In Memoriam – Linda Jarczewski

Like so many of my research friends, Linda is someone I worked with over the Internet. She was so giving of her talent and her warmth. She always had ideas or a new way to look at facts. I could pick up a phone and call even though I had never met her in person.

Linda entered our lives through a clever genealogist’s move. She noticed that an ancestor’s grave was well tended and decided to leave a letter on the tombstone introducing herself. Through it she met her cousin Buddy, who was also my cousin, when he discovered the letter and contacted her. They because fast friends and shared stories. Buddy put Linda in touch with me, through my Mom. We combined stories.

Linda passed away this past Summer. I had always told her how much I appreciated her, but I wanted to share how this seasoned genealogist had helped me to be a better genealogist and a better researcher. While I have studied and learned from many genealogists, she was the one who influenced me the earliest and the most personally.

She taught me to look at a record and wring every last fact out of it, and then capture those facts in a database.

She guided me through reviewing my facts and writing a narrative. It was great when she reviewed my case for Eliza Boyle and Charles Boyle being sister and brother. Her approval meant a lot to me, and I heartily agreed when she said they that probably are siblings, but getting more facts would be better.

She spent her valuable time proofreading my first book, “A Week of Genealogy”. Her notes were solid and helpful. Her compliments on both books meant so very much.

As I have always said, a cousin of my cousin is my cousin, too. May you rest in peace, Lady J.