Author uses digital scrapbooking to preserve memories and family heritage – 

By Patricia Beech – 

“Often my children and grandchildren curiously ask me what it was like growing up on a farm in Adams County, Ohio. It seems unimaginable to them that I, an 85 year old grandmother living in Centerville, so accustomed to the comforts of living a suburban lifestyle, could have possibly grown up on a tobacco farm in rural southern Ohio, living off the land without plumbing, electricity, or phone lines. Yet, this was my humble beginning.”
Thus begins “A Little Girl Named Patty Ruth”, a unique scrapbook-like biography detailing the life and memories of former Adams County resident, Patricia Ruth Young Knechtly.
The lovingly curated collection of stories and photographs was designed by Knechtly’s daughter-in-law, Kim, a project manager for Northrop Grumman at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.
She says the 40-page book was meant to be a surprise gift for Patty Ruth’s children and grandchildren.
“Pat always tells these fascinating stories about living and growing up on a farm,” says Knechtly, “I wanted our kids to realize just how different things were for their grandmother growing up and how different their own world is from hers.”
For three months, Kim and Pat worked tirelessly to complete the book.
“We conspired together to create a Christmas gift for her children and her grandchildren,” says Kim. “We spent many hours at her house, and she would bring out pictures and I would ask her questions about life on the farm. It was wonderful hearing all of her stories.”
Using digital scrapbooking instead of scissors, Knechtly recreated her mother-in-law’s life story, at times including relevant social and cultural details from the early 20th century.
“Pat was born in 1931 during the Great Depression – it wasn’t that long ago when you think about it, but the changes she’s experienced during that time were remarkable,” says Kim. “I wanted her to be able to share that with her children and her grandchildren.”
Many people think that scrapbooking is a recent phenomenon, but it actually dates back to the 15th century when it provided a way for people to preserve “scraps” that were important to them.
Kim believes it’s a perfect format for preserving family heritage.
“You do it for love of family,” she says. “I think creating this book not only allowed Pat to share her life story, it also made her feel special and loved. She’s 87years-old now, and as time goes by she may not be able to tell these stories herself, so having this book will allow her family to know the stories and have those treasured memories of what life was like for her when she was young.”
To preview or order a copy of “A Little Girl Named Patty Ruth” go to https://www.forever.com/app/users/kim-knechtly/files