During my childhood, Uncle Roddy’s hunting stories made the loop each year, mailed from Alaska to my grandmother, then circulated to his siblings so that they and their children could read them.

My dad never wrote about his Navy service during World War II, but in 1994 I did an interview with him and have a cherished transcript of that talk. It resulted in a couple of Bangor Daily News stories that made it pretty clear how much I adored my father.

My “newest” World War II veterans were in Bangor recently for a reunion of the shipmates of the LST 537: Darrell “Bud” Hilliker, Manuel Vilar, Bill Bathurst, Peter LaTurno, Lynn Clouser and William Grieg.

Hilliker and wife, Hope, who live in Corinna, organize the reunions, and I was very pleased when Galen Cole lent me his copies of Hilliker’s books, “Tales Out of School” and “Bits ‘N Pieces.”

The books added a lot to the evening of reminiscences I heard from the shipmates, which was good because Bud had basically let his shipmates have the limelight when I was asking questions.

In addition to his Navy service, the books contain a good bit about Hilliker’s growing up in Corinna, and his more than 50 years as a teacher, college professor and basketball coach – I’m sure many of our readers remember Medway High School and its basketball team.

As for Bud, what a character! It’s hard to believe that the fifth-grader who put a couple of green snakes in his teacher’s desk drawer at the Corinna School is the same guy who went on to play harmonica all his life, be wounded at Normandy and spend more than 50 years in education.

I loved the story of how he met his wife, Hope, when she wrote to the young sailor as a pen pal, and before you know it, they were married. And then there was the 1938 Dodge Bud bought for $100 – I’m sure a lot of people have one of those stories in their family.

The Navy stories Bud tells are great, many of them with a lot of humor. “Did you ever try to salute the quarterdeck with a radio man over your shoulder,” he writes.

There are some nice photos, too, in “Bits ‘N Pieces,” such one of Bud and Hope with children Michael, Karen, Rebecca and Skip; and one of Bud in his Navy uniform with siblings Evelyn, Gene and Miriam.

In addition to enjoying “Bits ‘N Pieces,” which is still in print, there may be a budding writer or two who might use the volume as inspiration for writing their own book.

You may order Hilliker’s book for $15, postage included, by sending a check to Darrell Hilliker, P.O. Box 193, Corinna 04928.

You might start writing your own stories by having a young member of the family ask you questions: Where did you grow up? What school did you go to? What funny story does your family always tell?

In my family, there’s the horse story Uncle Roddy always tells about the thunderstorm when he was little, prompting him to comment to the family, “Lucy let a tear out of her and headed for the woods!”

Then there’s the story about my dad, almost 2, throwing a chunk of wood on the bed after his brother [my Uncle] Carroll was born. I think my grandmother had her hands full with the Moore boys.

If you’re not sure you have a “book” in you, maybe you could start by compiling those Christmas letters – the ones you send and the ones you receive.

“Dear Friends, Gaelen gets the pat on the back for 2007. He completed the 6.2-mile Beach to Beacon road race this summer in Cape Elizabeth in his manual wheelchair. He says there were hills. In September I went to Minnesota to see Tony and Heather. Their new chocolate lab, Aslan, ate a pillow when I was supposed to be watching her …”

Whether you write a book, or just a page or two of memories, I promise you, 50 years from now, somebody will be very happy you did.

3406. RUSSELL-JAMES-DOW. Jewell J. Russell was born 1823 in Vermont, not 1818 in New Hampshire. He married Hannah James, then married Harriet E.W. Dow in August 1856. Jewell died Jan. 27, 1894, in Bangor. Seeking marriage date, about 1848, for Jewell Russell and Hannah James, and death date for Hannah James Russell between 1854 and 1856. Carolyn Gilbert, 8 Jay Berry Lane, Norwood, MA 02062-1944; Cartolartg@aol.com

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; or familyti@bangordailynews.net.