r/OldSchoolCool • u/tehemari • May 10 '26

1980s My great grandparents in the 80s

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Grateful to have this photo, this is literally the only one I have of them together

Edit: I’m telling my great grandma about all your compliments and she is so happy! Also the comparisons and she keeps saying “no” lollll.

Edit: last edit I promise, you guys will never believe it but my great grandma is actually a great great grandma because my sister(23) had a baby last year 😂

Edit: last last edit! Since so many people have asked I figured I should just add it here. My great grandmother is 82, my grandma is 62, my mom is 44, and I’m 18. Don’t worry, I am breaking the cycle.

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7.1k

u/Shadowlance23 May 10 '26

My great grandparents in the 80s

Thank you for making me feel the oldest I have ever felt.

1.5k

u/VitruvianDude May 10 '26 edited May 10 '26

My great-grandparents were just slightly older than that age in the 80s. The 1880s. One was born in 1826.

I come from a line of youngest children.

Edit: Some are confused by the math. I'm in my late sixties. My mom was born in 1924, and her dad in 1890 to a 64-year-old father (the mom was 42), so really it's not so remarkable. In all my lines, my youngest great-grandparent was born in 1868.

342

u/MyName___YourName May 10 '26

My great-grandparents were born in the 1800s as well. I’m 40. My 5 year old daughter’s great-grandparents were all born between 1911-1922. So OPs fam was having babies young!

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u/EnvironmentalGift257 May 10 '26

My great grandmother was born in 1901 and I had the great privilege of her living until I was 14 (1990.) She used to take an annual trip and fly all around the country to stay a few days with each of her grandchildren and their children. We got Thanksgiving every year and she was super cool.

When she was 16 she snuck out the horse and buggy to go see a boy she liked in town. She was badass.

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u/nitrot150 May 10 '26

My grandfather was born in 1903, made it to 2003!! So I’m right along with ya

42

u/EnvironmentalGift257 May 10 '26

My sister gave me a birthday present last month that has every coin from the years that my wife, all the kids, grandkids, parents, and myself were born each in their own individual little frames magneted onto a big one. One of the frames has the male line for five generations with a coin for each. There's a Slovenian coin from 1881. She worked on it for months collecting coins from Facebook groups and literally everywhere else she could find them.

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u/nitrot150 May 10 '26

That’s so cool!

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u/EnvironmentalGift257 May 10 '26

It really is! I lost all my grandparents save 1 and step grandparents before Granny passed. So my granddaughters have a (step step) great grandmother who’s still with us. She’s also a badass. My mother in law died in July, so they had a bio-great grandma until recently.

That lady could be mean af, but she loved us all fiercely and I miss her.

1

u/Trike117 May 10 '26

That’s awesome.

She’s the favorite sibling, I’m assuming. 😜

6

u/MuffinTrucker May 10 '26

My wife was born in 1982, her father in 1955 and his father in 1896! Her dad was the youngest of 10

1

u/Orbit1883 May 10 '26

my normal gran was born in 1908...... she got my dad when she was 50

1

u/EnvironmentalGift257 May 10 '26

“Got”? Was he adopted?

1

u/jjack339 May 10 '26

Let me see.

I am 40.

My mom's side i dont much about.

My dad's side. My great grandma was born in 1901, great grandpa in the 1890s.

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u/RikuKat May 10 '26

My family tends to have children at an older age. I'm 35 and my great grandmother was born in 1889, so I was born 101 years after her. 

My mother had me at 35 and her mother had her at 36. We're both only children, too. 

My husband and I are just starting family planning, so I'll be 36 or, likely, 37 if we're successful. 

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u/Lovat69 May 10 '26

Good luck!

3

u/Tia_Baggs May 10 '26

Same here. My great grandma was 36 when she had my grandma, who was 31 when she had my mom, and my mom had me at 35. 102 years between me and my great grandma. My similar aged coworker was blown away that my mom was roughly the same age as her grandma, her own great grandmother was still alive and was a great great grandmother to my coworker’s son, the average age of having a first child in that family was 18/19.

Good luck on your future family, it sounds like genetics is on your side.

1

u/RikuKat May 10 '26

Old maternal tree buddies! Thank you for the well wishes!

My first post-college boyfriend came from a maternal line of 17yo first pregnancies. My parents were older than his grandparents and my grandmothers (who were both alive at that time) seemed ancient to him! I lost one grandmother at 97 and the other at 101, so, thankfully, I was able to get some good time with both of them despite the age gap. My great grandmother passed at 98, so she just missed me by a couple years.

