Happy Birthday Mom! Wednesday was Mom's 90th birthday. She is doing well and although there is a shuffle to her step, her mind is still sharp. During the day she received numerous birthday greetings in person and by telephone. Then at 5 pm a bunch of us took her and her sister Vi out for supper at a Chinese smorg. It was fun to get together and honor Mom on this special birthday.

Mom, in the burgundy sweater

Extinction of the Ing name Vi asked me whether I knew of any other male Ings in the family. I had to say no. Her brother Charlie, at age 93, is the last male Ing left in our family. I thought about the hundreds of Ing descendants. My 2g-grandfather Robert Ing had three sons, William, Thomas and Henry. William and Henry died childless. Robert also had three daughters. Thomas had 10 children including 6 sons, but only three sons lived to adulthood: Thomas, James and Richard. This Thomas never married. James had one son, George who remained a bachelor. He also had two daughters. Richard had two sons, Walter and Charles, as well as four daughters. Walter had three sons, who all died young. Charles has a daughter but no sons.

When Charles dies, the name Ing will die with him - at least in our family. The ancient Saxon name of Ing will persist in other families. And we, Robert's descendants, know that to some extent we are all Ings!