Several hardy souls brave the inclement weather on Saturday, 01 December 2018 to help the Union County Genealogical Society celebrate their Ruby Anniversary of 40 years as an organization with an Open House from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm in the Genealogy Room at the Matilda J Gibson Memorial Library in Creston.
A short program conducted by President Tessa Hall was held at 1:00 pm recognizing the charter members with red and white carnations and a certificate from the society. Roger Nurnberg gave a presentation on the use of the new website. David Hargrove, Director of Gibson Memorial Library, spoke on the capital campaign the library is holding to expand the current library, and Wally Miller, President of the Union County Historical Society spoke on the records of interest to genealogist that are housed at the Union County Historical Village at McKinley Park in Creston. Door prizes were awarded to 6 lucky winners. Genealogy 101 Beginners Kits were give to new members.
In 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 persons. Kathy Parmenter and Karlene Kingery were elected to co-chair a steering committee to organize the new organization to be known as the Union County Genealogical Society. Other members to the committee were Carol Cheers, Rev Thomas Coenen, Dennis Kingery, Alfred Lucas, Irma 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, Polly Hulse, June Kaster, Gladys Kiburg, Saundra Clem Leininger, Frances Miller, Irma Miller, Eldon Mills, Roger Nurnberg, Kathy Parmenter, 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.
