A Passing Is Never A Footnote

The preliminary source for this blog, and the reunion held in 2009 was George (Wm) Kirkham, His Ancestors and Descendants compiled by E. Kay Kirkham and published in 1985. It related the emigration and progress of and English family settling in Lehi, Utah Territory in September 1859.

I learned today that E. Kay Kirkham's widow, Oleve Kittinger Kirkham has passed away in Bountiful, Utah. Aunt Oleve turned 100 last October. I will cherish the last time I visited her (if not the date) and the remaining positivity she displayed. Oleve did suffer extreme memory loss and so I needed to introduce myself throughout the visit. It took mere seconds to do so, and she would delight at the introduction. I showed her pictures of a JMK gathering and she was able to point herself out in the crowd. I believe I received a very important lesson from her in this: we are who we see. The years can wear on us, but we can be sure of ourselves, of what we believe, what we hold dear or true.

As well as helping Kay with his career in genealogy and church duties Oleve also wrote a book of her own family's history: The Kittinger /Davis Families.

I understand that Oleve will be remembered in an obituary to be published in Salt Lake City papers on Sunday the 3d of August.