Interrupting the Yellowstone Diary for a sad note:

Yesterday, September 1, 2015, a member of the Kurtz family was called to heaven,  Martha McCracken.  I first met Martha when she and her mother came west to a family reunion in Dillon, Montana.   (I don't have the date, but it was in the 90's)   Martha grew up with stories from life in the west from her grandmother, aunt and as she knew Grandpa Shaffner, Martha was thrilled to meet other relatives and see the west.   As was her mother,  Dorothy.  It was Dorothy's mother, Lulu, who at the age of 29, made the trip to Yellowstone Park. Lulu was a sister to my grandmother, Della Kurtz Shaffner.  Martha and I would be second cousins.   Martha was a Lutheran minister in Puerto Rico for many years and had moved back to Pennsylvania within the last year to a church near Williamsport.  I kept in contact with Martha via email.  She was always encouraging me to research and document the family history.  Martha & Dorothy made another trip west in 2004, and she wanted to come this summer for the reunion. 

 RIP Martha

Martha and her mother, Dorothy

Dorothy Botts McCracken

Don Shaffner & Dorothy McCracken

I always thought there was a family resemblance

Martha with 2nd cousins

Roger Kurtz, Martha McCracken, Dianna Cunningham

Gail Kuntz, Sydney Gabel, Suzanne Dean, Phil Kurtz, Marilyn Kjosen

First cousins

Don Shaffner, Dorothy McCracken, Lester Kurtz, Freda Walker, Jim Kurtz

First cousins

Helen & Don Shaffner, Dorothy McCracken, Lester Kurtz, Jack & Freda Walker, Jim and Mary Hester Kurtz