I had a definite vision growing up of what my biological father looked like and who he was. Catholic Charities told my adoptive parents that my biological father was 100% Serbian, 6’4″, worked at the college where my biological mother went to school, and was married to someone else. When I started talking to my Aunt Jill, she gave me a name of a possible biological father and when I dug into his past with my Ancestry account, he fit that profile. Entered the U.S.A from Serbia in the late 1960’s, I found his marriage license, and I even found a residence record for an apartment in Akron, Ohio. I also found his death certificate.
I think my biological mother thought Meda (Mike) Petrovick was a possibility for my biological father. But it wasn’t the truth. I would have more Eastern European in my DNA profile if he was my father. My true biological father came up a parent/child match after I checked matches again. His name is John Jay Meyer. He is German, Welsh, and a touch of French. He was not married when my biological mother was pregnant with me. He’s been married to a wonderful lady named Diane for a long time and I have four kind half brothers though him who live in various places in the United States.
My paternal great-grandfather John Jacob Meyer was the secretary and treasurer of Glenshaw Glass which manufactured glass bottles for soda companies and all kinds of glass containers. My parental grandfather, John Meyer was the fire chief of Lake Milton, Ohio and well loved by everyone in the community. My grandparents lived with my biological father, Aunt Becky, and Aunt Karen at a house that my grandfather built: 1622 Grandview Drive. I wish I could have met them, but my biological father Jay and my Aunt Becky have shared many photos and stories about their parents. The wedding photo Aunt Becky gave me of my grandparents, John and Thelma reminds me a bit of me and Phillip on our wedding day. My grandfather was tall and handsome and grandma Thelma was petite and pretty.
Above is a picture of my grandmother, Thelma Force Meyer, when she was younger. The Force last name I traced all the way back to France and the LaForce origins.
Grandma Thelma’s mom, my great grandmother Olwen, came from the Jones clan of Wales and I recently found out she was a school teacher before she married my great grandfather, Ertly Roscoe.
Below is a picture of my Great Grandmother Olwen, my Grandmother Thelma, and Grandma Thelma’s youngest sister, Evie. I’m in contact with both of Aunt Evie’s daughters, my cousin Debbie and my cousin Diana and they have shared lots of family stories and gave me access to all of these great photos.
Here is a picture of my biological father Jay when he was younger. We have the same chin and smile.
My Biological father Jay and his wife who I guess you could call my stepmother even though she a lot more to me than that. Her name is Diane. This is when they were young newlyweds.
10 year old John Jay Meyer, baby Aunt Karen, and school aged Aunt Becky Christmas card 1960.
Biofather Jay’s sister, my Aunt Becky, when she was younger. She’s aged quite gracefully and is still lovely and kind.
One more picture of Aunt Becky with her late husband Tom and her sister, my Aunt Karen. Aunt Karen had Downs Syndrome and had a twin sister who passed away five days after being born. Twins run in the Meyer family. I heard from Jason that Aunt Karen was really cool and I wish I could have met her.
I recently lost my youngest Meyer brother Jason to a tragic cardiac accident. He had just turned 36. I talked to him the day of his birthday and he sounded happy. I am trying so hard to balance my grief of losing him, with the gratitude of having in my life for 6 almost 7 years. It wasn’t enough time, but when I think of everything we did together, from exploring Key West on our first Christmas, to celebrating our older brother’s wedding in April, I realize that we had a closer bond than a lot of reunited siblings have. We never once fought. His last text to me was to be careful at the Metallica concert in downtown Detroit and not to bring a purse. That just goes show how much he cared. He had a ton of friends and a lot of family. My heart breaks for his husband Chad and I know Chad will always be my brother too. I will cherish what we had always and I vow to finish my memoir and dedicate it to his memory.
