Genealogical Gems

Yesterday was an exhausting day. It was a bittersweet day. I saw so many family members who I do not always have the opportunity to see and yet I saw them because of the circumstances. One of my daughters and I attended the viewing of my cousin and the services and burial for my aunt. Katherine Wiker was my paternal grandfather’s sister. She was the last of that generation. Aunt Katie’s obituary reads: Katherine "Katie" Wiker Photo with obituary Katherine Ruczhak Wiker, 92, died Friday, October 21, 2016 in Windsor, New York.   She was the wife of Chester P. Wiker Sr., who preceded her in death having shared 47 years of marriage. Katherine was born in Coatesville, and lived in Hershey, PA and Windsor, NY. She was the daughter of the late Panko and Bessie Ruczhak.   She worked for 24 years at Pepperidge Farm and then worked for the Coatesville Association for the Blind. She was devoted to her family and friends and was a member of Olivet United Methodist Ch...

Last week I mentioned the Honor Roll at my church – the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Coatesville. Our Honor Roll plaque is in the back of the church and was originally created for those who served in World War II but has added the wars and our soldiers since then. Today, I’d like to introduce you to our World War II veterans. The three marked with an * are the three who were Killed In Action (KIA).  They are: Babel, Harry Bilinski, Michael Bodnar, Stephen Bodnar, Michael Bodnar, Paul Branson, Lewis Jr Buckle, Andrew * Buckle, John Buckle, Michael Daniels, George R Jr Donkewicz, George Donkewicz, John Euler, Frank Gbur, John Grycky, William A * Hachak, John Handoe, John Hanna, William H Hasiey, Joseph Hewczuk, Michael Hruszczak, Nicholas ß my Uncle Nick (Gigi’s brother) Hruszczak, Paul ß my Uncle Paul (Gigi’s brother) Jacoby, John Jacoby, Steve Jacoby, William Kasuba, B Myron Katherina, Michael Keshuta,...

I'm cleaning out - the house, my "office", my personal holdings, my piles and piles of papers! While cleaning out, I came across a listing of local newspaper holdings at the Lancaster Library. These holdings are on microfilm and the library is located on Duke Street in Lancaster City. The Library offers: Lancaster Journal Lancaster Intelligencer Lancaster Examiner & Herald Lancaster Democrat Saturday Express Daily Evening Express Lancaster Inquirer Lancaster Daily Examiner Uncle Samuel Lancaster New Era Morning News Terre Hill Times and the Lancaster Sunday News Some of these collection date back to 1796. (c) Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

Many communities – be it a town or a church family – have an Honor Roll of the brave men and women who served our nation over the years. Some wanted to serve and enlisted while others were drafted and have no choice. My church – Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Coatesville – is no different. Out Honor Roll plaque is in the back of the church. Both the American flag and the Ukrainian flag are attached.  The Honor Roll was originally created for those who served in World War II but has added the wars and our soldiers since then. Three of our men have gold star next to their names, implying they were killed in action. They are Andrew Buckle, William Grycky, and (my uncle) Paul Kurenda. Not every parishioner who served is actually listed. Most of the men are buried up in our cemetery. Some of their stories – like my Uncle Paul – I know but many I do not and fear their stories will be forgotten by the next generation or two if not retold. So, over the next several Mo...

Glenn and I were married on 22 August 1992. Here he is pictured with his parents - Dorothy Deyoe and Frank Eckman. Both passed away a few years ago - Dad in 1994 and his mom in 1996. The photo just felt fitting today. We were married by Father George Schneider at Our Lady of Consolation (I was Catholic at the time) in Parkesburg, Chester County. Wedding Wednesday is a genealogical prompt from GeneaBloggers. (c) Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

On this Memorial Day we remember those who served and died in that service to out great Nation. Today, as President Barak Obama and many before him announced in his Memorial Day Proclamation, “ we pay solemn tribute to those brave Americans who laid down their lives to defend our freedom. ” In our families – mine and my husband’s – we have many who have served. Between us, we cover all five branches too. Our son-in-law is currently serving. However today is Memorial Day. Today we honor those who made that ultimate sacrifice. Today I honor my great Uncle Paulie (Paul Kurenda) and my husband’s 6 th great uncle, Jacob Eckman. Paulie with my grandmother, Anna Paulie, as his sister (my grandmother) always called him, was the baby of the family. Born 16 July 1922, Paul grew up on a farm in Sadsburyville,   Chester   County . He was the youngest child of John Kurenda and Frances Skrabalak. Like many Coatesville area boys of that era, he went to work in the steel mill af...

DNA testing has become quite popular, especially through Ancestry.com. In this video, Ancestry's Brad Argent explains DNA Testing. (c) Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016