My Grandfather and a Vague Vision of Red

I only saw my HEISER grandfather, Daniel Wilbert “Dan” HEISER (1882-1974), a handful of times in my life. He and my dad, Charles L. HEISER (1913-2001), were not close.

My dad was raised by his mother’s parents after his mother, Goldie PRICE HEISER (1893-1919) died when he was five. He was separated from his father and sisters for reasons he never knew. You can read about Goldie here.

I have few memories of my HEISER grandfather, but one surfaced a few weeks ago when a Heiser second cousin, L., posted, on social media, pics of some flowers she recently got. One of them was yellow poppies. (Note: I use initials only for people who are living.)

Yellow poppy blooms with greenery around them — **Photo taken by cousin L. that sparked my memory**

A vague image came to my mind of standing on the back porch of my grandfather’s house and there being something small and red growing in the backyard. I asked L. if my grandfather – her Great Uncle Dan – grew tomatoes. She remembered he had a garden and said her sister, T., may remember more.

Within a short time, there were responses from T.; their aunt, M, and more from L. herself. These three women all knew Dan Heiser because they lived around him, and he raised each of them for part of their lives.

Dan was indeed a gardener and veggie grower.

I learned from these three that my grandfather had a garden with all types of flowers, including red poppies which is likely what my memory is about. Dan also grew veggies, especially green beans.

Elderly man holding a child in his arms outside with red poppies growing around them — **My grandfather, Dan Heiser, holding T. in his arms in his garden, surrounded by red poppies**

Social media often gets a bad rap. But it brings about good things, too. Like this conversation with my HEISER cousins who knew my grandfather personally.

I have a clearer and deeper view of Dan HEISER since connecting with these cousins a few years ago. I see the kind of man he was, and I see his genes in me. I am gardener and veggie grower, which I now know came from both my MARTIN and HEISER family lines. And I love green beans which my grandfather apparently did, too.

What new information have you recently learned about an ancestor? Please comment.

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