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Family Time -- a novel

What if . . .  sometime in the twenty-first century a grown woman found herself lost –inexplicably sad.

What if . . . three generations of female ancestors – those she knew while she was growing up, materialized to help her find her way.

What if . . . they were joined by another ancestor, a Paleolithic mitochondrial DNA cave artist who lived in northern Spain 12,000 years ago. 

What if . . . these ephemeral women disrupt Mim’s life and perceived sanity as together they wander their respective histories and ancient caves.

 What if . . .leaping across time, they land in their own depths and glimpse the seamless nature of time and existence.

What if . . . back in 21st century Loveland, Colorado, Mim’s friend Ellen frantically protests these improbable encounters. 

What if … in the end, her ancestors lead Mim to a sense of her own wholeness – and the knowledge that she is never alone.

And that is, perhaps, what ‘family time’ really means.

tree line picture



Miriam (Mim) Neal with Herbie, the cat

Nell Miriam Fowler (Ma) Thacker
Born March 9, 1867 Lodi, California Married Charles Isaac Thacker, September 21, 1887
Art teacher, artist, mother (Edna & Beryl) Died August 12, 1959 in Laguna Beach, CA

mirari

Emma Henrietta Beyer McClure
Born Dec. 20, 1861 in Michigan;
Married Dexter Russell McClure, September 22, 1881 Teacher, mother (Zoe, Paul, Hazel, Jack) Died February 7, 1955, age 94, in Laguna Beach, CA

family

Walker Family, circa 1933 Standing :Louise Walker, William Walker, Olive Walker (Nana) Seated: Earle Walker, Roberta Anne Walker (Bobbie)



Edna Miriam Thacker [McClure]
Born July 4, 1888 in Ventura County, California
Married Paul McClure,
July 8, 1914
Pharmacist, various, cook, housing manager
Mother (Charles and Jack)
Died Dec. 5, 1953, age 65 in Santa Cruz, California

 1915 intergenerational photo:
Back row: Charles & Nell Thacker, Emma & Dexter McClure
2nd Row: Beryl Thacker, Edna McClure, Charles McClure (infant), Paul McClure
Seated: Hazel Hitt, Zoe McClure


 Olive Louise Jenkins Walker (Nana)
Born June 6, 1890 Ben Avon, Pennsylvania
Married Earle Reed Walker, December 31, 1912
Teacher of physics, mother (Earle, Bill, Bobbie, Louise) Died 1969, age 79, in Youngstown, Ohio

Roberts and kids

Roberta Anne Walker McClure (Bobbie) [and children, Bill and Miriam (Mim), circa 1943] Born June 16, 1917 in Pittsburgh, PA Married Charles Thacker McClure, July 27, 1940 Mother (Mim and Bill) artist, actress Died December 17, 1995 in Arvada, Colorado


Zoe Mary McClure , Born McPherson, Kansas, November 27, 1882
teacher, educator, speech therapist
Died February 24, 1962, age 80, in LaJolla, California

beryl

Emma Beryl Thacker McCoy ; Born Ventura County, California, November 13, 1890 ;Married Dr. Horace H. McCoy, December 27, 1918; Teacher, mother (Gilbert, Dick and John) Died November 15, 1979, age 89, in California

hazel

Hazel Ruth McClure Hitt
Born Oct. 16, 1888 in McPherson, Kansas; Married Maurice Valentine Hitt, March 18, 1915; Librarian, wife; Died circa 1970, age 82, on Rowan Farm, Pennsylvania