My dad’s father worked as the superintendent of a metal working machine shop back in Larvik, Norway. He died before I was born. I barely knew my mom’s dad, who made a million in the meat biz in Chicago. He was an early member of Bill’s Club (AA). He smoked cigars and loved to gamble. My grandmas were both sweet old country girls from Norway. One an ace knitter and the other a wonderful cook and baker. One knitted gloves and the other baked fabulous Christmas cookies.

The great grandparents included here are all Norwegians, and they’re named in my Roots and Youth section under The Old Country. I never met any of them. Photography was in its infancy when they were already getting old.