Blaisdell Family National Association Officers, 2010-2015

 

Past President

Joel E. Blasdel

Joel E. Blasdel, or Jody as everyone knows him is the third son of John & Wilma Blasdel, Sr., and the grandson of Walter and Lillian (Jackson) Blasdel. Jody has two older brothers, John Jr. and Jeff, and one younger sister, Joan (Blasdel) Erhart.  

Jody has lived in Bright, Indiana his entire life.  He and his wife of 31 years, Karen Faye (Schaefer) Blasdel, have three children: Lainey and son-in-law, Josh Schaefer, Jenna and Jared and one granddaughter, Kaylynn Brooke Schaefer.

Employed for 30 years by the Tri-Township Water Corporation as the utility manager, Jody oversees the complete operation of the utility and is responsible to provide safe drinking water to the 3600 homes served by TTW.  He is a member of the American Water Works Association and the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water.

Jody enjoys working on the family farm, raising hay and grooming their 93 acres.  His hobbies include operating his bobcat and hauling business.  He also enjoys rabbit hunting.

Very active in his community, Jody is co-founder and co-chair of the annual Bright parade.  He is a member of Integrity Lodge #763, holds a 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite, and is a member of the Southeastern Indiana Shrine Club. 

Jody and his family are one of the three families who help to maintain the Cambridge Cemetery in rural Dearborn County, Indiana where Lt. Jacob and Ruth (Morse) Blasdel (5.100) are buried. 

Jody and Karen host the Lt. Jacob Blasdel Family Association’s chapter reunion at their home the second Sunday of October.

Joel ‘Jody’ E. Blasdel  From: John E. Blasdel, Sr., Walter E. Blasdel, Quincy E. Blasdel, Charles B. Blasdel, Rev. Franklin T. Blasdel, Lt. Enoch Blasdel — (6.228) — and —  

From: John E. Blasdel, Sr., Lilian (Jackson) Blasdel, Nancy J. (Harper) Jackson, William A. Harper, Joseph M. Harper, Sarah B. (Blasdel) (Harper) Chase — (6.234)

 

 President

Donald Edward Blasdel

Don, son of Earl Henry and Ruby Jean Blasdel, was born in Centralia, IL, in 1957 and grew up in Wayne City, a small community in Southern Illinois.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his father.  He married Christie Lee Richards after high school, and they have two sons, Joseph Edward and Justin Lee.

He began working in his father’s dress factory while still in school.  After high school he continued working for his father and assisting him in managing the family business.  He managed the plant up until 1984.  In 1985 he became manager of Bridal Originals in DuQuoin, IL, where women's formal wear was manufactured until the plant closed in 2002. 

After the Bridal plant closed Don returned to school to complete his education.  In May of 2005 Don received his BS (Summa Cum Laude) in Information System Technologies from Southern Illinois University.

Don started his computer programming career in January 2005 with Allsup Inc in Belleville, IL. He was divorced in 2007.

He married Phyllis Ann Poiter on November 6th, 2009. They currently reside in Smithton, IL in their new home. Don has moved into a management position at Allsup where he supervises a team of computer programmers.

He enjoys the outdoors and fishing with his wife. He also spends time fishing and hunting with his brothers and sons, spending time on the family farm, and BBQ cooking competition. He is also enjoying his newest hobby, “Grand Children”.

Donald Edward Blasdel  From: Earl Henry Blasdel, Earl  Blasdel, Henry Blasdel, John Blasdel, Ambrose Blasdel, Lt. Enoch Blasdel — (6.228)

 

Vice-President

Gary Gellert

Gary Gellert is the oldest son of Norman and Lois (Blasdel) Gellert.  He has two siblings; brother Terry and sister Connie Shipman.  He lives on the family farm in Guilford, Indiana with his wife of 31 years, Laura (Robinett) Gellert, and youngest son Trey.  Oldest son Blaine is married to Kathleen Hountz and they are expecting their first child.  Middle son Cory is married to Jessica Bankert and have one son, Logan, with another child on the way.

Gary earned a B.S. degree from Hanover College and a M.Ed. degree from Bowling Green State University.  He has been an educator for 36 years serving as a teacher, assistant principal and principal.   For the past ten years he has been the superintendent of schools in the North College Hill City School District near Cincinnati, Ohio.

