Valerie Ingram

QUEST FOR ANCESTORS

A Digital History and Photo Archive for the Beresan District, Odessa, Russia

Hi! I'm Valerie! As you can guess, my OBSESSION is genealogy! I am a Village Coordinator for the Catholic villages of Speier, Sulz, Karlsruhe, Katharinental and Landau in the Beresan District of Odessa, So. Russia and for the Romanian village of Gross-Mangeapunar in the Dobrudscha. I volunteer with the GRHS Clearing House - Odessa Area Katholic Projects as well as the Russian Census Projects, and also serve on the GRHS Board of Directors. To support my genealogy research, I am a Seller on Ebay.

This is my husband, Erle. He enjoys hang-gliding and snowboarding. I'm certain he must have a "death wish".... :) The genealogy work was HIS idea...and he might regret it from time to time, but for the most part, he's very supportive, and helps me when we go out on our trips "in search of...." He can be found right alongside me in the cemeteries, or working the copier at a library!! Apart from genealogy, he enjoys working as a "Jack of all trades".... he keeps all of our vehicles running smoothly, does carpentry, roofing, welding, electrical wiring, and LOVES playing on his computer!

Our eldest child, and only daughter, is Tina. She is married, works as a Paralegal for a prominent attorney here in Spokane, and enjoys raising her two older sons, a daughter AND a brand new baby boy. (Yes, I'm a grandma again!!) She enjoys cooking, baking, painting and being the "head cheerleader" for her two sons when they play hockey or baseball!

This is our middle child, and eldest son, Michael. He's a C.A.D. drafter for Precision Cutting Technologies here in Spokane. His hobbies are of the expensive nature...he enjoys cars, car shows, cars, stereos, cars, drum equipment and of course, CARS!! He's also enjoys being the drummer in the band "Beggerman Thief" from Othello, WA. View Purple Car

Our youngest son is Scott. He's always said he doesn't like ANYTHING his brother does, but his hobbies are cars, stereos and drums!!! (Hmmmm...sound familiar??) In the past two years, they've also developed an interest in 4 wheeling. He also lives here in Spokane, and is a C.A.D. drafter just like his brother. He is married to Heather and has three wonderful little girls. The new baby, Emmalea, was born just before Christmas, 2003.

These are my grandsons :) Joshua is 12 and Jayden is 10. Joshua is a TERRIFIC hockey player and is always "on the road" to another tournament! Jayden also plays hockey, but decided to swap his skates for skis this year! Their Mom is my daughter, Tina. They have just recently become BIG BROTHERS again with the birth of their new baby brother, and they are LOVING their new addition!!

Our first granddaughter, Mailey Rose, was born in September 1999 in Richland, WA. Her Daddy is my son, Scott. In November of 2001, Mailey was diagnosed with type A.L.L. Leukemia and has had some very MAJOR medical problems. We ask all to please pray for her! Prayers from people all over the world have helped her survive the serious difficulties and health problems she's had to face in 2002 and again in 2004. We've seen MANY MIRACLES taking place with Mailey!! We continually pray for a few more. Barring anymore unexpected problems, her cancer treatment will continue for the next year.

This is our second granddaughter, Alisyia Faith, born in February 2001 here in Spokane. Scott and Heather are her parents, also. She's just the HAPPIEST little girl, and jabbers about EVERYTHING!! I think Lissy feels it's her DUTY as a sister to do the "terrible two's" thing for both her AND her sister, since Mailey wasn't able to do her share while in the hospital!

Kirynn Elisabeth joined our family in June of 2003 and is our third granddaughter. Her parents are my daughter, Tina and her husband, Cory. She's "Daddy's Little Princess" and he already has plans to get her a "motorized Barbie 4-wheeler" so she can ride with Dad and the boys! Her brothers, Joshua and Jayden just love her to pieces!!

The 4th granddaughter to be added to our family is Emmalea Hope, born December, 2003 to my son, Scott and his wife, Heather. Mailey and Lissy ADORE their baby sister, and she looks a lot like Mailey when she was a baby.

::::::::sigh:::::::::Babies...ya gotta love 'em!!

Karson is grandchild #7 and is the last addition to my daughter Tina and her husband Cory's family. He was born in July of 2005 and is just a sweetheart! His "big sister" Kirynn thinks he's her personal "toy"...and calls him "Buddy".

And the last member of our family (but one that could NEVER be forgotten...) is our dog, "Pepsi". He is a German Shepherd/Black Lab mix, and he does just the BEST, most WONDERFUL job of tripping us at night as he sleeps sprawled out in various places in the hallway! With his dark brown/black color, he's really hard to see!