*Denotes Elected Executive Board

• Katherine M. Olsen*, President
• Paul Taylor*, First Vice President
• George R. Seeley*, Second Vice President
• Mary Palley*, Secretary
• Sally Seeley*, Treasurer
• Linda L. Crocker*, Chief Genealogist
• Terry Tietjens*, Director
• Wesley Waring*, Director
• Ruthetta Seelye Hansen*, Director
• James R. Seeley, Past President
• John R. Seely, Ancestor Files
• Ivey Harris, Membership
• Linda L. Crocker, Query Editor
• Paul Taylor, Publications Editor
• Chris Havnar, Webmaster
• Terry Tietjens, Research Center
• Pamela D. Turner, SRC Librarian
• Ruthetta Seelye Hansen, Historian
• Ken McCrea, Seeley DNA Project
• Bob Seeley, CD-ROM Project

The Seeley Genealogical Society convened for its biennial reunion at the Airport Quality Inn in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, through Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. There were 90 registrants, and at least 99 people were in attendance at various events. The Executive Board met at 9:30 a.m. and heard reports from various committees. Later, the reunion opening session was called to order at 1:00 p.m. We then heard from Dallin Oaks, an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Seeley descendant. He spoke on the “Power of Family History.” Our after-dinner speaker was David Dilts from the Family History Library. His topic was “The History of Family History.” On Thursday morning, we met at the Family History Library for an introductory session. Then members were encouraged to use the resources of the library to answer questions in their own quests. One of the highlights of this reunion was the opportunity that Terry Tietjens had to play a short recital on the organ in the Mormon Tabernacle on Temple Square. Other activities of the day included a tour of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Center and a walking tour around the Temple Square area.

In the evening, some members attended the Tabernacle Choir practice in the LDS Conference Center. Friday morning, we loaded onto a bus for a tour of the Salt Lake City area. Various family members acted as tour guides telling us about the geology of the Salt Lake Valley, the commercial history of the Great Salt Lake, the history of the Kennecott Mine, the pioneer settlement of the Salt Lake Valley, the ski industry, the Pony Express, the experiences of the Seeley family as Mormon pioneers, the 2002 Olympics, historic South Temple Street, the Utah State Capitol, and Temple Square. We addressed some of the “brick walls” in Seeley research on Friday evening after dinner. Saturday began with the business/membership meeting. New officers were elected, and we adopted criteria for SGS funding of DNA tests. An exciting discussion ensued as we contemplated possible sites for the 2011 reunion. The tri-counties area of New York and Pennsylvania (Bradford County, and Tioga County, Pa., and Chemung County, N.Y.) was selected by the members present. In the afternoon on Saturday, SGS joined the Justus Azel Seelye Family Organization for a family picnic in Sherwood Park. Afterward, the new Executive Board met back at the hotel. The new officers were installed at a reception held in the hotel. On Sunday morning buses took us to the Conference Center for the weekly broadcast of “Music and the Spoken Word” by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. At the conclusion of the performance, we returned to the hotel for a farewell buffet brunch. This gave us one last opportunity to spend time with each other before going our separate ways.

Kathie Olsen,
SGS President