Active in the Dearborn Hills United Methodist Church in Bright, Indiana, Gary has served in leadership roles as well as a Sunday School teacher and volunteer in the youth program.

In his spare time Gary enjoys working on the family farm.  The 240 acre farm, known as Sawdon Ridge Farms, has been in the family since 1854.  Today the farm specializes in raising Angus cattle for breeding and freezer beef.

Gary Gellert From:  Lois Gellert, Walter E. Blasdel, Quincy E. Blasdel, Charles B. Blasdel, Rev. Franklin T. Blasdel, Lt. Enoch Blasdel — (6.228) — and —  

Gary Gellert From: Lois Gellert, Lilian (Jackson) Blasdel, Nancy J. (Harper) Jackson, William A. Harper, Joseph M. Harper, Sarah B. (Blasdel) (Harper) Chase — (6.234)

 

Secretary

HEIDI LESTELLE

 

Heidi Nordlund Lestelle is the great-granddaughter of Zerelda (Blasdel) Nevitt of Oxford, KS.  Her mother, Gayle Nevitt Nordlund, was a contributor to the Blaisdell Papers during the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Heidi grew up in Seattle, WA.   In 1973 she earned her B.A. and secondary teaching certificate from Willamette University in Salem, OR.  Heidi taught science in Siletz, OR, before marrying Larry Lestelle and returning to Washington State.  Larry was a fisheries biologist for the Quinault Tribal Nation on the Olympic Peninsula.  Heidi became a tutor/counselor for the Quinault students within the public school system. 

When Heidi began having children of her own, she and a fellow teacher decided to experiment with a new concept in education: teaching their children at home.  The result was positive and exciting!  After four children and 22 years of homeschooling (K-6), Heidi is a strong proponent of home education.

Today, Heidi lives in Kingston, WA, with her husband and two sons.  She is a part-time substitute teacher and is involved in church-related activities in her community.  Her hobbies include reading, gardening, and hiking.  Heidi has two grown daughters; she is the proud grandma of three young granddaughters.

 

Treasurer

 

Biography

John W Blasdel

 

I grew up in a small town in Southern Illinois, Wayne City.  My parents, Earl and Ruby Blasdel, had lived in and around Centrailia, Illinois most of their lives.  In 1962, my father decided to take his knowledge of garment manufacturing that he learned in Centrailia to start his own factory, Wayne City Manufacturing Company.  They opened their doors in the summer of 1962 and I was born in September of the same year so my childhood was always around the factory.    I got my middle name from the factory.

I started dating Kareene Sutton my senior year in high school and we were married 3 years later when we both were still in college.  We have now been married for 28 years and have three kids, Nathan - 23, Joshua - 21, Elizabeth - 19.  Joshua just graduated from the University of Illinois - Chicago in marketing, Nathan is finishing up his Pharmacy degree from Mid Western and Elizabeth has started work on a teaching degree for Early Childhood Development.

I graduated from the University of Missouri - Rolla in 1985 with a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering.  I hired on with Amoco Oil right out of college which merged with BP in 1999.  I have worked for the company for 25 years in 5 states and at 7 different locations.  The first 12 years of my career was spent working at chemical manufacturing sites.  I worked at 5 different locations in 12 years so we got the opportunity to live in Illinois, Mississippi and Texas.  I transferred to corporate offices in Chicago in 1997 and have gotten the opportunity to travel all over the world as part of my job visiting dozens of countries in Asia, most of Western Europe and a few countries in South America.

In 1995, we were living in Texas just outside of Houston.  While we were there, Kareene was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Dealing with this challenge brought me back to a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.   I have served in our current church as a teacher, builder and deacon.  In 2004, I felt God leading me to sing and have had an active music ministry ever since. 

 

Philip R. Freimann

Genealogist

Philip R. Freimann, born in Chicago in 1942, the second generation of German-Russian immigrants from Katharinenstadt, Russia,  grew up in Waukesha, WI, near his grandparents, Rev. Frederick J. & Frances (Blaisdell) Turner. 

His fascination with family history and genealogy started very early when his grandmother told him about the homesteading days of her parents on an Iowa farm, the coal mining days of southeastern Kansas, and work in the lumber mill in Wisconsin.

He found the Blaisdell Family National Association in 1988 at the Library of Congress.  He is active in a number of genealogical/historical groups and enjoys researching and documenting family history.  Philip has attended each quinquennial since 1990, serving as Associate Genealogist, Vice President, President and now Genealogist.

