Category Archives: Outstanding Volunteers

2023 Outstanding Volunteers and Teams Named

by Roxanne Lowe

Congratulations to all the amazing individuals and teams who contributed to their local societies!  In the coming months, we’ll highlight the accomplishments of these awardees. Volunteers like these make our societies the best they can be.

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

  • Joleen Aitchison
  • Lori Gibson

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society

  • Lynn Krogh
  • Janice Moerschel

Eastside Genealogical Society

  • Glen McNay
  • Beth Snyder

Grays Harbor Genealogical Society

  • Jo Linker

Jefferson County Genealogical Society

  • Board of Directors (Barb Peterson, Kathie Wilkinson, Dora Whittaker, Lesa Barnes, Pam Stinson, Mary Stolaas, Ann McCreery)
  • Computer Advisory Committee (Cathy Beatty, Pam Stinson)

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society

  • Katherine Gibson Pettersen

Mason County Genealogical Society

  • Jan WellsMinzel

Olympia Genealogical Society

  • Bob Monn
  • Kerry McHugh Upton

Puget Sound Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists

  • Carol B. Jenner
  • Jill Morelli

Seattle Genealogical Society

  • Deb Klein
  • Lisa Oberg

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society

  • Hybrid Meeting Research Team (Bill Radock, Bob Hendricks, George Ridgeway, Stephen Hutchens, Linda Duffield, Alice Bowden, Rene Vance, Margie Wilson, Rachel Lunden)

South King County Genealogical Society

  • Winona Hahn Laird

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society

  • Diana Keehn
  • Sue McNeil

Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society

  • Mardi Scott

Whitman County Genealogical Society

  • Monica and Don Peters

Yakima Valley Genealogical Society

  • Russell Kruse
  • Linda Swank Lantis
  • Kathleen Weddle Sizer

WSGS Annual Meeting — Thursday, Aug. 31

by Roxanne Lowe

Don’t forget that you’re invited to the WSGS’s annual meeting! Thursday, August 31, 2023, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Here’s the Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85164040192?pwd=ejZhaG9yaGE4MzZ3bDNnaTA1ZmVZUT09

Meeting ID: 851 6404 0192
Passcode: 816294

Via phone: (253)205-0468,,85164040192#,,,,*816294# US

The agenda will include the announcement of the 2023 Outstanding Volunteer and Team recipients, as well as the recipient of the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. We’ll also talk a little about the WSGS, Pioneer Pursuit and how to get involved.

We hope you join us! If you want more information, email Info@wasgs.org. 

Imminent Deadline for Recognition Awards

by Roxanne Lowe

Nominations from local societies for the Outstanding Volunteer and Outstanding Team awards are almost due. The deadline to send your nominations to Info@wasgs.org is Saturday, July 1, 2023. The forms are available here. The virtual announcement will be made Thursday, August 31, 2023.

A few FAQs about the Recognition program:

  • Local societies can submit up to two individuals or one team/project for recognition.
  • The Outstanding Volunteer/Team Award program is not a competition – it is locally driven. All nominees from local societies will be honored with an Outstanding Volunteer/Team certificate, but we want these awards to be special, so please don’t nominate your whole society (even though they are outstanding!).
  • Posthumous awards are, of course, acceptable.
  • Nominees may have received an Outstanding Volunteer award previously. Click here for a cumulative list of awardees (alpha by name and by society).

For more information about the awards, check out the Recognition page of the website. For more information, email Info@wasgs.org.

YVGS Website Team Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Teams

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing the YVGS Zoom Team that was nominated by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society (YVGS). The team was comprised of Judy Jones Schuster and Richard Kyle.

Richard Kyle

Richard was a librarian, a program presenter and sets up seminars and workshops. He also registered YVGS as an affiliate library with the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  He served as a librarian at the LDS library in Yakima many years and, when they shut down, was instrumental in acquiring their microfilms and fiche for YVGS’s library.  He serves as YVGS’s vice president and webmaster.

Judy Jones Schuster

Judy currently serves as president (for the second time) and was vice president. She has also been the society’s program chair and presents programs for their meetings. She worked many hours at Indian John Hill rest stop serving coffee to raise funds. Judy was YVGS’s bulletin editor from 2006 to 2021 and teaches bi-annual genealogy classes and currently works on obituaries for scanning. 

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award.”

Jim Witham Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Volunteers

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Jim Witham of Colville, Washington, who was nominated by the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society.

Jim Witham

Jim has been a longtime member of NeWGS and is always ready to help where needed. Much of that need has been with the maintenance of Evergreen Cemetery in Stevens County. He has spent countless hours mowing and helping with general maintenance of the cemetery. He has also served as the society’s publicity chairman for many years, picks up the mail on a regular basis and is the society’s resident audio/visual go-to guy at their seminars.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Jennilyn Weight Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Volunteers

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Jennilyn Weight of Spokane, Washington, who was nominated by the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society.

