Honoring the Mothers in Our Family Trees!

So here we are, it's May and the time of year we celebrate the women who shaped our families, preserved our traditions, and passed down stories from from generation to generation. While for me, Mother's Day has become a bittersweet day after losing my mother, Edith Ivy Williams (nee LaVezzi) in 2024, yet I feel her presence along with the values, memories and joy she shared with our entire family. Just like Grandma Vezzi's potato candy and lemon meringue pie, we never forget the treasured family recipes or those women that made sure we were fed and loved. Thanks for indulging me as I honor the mother's in mine and my husband's family and send love and respect to yours.

Edith Ivy LaVezzi Williams 1937-2024

Edie and her brood - Lisa, Julia, Chris, Dale & Cindy, keeping the family safe at home while our father served in the Navy in Vietnam c. 1970

Zelta Marie Hammons LaVezzi 1906-1996

In genealogy, mothers are often the quiet keepers of family history - saving photographs, recording milestones in family Bibles, preserving family traditions and

ensuring that names and memories are not forgotten.

Gwendolyn (Gwen) Mauldin Sumrall 1932 - 2004, with her husband, Navy Veteran James (Red) Sumrall and the Sumrall kids Jonathan, Jeffery, Sylvia, Mark & David c. 1962

Emmie Brown Sumrall 1911-1991

For family historians, researching maternal lines can be one of the most rewarding - and sometimes challenging- parts of building a family tree. Maiden names, marriage records, census documents, obituaries, recipes, and handwritten letters can all offer important clues about the women who came before us. Each discovery helps us better understand the strength, resilience, and daily lives of our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers.

This Mother's Day, consider taking a moment to preserve your own family's maternal history.

• Interview a mother or grandmother

• Label old photographs

• Digitize cherished keepsakes

• Explore local archives for records that tell your story

Even small efforts can create lasting connections for future generations!

At the LJCLS Genealogy Dept., we are proud to help families uncover the remarkable stories of the mothers in their family trees. Whether you are just beginning your research or expanding generations of discoveries, we invite you to celebrate the women who helped shape your heritage.

This Mother's Day, honor the mothers of the past and present by preserving their stories, because every mother's legacy deserves to be be remembered. If you have any special stories about your mothers, please share in the comments, we would love to hear them!