What Our Members Are Up To During COVID

Many of us are continuing to work on our family history AND enjoy other hobbies, now that we have all that extra time. EWGS member Debbie Golding, who lives in Rathdrum, Idaho, says she's taken a larger interest in her gardening AND her hobby of photography. This photo, she explained, is of a Carrot Top Flower.... she planted the cut-off top of a carrot and it grew and made this beautiful flower. Even the Yellow Jacket agrees! 

Spotlight on EWGS member Carol Anderson.

EWGS would be in big trouble without all the energy, help and involvement of Carol Anderson. She helps with the Program Committee, the Outreach Committee and seems to be everywhere, knowing everything and helping everybody. 

Carol and hubby Dennis live in a darling little bungalow on the Spokane South Hill where she has hosted many committee meetings. Her Lemon Scones are to die for. 

Carol was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her parents, Dorman Westcott hailed from Norfolk, VA, and her mum, Nancy Best, from Newark, NJ. One thing you may not know about her is that she is a Spokane Master Gardner! 

Her maternal lines extend from New Jersey and Pennsylvania back to Poland. Her father's lines from Virginia and New York to England. She says she's been very lucky to have visited Virginia, England and Poland and "I'm planning to do more!" (I know she and Dennis are planning a trip to Iceland; do you have Icelandic ancestors, Carol?)

Ancestry is her most-used genealogy website; her favorite color is purple and favorite dessert? Ice cream! In her words: "I am a nut for DNA research! I am learning how to "paint" my DNA and finding so many cousins!" 

Carol says that the words that best describe her are family-centered. Love it!

Spotlight on EWGS Member: Sharlee Mikelson

EWGS is "blessed" to have Sharlee Ann Wilson/Mikelson as our Hospitality Chair. She is a "force of nature" as she and her committee keep our meetings happy with coffee and cookies.

Sharlee explained the origin of her name:  "When I was born here in Spokane at Sacred Heart Hospital, Grandfather Charles D. Wilson wanted me to be named after his favorite aunt whose name was Elenore Anastasia Gilbert/Wilson. My mom thought that was a big name to live up to and so did I as a child. Now it would have been nice because of my interest in genealogy. Elenore served during WWII where she was part of the Signal Corp and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. My mom got creative and named me Sharlee after four generations of Charles and my middle name after my grandmother Anna Wilson.

Her main ancestral lines extend into England and then to the Northwest by way of Australia! "The Gilberts, who changed their name to Wilson, were from England and went to Australia and then my great-great grandfather came to the Northwest." Sharlee says her most interesting find has been "learning more about my mom's biological parents; it's been fun for both of us."

Sharlee uses Ancestry the most, she explains. Her hobbies, when not doing genealogy, are going camping with our family and best friends of 48 years.Her favorite color is Navy blue; her favorite dessert is Pumpkin Pie. The one word she chose to describe herself: blessed.

EWGS is so lucky to have such a wonderful and dedicated member as Sharlee Ann Wilson Mikelson.

Spotlight On EWGS Member: Lola McCreary

Today's spotlight is on long-time EWGS member, Lola King McCreary, nickname "Diddy."

Lola was born during the Great Depression in Cascade, Valley County, Idaho, to John Walter King (born in Kansas) and Zola Anita Ames (born in Dubois, Clark County, Idaho). She was named Lola because "both parents had siblings named Lola." 

Geographically her main lines go back to Minnesota, Kansas and Ireland. She has visited Ireland and "the old Idaho homestead." 

Besides EWGS, her hobbies include sewing and stamp collecting (none of us would have guess that, right?). For genealogy, she "mostly uses Ancestry." 

Lola's favorite colors are white, pink and beige. Her favorite dessert is "pie, any kind of pie." And for many of us having been in her home, she is a consummate hostess. 

To answer the question, what one word describes you, she wrote "ordinary."  Lola King McCreary is light years away from being "ordinary." She has served EWGS for decades, especially in the capacity of nominating committee, a totally unenviable job. EWGS has benefited tremendously from Lola's membership and would not be the organization it is without her. 

Georgia & Mary: Faithful EWGS Members

Georgia and Mary are two of the most faithful EWGS members! They rarely miss a meeting and are always smiling. Both have served EWGS in several capacities. Say hello at the next meeting and shake hands........... and maybe some of that "volunteering gene" may rub off onto YOU!

Lorraine Cook White & The Barbour Collection

Did anybody notice the obituary for Lorraine Cook White in The Spokesman Review on 26 May 2012?
If you have early Connecticut ancestry and have used the Barbour collection, then you might want to be thankful to this quiet little genealogist.

Lorraine lived in St.John and was a farm wife but in her "spare" time spent hours and hours ordering the microfilmed records of the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records into the West Plains Family History Center and transcribing each and every name. Her work was published by Genealogical Publishing Company in a series of books identified by the town name.

As a token of gratitude, Lorraine donated one of her author's copies of each and every volume of her published work to the West Plains Family History Center. There they sit, a shelf full of blue-bound books, that nobody much ever uses because likely folks don't know what they are. I do not know if this collection is included in Ancestry but I do know that if you have an ancestor in Connecticut prior to 1850 and don't know the town where he was born, married or died, then you ought to plan a visit to the West Plains Family History Center and spend some time with Lorraine Cook White's published collection of The Barbour Records.

(Go west on I-90; take Exit 272, the Medical Lake exit; go south OVER the freeway; go past the truck stop turning RIGHT at the stop sign; then turn LEFT onto Hayford; then turn LEFT onto Melville..... and you'll see the church right up ahead. Go in the west side. The Center is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Call 509.455.9735 for hours or to make an appointment. You might not want to show up when a flock of Cub Scouts was there!)

EWGS Members at KSPS

This is a picture of several EWGS members taking pledges at our local PBS Station KSPS.
I did not get the names of three people, but those I did get names are Front Row: Jacque Lane, Charles Hansen, Janine Rowan, Jeanne Coe
Back Row: Dani Lee McGowan, Shirley Penna Oakes, Melody Hall, Dick Oakes, Keith Anderson, John Stuart,Sarah Wasicek, Donna Phillips and Cecily Kelly almost completely hidden in the back right. Sarah is not an EWGS member but sister to Mike Chandler who is an EWGS member.
We made the night a pot luck and got a lot of grazing done between answering phones. Collected about $16,500 for KSPS