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16 - PORT PERRY "WEEKEND STAR" Family histories a gift By Heather McCrae Port Perry Star There are times at which we all wonder about our family roots, and who our ancestors were. And often, those questions go unan- swered. But Rev. Don Tansley and his wife Margaret have taken the time to write about their family's history. It took Rev. Tansley three years to complete the mammoth project. "1 did a lot of research into my family's roots," he said. Four copies were writ- ten: One for his daughter, Judith, and one each for his grandsons, David, 25, and Stephen, 22, while the original remains "at home". "I wrote the book so my grandsons would know about their roots," said Rev. Tansley, who was born in 1914. "So many things they take for granted now did not exist - Take Out Senior Citizen Discount 10% off Everyday! All Day! 158 Water St., Port Perry - (905) 985-441 1 when | was young. | want- ed them to know how life was while | was growing up." The book is filled with information on ancestors, tales of personal experi- ences, his thoughts and dreams throughout a life in the ministry and his wonderful marriage to Margaret, his wife of 55 years. Rev. Tansley writes about radios becoming popular in the 1920s, and of how television came into the picture in the late 40s. And he tells of his first car ride in 1918, during celebrations marking the end of the First World War: "On November 11 my mother's cousin came to pick us up and drove . us to the fairgrounds in a black Ford car. What an exciting time that was," he writes. The book also tells how he became the head of the family at the tender age of 12 after his father phase 2 Call GUY LATREILLE 905-985-4427 residents > des for Details % OS Retirement Living by the Lake Garden Court Homes £150,000 cupiancy Life lease Fe toi and a 70 suite, ake i RE/MAX SCUGOG REALTY LTD. Don and Margaret Tansley have written family histories for future generations. died in 1926. "My first job was deliv- ering The Toronto Daily writes. Although Rev. Tansley finished writing the book Star and the Star Weekly. in 1989, he plans to write I made $8 a month and more on the Tansley lega- with that money | bought cy. my first bicycle," he "Life has added so Shop For Men's & Women's Fine Clothing In The Victorian Atmosphere Of BR@CK'S SERVICE, QUALITY & STYLE SINCE 1881 SAV] aval I8[s Te Fz \VA ISIS Ta [To I Sl BFS 1, Yilialh Fe 7 0 | & Syste [UW] F=Vgl olgleteiSy. 168 Queen St., Port Perry 985-2521 "Seniors EY Thurs., Jan. 27, 2000 up to 20% off with Seniors' Club Card Seniors' Discount Everyday 10% off regular priced LifeBrand & Rialto products 268 Queen St., Port Perry 985-8886 -and- 29 Toronto St. S., Uxbridge 852-3345 FREE DELIVERY ON EVERYTHING WE SELLL many grand experiences since 1989," he said. "I have many more tales to write about." But he isn't the only author in the family. Mrs. Tansley has written a book, too. The Boy from Exploits "dwells on the history of her father, Alexander Lacey. "I only knew that my parents had lived in Newfoundland and that my father had been the oldest of eight children, and the only one to sur- vive," she said. In the summer of 1998 the Tansleys, accompa- nied Margaret's brother David and his wife Kay, went to Newfoundland to visit the Island of Exploits where Alexander Lacey was born. "Standing on the Island of Exploits with David we could picture the background and struggles my father had endured," she says. The trip to Newfoundland brought about Mrs. Tansley's will to write a book. "I had no idea of writ- ing a story before we went to Newfoundland. But when | saw the death notices of all my father's siblings | was moved to write the story. | knew this was a story that needed to be told to all members of the family," she said. "When | initially began writing | wondered why | hadn't spent more time with my father. How much I had missed by being absorbed in my own life," she said.