Genealogy: My Favorite Past Time Activity

Reflecting back on my Junior High days, history was my favorite subject. By the time I entered High School, I was lucky enough to come across a teacher who made the subject area come alive for me; so much so, that upon entering University I was working on a BA while majoring in History. Interestingly, my son began his University career in the exact same manner.

My paternal grandmother, Beatrice Muise, transitioned on May 20, 1954. I so wish that I had known her, but I was not born until August 13, 1962. I have no idea what she looked like; there is no individual in the family who seems to have any pictures.

My paternal grandfather, Jean-Avite Doucet, know affectionately to everyone he knew as Harvey, transitioned on October 23, 1965. I was just three years old, but have no recollection of him at all. While I have seen some pictures, they have been very few.

My maternal grandmother, Mary Catherine Breau, known affectionately to everyone she knew as Kay, tansitioned on March 7, 1977. Close to turning 15, this was a devastating loss for me. The oldest of the Nova Scotian born grandchildren, and a premie at that, I was rather attached to my grandmother. As much as I struggled with French, her native language, I did my best to write her letters en français. Looking back, I now see how miserably I failed in my efforts to translate, directly, from English to French.

My maternal grandfather, James Henry Feeley, known affectionately to everyone he knew as Harry, transitoned on October 9, 1987. I was as attached to my grandfather as I had been my grandmother, becoming his personal secretary when he could no longer write his own letters to family and friends.

It was several years letters, the summer of 1989 to be exact, that I found myself, engaged full-throttle, in the genealogical pursuits of both sides of the family. In research that went on to span a period of twenty-three years, I finally published my research findings.

There is a mystery that abounds within the Doucet(te) family as is evidenced at the DOUCET SURNAME FAMILY TREE DNA PROJECT; a mystery that appears to involve several lines, one being my own.