I remember three of my grandparents. That got me to thinking about the grandparents that my grandparents might have actually know. This was a good little exercise that got me to thinking. Overlapping lifespans are not the only factor that can impact how well someone knew a grandparent. Geographic proximity, health, and family dynamics can also play a role.

• Cecil Neill (1903-1968). Two grandparents died before his birth. Remaining ones lived near where he grew up and lived. One died when he was eight and the other when he was twenty-one.
• Ida Trautvetter (1910-1994). Two grandparents died before her birth. One died when she was six, but was hospitalized much of that time. Other one died when she was seven and lived nearby.
• John H. Ufkes (1917-2003). Grandmothers died before his birth. One grandfather died the year he was born. Other grandfather, who lived nearby, died when he was five. A great-grandmother died when he was seven.
• Dorothy Habben (1924-2008). Maternal grandfather died before her birth. Maternal grandmother died when she was eight (lived thirty miles away). Paternal grandfather died when she was fifteen and paternal grandmother died when she was seventeen. They lived a few miles away.

Relative age within the family can play a role as well in whether or not someone knew their grandparents. How many of their grandparents did your grandparents know?