After graduating from Poynette Christian High School, Poynette, WI, Philip attended Bible colleges in St. Louis and Portland before transferring to Berean/Evangel College, Springfield, MO.  He was credentialed by the Assemblies of God in the early 1980s. 

Philip met his wife, Janice Elaine McGuire-Becher, at church.  Married in 1966, they have three adult children: Rebekah, John and Sarah.  They’ve been active in church music, library and youth ministries.

Philip has been Director of Information Technology at Crane Technologies Group for five years.  Most of his career has been in implementing manufacturing control systems. 

Philip R. Freimann  From : Dorothy (Turner) Freiman, Frank(ie) Marie (Blaisdell) Turner, George Washington Blaisdell, Moses Blaisdell, Oliver Blaisdell, Jr., Oliver Blaisdell — (6.70)

 

 

Vital Statistics Editor

Margaret Anne Walker  Guss was born in Waycross, GA , the second of three daughters to a pioneer south Georgia family. She is married to Earl Russell Guss, Jr. In  48 years  Margaret and Earl have lived in seven states and made many life long friends throughout their journey. Their children grew up in Burlington, NC and now live in many parts of the US.   David Michael Guss lives in Seattle, WA, John Walker Guss lives in Hillsborough, NC and daughter Mary Elizabeth Guss Kiernan married an Irishman, Noel Eugene Kiernan. They have two children Madison Walker Kiernan and Liam Russell Kiernan.They now live on Amelia Island, FL after recently returning from four years in Ireland.

Margaret is a member of the Belleville Chapter of  the DAR and can trace her ancestry back to Henry II , King of England, William the Conqueror and Charlemagne. She and Earl are members of the Huxford Genealogical Society, and they are very active in  First United Presbyterian Church of Belleville, IL. Both are Elders and serve as a resource for many church activities.

After a career in working with the mentally challenged , developing curriculum and building a facility  for that population~In 1988 received the Volunteer of the Year award from the State of Alabama in Mental Retardation~ After retiring from managing an adult shelter for the homeless in Illinois, Margaret became fascinated with Earl's rich family heritage. She and Earl spend much of their travel time researching Earl's family history via courthouses, cemeteries, libraries, health departments and interviewing people who are able to share a family history lesson about Earl's family. They do not pass up and opportunity to meet a 'cousin' or explore new avenues for gathering stories on how Earl's family has lived in America.

Margaret Anne Walker Guss w/o Earl Russell Guss, Jr. From:  Earl Russell Guss, Sr., Gladie Grace Richmond Guss, Lucy Jane Blasdel Richmond, Reuben Sutton Blasdel, Isaac Newton Blasdell, Lt. Enoch Blasdel - (6.228).

 


 

 

 Editor,The Blaisdell Papers

Sally Furber Nelson

Sally Furber Nelson was born and raised in Maine, the daughter of Robert C. and Alice (Berry) Furber. Her maternal grandmother was Lena Blaisdell Berry, the daughter of Charles Trafton Blaisdell of Sydney, Maine. She has four children and four grandchildren. After receiving a BA and an MA from the University of Delaware, Sally taught English at community colleges in Arkansas and Kentucky. She completed a PhD in Rhetoric and Communication at the University of Louisville and took an administrative post at Germanna Community College in Locust Grove, Virginia. Retiring from this position in November 1999,she moved to Florida the next year. She continues to live in Florida but spends the summers in Maine.

Since her retirement, she has been very active in genealogy research. In addition to writing the ancestry of each of her parents, she has transcribed and published Vital Records of Canaan, Maine, Vital Records of Cornville, Maine, and Vital Records of Skowhegan, Maine. In addition, she has contributed several sketches to the Maine families in 1790 series published by the Maine Genealogical Society. She is a member of that society as well as the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, the Furber Family Association, and, of course, the Blaisdell National Family Association.

She welcomes all articles of interest to Blaisdell family member. Contact her at 70 Habersham Drive, Flagler Beach FL 32136 or www.snelson1131@cfl.rr.com

This is the Executive Committee of the Blaisdell Family National Association.  Elections are held at each quinquennial.

  Current officers serve from the end of one quinquennial to the end of the next one.   Current officers serve 2005-2010.