-
Family
My grandma (Burma Jo Baer) was born in Louisville Kentucky. She was born to her mother ( Dorothea Verne Gilchrist Adams) and father (Clarence Taylor Adams) along with her two older siblings ( George Beckham Adams and Claire Marshall Adams) -
Early life
WWII began and when the United States joined the war my grandma's father and uncle joined -
Fort Knox
At 5 years old my grandma in her family moved to Fort Knox, KY (a military base). During this time my grandma and her brother would play on the old tanks -
Back to Kentucky
My grandma's father and uncle come home and the family move back home to Louisville Kentucky -
Off to Portugal
My grandma's father got a job with the Embassy in Portugal and the family would end up moving there. At this time my grandma was in the second grade and attended a British school while in Portugal -
Washington DC
The family didn't end up staying in Portugal for long and would soon move into an Apartment in Washington DC. This was when they got their first dog a black cocker Spaniel named Princess. -
Annandale, Virginia
It wasn't long until the family moved again this time to Annandale, Virginia. My grandma has vivid memories here. My grandma remembers meeting her first friend. They would jump a fence and riding this horse (the horse did not belong to either of them) -
Arlington Virginia
When my grandma was about 11 or 12 she was in the 6th grade and her family was moving yet again. They moved to Arlington Virginia into a very nice house! -
Mom living
Due to her parents divorce my grandma's mom had left the house. Her mom felt the kids were better off with their father. -
Big change
During this time her father and siblings would move to Washington DC. During this time my grandmas became pretty withdrawn and missed her mom who she had very little contact with. -
Family change
My grandma's parents got divorce. It came out of no where for my grandma and she had a lot of resentment. Her father was abusive which she believes has to do with him being frustrated my grandma also supporter her mom and was outspoken about about the way her father treated her mother. -
High school
At this point her family began to settle down. My grandma had started attending Roosevelt High School and become an active member in both Church and Sunday school. -
Senior year
At this time my grandma was a senior and was going to senior prom. She doesn't actually remember his name but she is thankful her church group set her up to be able to experience prom. -
My grandma had graduated college. During this time she had very little contact with her mom and barely saw her. My grandma had official decided that the following year she would be attending Bethany College in West Virginia
-
My grandma's father had remarried a woman named Virginia. My grandma never like her but would be off to college which made it easier to handle. My grandma also got a summer job that year and absolutely loved it
-
After two years of college at Bethany my grandma felt the college was too small and very conservative due to it being a church school. At this point my grandma wanted to transfer to the University of Michigan.
-
My grandma would withdraw from college and live with her aunt for a year in Kentucky. My grandma would work during this year to earn enough money to attend University of Michigan.
-
My grandma applied to University of Michigan and got in! She would on campus and start taking classes as a Junior
-
My grandma would learn that her mother was very sick. This is when my grandma would go and see her mom. It was a hard experience she felt helpless
-
About 6 months later my grandma's mom was back in the hospital in Lexington. My grandma found out and went to go see her one last time.
-
The rest of the year was a good year. My grandma met her future husband (Helmut W Baer) He was also a student and Michigan!
-
My grandma and Helmut got married and moved into an apartment in Ann Arbor Michigan
-
Helmut had his PHD at this time and was doing research with the school and my grandma was an elementary school teacher
-
They had their first child Helmut David Baer (David)
-
The family moved to Boulder Colorado because my grandma's husband got a research job (post- doctorate0 at the University of Colorado
-
While in Colorado they had their second child Christina Baer (my mom)
-
The family moved to Berkeley California because her husband got another post-doctoral research position at Lawrence Berkeley lab
-
The family had moved a couple more times but moved one last time to Las Alamos for Helmuts new job
-
My grandma's father died. She had to learn some pretty harsh lessons on moving forward
-
Helmut W Baer was diagnosed with Lung cancer due to exposure in the Lab
-
This would be the hardest moment of my grandma life when her husband died
-
First grandchild
The family kept things as normal as they could. It wasn't until my grandmas first grandkid arrived that things started to change for the better. His name would be Thomas Martin Baer. He had a very traumatic birth in Hungry. Doctors were worried if Thomas was ever going to live a normal life. My grandma had a special relationship with Thomas and knew he would exceed everyones expectations -
Second grandchild
It wasn't long after my grandma had her second grandchild Hannah Baer (my cousin). She was born in Texas. Just like Thomas my grandma was at the hospital ready to meet her first granddaughter -
Third Grandchild
2 years after Hannah was born my grandmas third grandchild arrived. (Me) Alyssa Lyn Corrigan. I was born in Wisconsin and just like every other child my grandma was right there at the hospital waiting to meet me. -
Taking on her grandma roles
At this time my grandma would fully retire from being a teacher. She would occasionally doing some substitute teaching until that also got to be too much! -
My grandmas last grandchild
Finally my grandma's last grandchild was born Kayla Renee Corrigan (sister). She was also born in Wisconsin. She stayed with the family for a month as we adjusted to the new life! -
Retired life
After retiring my grandma took up her passion of traveling around the world! She has always wanted to learn Spanish. So in the summer she would go to Mexico and stay with a family to hopefully enhance her Spanish speaking skills -
Biblical trip
My grandma went to many biblical sites all over Israel. Different people would be selected to tell bible stories at the different location! -
House work
After getting home from her trip she decided it was time to clean up her house! She repaired the leaky roof, painted walls and replaced all the doors and windows! -
Camp trip
My grandma had bought a beautiful pop up camper and took my uncle (Helmut David) and his family on a camping trip to Northern New Mexico and Colorado -
Housesitting
This wasn't the most fun time in my grandmas life but she spend quite a few years at my uncles (Helmut David) house in Texas as the family was in hungry. During this time she again did renovations as and go the house ready to be sold. From 2013-2016 -
Injury
With all the lifting and renovating in my uncles house my grandma had injured her shoulder. She had a rotary cuff surgery in Texas -
Physical therapy
Her shoulder was still bothering her and nothing seemed to work. So during this time my grandma came to stay with us in Boston as my mom (Christa) had a very good physical therapist! Which over many months my grandmas shoulder began to improve. -
Getting puppies
My mom (Christa )and my uncle (David) thought it would be important for my grandma to have some company and she lives alone! So my mom gave her 2 puppies that we have been raising (Bailey and Bella). My grandma doesn't go anywhere without them -
Today
My grandma has since stopped traveling around the world, She still lives in the Los Alamos NM. But she is constantly traveling to Mass (where we live) and Texas (where my cousins live) to spend time with her kids and grandkids!
