Happy Birthday, Juanita

December 1, 1922. Today is my long-lost great-aunt Juanita Elaine Ballard's birthday. She's my grandpa's older sister; they were separated from each other in 1930 after their dad died and their mom sent them away to live at the Kentucky Children's Home. According to paperwork I have from that time, she felt she was unable to care for her kids any longer, so she gave them up.

After two years my grandpa got placed with William and Josie Holmes. They had a farm near Mayfield, Kentucky and wanted a son to come live with them and be of help on the farm. They raised my grandpa for the rest of his childhood - they never formally adopted him, but for all intents and purposes, they were his parents.

I've written about all this before, of how I don't know when my grandpa last saw his sister, of how I don't know what happened to Juanita or if she's even still alive (I don't think she is).

My mom tried for many years to track Juanita down without success. I wish I could find her and finally solve our biggest family mystery.

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