Day 1

• Beginning my Research

Richard Valentine Schneider is very difficult to search up, even though he is my grandfather. I could not find a picture of the grave stone, nor the obituary in the local Maine newspaper. The basic information I can find out from online sources is mainly his obituary. He was born February 14, 1939 in & died June 8, 2001. He died at the early age of 62 in a Bangor hospital in Maine. He was a U.S Navy & Merchant Marine Veteran & a professional meat cutter for more than 20 years with Four Corners in Harrington Maine. 
One Condolence found for his family on Legacy.com, really touches the heart: Patricia Schmidt of Lawrence Kansas writes,
"God saw he was getting tired & a cure was not to be So he put his arms around him & whispered come with Me. With tearful eyes we watched him suffer & saw him fade away. Although we couldn't bear to lose him, we could not bid him stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands laid to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us he only takes the best."

Patricia makes me feel the need to find out more about this, "golden heart[ed]" man. From what I've heard, he died in the hospital after smoking took over & placed him in there. I don't remember being held by him as a baby, but according to my mother, he was one of the first few people to love me at first sight. I end today by saying, I wish to know more, & I will find out more. I was born February 18, four days after the day he was born & I feel that as a connection that will guide me through life. Grandpa Valentine I love you.