Legacy Questions

There are many ways to write your personal history to leave for your posterity.  You can just sit down and begin to write about your life chronologically until you have finished.  If that method isn’t quite your cup of tea, here is a fun and interesting way to complete your life’s story.

Directions: Choose one question a day from these lists to write about and before a year is over, your history will be finished!  If you want to add more questions, do so.  The more detail you provide, the more insight your readers will have about you and your life’s experiences.  You should write the question at the top of each page.  Your history won’t be in chronological order this way, but it could make it even more fun for those who read it.

QUESTIONS: (There are a few questions that are quite similar. Just skip them if you have covered the subject already.)

 

 

  1. Describe a childhood birthday.

 

  1. Were you ever in a drama, speech, sport, pep, or glee club, etc.?

 

  1. Where would you like to live most of all and why?

 

  1. Did you belong to girl/boy scouts or 4-H? Tell about your experiences.

 

  1. Describe the perfect summer day. What would you do on that day?

 

  1. What kind of sports did you play? Perhaps you were a spectator. Do you play any sports now?

 

  1. Describe your house, your bedroom, your living room as a child.

 

  1. What was your favorite Saturday activity as a child?

 

  1. Do you remember your grandparents? Great-grandparents? Tell your memories.

I don’t have too many memories of my grandparents, only on my dad’s side of the family, and none of my great grandparents. 

My mom’s parents died when she was very little, so she was really raised as an orphan.  It is interesting, though, my mom’s parents lived in Mullan Idaho when my mom was born. That is about 15 miles from where my mom and dad lived most of their lives and where our family had its home. My mother’s dad worked as a miner in the mines in the Silver Valley – not really clear on the story of how he got there having been born and raised in Campbell Minnesota where the rest of his family were born and raised and where my dad’s family were born and raised – died when my mom was only 6 months old while being a miner in the Silver Valley.  I believe he contracted either pneumonia, or the terrible flu that was going around then, and died from that.  As a consequence my mother was taken by her mother back to Minnesota where their families lived and remarried a man whose last name was Ward.  He, unfortunately died, when my mom was about 2 years old, and as a consequence my mom was passed around from relative to relative, essentially as an orphan until she was old enough to work on the farms as an assistant to the cook on one of the family farms, helping feed the farm hands. The farm on which she worked was owned by George and Peg Loeks.  George was moms uncle – a brother of her dad.  Mom became very close to George and Peg and remained so all of her life.  As a result I never really knew my grandparents on my mom’s side other than through stories, and mom seldom spoke of her childhood or parents both because she was so young and probably didn’t really know them in addition to those memories might not have been ones she wanted to recall.

 

Because my dad was older when Scott and I came along, the first memories I have of his parents, my grandparents on his side were those of a very old couple.  My first memories were visiting them on their family farm in Minnesota.  It was a farm much smaller than the Loeks farms.  As I remember, they raised a lot of chickens – when we visited we would go to the large chicken coop every morning and gather several dozen eggs – as well as had many acres of various types of grain – wheat, flax – some corn as well as alfalfa.  Dad would also go back to Minnesota every two years, like clock-work, always around harvest time – August – to visit and help with harvesting.  I think he really enjoyed doing that and the time he was able to spend on the farm.  Grampa and Gramma Ross (Bert and Nora) always scared us a bit.  Gramma was always too busy with chores to spend much time with us kids, and grampa seemed like an old wrinkled up guy who was just plain crabby most of the time.  As I remember they were on the farm only a few years when I was old enough to remember visits and then retired and sold the farm to one of their daughters (Marian – her husband’s name was Herman, last name Lenser) and moved into the little town of Campbell a couple of miles away from the farm. (Dad had a big family – none of which I think he was particularly close to – George, Ray, Ernest, Jim, Marian, Gladice, Fern).

 

When we visited after that we would stay several days in Campbell at Gramma and Grampa’s house, and the house right next door where the one brother, Ray, lived with his wife Gladice and daughter Claudia.  Ray worked on the railroad as did Ernest.  George eventually moved to the Silver Valley and worked at the Lead Smelter in Kellogg, and Fern and Gladice moved to the Kellogg area during the war to work in the smelters and then just stayed there after the war, WW-II). We would also stay a few days out on George and Peg Loeks farm visiting them.  I think we really enjoyed staying out there.  They had a large milk cow herd that needed milking every morning as well as a huge barn with a huge hay mow which we loved to play in.

