Several years ago, when Tim Laskey passed away, my thought was that was the end of the Laskey bloodline from Aunt Eva. When I said this, my sister Valerie told me Aunt Eva had a granddaughter who attended church with her and some of the Simpsons. Having not lived in Detroit for over 30 years, I was unaware of most of my first cousins’ children.
I asked Valerie for her number so I could reach out and give my condolences on the passing of her father. Toni Womack is the youngest of Tim Laskey’s three daughters. She told me about her father and how he had died from prostate cancer, the same as my father. She told me about many of her conversations with him and his guidance on how she should live her life. I could tell they were very close, and he was a good father to her.
She also told me about her grandfather, Aunt Eva’s husband, and things Aunt Eva had shared with her, including that James Thomas Laskey was also a gospel singer and sang with the Five Blind Boys.
She shared her sadness that she was the last person living in her immediate family. Her mother and two sisters had also passed.
James Laskey was a WOW! to me, so I began searching for him. I knew he would not be a DNA match, as his connection to me was through my cousin’s husband.
My first thought was from Uncle John’s pictures.
I asked Frank if this could be Aunt Eva’s husband. He said, “You know that is not her husband,” as if something was wrong with me for asking.
I continued to search using his name, approximate age, and where he lived. I came up with this picture and asked if this could be her husband. Annette said, “I don’t know.” He had all three names: James Thomas Laskey, born in Prattville, Alabama.
I found some more pictures in his profile and shared this one with Annette.
Bubble, that’s him! Annette was as excited as me. Actually, I was pretty excited!! My next step was to reach out to his family.
I messaged TomiKolori (ancestry name) and asked if she had pictures of his older children James, Charles, and Timothy. She asked if I knew any of his daughters. I responded no, and asked for help contacting them. I provided my email address.
A week later I got an email from Theresa Hollowell.
Theresa and I agreed to talk and became Facebook friends. She confirmed her father had sung with the 5 Blind Boys of Baltimore. (There have been multiple groups using the name 5 Blind Boys).
She also stated all of her siblings are accomplished participants in gospel music ministry.
She explained how proud her father was of Emanuel and Charles, and that each of them had visited him at some point. She explained that her older sister may have met them but wasn’t sure.
Finally, she asked if I knew Charles Laskey Jr. I was shocked by the question, as I never knew this person existed. She informed me of how Charles Jr. had knocked on her father’s door and announced, “I think I’m your grandson!”
They had welcomed him into the family and actually threw a large picnic gathering to introduce their long-lost nephew. Her father passed away the following year in 2023.
She provided me with Charles Jr’ number. I reached out and have had some good conversations. He was at Aunt Eva’s funeral, where he learned that one of his childhood friends was actually his first cousin. Emanuel Laskey’s son Dirk was there also.
Charles Jr was in town last year and joined Valerie and me at the Kendrick Cousins Reunion last year.
Toni and Charles Jr are in my text message group and have been invited to the reunion in 2026. I thought the Laskey bloodline had ended, but now I see it continues!