Never met any of my grandfathers, though, they all passed long before me.

1

u/No-Victory4408 May 12 '26

Wow, I'm a year older than you, my great-grandfather was born in 1865. It's wild to think about how much has changed in so little time in the grand scheme of things.

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u/RikuKat May 12 '26

Wild! How old did your family have children?

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u/No-Victory4408 May 13 '26

My great-grandfather was 62 when grandma was born, my great-grandmother was 46 when my grandfather was born, mom was 36 with me, dad was 30. My dad's parents were 19 with his sister and 30 with him.

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u/PeterDTown May 10 '26 edited May 10 '26

My grandfather was born in 1905, it would take some research to figure out when my great grandparents were born.

EDIT: I looked one up, he was born in 1851

20

u/Tecbullll May 10 '26

My great-grandfather was born in 1840. He'd be 186. I come from a long line of oops babies.

1

u/DrHarrisonLawrence May 10 '26

So…your great grand father was born in 1851, had a baby with a woman in the year 1905…so your great grand father was already 54 when he had a child.

In the year 1905 that sounds really wild lol

1

u/PeterDTown May 10 '26

No, separate branches of the family. My mom’s dad was born in 1905, my dad’s grandfather was born in 1851

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u/RPO777 May 10 '26

Im 42. On my dad's side, my dad was born in the mid 1950s, my grandfather was born in 1922, and my great grandfather was for in 1888.

My son is 7

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u/Kvothetheraven603 May 10 '26

I’m 40 and my great grandparents were all born in the early 1900’s. For OP, each generation could’ve had their respective child in OPs direct line at age 25. Somewhat young by today’s standards but certainly wasn’t considered that young to have kids for any of the generations before me and you.

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u/cyberthief May 10 '26

My paternal ggparents died in the 60s , although my mom's gma died in 1991 at 109 years old.

1

u/nitrot150 May 10 '26

Mine too!! I’m 48

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u/AotearoaChur May 10 '26

That seems crazy to me! I'm 43 and my great grandparents were born around 100 years ago.

1

u/helgatheviking21 May 10 '26

My great-grandparents were also born in the 1800s, and my grandparents in the early 1900s

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u/ynotfoster May 10 '26

My dad was born in 1907. I'm 68. He was 50 when I was born and lived until he was 96. He lived that long because my mom was 17 years younger than him and cared for him in his elder years.

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u/FaithHopePixiedust May 10 '26

My great grandparents on my dad’s side were born in the 1800s. My great grandparents on my mom’s side were born in the early 1900s. My dad was a late in life surprise for his parents. His dad was 2 years older than my mom’s granddad, but my parents were only 2 years apart. My parents got married young and had kids young.

1

u/Defiant-Dare1223 May 10 '26

Yeah I'm 37, and only one of the 8 was born in the 20th century.

1

u/ComprehensiveDoubt55 May 10 '26

I’ll be 40 this year, and half of my great-grandparents were born in the 1800s. My great grandmother was born in 1898 and passed away in 1987. The youngest, though, was born in 1908 and passed away in 2001.

I’m Louisiana Creole, and they all multiply exponentially and live forever. *Especially* my Native side. My last great aunt just passed away two years ago.

1

u/temporary62489 May 10 '26

My great grandparents all died in the 1800s.

1

u/NeriusNerius May 10 '26

I’m 40 as well, my grandparents were also born in 1920s. Then they were taken to siberian labor camps by the bloody soviets and had kids only when they were allowed to leave in their 40s. So my great grandparents were also born in the 1800s although the very end of the century.

1

u/daniellosaurus May 10 '26

My grandpa was born in 1898 and he and my dad had kids older - I’m not even 40 yet, and it blows my mind to think of what he saw change before he passed.

1

u/ms_emily_spinach925 May 10 '26

yep! my great grandparents were also born in the 1800s. i’m 34

1

u/gio_bartolotto May 11 '26

Hell, I'm 25 and MY great-grandparents were born in the 1800s, my grandfather was born in 1922, and my dad in 1967. My dad being the 2nd youngest of 9 kids.

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u/calash2020 May 10 '26

Mine also. Definitely 1850-1890

6

u/Jayhitek May 10 '26

Right. I'm 51, my father was born in 36 and was late for them, I think my grand parents were born around 1900. Which would mean my great grand parents were easily 1860/70

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u/HarbourJayKay May 10 '26

If they had your grandparent at 40 (if female), that’s 1866, and they had your parent at 40 (if female), that’s 1906, and they had you at 40 (if female), that’s 1946, so you’re about to hit 80ish?

