Our farmer and his wife

I really enjoy looking at this photo of Stjepan and Magdalena Bence, my great-great-grandparents, parents of Ilona (Bence) Ujlaki. It is one of only two photos that we have of them (not counting a photo we have of Magdalena's funeral). The other photo of the couple is the formal portrait posted here on this blog.

I like this image because they look here more like they probably did in everyday life - he the farmer (although he is wearing a jacket and hat) and she the hard-working farmer's wife. She looks like such a kind, gentle and friendly woman. I'm saddened when I think that they never were able to meet their daughter Ilona's children, who I know and love. She looks like such a wonderful grandmother and he looks like he would make a very nice grandfather. I'm very thankful that we have this wonderful photographic insight into the lives of Great-Great-Grandma and Grampa Bence (Baka and Djed in Croatian).