> > > HELLO EVERYONE !! OUR BLANKENBECKLER FAMILY REUNION IS LOOMING CLOSER. > > MAY 26TH & 27TH........MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.......THIS YEAR > > 2001 > > PLEASE MARK THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR > > > > I know we all want to get this reunion off on the right foot so I have a > > suggestion to make. > > > > I would like for each of us to write up a "FAMILY INFO. PAGE" . The page > or > > pages should include a little history about > > your family, where you're from, etc. plus something about your ancestral > > line that you're most interested in. > > I will then take each sheet & have multiple copies made. Then I will take > > one of each sheet, paper clip them together to make a stack & these pages > > will be handed out to each family at the reunion. At that time you should > > have an introduction to each family there. > > One family has already sent me an info page. This is what gave me the > idea. > > Joe & Susan Shryock have granted me permission to present their info page > > below as an example............ I want to add this great news........... > > We are going to have some very prominent authors & genealogists as guests > at > > our reunion. > > John & Eleanor Blankenbaker are both well known authors & world travelers > recently returning from an extended > trip to Germany. John is known for his connection with the Germanna > Colonies Discussion list & the extensive > Germanna Short Notes. He also publishes a newsletter, Beyond Germanna.. > > Hallie Garner is a member of the DAR on the service of Zachariah > Blankenbeckler & a member of Daughters of American Colonists on Hans > Nicholas Blankenbaker. Hallie is also a well known author of several books & > is in the process of writing a couple of books on the Blankenbecklers. > > George Shyrock Sr. has been writing family history stories for a number of > years. He is in the process of gathering information now in order to write > his story about George Washington Blankenbeckler & his descendants. > > > Look for our "Program" which will be posted soon. > > If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I am always > happy > > to help you in any way. I want this experience to be a very enjoyable one > > for all of us. > > > Helen Cast > > hcast@dmv.com > > 310 Park Row > > Snow Hill , Md. 21863 > > > > > > Helen, > > In advance of the Blankenbeckler Reunion on Memorial Day Weekend 2001, I > > thought it would be a good idea to introduce my branch of the family to > you > > all on E-mail. If and when we get to visit you will already know > something > > about us and what to ask me about. > > I was born February 26, 1941 to Raymond Millard and Nannie Marie > > (Rothwell) Shryock in Willow Springs, MO. My maternal grandmother was > > Louise Leona "Lula" (Blankenbeckler) Rothwell, the daughter of George W. > and > > Nancy Jane Blankenbeckler. By the time I was born the Rothwells had > settled > > in Willow Springs for good, providing me plenty of opportunities to know > my > > grandmother and grandfather and my Rothwell uncles and aunts and cousins. > > I also enjoyed frequent visits with mom to her Aunt Maude > Hedrick's > > place, also in Willow Springs. Only later would I learn she was > > grandmother's half-sister. I remember her having three beautiful > daughters, > > a handsome son who was also a pilot, and an entertaining pet monkey. > > I can remember, as a child, seeing the Lawson twins walking home > > from school past my grandparent's place and being told that they were > > related to me. > > Grandmother was a member of the Methodist Church in Willow > Springs, > > but she earned a reputation as a positive Christian influence in rural > areas > > outside of Willow Springs years before joining the town-church Methodists. > > When I went into the ministry in the early 1960s I had occasion to preach > a > > revival in Pomona, MO, old timers from the Burnham, Hutton Valley and > Pomona > > areas near Willow Springs shared with me their fond memories of > grandmother > > praying for the sick and ministering to her neighbors. She was described > as > > having "the call." I remember her teaching me the Lord's Prayer when she > > was putting me to bed on the nights I would stay with her. > > Susan and I were married in 1961 in Willow Springs, and we ministered > > in the Christian Church/Churches of Christ for 30 years, in Missouri, > > Illinois, Indiana and Georgia. We raised five sons in the > > parsonage--Andrew, Aaron, Matthew, Nathan and Benjamin. In 1989 I became > a > > clinical chaplain for the Georgia Department of Corrections, and I am > > currently a mental health counselor, sr. for the GDOC. We have lived in > > Statesboro, GA, since 1978. > > > > Helen, ( Susan here) I advised Joe to send this to you first and if you > > think this will stimulate communication, please feel free to pass his note > > on to as many on your list as you's like. It would be great knowing a > > little about the "family" before we get together since time will be short. > > > > > > > > > > > > >