Memory box filled with maternal grandfather's belongings

This past weekend my mom received a box from her stepfather. It it were some things that belonged to my grandmother. One thing in particular was a box filled with some of my grandfather's belongings. My mom's dad died when my mom was eight. In this box were his report cards from when he was a kid, my mom's ID bracelet from when she was born, a birthstone necklace my grandfather bought for my grandmother, a few little pocket sized phone books, the newspaper clippings of grandpa's obituary AND

the wallet he was carrying on his person on the day he died. He was killed on a construction site when a bulldozer knocked down a foundation wall and it fell on him (he was down on the foundation and no one knew)

My grandmother left the wallet in tact and in it were his musicians union member cards, his student ID, a picture of my mother, a picture with an army buddy and a very sexy (Rita Hayworth style) pic of my grandmother!!

It was so weird to look through the wallet that still had concrete dust on it.

And since my grandfather was a big band musician who played with some big names, it was amazing to look through his phone book and see Dizzy Gillespie and Red Norvo's phone numbers and addresses!

A really weird coincidence is that their was a phone number in the book for a drummer who my dad actually studied with for a good number of years before my parents even met.


Thanks for letting me share the treasure chest!

That's really awesome that you have so many mementos... Very touching and wonderful things to treasure forever

Juliet, that's amazing! And must be so comforting for your mother to have after all these years.

My grandmother died a few weeks ago and in with her paperwork they found all sorts of stuff - ie death certificate and funeral arrangments - for my grandfather's sister who died of appendicitis at age 13. Really amazing to see and think of what it was like at that time...

Amazing!!! I love *old* stuff and even better when it has sentimental value!!

I have to say, I feel like going to my parents' house now just to look at it again. My brother and dad (both musicians) really enjoyed seeing all of the addresses and phone numbers in the little phone books.

I was telling DH about it and he asked me who Dizzy Gillespie was

That is soo sweet. Men back then, I think, think differently then now. When my grandpa passed about a year ago, I was helping my grandma go through his things, he had his 'diploma' from 6th grade! And every card ever given to him from my grandma, my mom and his grandkids.

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Posted by Stacey04

That is soo sweet. Men back then, I think, think differently then now. When my grandpa passed about a year ago, I was helping my grandma go through his things, he had his 'diploma' from 6th grade! And every card ever given to him from my grandma, my mom and his grandkids.

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I think my great-aunts (grandfather's sisters) had/have some of things from childhood, too. My grandparents lived in an apt with other members of my grandfather's family. There were 4 apt and the top floor penthouse type thing where my great-grandparents lived. I think there may still be things there that belonged to my grandfather, but the box that my grandmother had must have been things he had in their apt.

The wallet was amazing to hold in my hands. I felt so connected to a man I never met.

I also have my grandfather's flute which I played in high school.