CHAPTER 1 : "TWO KINDRED CIVIL WAR SOULS" - John Marshall Kelly, maternal grandfather of Russel E. Myers, Sr., and John Simmons Norsworthy, maternal grandfather of Edna Vaiden Barlow, were both in the Civil War. Both enlisted about the same time, about 1861, and both were said to be in the Battle of Gettysburg. This chapter is primarily based on their civil war records.

CHAPTER 2 : "EXCERPTS FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FLORENCE MAY KELLY" - Florence May Kelly, mother of Russel E. Myers, Sr., wrote her autobiography when she was in her sixties. The excerpts I have included in this chapter cover her life from her earliest memories until the time she had her son Russel.

CHAPTER 3 : "SARAH DIANA NORSWORTHY " - Sarah Diana Norsworthy, mother of Edna Vaiden Barlow, descends from one of the oldest families of Virginia. Tristram Norsworthy settled in Isle of Wight County, VA, in 1638, just 28 years after John Smith and Pocahantas. This chapter covers some of the Norsworthy family history down to the gentle woman we all knew as "Nana". The Norsworthy information is from my genealogical research records, supplemented by information from our "cousin" Dr. Carolyn Rockwell who published "Norsworthy Families of Virginia" in 1993.

CHAPTER 4 : "RUSSEL ERNEST MYERS, SR." - This chapter covers the period from Russel's birth until his marriage to Edna Vaiden Barlow. The description of Russel's early life is based on the autobiography written by his mother. I extracted the information about his school years from report cards and other data sent to me years ago by his older sister Frances after the death of Florence.

CHAPTER 5 : "EDNA VAIDEN BARLOW" - This chapter covers the period from Edna's birth until her marriage to Russel. Much of the chapter is based on old letters and records found in the local history section of the Kern library in Norfolk, VA. I have also included information from personal records of her father Algernon Henry Barlow and early local newspapers found in the Virginia Beach Central Library.

CHAPTER 6 : "LETTERS" - This chapter consists of extracts from letters exchanged between Russel and Edna between 1941 and 1954. These letters tell the story of the hardships endured by both during Russel's many Navy sea duty tours during World War II and the first fourteen years of their marriage.

CHAPTER 7 : "THE TWILIGHT YEARS" - This chapter relates the significant events from 1954 until Russel and Edna's deaths in 1978 and 1980, respectively.