 

I just have snip-its of memory of gramma and grampa Ross at their house in town – remembering gramma washing cloths on the back porch with an old wringer wash machine, and grampa and dad walking down to the main part of town every after to ‘see a man about a horse’ he would say.  I found out later they were going to the tavern to get a beer.  On occasion they would bring back a John Deere metal farm toy from the local farm equipment supplier for us to play with and take home with us a gift.  A few years later grampa had a stroke and they both moved in to a nursing home in a larger town about 20 miles away, and it seemed ackward to visit them so the kids just stayed in the car while mom and dad went in.  One day I remember my mom saying one died, and then late another. Dad went back to the funerals but the whole family didn’t.

 

 

  1. Tell about each one of your aunts. Was there a favorite?

 

  1. Tell about handed down talents you may have acquired.

 

  1. How did you first meet your in-laws?

 

  1. What did you do as a child that got you into the most trouble with your parents? How did they handle it?

 

  1. Tell about your jobs, the places you have worked, etc. Jobs you held while a youth, or in school or college.

 

  1. Do you like rain storms? Why or why not?

 

  1. What do you think about television? Do you currently have some favorite shows?

 

  1. Did you have a favorite tv show as a child or youth? Or radio program?

 

  1. Did you wish you had more brothers or sisters?

 

  1. Describe a typical school day during your junior high years.

 

  1. How did you become engaged?

 

  1. Do you have a favorite color? Favorite flower? Tree?

 

  1. What was a favorite place to go with your family when you were young?

 

  1. What is (was) a favorite place to go with your husband/wife and children?

 

  1. What is the one invention you could not live without and why?

 

  1. What is your advice to those younger than you?

 

  1. What special things did you do with your mother? Your relationship.

 

  1. What special things did you do with your father? Your relationship.

 

  1. How many brothers and sisters do you have? Describe each one and perhaps a story about you and each one of them.What makes each one of them special?

 

  1. Describe your first home/apartment as a young couple.

 

  1. Write a want ad that describes your husband/wife.

 

  1. Were you able to take any kind of lessons as a child or youth? What? Has this carried over to your adult life?

 

  1. What kind of lessons do you wish you could have taken? (music, swimming, tennis, etc.)

 

  1. Describe the most serious illness you have ever had.

 

  1. What would you like to be remembered for?

 

  1. Do you recall any outstanding family trips or summer holidays you experienced as a child?

 

  1. Describe your first “crush.” What was he/she like?

 

  1. What is your favorite book? What do books mean to you in your life? Favorite author?

 

  1. Did you receive your education somewhere other than school?

 

  1. Where did you live as a child? (city, country, suburb)

 

  1. What were your fears, expectations, and anticipations about getting married?

 

  1. Tell about the houses you lived in during your childhood. Do you remember the addresses or phone numbers?

 

  1. Were you responsible for any household chores as a child? What were they? Which did you most enjoy? Least enjoy?

 

  1. List each of your uncles and tell something about each one of them.

 

  1. What is the most trying experience that ever happened to you?

 

  1. Do you remember any special feelings you had as a child? (Fears, fantasies, etc.)

 

 

  1. Describe your favorite dress, outfit, etc. as a child.

 

  1. What do you think about the movies? What is your favorite movie and why?

 

  1. What things do you enjoy doing today that you also enjoyed as a child?Describe them and the differences and similarities now.

Playing cards

 

  1. Write about some places you went with your mother.

 

  1. Write about some places you went with your father.

Fishing, cutting wood for burning, hunting, vacations

 

  1. How do you feel about winning? Losing?

 

  1. Describe a trip downtown as a youngster.

 

  1. Describe your wedding dress, bridesmaids’ dresses, etc.

 

  1. Did you enjoy school as a child? Later on?

 

  1. Tell about a special date you had with a boy/girl friend or your future spouse.

 

  1. Tell about a frustrating experience you had on wash day with the machine, or with some other domestic chore.

 

  1. List your teachers, subjects, friends at school.

 

  1. What kind of music do you like? Any memories associated with music?

 

  1. Write a want ad that describes your father.

 

  1. Write a want ad that describes your mother.

 

  1. Describe walking down the main street of your home town.

 

  1. Tell about some of the most notable people in your home town.

 

  1. Tell about some of your neighbors as a child, youth, and adult.

 

  1. Did you have a bicycle? What was it like?

 

  1. Did it snow where you lived as a child? What kind of memories do you have of snowstorms, playing in the snow, etc.?

 

  1. Tell the words of a song from childhood. What kind of memories does it bring?

 

  1. Describe the perfect autumn day and what you would do on that day.

 

  1. What are your food preferences? How did they come about?

 

  1. Did you have a favorite subject in school? One you dreaded?

 

  1. What is your greatest joy?

 

  1. What has been your greatest sorrow?

 

 

  1. What was the first piece of furniture you ever bought?

 

