Blocked

                   Internet...rootsweb.com  
OBITURARY....DETROIT NEWS
Obituary or death notice....
NEAR, Robert E; 78; MI; Detroit News; 1999-7-28; mmtm

   
I believe his things have gone to Linda Nelson Little and Gail Nelson McCrate, nieces,  because he was estranged from his children who live in Washington.
I wrote a letter to him 11/22/88 with pedigree chart, his family group sheets on 2 marriages, the family group sheet with he as a child and his mothers other 2 marriages on family group sheets.  He is suppose to answer and fill in the missing data.  He never did respond. I called him once and he gave me some information over the telephone.

11/99  I'm in touch with Linda and Gail through e-mail... They told me he died last summer ....died summer 1999...

e-mail from Gail  Nelson McCrate  11-11-99

My mother is Olive Helen Near and yes her father was Thomas.  He died when he was 50 of a heart attack about 3 or 4 weeks before my older sister, Linda was born.  Mom was born 9/13/1918.  Uncle Bob (Robert), mother's
brother, was born 5/11/1921.  Mom died the day after Christmas, 1998 and Uncle Bob died the past summer.  Mom's mother has another child by another man, her name was Lavern (don't know her last name) but she died several years ago. I don't remember ever meeting her.  I know my mother met her one time probably about 30 years ago -- but I don't remember seeing her.  Richard and Ethel Law (mom's uncle and aunt) had one son, Clement.  He was older than mom but didn't know him well either other than he played the banjo and lived down south.  He died several years ago of a horrible death from cancer, like my mother.  I have pictures of Aunt Ethel (I look and act most like her --according to mom and Uncle Bob).  Mother learned to play the piano from Aunt Ethel and I have a lot of her music (Aunt Ethel's and my mother's as well).  I have my mother's piano.  She played right up until about the last three weeks before she died.  Just didn't have the strength to play any longer.  My mother was a very beautiful woman, Aunt Ethel was too. When I see you in person, I'll tell you stories about Uncle Richard and his many brothers and their wives -- things I can remember anyway.   
Uncle Bob's first wife, Aunt Jean (she was from England and Uncle Bob met and married her during W.W.II), died of cancer as well.  She was quite young -- like in her 40's.  Didn't know her  very well either because they lived in
Oregon.  Uncle Bob had two sons and a daughter with Aunt Jean.  After Aunt Jean died, Uncle Bob came to Michigan and lived with us, until he met (through my sister) Lena Ronayne  and married her about 30 years ago. 
Aunt Lena was a beautiful woman too.  She died nearly 4 years ago now -- I miss her -- she and I were "pals", like my mom and I were "best friends".  Must scoot for now -- I'll write more late -- I'm at work and arrived
late today due to fire on the way in blocking my only route so they had to re-route us. We'll chat more later :-)
Love, Gail.

Had a nice voice........Herb said 12-3-99

BURIAL....
E-mail from Gail McCrate....Olive Near's daughter:   
3/7/01
I'm sorry we are unable to find anything on Uncle Bob.  There was only a memorial service and he was cremated and then his ashes were spread  with half of Aunt Lena's, but I don't remember where they were going to spread them.  Aunt Lena's daughter, Cathy, was going to take care of it.  The  other half of Aunt Lena's ashes went to Kansas where she was born. 

We may have picked up a card from the memorial service and given it to my dad (he keeps them in his Bible).  Everyone who meant anything to him is in the Bible.  My mother's Death Notice may be in the Bible as well ....