GeneaBlogie's Muse

Much love and birthday wishes today to Delorise Annrie Gines of Kansas City, Missouri. She's the youngest child of William Edward Gines (1898-1955) and Annie Florida Corrine Long (1902-1986). And she's my mother's sister.

It was Aunt "Dee" who got me started on genealogy in a serious way. In 2003, for Christmas, she published the "2004 Gines Family Calendar." She included names and birthdays of our ancestors, some of whom I had never heard of. That spurred me to get serious about genealogy. I still consult her about Gines, Long, and Johnson family history.

Although Aunt Dee is less than 15 years older than me, I've always considered her one person whose wisdom I can count on. She's the Kansas City relative that I'm closest to.

She was born at home while my mother and her brother Kenneth waited outside on the front porch. But Mom peeked in and actually witnessed the birth. Like most of her siblings before her, Dee attended Central High School in Kansas City, and then like her sister, my mother, Delorise attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City Missouri graduating in 1963. She majored in secondary English education. But upon graduation she couldn't find a teaching job, ended up working and learners department store as a display clerk and as one of the most highly educated elevator operators anywhere in the country. She went from there to Hallmark as a cost accountant, and then after several years to the welfare department. About six months after starting at the welfare department she got a call from her former high school English teacher. There was an opening for a primary school teacher. On Dolores recertified in primary education and took the job. Later she earned a master's degree at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and completed the course work for her doctorate. She worked as an educational consultant to the US Department of Education and ran a statewide program in reading for nonpublic schools. Altogether, Aunt Delorise spent more than 26 years in education. Later she was business manager for her church, Paseo Baptist Church in Kansas City.

She is devoted to the love of the Lord and has run ministries for couples to bring God into their relationships. And now she's a published author -- -- the first in the family to complete a book. Her book, Just Wait, God is Working It Out! has sold very very well. She's got two more on the way.

Delorise Gines has about 21 nieces and nephews and that many and more great nieces and nephews. She's very active in her church and for years was a driving force in her sorority, AKA, having served a term as Midwestern Regional director.

She's always been energetic and not afraid to go out on a limb when necessary. My brother found that out the hard way when Aunt Delorise was babysitting us one day in the 1960s. My brother had done something and Aunt Delorise had summoned him. Instead of coming to her, he ran. She ran after him. He climbed a tree to get away from her; much to his surprise, Aunt Delorise, then 25 years old, followed up the tree!

Wise, loving, generous, witty, devout, vivacious, determined, and youthful: these are the words that describe Delorise Annrie Gines. Happy birthday today, Aunt Dee.