Shirk not the impossible task.
Art McKellips, master woodcarver,  donates carvings to Odom Library
Art McKellips is descended from Clans McDonell of Keppock and MacLaren on his father’s side and Irish/Cherokee/Osage Indian in his mother’s bloodline.
Injured as a Washington State Trooper forty years ago, Art turned to his hobby of whittling to make a living and has been a woodcarver ever since.  With stints as a court room trial artist for all three major networks and a brief career as a political cartoonist, Art always returns to his first love, carving.  He has carved practically every subject customers can dream up from sports figures like Hank Aaron and Brooks Robinson to Marine Corps figures, religious items, trophies, and elaborate Crests of Arms. 
His preference is action-type human subjects, like his Highlanders and Indians, which give him the opportunity to render as “life like” as he possibly can carve them.  He has carvings placed with many notable figures, including the King of Norway and Jackie O, when she was the First Lady.  He also carves animals, although he enjoys the challenge of humans far more.  His reasoning is that you seldom see a bird smile or a turtle grin.  Art’s home is a woodcarver’s museum, as well as a fascination library of a multitude of subjects needed as reference to make sure ALL his work is accurate and as realistic as can be done. 
Since his health is failing, Art contacted Beth Gay, his old friend, and asked if the Odom Library would be interested in a donation of many of his Scottish works when he succumbs to the health problems plaguing him.  His main desire in life is to use the talent God has placed in his mind and hands and to give people the opportunity to see and perhaps learn from what he has done over the years.  Then he would feel he has glorified his God with his works.

Aida Aquino McKeen passed away on Friday, April 23, 2004 at the age of 69.  She was born on November 29, 1934 in San Narciso, Quezon Province, Philippines.  She completed a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics in 1957 and a second Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1965 at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. She was employed as an elementary school teacher in the Philippines prior to her immigration to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968.  In Honolulu, she continued her career as an elementary school teacher, but also held positions in the travel/tourist industry as well.    Aida became a naturalized US citizen on October 24, 1973 and married Harold R. McKeen III (Sandy) in Kaneohe on August 26, 1974.  She started her career with the US Government (Department of the Army) in 1980 in Seoul, Korea where her husband was also employed.  She subsequently held positions with the Department of the Army in Japan and Hawaii, where she retired from Federal Service in December 1997.  After retirement, she devoted herself to her beloved Secular Franciscan Order, volunteering in Healing Touch at Kaiser Moanalua Hospital and working part-time at Borders Books & Music Store in Waikele.  She is survived by her husband Harold R. McKeen III (Sandy), her brothers Vic Aquino and Ramon Aquino, her sisters Cora Roces and Miriam Rosel.  Aida will always be remembered as a very loving, caring person, a devout Catholic and beloved Franciscan.  Those who wish to remember Aida are asked to send donations to The Saint Francis Hospice, 24 Puiwa Road, Honolulu, HI 96817, Attention David Wo.  Checks should be annotated, “In Memory of Aida McKeen.”

Geneva Montgomery, 98, of Pretty Lake, Dousman, formerly of Pewaukee Lake, passed away Thursday, March 25, 2004, at Linden-Grove Health Care Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin. 
She was born February 25, 1906, in Rockton, the daughter of Arnold Franklin and Mary Belle (nee Lawton) Widmer. 
She married Arnold James “Monte” Montgomery on October 21, 1933, at the Christ Church in Harvard, Illinois.
 Geneva earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1933. 
She graduated from LaCrosse Normal School in 1926 and taught high school English in Augusta. 
She was the editor of the Douseman Index.  Earlier she worked for The Lake Country Reporter and wrote the columns Kettle Morraine Cooking and Lake Country Cooking for these newspapers.
Geneva was a charter member of the Scottish Clan MacFarlane Society and was the editor of its publication, The Lantern, for 22 years. 
She enjoyed genealogical research, writing, gardening, traveling and cooking. 
Geneva is lovingly survived by her daughters Bonnie Montgomery of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Mary (John) Rogalski of Douseman; and her grandsons Matthew Majeskie of Madison, Michael (Shari) Rogalski of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and Joseph Rogalski of Madison. 
She is further survived by her nieces Mary Ann Morris and Kathryn Kerst, other relatives and friends. 
Geneva was preceded in death by her husband, Monte, 90, in 1995; her sisters Hazel (George) Kuenning, Winifred (Dr. Frank) Brandenburg, and Ruth (Dr. Leonard) Sanford.  In lieu of flowers, memorials in Geneva’s name may be made to the Pretty Lake Advancement Association (PLAA), W379-S4712 E. Pretty Lake Road, Douseman, WI 53118, for the purchase of a bench overlooking the lake.

