This first contact reflects a deeply personal reconnection rooted in memory, music, letters, photographs, and the emotional work of preservation. Rebecca Davis brought forward artifacts, stories, and reflections that connected multiple generations—while also articulating the quiet burden and care involved in carrying family history forward.
At a Glance
- First Contact: August 6, 2020
- Primary Surnames: Gamache, Elcik
- Medium: LinkedIn, email
- Role in Project: Artifact steward; family historian; narrative contributor
Correspondence Log
Contact #1 — August 6, 2020, 9:47 AM — LinkedIn
Rebecca (Kashmer) Davis:
Dr. John Elcik,
We know each other from family… my grandmother was Gertrude Gamache. I just recently moved to Punta Gorda, FL. I was just viewing a video from my uncle Jack of the singing Elcik brothers. Beautiful—great memories of my grandmother singing the nursery rhyme to us kids!
Best regards,
Becky
Contact #2 — August 6, 2020, 11:43 AM — Email
Rebecca (Kashmer) Davis:
John,
LOVED THIS! I can envision my grandmother writing this with my impatient grandfather barking at her to hurry up.
– Becky
Contact #3 — August 6–8, 2020 — Family Records & Photos
Rebecca (Kashmer) Davis:
I think my mom has a copy of the oldest known family, but I don’t recall her pointing out the twins Annie and Lizzie… I’ll have to quiz my mother when I talk to her this weekend.
[Editor’s note: Annie married Terry Karkos, a noted Maine genealogist specializing in Slovak ancestry.]
Rebecca (Kashmer) Davis:
With my move to Florida and having to downsize, I only have a few pictures left in my possession. Obviously, they must have meant something to me—that’s why I kept them.
Contact #4 — January 11, 2021 — Reflections on Preservation
Rebecca (Kashmer) Davis:
Out of us four siblings, I definitely am the most interested in carrying on the family legacy… Sometimes I am way too over-sentimental and keep too much stuff. It’s been hard since moving to downsize. Seriously—do I need to keep that paper copy of my junior high yearbook?
I’m scanning photos from my grandparents and trying to label them as best as I can. My grandmother wasn’t good at labeling the backs of photos, and some are stuck in old sticky albums. I’m also creating flash drives for my siblings.
Contact #5 — March 16–17, 2021 — Narrative Contribution
Rebecca (Kashmer) Davis:
Here is the document I committed to completing for you. Hopefully this aligns with what you were asking for.
[Beth Gamache responded, praising the work as a priceless and emotionally vivid family history worthy of preservation.]
Why This Contact Mattered
Rebecca’s involvement exemplifies the emotional and practical labor of family history preservation. Beyond sharing artifacts and letters, she articulated the internal tension between holding on and letting go—while actively transforming inherited materials into organized, shareable history. Her narrative contribution expanded the project from genealogy into lived memory.