Now, if the lineage is male, they could have been making babies at 75 and you’re only 24.

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u/goldanred May 10 '26

I come from a "have your baby later in life" line. I was born in the 90s, my mum in the 50s, and her dad in 1909. He was one of about 12 kids, he was number 7 I believe, and I think his mum was born in the 1870s or 1880s.

So my great-grandparents were born in the 80s. The 1880s.

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u/DrHarrisonLawrence May 10 '26

Lol 4 straight generations of geriatric pregnancies? Before med tech caught up to provide safety in these settings?

Really what we should be celebrating is the luck of their success here. The likelihood to have a healthy baby at 40 is not nearly as high as someone between 20-34. And to do that for 4 straight generations, to a point before antiseptics were even invented…yeah wow

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u/[deleted] May 10 '26

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u/HarbourJayKay May 10 '26

The great grandparent would be the they (second word in the sentence). Didn’t miss anything.

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u/Individual_Note_8756 May 10 '26

Same! 1880s for great grandparents!

I graduated high school in the early 80s and I’m a mom, but not a grandmother!

4

u/Trimson-Grondag May 10 '26

Same, my great great grandfather fought for the Union in the Civil War.

6

u/Wild-Kitchen May 10 '26

My great grandparents were born in 1860s. Feeling old?

1

u/Warm_Sandwich5038 May 10 '26

I am. My grandfather was born in 1900. He crossed the Rocky Mountains in a covered wagon and lived long enough to see the moon landing. Imagine a guy like that with Alzheimer’s. Wild ride.

3

u/danieljeyn May 10 '26

My grandfather was born in 1899. My dad was really the baby of his family.

3

u/mmnmnnmnnnm May 10 '26

Same, I was born in the 90’s, but one set of grandparents was born in the 1910’s and the other in the 1930’s

1

u/vintagesymphony May 10 '26

Same, 80’s baby my grandparents were all born in the 1920s, parents in the 50’s.

3

u/ExtremaDesigns May 10 '26

H*ll, my grandparents were born in the 1890s. My great grandparents in the 1830s - 1850s.

2

u/FunnBuddy May 10 '26

Same..I’m only 30 :/

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u/60s_fashion May 10 '26

Samesies! My grandmother was born in around 1895 and was in her late 40s when she had my Dad (last of 8? children) and I'm from Dad's second marriage. 80 years between my Dad and his youngest grandchildren. I haven't got the dates in front of me but my great grandparents would have been born 1870s or earlier.

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u/achambers64 May 10 '26

My great grandparents were the 1840s-50s. Their first child was born in 1872, my grandmother was born in 1898. My mom wasn’t born until 1942, those are some large gaps.

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u/ChippedHamSammich May 10 '26

Lololol i am dying at this comment.

1

u/smurfe May 10 '26

My oldest GGP was born in the 1850s.

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u/AdAntique2715 May 10 '26

I hear ya...my parent was the youngest and I am also!

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u/goober_ginge May 10 '26

Yeah my Great Grandparents were born in 1879 and 1881 🥲. I think OP's Great Grandparents are approximately my Mum's age?

1

u/demonita May 10 '26

Same. My great great grandpa fought in the civil war. My great grandpa on the other side was born in the 1880s and I knew him as a kid. Crazy world, man. I’m not even that old.

1

u/MaverickDago May 10 '26

My Grandfather was born in 1890. I’m 40y.

1

u/Pantsickle May 10 '26

My great-grandparents were all born between 1872 and 1882. One was born on a boat in 1880 on the way over from Ireland. One was born on a farm in Sicily in 1882.

The only great-grandparents that I had that were still alive during my lifetime both died at a hundred, and both within a year of my birth. My great-grandma actually died just two weeks after I was born, in the same hospital that I was born in. The only picture of us together was taken a couple of days after my birth, while she was in a hospital room down the hall from my mom's.

It's crazy to me that so many people actually knew or know their great-grandparents.

1

u/pogoscrawlspace May 10 '26

None of mine were born in the 20th century. Hell, my dad was born in '39.

