“The Genealogy Bug” will be the topic of George and Becky Smallwood’s presentation for the UTC 2015 ElderScholars meeting on Tuesday, April 14, at 1 p.m. in the Lookout Mountain Room of the UTC University Center. First-hand information will be provided on how to grow a family tree.
Although ElderScholars is aimed at individuals 55 years or older, participation in the ElderScholars presentations is open to the public free of charge. The ElderScholars also promote free UTC audit programs for those 60 and better.
Becky’s great grandmother worked on the family tree for many years, getting first-hand information from her great grandmother, who wrote her memories and then typed all the information in the 1950’s. When her grandmother developed eye problems and could no longer see old family photos, Becky decided to scan the photos and enlarge them so that her grandmother could see them.
Little did Becky know that kind act ten years ago would spark her continued interest to find out more about her relatives.
Her husband, George, looked into his own family. He is one-quarter Choctaw Indian, and thanks to recently released information by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he has learned a lot of information he had not previously known.
The couple took a “Family Tree” trip to Europe in 2014 to trace Becky’s Irish/Scottish/English/Welsh roots.
George is a retired Vice President of Burlington-Northern Railway (formerly Santa Fe R.R.) with an MBA, and Becky is a retired Pediatric R.N.
