This post is part of a series. To start from the beginning, go here.
I had the most trouble finding information on Shirley "Jersey" Buhl and her big sister, Marilyn.
Marilyn was born in 1932 and though I looked and looked, I couldn't find any record of her graduation from high school or any trace of her as an adult.
Marilyn Buhl:
Picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
Picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
Picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
One record said that a Marilyn Buhl served as a nurse in Morristown NJ but I could find no evidence that it was our Marilyn.
An obituary for Marilyn's father, Oscar Buhl, mentioned Shirley. But not Marilyn. Had she passed away before then?
Bloomfield Life newspaper, April 30, 1992 p6, accessed at newspapers.com
Picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
Cropped version of a picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
With the help of my sister in law (a.k.a my partner in crime) Valerie, an obituary for Marilyn was located. Four years after Joseph died fighting a fire in Newark, NJ, Marilyn died of a blood disease.
Independent Press, Bloomfield NJ, July 8, 1965, p17, accessed at fultonhistory.com
So, what became of Marilyn's sister, Shirley "Jersey" Buhl? Was the sweet little girl with the big eyes the last surviving member of the Buhl family?
I found a few things from Shirley's adulthood. It appears she never married.
Picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
Here is Shirley with an unknown woman. My guess is that this may be Joseph's wife, Leah.
Picture courtesy of Paul Holbrook. Used with permission.
The Belleville Times, Dec 8 1966 p3, accessed at newspapers.com
A dive into old newspapers uncovered that Shirley was part of the Glee Club choir and served in the Civil Air Patrol. She rose in rank to become a Major.
The Herald News, October 25, 1973 p12. Accessed at newspapers.com
According to a death record on Ancestry, Shirley Buhl died on December 19, 2007. She was unmarried and had no children.
It wasn't the result I had hoped for. I truly wanted to find "Jersey's" descendants and be able to connect them with Paul Holbrook and these pictures. I did reach out to who I believe is Joseph Buhl's son and Shirley's nephew. Perhaps one day, I'll hear back from him and find out more about this family and be able to reunite their descendants with these images.
There are still mysteries waiting to be solved surrounding others in the Buhl family pictures. Someday I hope to take another 'rabbit trail' to discover who they are.
But for now, I'm just thankful that we were able to find out so much about Jersey and her family. Be sure to subscribe at the top of this post so that you can follow my next history detective adventure!