---

Dear Editor;
Thank you for publishing the very interesting Spotlight story on Frank McGranahan and his Linden blacksmith shop. Looking back into the past helps us appreciate how hardworking and resilient those before us were.
As mentioned in the article, Frank West McGranahan was great-grandfather to my niece Julie (Gilman) Olson (Reedsburg. He was also great-grandfather to my sons Patrick McGranahan (Monona) and Brian McGranahan (Oak Creek) and has a great-granddaughter Heather (McGranahan) Graul (Linden) and a great-great grandson Brandon Graul.
To add further interesting info, Grandpa Frank's anvil is now proudly in the possession of my son Patrick McGranahan. It is shown in use in one of the article's photos. Frank's only grandson and my former husband Harold McGranahan spent many evenings at the elder McGranahans. While our then very young sons played then slept, we would sit at the kitchen table well into the night playing euchre or canasta. Grandpa Frank's favorite game was Canasta and he gleefully relished his frequent winnings. "One more game", "one more game" he would say.
The article mentions Edith working alongside her husband helping Frank in the shop. Not surprising as she too was a very hard worker. I remember her cleaning houses and wallpapering well into her eighties for households in Linden and in the area. She made an awesome pasty too!
During Frank's final days Edith honored his wish to not die in a hospital by caring for him lovingly in their Linden home until he passed. Thank you for the article and Rest In Peace Frank and Edith McGranahan. I carry with me memories of two hardworking wonderful people who most surely earned their rest!
Janice (Henry-McGranahan) Olson
Avoca, WI