the houses in the display he would make by hand. He would setup this display around Christmas time which created a tradition that lasted for decades in the family of having displays set up at Christmas time.

Continue reading “Remembering “Pappy” Graf 1887 – 1953″ →

Joseph (Joe) Conrad Graf married Teresa Eva Graf Pingitore on November 15, 1952, in Detroit, Michigan. Joe is James Great Uncle and Teresa is James Great Aunt.

The couple had three children – Terry, Sandy, and Joey.

According to our sources at Ancestry.com (currently worked by his great nephew James) when Joseph Conrad Graf was born on November 30, 1924, in Natrona, Pennsylvania, his father, Joseph, was 37 and his mother, Rose, was 34. He had two older sisters, Loretta and Louise.

When Teresa Eva Graf Pingitore was born on April 1, 1928, in Saskatchewan, Canada, her father, Sarafino, was 34, and her mother, Susanna, was 22.

Howard studies included agriculture at Middle Tennessee and in 1950 he was a member of the Agriculture club. Agriculture is still a main curriculum at Middle Tennessee and the agriculture department is still accepting students and their facebook page is very popular with the students.

Since 1911, more than 100,000 students have graduated from MTSU. Despite the university’s growth from a campus of 100 acres (0.40 km2), 125 students and a faculty of 19, to an academic city of more than 500 acres (2.0 km2), more than 26,000 students (second largest in Tennessee), and a faculty of more than 900, the institution is still essentially a “people’s university” with a concern for the diverse needs of the area that it serves. In the 1980s and 1990s, the institution dedicated resources to become a leader in technology, both in the classroom and in many services to students.

In addition to Howard Landis (James Grandfather) other notable alumni are listed below.

Politician Albert Gore Sr.
Nobel Prize–winning economist James M. Buchanan
NFL quarterback Kelly Holcomb
Multi-Platinum Producer Tay Keith
Grammy-nominated audio engineer (Prince) Chris James
Music executive Bayer Mack
Nashville Star winner Chris Young
Film director Seth Christian
Country music artist Hillary Scott of Lady A
Composer George S. Clinton
WNBA players Alysha Clark and Amber Holt
Rock artist Amy Lee of Evanescence
Country music artist Hardy (singer)
Alternative rock/ indie rock artist Julien Bak

According to our sources at Ancestry.com (currently worked by her nephew James) when Cristine Louise Kleiber was born in 1950, her father, Charles, was 33, and her mother, Loretta, was 30. She married Kenny Selvia in 1987 and has one brother (Charles Joseph) and one sister (Margaret Ann).

Christine often says that being the middle child is the hardest one to be, since all the attention goes to the oldest and youngest in most families. Looking at her childhood pictures she may have a point as it seems that there is a Peg or a Mark in almost every picture with her. As she got older, it seems she began sharing the photo spotlight with her little brother. Criss also says her dad wanted a boy so she grew up a bit of a tomboy as a child.

Another thing she often said was that her dad wanted a boy and would buy her things a boy would like, trying to turn her into a tom boy, looking at the picture of her dressed with cowboy guns and holsters you have to give her the benefit of the doubt on that as well.

Continue reading “Christine Kleiber Born (Childhood Pics) 1950” →

As Middle Tennessee State University developed and grew, the Doctor of Arts program was added in 1970 and the Specialist in Education in 1974. These degree programs became attractive centerpieces for other efforts to improve and enhance institutional roles. Library resources were dramatically increased and sophisticated computer services were developed to aid instruction and administration. A highly trained faculty enabled the university to continue growth in program offerings. In 1991, the university’s six schools—five undergraduate and the graduate school—became colleges. In 1998, MTSU’s Honors program became the Honors College, the first in the state. In 2002, approval was granted to redesignate three D.A. programs to Doctor of Philosophy programs, expanding the progressive institution’s offerings. Ph.D. degree offerings now include computational sciences, mathematics, and science education (including concentrations in biology education, chemistry education, mathematics education, and interdisciplinary science education), molecular biosciences, economics, English, human performance, public history, and literacy studies.

Peg celebrated her second birthday along with some friends and her cousin Mark.

Little did Peg realize that two years later she would have a little sister, Criss.

Ten years after Criss was born, she would get a little brother Charlie. Peg would then refer to the time before Charlie (James Dad) was born as BC – Before Charlie.

In 2003 her nephew was born and he would have the exact same birthdate as his Aunt, September 18th. They would celebrate birthdays together after that.

But for this moment in time, its just Peg and Mark with some friends and the world was a much quieter place then.

Continue reading “Pegs and Marks 2nd Birthday Party 1948” →

Virginia Kleiber graduates from Lincoln Park high school in 1948.

Middle Tennessee State Normal School (MTSNS or MTNS) opened on September 11, 1911, with a two-year program for training teachers. It evolved into a four-year teachers’ college by 1925 with the power of granting the Bachelor of Science degree, and the institution’s name was changed for the first time to Middle Tennessee State Teachers College. The school was often abbreviated as “S.T.C.” In 1943, the General Assembly designated the institution a state college, changing its name for the second time to Middle Tennessee State College. This new status marked a sharp departure from the founding purpose and opened the way for expanding curricular offerings and programs. In 1965, the institution was advanced to university status, changing its name to Middle Tennessee State University. In October 2010, the Student Government Association at MTSU proposed that the university be renamed to the University of Middle Tennessee, though, at the time, approval from both the university administration and the Tennessee Board of Regents was required.

According to our sources at Ancestry.com (currently worked by his first cousin 1x removed James) when Mark Joseph Dunberger was born on November 15, 1946, his father, Harry, was 31 and his mother, Louise, was 25. He had two children with Kathy Thomas (Ron and Renee) and one child with Pat (Natalie). He died in May 1991 in Trenton, Michigan, at the age of 44, and was buried in Flat Rock, Michigan.

Mark was an only child and since he was born approximately the same time as Margaret, the two grew up together and can be seen together in many pictures. Mark enjoyed sports very much and owned the Pitch, Hit, and Run baseball card shop on Northline road just off Fort Street. He had great season tickets when the Tigers won the 1984 world series and would often take pictures of the players and sell them at his shop.

Mark enjoyed camping and boating with his family and went on many camping trips including Proud Lake and Silver Lake in Michigan.

Continue reading “Mark Dunberger Born (Childhood Pics) 1946” →