My grandfather’s Aunt Myra, his mother’s sister, Hannah Almira Lee Churches, was born 4 December 1864, in Southfield, Michigan.  On 26 March 1891, in Pontiac, Michigan, she married Robert Richard Churches.  Five and a half years later, her younger sister, Ora, would marry Robert’s younger brother, George.   Aunt Myra and Uncle Robert had 6 children: Hazel (1897), Roy Thomas (1901), Raymond Charles (1901) [twin brother of Roy], a baby that died soon after birth in 1902, Ivan Lee (1905), and Esther Harriett (1907).   Uncle Robert died 5 May 1952.  Aunt Myra died 10 June 1954.  Both in Southfield; both buried in the Southfield Cemetery along with the child that died in 1902.

Hannah Almira Lee Churches 1864-1954

Now, I never met Aunt Myra.  But I have a very early memory tied to her.   I was only 4 ½ years old when she died.  I remember going to my grandparents house and piling into their car with my mother and brother and heading out to the country [Southfield was considered the country in 1954].  We were going to pay our respects to Aunt Myra.  She was laid out in the living room of the family home.  [This is the memory part].  A coffin in the living room obviously left a lasting impression on a 4 ½ year old!  The was still a common practice in the mid 1950s in the country.   And the Southfield Cemetery was a small country cemetery even though it is currently surrounded by high rise buildings.