http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/homepage/x379970570/Brookline-man-dies-while-kayaking-in-Utah
I didn't know him at all, and I'm surprised to see that he lived in my town. He and I shared a great-great-grandfather (Iudel Sokolovsky), and I've recently been in touch with Douglas's father Ernie, who was a cousin of my mom's and was in contact with her before she died. I'll be going to the funeral this Sunday.
Like with my father's aunt who died a short time ago, I really didn't know Douglas. But ever since Mom died, I've felt a need to keep track of family as much as I can, no matter how distant they are. And I do want to see these cousins again, even if it's at a funeral. I've been meaning to sit down with Ernie and interview him about family history; I'm starting to think that maybe with Nomi's new microphone, it's now time for me to make that project a reality.