Dorothy Heaner’s passion for genealogy has become something of a family joke.
“My children say they grew up in the back seats of cars and in courthouses,” she says with a laugh, describing the family’s vacations. Forty years later, she’s still busy adding to her knowledge, collecting a database on her computer and surfing the Internet in search of more information.
Her avocation resulted in several books on her family’s history and a position as the head of the genealogy department at the public library in Lubbock. Now retired and living at C.C. Young, a multipurpose retirement community on the shores of White Rock Lake, Heaner offers the community the benefit of her experience in a new workshop focused on preserving and documenting historical sources.
Many people have family Bibles, and they don’t understand that the historical information it contains should be photocopied and documented for future generations, she explains. People don’t realize that every family has a story to tell.
The workshop will focus initially on the preservation and research of factual information. Heaner plans to arrange field trips to the Dallas Public Library downtown and to a local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, both of which provide extensive genealogical collections and willing assistance.
Heaner encourages residents of the community to join enthusiasts from across Dallas in exploring their family’s roots. The Friday workshops begin at 3:30 p.m. in C.C. Young’s “D” Building, 4829 W. Lawther. Call 214-841-2934 for information.
