The public is invited to join Union County Genealogical Society on Saturday, Dec. 1, in celebration of the organization’s 40th anniversary. The society will hold a holiday open house from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the genealogy room at the Matilda J. Gibson Memorial Library, 200 W. Howard St., in Creston. Activities will include recognition of the charter members of the organization, genealogy activities, beginning packets for visitors that want to start their family heritage journey and a drawing for door prizes.
On Sunday, July 16, 1978, an exploratory meeting was held at Matilda J. Gibson Memorial Library in Creston with the purpose of forming a genealogy society for the Creston area. The meeting, organized by Kathy Parmenter, Polly Hulse and Irma Miller, was attended by 22 people. Parmenter and Karlene Kingery were elected co-chairs of a steering committee to organize, develop by-laws and plan a meeting and activity calendar for the new organization to be known as Union County Genealogical Society. Serving on the steering committee were Carol Cheers, the Rev. Thomas Coenen, Dennis Kingery, Alfred Lucas, Miller and Pauline Parrott.
Charter members to the new organization in addition to the steering committee included Beth Barnes, Dorothy S. Brown, Lucille Carey, Shirley Carey, Maxine Cedarburg, N. Leona Hetzel Chapman, Dorothy Cook, Rose Culbertson, Elizabeth Custer, Celia Davis, Shari Davis, Dorothy Cook, Marilyn Everman, Orpha Feeback, George Fillian, Nellie Hainline, Amy Heidebrink, Mrs. Russell Henry, Marcella Howe, June Kaster, Gladys Kiburg, Saundra Clem Leininger, Frances Miller, Eldon Mills, Roger Nurnberg, Richard Provost, David Pugh, Ruth Richards, W. B. Richards, Melodee Roberts, Dorothy Roeder, Harry Schrader, Velma Schrader, Lois M. Shaffer, Florence Siegfried, Karen Tussey, Doris Glade Vogel, Joan Waske, Helen White and Roberta Wilson,