About Me

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Lake Mathews (Perris), CA, United States
Born in Illinois, I grew up in Wilmette, a northern suburb of Chicago. I have one sibling, an older brother. I am married, for the 2nd time now, to Butch & got 4 children in the deal. They have gone on to make me grandmother 25 times over & great-grandmother to over 20!. After many years working in industry, I got my bachelors and masters degrees in speech communication, & was a professor in that field for 13 years. I retired in 2001 & returned to school & got my doctorate in folklore. Now I meld my two interests - folklore & genealogy - & add my teaching background, resulting in my current profession: speaker/author/entertainer of genealogically-related topics. I play many folk instruments, but my preference is guitar, which I have been playing since 1963. I write the "Aunty Jeff" column for the Informer, newsletter of the Jefferson County NY Gen. Soc. I work in partnership with Gena Philibert-Ortega & Sara Cochran as Genealogy Journeys® where we focus on educating folks about Social History. More about that: genaandjean.blogspot.com. More on our podcasts: genjourneys.podbean.com. More about my own projects: Circlemending.org.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Countdown to Family History Expo, St. George Utah

It seems as if I just posted a countdown to the Mesa Expo, and now it is time to start counting towards St. George. I love this Expo because it was my first experience with Family History Expos and its creator, Holly Hansen. I have come to truly love this woman, who seems to be able to do almost anything and who is aware of every aspect of these events. She is in touch with the presenters, the bloggers, the exhibitors, her own booth & its inventory, and her efficient staff. She is on top of every aspect of her "baby" and is admired by those who work with and for her.

Holly is one of those rare individuals who has a passion and then makes it her life's work to share it with those that will gain from her knowledge. She does this unceasingly: I swear, during an Expo she can't get more than a couple of hours of sleep, yet she is always smiling, alert, and ready to help in whatever way is necessary. I've watched her carry on two or three conversations at the same time without losing track of any of them. And, I do believe, in Mesa, I actually saw her in two places at the same time.

Holly is married, lives in Utah, and is the mother of five. If you attend the St. George Expo (and you won't be sorry if you do), when you see my friend Holly, tell her "thank you" because, without her, none of us would be there!

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