I love going to thrift stores and second hand shops. I love books and I am always amazed when I find a book with pictures in them, personal family pictures that someone likely put in the book for safekeeping. Newspaper clippings and obituary notices as well. Sometimes I even come across genealogy of a family.
Often when one is tasked with going through a recently deceased persons home, books and other things are just donated without taking the time to flip through and check for those little bits of family history. The one going through the belongings may not be interested in preserving the history, however someone in the family might be. There are also genealogical sections in most libraries that would certainly accept any family history found.
When I come across something of the sort, I add the item to public online sites such as wiki tree and other sites with my info the case a relative discovers it.
I would encourage everyone to be conscious of the importance of family history during those times and either gift it to the family historian, public library or genealogical organization that could preserve and provide the information to future family researchers.
The Family Babble... 