Jennilyn Weight

Jennilyn has been a vibrant, enthusiastic member of EWGS. She volunteered as membership chairperson immediately. Through the years, and especially during our pandemic, Jennilyn focused on personally keeping members apprised about the changes the society was making to keep in touch with other members.  Most importantly, she kept them coming back! Her time spent calling and talking with members that had not renewed was an integral part of keeping EWGS’s membership active and the society vitally alive for the past two years. As membership chair, she encouraged several new members to become involved with other committees. 

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Pat Tostevin Honored Posthumously as Outstanding Volunteer in 2022

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Pat Tostevin who was nominated by the Mason County Genealogical Society.

Pat Tostevin

When Pat joined MCGS in 2009, she hit the ground running by taking on their library, bringing order out of chaos by inventorying and organizing all the books and uploading them to LibraryThing. She carefully tracked where all the books were stored, keeping the inventory in pristine order. Pat led the society into the 21st century by guiding them to acquire tiny “cat” scanners and barcode labels.

Pat unexpectedly passed away in the middle of the barcode project, but her team was able to continue due to her excellent training and instructions. Consequently, Pam Harrell, Barbara Moore, and Sue Sheldon successfully completed the project.

Pat was truly one-of-a-kind, and the Mason County Genealogical Society is so grateful for all she did for them. Also, they are extremely gratified that the WSGS Awards program has returned so they can honor Pat by presenting this posthumous certificate to her children.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Lee Thomasson Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Volunteers

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Lee Thomasson of Hoquiam, Washington, who was nominated by the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society.

Lee Thomasson

Lee joined GHGS 25 years ago and has been involved ever since. He is a past president, has served on research committees, and is currently cemetery chair.  Lee and two other members spent countless hours indexing graves in seven nearby cemeteries and he assisted another member in locating numerous unrecorded graves in Hoquiam’s Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery after a landslide covered them years ago.

For many years, Lee was the van driver for various genealogical expeditions, transporting up to 15 members per trip to Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia and he initiated the planning of a research trip to Salt Lake City for 10 members.

At the society’s monthly meetings, Lee readily shares his latest, often unusual, ancestral finds or living cousin story. Many are interested in his lineage to the Civil and Revolutionary Wars – he has held members’ interest often with his family stories and artifacts. 

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

SVGS Zoom Team Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Teams

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing the SVGS Zoom Team that was nominated by the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society (SVGS). The team was comprised of Karen Looney, Susanne Brown, Dana Carney, Flynn Kennedy and Pam Shoberg.

Susanne Brown, Pam Shoberg, Karen Looney, Flynn Kennedy, Dana Carney

The Zoom Team began in 2020 after COVID brought a halt to SVGS’s “in person” meetings at their library. Pam Shoberg set up the Zoom account and created and hosted their initial weekly Thursday morning special interest group meetings.

Shortly thereafter, the society began providing presentations and resumed their “new normal” Zoom monthly general and board meetings. To date, these monthly meetings are hybrid meetings provided on Zoom with an option to attend in person and are hosted by education chair Dana Carney.

In 2020, Karen Looney and Flynn Kennedy began co-hosting the Thursday meetings.  Later, Susanne Brown stepped in to co-host with Karen.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award.”

Janet Stroebel Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Volunteers

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Janet Stroebel of Indianapolis, Indiana, who was nominated by the Eastside Genealogical Society.

Janet Stroebel

Janet joined EGS in 2013 and has quietly but strongly supported the society from day one. Being an organized, detail-oriented person (which makes her a great researcher in the genealogical field), Janet has stepped up to help the organization grow and diversify.  She has served on the EGS board both as the secretary and the treasurer, thus making her part of the idea sharing, planning, and expanding reach of EGS.

Often behind the scenes, Janet sees needs and acts on them. When the leader of the Family Tree Maker SIG moved from the area, Janet accepted leadership of the group.  As the society’s help desk efforts often included questions on using Ancestry, Janet volunteered to host a Q&A Ancestry help session monthly at the public library.  As COVID restricted activities, Janet went online with her Ancestry help desk activities. 

Bringing EGS forward into the social media world, Janet established their Facebook group and acted as its administrator. Again, without fanfare, she moderated the Facebook page, posted announcements, and shared information.  In so many ways, from supporting the computer SIG, to being the NGS representative for EGS, to amending the bylaws to conform to recent changes in the state law governing non-profit organizations, Janet has helped EGS grow and embrace change. She has been an outstanding example to all.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.