Eric Chapman noted that he has always been interested in geneology. He has researched his family back into the 1700s. He couldn’t imagine not knowing one’s family history until he met wife Edie 30 years ago. Her birth certificate didn’t give her much and her relatives wouldn’t tell her anything. She had to figure out her family history and is here to tell the story of her journey.
Edie started by telling us about 2 geneology web sites she has used in her search. Ancestry.com is a private for-profit company out of Utah where one can trace one’s ancestry back centuries. Over 10 million people are on the Ancestry data base.
23andMe is another private company base in California that provides genetic and health services. It is named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in most peoples’ DNA. Edie subscribed to both in hopes of finding biological relatives and to learn of any medical history.
Edie was born in Rochester NY and was told her father was dead. Her “mother” Connie
never told her she was not her biological mother. As a young girl Edie always felt something was off. She looked nothing like Connie and there were no pictures of her “father”. Edie left home at 18 after an abusive upbringing. When she was 28 her cousin Theresa found some old pictures and was told by her mother that Edie was not Connie’s daughter. The Aunt informed Edie that she had received a letter from Connie after Edie was born telling of the circumstances of Edie’s birth. The letter had been destroyed after Edie left home.
Ten years ago Edie was contacted by a woman named Judy who thought they were related. They were not. Judy did find her family 5 years later.
On June 2nd 2018 Edie received a message from a woman Janette who thought they might be half siblings, Edie directed her to another individual who ended up being a cousin and she was able to find 6 half siblings. Her mother was deceased and ended up being Edie’s aunt! A week later Edie contacted Judy again, ten years later, and Judy acted as a Search-Angel and navigated the web sites for Edie.
Two long days later Judy sent Edie a long e-mail telling her she thought she found a niece. This woman called “Behindhazeleyes” was my biological sister’s daughter. On June 14th I sent a message to “Behindhazeleyes” via Ancestry,com. Edie gave her the details of her birth. She noted that she was looking for medical history but was open to a relationship if the family was.
The next morning Edie received a message that “Behindhazeleyes”s mother had information and that Edie could contact her after 5pm. So after waiting all day she dialed the number and found out that “Behindhazeleyes” mother Wendy was her full sibling! Wendy had walked next door to her parents’ house thinking that they had found their Aunt Donna’s
Daughter. After telling her parents the information Wendy went back home. About 30 minutes later her mother walked into Wendy’s house and explained that Edie was not Donna’s daughter, but hers. The siblings never knew of Edie’s existence. Edie’s parents married shortly after Edie’s birth, (Remember, in 1956 unwed mothers were frowned upon). After finding out Edie was he sister Wendy immediately stated to her mother that”she is family and is going to be a part of us.” Edie has two other sisters and one brother.
June 15th 2018 was the first time Edie could actually acknowledge Father’s Day for herself. She sent her new found parents an e-mail expressing that and that it was time for everyone’s hearts to heal.
Over the last 7 months her family has been telling more family and friends about Edie and on Dec. 23, 2018 her entire family of parents, siblings, (minus brother Bill’s family in Texas) children and grandchildren got together. Edie notes that she feels very blessed with the outcome of her search as she knows they do not all turn out as happy as hers.
Edie Chapman telling about her family journey
Edie's newly found family
Guests: Speaker Edie Chapman, visiting Rotarian Bruce Chapman, Bob and Dianne’s son Riory and Nacho-who loved all the recent snow and visiting the Primary School with Bob and Dianne
Thoughts and Prayers: former Rotarian John Denniston lost his sister Peg
Leslie’s mom is recovering from hip replacement and her friend Cindy was in a car
Accident breaking several bones
Birthdays: John Hancock in 1737
Anniversaries: Jenn Habecker 23 years
Fines and Happy bucks:
Eric sent in his check for $100 to Camp ONSEYAWA after losing a bet with Bob Sloan
Bob Sloan was happy Rory and Nacho were here
Gary was very happy to see it stop snowing
Jenn was happy to be over the flu, celebrating her anniversary and son Jake’s first
day at the Federal Law Training Center
Sparky was happy for a nice snowmobile trip to Tug Hill with son Dan
Bruce Chapman was thankful for our hospitality and looking forward to SIL Edie’s
program
Kim Clement was happy to be reading again in Rotary Reads
Maurina was happy to see former Rotarian Arnie Pechler plowing her driveway
but was sad for a leak in her downstairs bathroom that flooded the floor
Announcements:
PE Maurina covered for Leslie today and asked for auction item donations.
Jenn, Colin, Vicky and Kim Brooks volunteered
A reminder of the Foundation Gala schedule change to Wed. Feb. 27 at 5:30 at
Parkwood in place of club assembly
There will be a meeting for all committee chairs on Thurs. Jan.31 at 6:00pm at the
Macedon Library
Dictionaries and thesauruses have been ordered
Thanks to the members who are volunteering at the Night to Shine Feb.8
Kim Brooks has volunteered for the spelling bee. We need 2 more volunteer
We will be handing out balloons at the Wayne County Nursing Home on Feb.14
Show up by 9:00am
50-50 Pat VerPlank again! She generously donated it to Polio Plus
Guests: Speaker Edie Chapman, visiting Rotarian Bruce Chapman, Bob and Dianne’s son Riory and Nacho-who loved all the recent snow and visiting the Primary School with Bob and Dianne
Thoughts and Prayers: former Rotarian John Denniston lost his sister Peg
Leslie’s mom is recovering from hip replacement and her friend Cindy was in a car
Accident breaking several bones
Birthdays: John Hancock in 1737
Anniversaries: Jenn Habecker 23 years
Fines and Happy bucks:
Eric sent in his check for $100 to Camp ONSEYAWA after losing a bet with Bob Sloan
Bob Sloan was happy Rory and Nacho were here
Gary was very happy to see it stop snowing
Jenn was happy to be over the flu, celebrating her anniversary and son Jake’s first
day at the Federal Law Training Center
Sparky was happy for a nice snowmobile trip to Tug Hill with son Dan
Bruce Chapman was thankful for our hospitality and looking forward to SIL Edie’s
program
Kim Clement was happy to be reading again in Rotary Reads
Maurina was happy to see former Rotarian Arnie Pechler plowing her driveway
but was sad for a leak in her downstairs bathroom that flooded the floor
Announcements:
* PE Maurina covered for Leslie today and asked for auction item donations.*
Jenn, Colin, Vicky and Kim Brooks volunteered
* A reminder of the Foundation Gala schedule change to Wed. Feb. 27 at 5:30 at
Parkwood in place of club assembly
* There will be a meeting for all committee chairs on Thurs. Jan.31 at 6:00pm at the
Macedon Library
* Dictionaries and thesauruses have been ordered
*Thanks to the members who are volunteering at the Night to Shine Feb.8
* Kim Brooks has volunteered for the spelling bee. We need 2 more volunteer
* We will be handing out balloons at the Wayne County Nursing Home on Feb.14
Show up by 9:00am
50-50 Pat VerPlank again! She generously donated it to Polio Plus
