The Times from Munster, Indiana • 83

-H USE 2 Las Vegas making some big chahges Page J-3 Hit the road for fitness and fun Page J-4 XIET r5 1 "I know they are buried here because of the cemetery records" Gary Borman Griffith man searching for lost ancestors "c- j-vrs. jr Michna The Times in story Griffith man finds graves of his ancestors, ties to another era in Gary 's old Waldheim Cemetery Photos By Paul A. Many of Waldheim's gravestones toppled or defaced by vandals. lights in the light brown hair of Gary Borman. His piercing blue eyes, tall frame and broad shoulders reflect his German heritage as he walks in the cemetery.

Borman, of Griffith, discovered Waldheim after deciding to trace his family tree. He became intrigued with his own genealogy when his grandfather died about a year ago. "I haven't been able to find their graves," he says of discovering that his earliest known relatives were German immigrants buried in Waldheim. "Their names are Christopher and Dorethea," Borman says. "They were my great, great, great, grandparents.

They would be great, great grandparents of astronaut Frank Borman. He is a third cousin of my father. He doesn't know much about the family because he moved from this area when he was so young. I BY NANCY BANKS-HERNANDEZ Times Staff Writer Whirling winds of time fling cold rain against the eroding stones marking the sunken graves of early German immigrants at Waldheim Cemetery in Gary. A few scattered red tulips and yellow and blue irises wave in the soft breeze as the sun breaks through to bring yet another spring to the overgrown burial grounds.

It seems a little strange now to see flowers that were planted so long ago in the cemetery. It is a tie to the era when the German Lutherans settled about 150 years ago in the wild dune land of Lake County. Toppled and broken tombstones and the wrath of time are erasing the historical trail of the people who lived in the area be fore there was even a dream of the city of Gary. The old cemetery still holds keys to the stories of the immigrants who worked as section hands on the railroads and founded the St John Lutheran Church at Taft Street and 10th Avenue. The settlement became the town of Tolleston prior to the incorporation of Gary in 1906.

Tolleston was annexed by Gary about 10 years later. The city of Gary mushroomed after the U.S. Steel out of Pittsburgh, leveled dunes to build the world's largest steel mill on the shores of Lake Michigan. People buried in the cemetery and in the pauper graves outside the fence saw the industrial boom, two serious economic depressions and two world wars pitting their adopted land against their native country. The sun hits the reddish high Haaith Source Michelle Campbell I got to meet him (Frank) one time in Wisconsin.

Fve talked to him a few times on the phone." Census reports indicate Christopher and Dorethea probably came to this country around 1850. They were counted in a copy of a 1882 census found by Gary Borman. "I know they are buried here because of the cemetery records," Borman says. "I think they might be over in this corner. It seems this is the oldest section.

It could be one of these gravestones. Some are so worn away that you can't read them. "Some of the stones have been turned upside down. You can't see the fronts to read the names. They are so heavy it's very difficult to get them upright It probably took five or six people to push this one over," he says as he stands by a huge monument that See HISTORY, Page contact with your doctor.

And even though you warned me not to, I can't keep myself from offering advice against smoking. How about some chocolate instead? Would wearing pantyhose protect your legs from the sun, or would sunscreen still be necessary during the summer? -M. Mitchell, Hammond Not only are they hot, itchy and unbearable in the summer, pantyhose don't even offer protection from ultraviolet rays. And while dark-colored nylons offer slightly more protection, it's not enough to negate the need for sunscreen. Just as people can see through nylons, so can the sun.

Try a light, non-oily sunscreen beneath your hose Or, better yet, wear only sunscreen on your legs and leave those uncom There could be many causes for blood spots have been Have a health question? Let us know and we'll track down an answer. Mail your questions to Health Source co Michelle Campbell, The Times, 601 W. 45th munster, IN 46321. Or, e-mail me at this adress fortable, tight things in your underwear drawer! Here are some tips from the American Academy of Dermatology on how to prevent skin cancer: Minimize sun exposure, especially during the peak sun hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

when solar radiation is most intense. Wear appropriate clothing during prolonged periods in the sun, with a tighter textile wear, long sleeves, pants and a hat with a full brim. Apply sunscreen or sunblock liberally and frequently, and reapply every two hours. A product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 is recommended. Avoid tanning salons and sun lamps.

Examine your skin regularly for any changes in freckles or moles or new skin discolorations. an area of the skin that has been heavily exposed to sun throughout your life. As Dr. Allan Lorincz, a dermatology professor at the University of Chicago describes, "The skin almost becomes like parchment The connective tissue support to the small blood vessels in die skin becomes (fragile). "The least little bit of injury, bump or pinch will create a spot" Given your active life-style, John, it's not hard to imagine that you may often bump yourself without knowing it, thus creating the blood spots.

But if you do suffer from senile turpura, you shouldn't be too alarmed As Lorincz says, "It's quite harmless and in a few days the spots should disappear. There's nothing in the way of treatment that's available, or necessary." But I do suggest you keep in close My problem is blood spots on my hands all the way iqtoand including the elbows. They come and go. I have talked to five doctors and spent more than $2,000 result zero. They advise creams and vitamins, which do no good.

I'm 81, otherwise in good shape. Check-ups every three months But I lack energy-1 take care of my house (not picky-picky) and yard and car. Fix my own meals. Wash and iron my own clothes (I even use a sewing machine). I have to wear long sleeve shirts, and use make-up to cover the spots (some are thesizeofa half-dollar) on the backs of my hands Ok, so that's my problem.

What do you advise? IH give it a try. But don't tell me to get married again (a widower for eight years) or stop smoking (my only pleasure). -John Smith, Griffith John, I made calls to several area doctors, who all suggest the same thing It's possible you have a condition called senile turpura, which is simply bleeding into the skin. It is very common, and most people over 80 years old suffer some degree of the problem. Senile turpura usually occurs on ir.