Connections With the Past

Sunday, October 20, 2013

I think it is only natural that I have been thinking a little more of Verlin this week.  Today is our 43rd wedding anniversary.  Though we will never celebrate our 50th or 60th or 65th anniversary together as some couples are fortunate enough to do, I will still always celebrate that special day in my life when we began our eternal family. 

As I was thinking about him a few days ago, I thought back on his mission and how much he loved it.  I thought again about the Shumate family that he was able to baptize while he was on Prince Edward Island.  I wondered if they were still around, so I checked on the internet and came across Bro. Shumate's obituary (2009).  It mentioned that he was survived by his wife and son and daughter.  I decided that maybe a gift I could give to Verlin for this anniversary would be to make contact with the Shumate family that he had loved so much.  I thought it would be easiest to find Michael, so I looked for him on the internet.  His name came up fairly easily because he is an artist and was a college art professor for many years in Ontario.  One of his websites had his contact info (including picture) so I decided I would write and see if Sis. Shumate is still living.  I did not have their contact information when Verlin died, so I was not able to tell them about his death.  I emailed Mike on the 19th.  Surprisingly, I received a reply from him the next day.  He seemed very surprised that I had found him.  He asked me "how did you ever get my email and track me down?"  I told him that among the several internet sites about his art and his teaching career there was contact information, so I just took a chance and emailed.  I was pretty certain I had the right Michael Shumate because although people change over the years, the eyes don't change very much (just a few added wrinkles and bags sometimes).  We exchanged a couple comments as I answered a few questions that he had, and he had a couple questions for me.  I asked him to say hello to his mom for me.  I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email the following day from Verlin's favorite mission companion, the one who was with him on Prince Edward Island when the Shumates were baptized.  We had lost contact with Elder Keyworth several years after we were married and I have often wondered where they are.  They have seven children, one of them living in the Washington, D.C. South Mission.  Mike forwarded my emails to him, so he wrote to say hi and give his condolences.  I sent him a picture of Verlin and he sent me a picture of his children and a picture of him and his wife.  It is wonderful to hear from them after all of these years.