May Meetings and Events and We Say Goodbye to Another Volunteer

The days are longer, more of us can now gather in groups without fear of getting terribly ill, and life feels a lot more normal these days, at last. Our April monthly meeting, held as our first "hybrid meeting," was a huge success. We learned so much about the "new" 1950 federal census from Missouri State Archivist John Dougan with about thirty people in our office and another large group watching via Zoom. We will continue offering you meetings in that format so no matter where you are or however you feel safe, you can take part in our society's events, meetings, and classes. Coming up are some great options for you. Read on for details!

(No Monthly Meeting in May)

Please join us for our 2022 Hybrid Family History Conference

Get in Your Car and Go—Midwest Archives and Libraries

Featuring Dr. David McDonald

Also: Christina Miller, Ilene Murray, Amy Waters, and Carol Whitton, CG

Saturday, 14 May 2022

Maryland Heights Community Center

Your registration covers all eight lectures, which will be livestreamed as well as digitally recorded so you can see it all! Attend in person or via Zoom. An optional box lunch, catered by McAlister's Deli, is available for pre-purchase for those attending in person.

The day's lectures include the following:

• "Archival Collections and Genealogy: Illinois"
• "Planning and Organizing a Research Trip"
• "The Draper Manuscripts and the Wisconsin State Archives and Library"
• "The State Historical Society of Missouri: Who, What, When, Where?"
• "Top Genealogy Libraries in the Midwest"
• "Missouri State Archives . . . Where History Begins"
• "The Presidential Library System"
• "Records in the Courthouse"

Save Money by Registering Early!

Cost for StLGS members who register prior to 1 May 2022 is $50; non-members, $60. (Of course, you can join StLGS on our website before registering and save!)

Cost for StLGS members who register on 2 May or after is $60; non-members, $70.

Registration for attending in person will end on Wednesday, 11 May. Those attending via Zoom can register up until the event begins on Saturday. If you prefer watching the digital recordings of the webinars after the event, you can register through July. All of the information you need to register is on our website. 

Once you have registered, you will receive an invitation to access the web page holding the electronic syllabus as well as links and passcodes to all the recordings. Those attending in person will receive a paper syllabus but will also have access to the website page.

Questions? Send an email to programs@stlgs.org.

May StLGS Virtual SIG Meeting

StLGS Jewish Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting: Sunday, 15 May 2022

"St. Louis Jewry: A Dynamic Two-Century History," by Bob Cohn, 1:00 p.m. (Central)

Bob Cohn, editor emeritus of the St. Louis Jewish Light, will focus on the decades between 1880 and 1940, offering insights to the deep cultural divide between the German Jewish population and the Russian Jewish population in St. Louis and how it impacted not only where Jews chose to live and worship but all aspects of their lives.

Special Interest Group meetings are free and open to all, but registration is required. More details and instructions for registering are on the Jewish SIG page on the StLGS website.

Upcoming Class

Classes for StLGS members are now hybrid. You may attend in-person or via Zoom.

Check out the website to register. Classes are currently only open to StLGS members, so why not join StLGS to get free access to our live and recorded classes!

Researching Your Catholic Ancestors: Saturday, 18 June 2022

Taught by Rena Schergen, archivist for the St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese; 1:00 p.m. (Central); preregistration required for everyone. (More information and instructions for registering at the link above.)

In Memoriam: Carolyn Kolar

Carolyn Gertrude (Coleman) Kolar, daughter of Samuel Clarence and Amanda (Schneider) Coleman was born and grew up in St. Louis. She attended McKinley High School and later received keyboard and shorthand certification following attendance at an area secretarial school.

Carolyn and her husband, Charles Kolar, had two daughters, one of whom married and added two grandsons, a granddaughter, and two great-grandsons to her family.

Carolyn was first employed by Shop Towel Service and later worked for General Services at the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod headquarters where she did data entry from 1989 until retirement in 2002. After she retired, she began volunteering for St. Louis Genealogical Society where she enjoyed working on data entry. She and one of her daughters were regular volunteers on Saturdays. Carolyn’s big smile was her trademark. Her distinctive voice and hearty laughter always let us know when she was at the office.

Carolyn loved and cared for her family and enjoyed doing crossword puzzles and watching television, especially soap operas. During the past few years, she suffered from mobility issues, but she continued volunteering at the genealogy office until the pandemic closed things down. Even then, she called in regularly to make sure everyone was doing well. 

Carolyn died at Mercy-South Hospital in St. Louis due to kidney and renal failure on Thursday, 7 April 2022. She was almost eighty-two. All of us who worked with Carolyn at StLGS extend our deepest sympathy to her family.