The Stories Behind the People

I'll never forget the day we found Ione's diary in a plastic tote buried in a pile in one of the sheds on our "new" property. When I opened the little book and saw that it was a diary, I was filled with awe. And as I read and tried to connect all the threads of her life, I was enchanted.

In the same tote we found photo albums, marriage certificates, baby books, baby clothes and beautifully framed pictures all correlating with her life. At first I thought I would try to find a family member and gift them with these treasures, but what would happen when they passed? Would someone they know and love continue to keep these things, or would they just throw it all away, as some heirs do?

After visiting a prominent museum that was caretaking one of my own family member's vast trove of artifacts, letters, and, yes, even a diary, I thought about doing the same thing with Ione's life. Another nice thing about a museum setting is that all the things are kept in a climate-controlled environment, handled with kid gloves and never thrown away.

I will always wonder who gave Ione this 5-year diary. And I will always wonder why I, among all the people who lived in this 100-year-old house found it again. Some say I was meant to tell her story and honor her life. That's what I want to believe as well. All I know is I am so blessed to have met her through the pages of her diary and I am so happy to share her life with you.

Why did "Mrs. D" keep calling up Ione's friends and family and try to get them to stop her from marrying her boyfriend?
Why did it take her boyfriend so long to tie-the-knot? What is the mysterious Mr. Powell doing when he goes to Idaho on the weekends during Prohibition? Why did Ione's father move to Washington state and leave all of his family behind in Nebraska? Which one of Ione's friends is descended from Lady Godiva and who married Pocahontas' great-granddaughter? Find these answers and more in my companion book based on the people from Ione's 1930's diary.

If the people in Ione's diary came alive for you as they did for me, I hope you enjoy finding out more about all of them. Come along with me as we search and discover the joys and sadness of their lives well-lived and what happened to them all after Ione's diary was over. Don't worry about keeping everyone straight and who's related to who--just read each story for who it is and see if there is something there for you to learn, or something there that will touch your heart.