  1. Describe your yard as a child. Draw a diagram if you can.

 

  1. Tell about when and where you learned to drive.

 

  1. Describe getting a Christmas tree with your family as a child. How did you decorate it? When did you put it up, etc.?

 

  1. What was your most embarrassing moment?

 

  1. Thinking back, was there a teacher or a class that had a great influence on you?

 

  1. Would you choose differently if you could choose your occupation again? Why?

 

  1. What do you know about your parents’ wedding day?

 

  1. Have you met or worked with any famous people?

 

  1. Did you go to college or take any vocational training? What and where?

 

  1. Describe a typical school day during your high school years.

 

  1. Where did your grandparents live? What were their homes like? Did they have a certain “feel” or “look?”

 

  1. Describe a typical school day during your elementary school years.

 

  1. Describe the downtown of your childhood at Christmas time.

 

  1. Tell about a frustrating experience you’ve had with a car.

 

  1. Do you recall any special event which took place on your block or in your neighborhood while you were growing up?

 

  1. Tell about life as your children left home and when you retired. What did (do) you do with the extra time? New interests, etc.?

 

  1. Tell about how you celebrate your anniversaries with your spouse.

 

  1. What traits do you share with your father?

 

  1. What traits do you share with your mother?

 

  1. How did you like being the oldest, youngest, or middle child?

 

  1. Tell a courtship story about your parents. How did they meet, etc.

 

  1. How do you feel about death? Tell about your philosophy of after-life or what you believe.

 

  1. What is your personal secret for happiness?

 

 

  1. Tell about a fishing or hunting experience…if this applies.

 

  1. Where do you like to eat out? What are you apt to order?

 

  1. Do you have a favorite magazine? Why is it your favorite?

 

  1. Did you ever have roommates? Tell about them and the things you learned from that experience.

 

  1. What makes you feel good? (occasion, food, person, etc.)

 

  1. What is your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate it?

 

  1. Did you ever go camping? Your experiences?

 

  1. What is the most important lesson, message, or advice you’ve learned that you’d like to pass on for others to profit by?

 

  1. What is the biggest lesson in life you have found to be true?

 

  1. Do you have a favorite animal or pet?

 

  1. Where would you like to vacation most and why?

 

  1. Are there any family heirlooms in your possession? Tell about them and how you came to acquire them.

 

  1. What did your grandfathers do for a living?

 

  1. If your grandmothers worked outside the home, what did they do? What kind of things did your grandmothers do if they were “at-home” working?

 

  1. Where did your parents live when they were first married?

 

  1. Tell about your family traditions as a child….Christmas, birthdays, graduations, Fourth of July, etc. Do you keep any family traditions with your own family?

 

  1. Tell about home cures or old wives’ tales for curing hiccups, warts, toothaches, cold, earaches, etc.

 

  1. What personality trait do you admire most and why?

 

  1. What do you think brings good or bad luck?

 

  1. What did your father do for a living? How did he get to work? What time did he go, and what time did he arrive home?  Did he take a lunch? 

 

  1. Tell about any ancestors you know about. Dates, names, etc. and any stories about them. (This might have to be a separate section if you have a lot to tell.)

 

  1. Tell about some changes you have seen in your lifetime. Society in general? Technology? Fashion? Fads? Morality? Politics? Etc.

 

  1. Do you play an instrument?

 

  1. What political party comes closest to representing your own point of view?

 

  1. Tell something about each of your children. Their personalities, talents, traits, etc. Why each of them is special. Share any tender feelings you may like to leave for them to read.

 

  1. Where were you and what were you doing the day Pres. Kennedy was assassinated?

 

  1. One word on how to live life successfully.

 

  1. Tell about each one of your grandchildren. What do you enjoy about being a grandparent? Share any special feelings you have for each one of them.

 

  1. Did you and your mother share an interest in any special activity? You and your father?

 

  1. How do you feel about doctors? Going to the hospital, etc.?

 

  1. Do you like to go to the theater? The opera?The symphony?  Name some of your favorites.

 

  1. Did you have favorite books as a child?

 

  1. Describe your cooking skills as a young bride. What was one of your favorite recipes?

 

  1. Did you have a favorite toy as a child? Did it have a name? Memories connected to it?

 

  1. What do you remember about yourself as a teenager? What was important to you at the time? Did you have any goals in life yet?

