First I would like to say that Charlie Shaw had a wonderful interview today on our TV station WWNY TV 7. The interview was about his book on local Civil War Vets and the extensive research he undertook in compiling the information. He was featured as one of The North Countries Finest! Thats for sure! Great job Charlie! Second I would like to let everyone know that Julia Karcher passed away this week, her husband Urban had passed in January. Julia was instrumental in keeping up genealogy records for the Farney, Virkler and Zehr Family Genealogy books. I believe she started working on the second update published in 1969 and then for years kept extensive records of subsequent marriages and births which led her to publish the third edition in 1989. She mentions in this edition that "the number of descendants alone exceeds 14,954, their places of residence include nearly all of the states in the union and many foreign countries." After local marriages or births you could anticipate a call or letter from Julia seeking the correct information needed for her records- Julia and those calls and letters will be missed! Julia's husband Urban wrote the preface of her 1969 book part of it goes like this.. . "....Therefore, by becoming acquainted with each other, perhaps through the pages of this book, we can jointly remember the goals of our forefathers. Let us strive earnestly together, wherever we are and whatever we may be doing to eulogize those who beget us by the wide and honest use of our exclusive God given abilities." -U.K. Charlie and Julia you have done well! -Charmaine