It was the winter of 1982. The College of St. Thomas, several blocks from our house, offered an adult education course in genealogy. I had dabbled a bit before then and knew there was more to this hobby. It was one of the best things I ever did! Jim Kellen, a librarian at St. Thomas taught the course. He stressed good research, citing sources, reading more, and shared about a multitude of places to find information. He also gave us a brochure about the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) and strongly suggested we join. I joined that March.
That was 40 years ago, and I am still a member. Others have been members for more years. I am proud of my membership, what I have learned, what I have done as an MGS volunteer, and most of all, the friends I have gained.
For more about the late Jim Kellen, his incredible life journey, and more: https://www.pipestonestar.com/articles/james-kellen/
For more about the Minnesota Genealogical Society: https://mngs.org/
© 2022, Paula Stuart-Warren. All rights reserved.
And we who followed after you are fortunate to have you as an active member of MGS. Thank you for your many contributions, on our local stage and as a nationally known presenter. Happy anniversary.
We all make it happen together — with those who came before us and hopefully we are leaving some great paths for others.
Paula
I’d forgotten all about Jim Kellen’s class — what a great beginning for our genealogy addiction! Thanks for the reminder, Paula!
It’s been a long friendship!