Here is a photo sent to my grandmother, Julia Scerbak Sabo, living in Passaic, New Jersey about 1921 or 1922. Her parents, Michael and Anna (Murcko) Scerbak are sitting in their home in Udol, Slovakia with their youngest son, Stefan, in between them. Stefan was born in 1917 and looks to be about five years old here. Julia left Udol in November 1910 and never met her baby brother.

Michael, Anna and Stefan Scerbak

This photo was likely a big deal. Perhaps a roving photographer came to the village to make some sales. Michael is dressed neatly, Anna is in the typical ethnic dress style for the time and young Stefan has his hair neatly combed and is holding a bouquet of flowers.

This photo is well worn. My grandmother must have handled it frequently. By this point in her life, she hadn’t seen her parents for twelve years.