Few families can claim to be so richly blessed by having someone that takes it upon themselves to carefully research and record the family history so that those that come after will be able to find a sense of who they are and where they are from. Our family was generously blessed in just such a way with Jaimee Hedlund.
Jaimee spent much of her life, thousands and thousands of hours, undertaking the tireless and difficult work of searching, contacting, documenting, and integrating the vast amounts of data involved in our family history. She assembled family trees for not only the Knight family but other families as well. Collecting and collating photos and documents so that they might be preserved and catalogued for future generations to come. This was grueling work for which she expected and received nothing other than the simple satisfaction of having done something for her family that would be treasured for longer than the brief time we each live.
Her own life presented unique and painful challenges with serious health issues that made the work even more difficult. But she soldiered on, knowing it was a tradition of the family, and her accomplishments are truly wonderful and they will continue to serve the many generations to come. She, for all of us, has connected yesterday to tomorrow and in the Chinese culture that is considered one of life’s most important tasks and accomplishments.
Were it not for Jaimee this website would not exist at all. There would simply be no information to post nor anyone inspired to do it, but Jaimee made it possible, and along the way inspired others so that we now have a truly remarkable treasure of family history.
Jaimee was irreplaceable and we are less without her, she will be sadly missed. Here is one of her favorite poems;
DEAR ANCESTOR
YOUR TOMBSTONE STANDS AMONG THE REST
NEGLECTED AND ALONE
THE NAME AND DATE HAVE WORN OFF
THE WEATHERED MARBLE STONE
IT REACHES OUT TO ALL WHO CARE..
IT’S NOW TOO LATE TO MOURN
YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT I’D EXIST
YOU DIED….AND I WAS BORN
YET EACH OF US ARE CELLS OF YOU
IN FLESH, IN BLOOD, IN BONE.
OUR HEARTS CONTRACT AND BEAT A PULSE
ENTIRELY NOT OUR OWN
DEAR ANCESTOR, THE PLACE YOU FILLED
SOME HUNDRED YEARS AGO
SPREADS OUT AMONG THE ONES YOU LEFT
WHO WOULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO
I WONDER HOW YOU LIVED AND LOVED.
I WONDER IF YOU KNEW
THAT SOMEDAY I WOULD FIND THIS PLACE
AND COME TO VISIT YOU