 

  1. Describe a perfect winter day and what you would do on that day.

 

  1. Describe a favorite childhood friend and some of the things you did together.

 

  1. What is the most adventuresome thing you have ever done?

 

  1. How old were you when you married? How old were your parents when they married?

 

  1. What is your child rearing philosophy?

 

  1. What is your secret for good health?

 

  1. What is (was) your principle occupation and what circumstances led to it?

 

  1. How did your mother spend her time?

 

  1. What are some of your favorite smells?

 

  1. Tell about family reunions…then…and now.

 

  1. Did you have a childhood hide-out? Describe it.

 

  1. What did you want to be “when you grew up?”

 

  1. Tell about your mother…personality, stature, coloring, talents, temperament, etc.

 

  1. Tell about your father….personality, stature, coloring, talents, temperament, etc.

 

  1. Tell about religion practiced in your home while growing up? Now? What your faith means to you, etc.

 

  1. Do you have a favorite scripture or story from the scriptures?

 

  1. Tell about your teenage social life. Your friends, dances, movies, dating, etc.

 

  1. What convinced you most in your choice of a spouse?

 

  1. Tell about favorite games you played as a child.

 

  1. Were there any world, local, or personal events that changed your life considerably?

 

  1. Tell about any interesting or important visitors to your home throughout the years.

 

  1. What were the conditions surrounding your birth that you are aware of?

 

  1. How was your name chosen?

 

  1. Tell about your early romances.

 

  1. Tell about any honors or achievements you may have received through the years.

 

  1. Was Sunday any different in your home growing up?

 

  1. What do you think has been one of the most significant world events that has taken place in your lifetime?

 

  1. Describe a sound from childhood and what it means to you.

 

  1. What were your parents’ rules for raising children?

 

  1. Tell about any travels you have taken through the years. (for some, this could be a book in itself)

 

  1. What newspapers have you subscribed to through the years and what do you enjoy most about them?

 

  1. Tell about the different cars you have owned.

 

  1. Who are your heroes and heroines?

 

 How do you typically celebrate New Years’ Eve?

 

  1. Did you ever have any baby showers given for you? Tell about them.

 

  1. Were you given a wedding shower? Describe.

 

  1. What precious values have been imbedded in you?

 

  1. What were you doing when the Berlin Wall came down…your thoughts about it?

 

  1. What were you doing when the astronauts landed on the moon?

 

  1. Who are your current close friends?

 

  1. What do you remember about the birth of each of your children?

 

  1. Do you have any particular fears?

 

  1. What are your furniture and home decor preferences?

 

  1. What are your clothes preferences?

 

  1. If you’ve done volunteer work in your community or elsewhere, tell about it.

 

  1. Describe the perfect spring day and what you would do in it.

 

  1. Tell about any fulfilling or rewarding experiences you may have had associated with your occupation.

 

  1. Tell about any frustrating experiences you may have had associated with your occupation.

 

  1. Can you speak a second language? How did that come about?

 

  1. Describe a typical day in your family when the children were still at home?

 

  1. Have you ever had foster children or exchange students stay in your home? Details.

 

  1. If you are empty-nesters, describe a typical day in your life.

 

  1. What are your personal strengths? Weaknesses?Idiosyncrasies?

 

  1. Do you like to shop? For what, in particular?

 

  1. Have you had particular health problems that you have had to deal with through the years? How have you coped?

 

  1. Have you had any faith-promoting experiences in your life which you would like to share?

 

  1. Do you like to dance? How did it come about?

 

  1. What do you think it takes to make a marriage succeed? Any personal thoughts on this?

 

  1. Have you had a discouraging time at some point in your life? How did you get through it?

 

  1. Do you enjoy gardening or yard work? If so, tell about what you like to raise…flowers, foods, plants, etc.

 

  1. Tell about your first train or plane trip. What were the circumstances?

 

  1. Do you currently belong to any clubs or organizations? Tell about them.

 

  1. Have you ever had a close brush with death that you are aware of? How did it come about?

 

  1. How many cousins do you have? Was , or is, there one that you are particularly close to?

 

  1. Tell about your hobbies and/or activities in which you are involved.

 

  1. Did you ever run for class office in high school or college?

 

  1. Do you have any military experiences to tell about?

 

  1. What states in the United States have you been in?

 

  1. Have you traveled to, or lived in, any other countries?

 

  1. Do you currently keep a journal or diary, or have you in the past?

 

  1. Do you enjoy entertaining? If so, tell about what you usually do.

 

  1. What do you think about budgeting money, staying on a budget, etc.?

 

  1. What tender feelings do you have about your spouse that you would like to share with your posterity?

 

  1. Did you go to Sunday School and church as a child? Tell about any experiences you had.

 

  1. Did you have any special church teachers or a pastor, etc. that you remember?

 

  1. Do you have any special spiritual feelings or experiences you would like to share?

 

  1. Write your testimony of life, your feelings about God, the Savior, etc.