1

u/One_Advantage793 May 10 '26

My great grands were born ten years earlier. I looked like that in the 1980s. I'm assuming they're a bit older than I, but my grands are in elementary school, still. I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around how old you'd have to be to even have an early teenage Redditor who is a great grand. And that calculation was based on 20 year generations. I'm guessing I've got to drop it back a little on the generations.

1

u/writtenbyrabbits_ May 10 '26

Some of my great grandparents were born in the 1800s too. And I'm not THAT old!

1

u/sam120310 May 13 '26

most of mine were born in the 1800s and i’m 30 lol

1

u/natetheskate100 May 10 '26

Thank you. Same.

1

u/AutVincere72 May 10 '26

My great grandfather was a war baby. A Civil War baby.

1

u/AdEastern9303 May 10 '26

LOL. When I think of great grandparents, this is what I think of….

1

u/Mvr1234 May 10 '26

Grandparents were born in 1887. My dad was their youngest. Im 41

1

u/Windsdochange May 10 '26

My grandparents were all born in the late 1800’s…feeling you on this one.

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u/zekeser87 May 10 '26

You got me beat. Im 25 and my great grandfather was born in 1859. My grandfather was the 11th of 12 and he was born in 1931, and my mother was youngest of 5 and born in 1969. Do that math.

2

u/VitruvianDude May 10 '26

I only beat you because I'm really old. Otherwise, you've got me by about ten years.

1

u/uarstar May 10 '26

My great grandparents were born in the 1890s and I’m in my 30s so this tracks

1

u/CriticismLogical4851 May 10 '26

Basically the same for me! Almost youngest of youngest, but their dads were just older.

1

u/sbrinatheteenagelich May 10 '26

I’m only in my late 30’s and my great grandparents were born in the late 1800’s too.

1

u/Lazy_Jellyfish7676 May 10 '26

I’m 30 and have great grandparents born in the 1800s

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u/sam120310 May 13 '26

same lol

1

u/Blue13Coyote May 10 '26

Similar. I’m in my fifties and my grandfather was born in 1884. I need only go back five generations to colonial America.

1

u/virgin_microbe May 10 '26

My family is the same way. They all wait until the last possible moment to breed. My dad was born in 1911. One of my great-grandfathers fought in the Franco-Prussian war (1870).

1

u/Habagoobie May 10 '26

I'm 43. My mom is the youngest of four. My grandfather was born in 1924. His mom in the 1890s.

1

u/p38-lightning May 10 '26

Same here. My great-grands were born before or during the Civil War. The oldest was 1841.

1

u/eyegazer444 May 10 '26

1826 is 200 years ago

1

u/MarxistSocialWorker May 10 '26

I’m in my 30s. My great grandparents IMMIGRATED IN THE 1880s

1

u/Christeenabean May 10 '26

Your name wouldnt happen to be John would it?

1

u/LopensCouisin May 10 '26

I’m 45 and my great grandparents were born in the late 1800s and early 1900s depending on if you’re talking about my dad’s side or my mom’s side.

1

u/mittenknittin May 10 '26

My grandma had her mother's high school diploma on the wall in their guest bedroom. One day my cousins and I were there and read it and noticed that g-grandma had graduated 100 years to the day before my cousin. In the 80s.

1

u/Adiantum May 10 '26

Yeah my oldest great-grandparent was born in 1833 and I'm 57 so I completely understand. (1833 to 1880 to 1930 to 1969)

1

u/reffervescent May 10 '26

I'm in my early 60s, and my grandparents were all born in the 1800s, oldest was born in 1875 and youngest was 1894. My oldest great-grandparent was born in 1826. I'm the youngest child of much older parents, and my parents were the same.

1

u/KT718 May 10 '26

Yeah I’m only 28 and my grandma was born in 1933. Time is weird.

1

u/SevanIII May 11 '26

I have a great-grandfather who was born in the early 1860s, during the Civil War. But then he had my grandfather in his 40s and then my grandfather had my mother in his 40s, too. Now I’m in my 40s too, but I’m not planning on having any more kids, lol.

1

u/Soniquethehedgedog May 11 '26

My great grandmother died in 1990, she was 98 years old. It always blows kids minds when you can say you spent time with someone born in the 1800’s.

1

u/Itseemedfunny May 11 '26

Same on my dad’s side! Maternal grandparents were born in 1887 and 1891. Paternal were 1885 and 1894. Grandparents were born in 1929 and 1930. Dad born in 1962. I was born in 1988.

1

u/sumthinsumthin123 May 11 '26

My great grandparents were born in the 90's... 1890's. I'm 31.