Summer 2025

Have a wonderful summer everyone. We will be back for our first 2025-26 meeting September 8th via Zoom 7pm.
Genealogists in the Park will be meeting at Guisachan Heritage Park, 1060 Cameron Avenue – July 16 and August 20th – bring a folding chair and a beverage; prepare to share your genealogy discoveries and frustrations!

June 2025 Family History Forum

Topic: Exploring Irish Records – Not Everything was burned! Presenter, Eunice Robinson of the BC Genealogical Society
One of the myths about researching in Ireland is that no records exist, and it is impossible to find your family.  This presentation is intended to dispel that myth.  And to share some resources so that you can have a successful search.
Eunice Robinson is a member of the British Columbia Genealogical Society, and the facilitator of the Irish Senior Interest Group.  She has been researching her family history for over 50 years.

Family History Forums (FHF) are a partnership presentation series of the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society and the Okanagan Regional Library. The topics vary but are typically at the beginner’s level in Family History research. All are welcome to these FREE Zoom presentations, but pre-registration is required through the ORL’s Events Calendar. When registering, be sure to enter your email address correctly and watch for the email from the ORL to confirm your registration. The Zoom link and handout will be emailed to you the day before the presentation. No FHF in July, August or December.

June 2025 – Social (members-only)

Our June Social is WEDNESDAY, June 4, 7pm at Reid’s Hall (Benvoulin Heritage Church, 2279 Benvoulin Rd). This is a members-only event.
Please try and carpool as parking is limited.
 
 

May 2025 Family History Forum

May 27: Wills & Probate Papers: an Underused Resource
Wills are one of my favourite records! We will learn some basic information about Wills, Administrations, Inventories and Probate, including terminology and interpreting common phraseology. We will also discover how to access wills with examples from Canada, the USA and the UK.

Family History Forums are a partnership presentation series of the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society and the Okanagan Regional Library. The topics vary but are typically at the beginner’s level in Family History research.

May 2025 General Meeting

Our May Kelowna & District Genealogical Society General Meeting – Three stories of Genealogical Discoveries by 3 KDGS Members
Hidden in Plain Sight, by Steve Hall:  A few months ago I decided to purge all my duplicates and redundant paper copies of family information.  On close examination, a rough family tree that I had written out at least 15 years ago had one word beside one ancestor that opened the door to discovering more of my wife Lynn’s Kelowna heritage.
Shea Cousins Project: Bringing Maurice Patrick Shea Back to Life, by Xenia Stanford. This is a real-world case study in how extended family collaboration can restore the past story and glory of a forgotten soldier, Maurice Patrick SHEA (1794-1892), for our future generations to remember and honour.
Astonishing Discovery on my Courtney Family, by Claire Smith-Burns: My 4th Great-grandfather, John Baptiste COURTNEY,  settled in an unsurveyed area of Ontario with no churches, schools or local government. A lucky dip uncovered an eye-witness report of a day in his life in 1821. Following a hunch, led me to the greatest discovery yet in my family history.

Bite-size: Using Post Office Records, by member Marlene Crane

Loading
  • Meetings

May 2025 General Meeting

Our May Kelowna & District Genealogical Society General Meeting – Three stories of Genealogical Discoveries by 3 KDGS Members Hidden in Plain Sight, by Steve Hall:  A few months ago I decided to purge all my duplicates...

  • Family History Forums

May 2025 Family History Forum

May 27: Wills & Probate Papers: an Underused Resource Wills are one of my favourite records! We will learn some basic information about Wills, Administrations, Inventories and Probate, including terminology and interpreting...