Our paternal ancestors left Glasgow and migrated to Australia in the 1840s and 1850s.  My own interest lays in trying to find out if the McTAGGART priests were originally of Celtic Druids or maybe Viking-Norse Anglo-Saxon priests? (Macan T’ Sagairt = sacerdos in Latin)  Possibly Celtic Christianity or heathen high priests?  Apparently, the name is also of Irish Gaelic as well.  There is a place seemingly named Ballymacantaggart in Vullenderry, located in Northern Ireland.  The Macant’sagairt (McTAGGART) appeared in 1214 and somehow originates from the lay Abbotts of Applecross in which connects somehow to the name of ANRIAS in which the MACANT’ SAGAIRTS came from the O’BEOLAN bloodline of priests.  I wish to ask you if you could purely provide me of any contact addresses in Scotland or even Ireland that would have relevant history on the priesthoods and which inherited priests would the McTAGGART have come from.  (Would I have to look for Celts, Norse, Anglo, Christian origins?)  I seem to be not making any relevant progress in my enquiry into my inherited genealogical name.  Worse still, I haven’t a computer.  I must communicate in the old fashioned manner of letter and written communication, I’m afraid.  Furthermore, if you are able to give me some written contacts in Scotland so I can communicate with, I’d be extremely pleased.  Contact Mr. Ian Robert McTaggart, PO Box 6017, Karingal 3199, Victoria, AUSTRALIA.

While researching my family, I came into possession of a black and white picture from my grandmother’s personal effects.  It appears taken in the late 1800s.  The subject is a group of posed men in front of a building.  Handwritten in the lower right corner is “JOHN CLARK” as Cheafton of Clan McGragor.”  I am trying to establish a connection between this JOHN CLARK and my grandmother ANNIE A. CLARK  of Scotland, but have not been able to find any documentation of a JOHN CLARK as a Scottish Clan Chieftain.  I feel that he is either her father or brother.   If you have any information, contact Thomas A. Proctor, PO Box 209, Lee, ME 04455 oryou might wish to email <tproctor2003@yahoo.com>.

Do you know the origin of NAWASSA, QUINDORA and MAMO.  The names QUINDORA and NAWASSA are our Mom’s first and middle names.  QUINDORA NAWASSA CREMEANS.  MAMO was what we called her birth mother, our grandmother.  If you have any information, please contact Hal Lewis, 124 Cumberland Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14220.

Louisville Genealogical Society presents family history seminar
On Saturday, September 11, 2004, the Louisville Genealogical Society will present Family History Seminar and Book Fair.  The event will be held at the University of Louisville’s Shelby Campus Founders Union Building, 9001 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40292 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.  General admission price is $5.00, which includes free classes and vendor displays) and is open to the public.
The one-hour classes that are free with admission are on the topics of  “Louisville History,” “Common Surnames, Dating Old Photographs, and Kentucky Migration,” and “Preservation of Photos and Documents.”  Commercial vendors will have on display new, old, rate and out of print books; computer software and hardware, genealogical program demos, maps and charts, and specialty items such as mugs, t-shirts, etc.
A silent auction will also be held with local libraries and archives represented.
Seminar speaker will be Thomas W. Jones, CG, CGL, the co-editor of National Genealogical Society Quarterly.  Lectures are $10 each and topics are “Solving Problems with Original Sources,” “Missing Something? Getting the Most Out of Genealogical Evidence,” and “Five Proven Techniques for Finding Your Ancestor’s European Origins.”
For more information about registering for the event, contact the Louisville Genealogical Society, 2934 Grinstead Drive, Louisville, KY 40206-2645.  Deadline for the reservations is August 27, 2004.