Category: Cousins

Books, Cousins, Gifts

Carol Genetti Ochadleus – Author

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Did you know we have many talented artists, authors and musicians in our family? You can find listings and links for many of them in the Business Directory page of our family website. If you’re looking for a special holiday gift this year, consider a book or a piece of art by one of our creative Genetti family members.

One such descendant is our cousin and author Carol Genetti Ochadleus. The great-granddaughter of Vigilio Genetti and Domenica Maria Dolzadelli of the Missouri/Illinois branch of the family, Carol is the author of two books – a novel and a children’s book.

Recipient of several book awards, “Death and Other Lies” is a spine-tingling who-done-it. Here is the book description: When his girlfriend disappears, a young man is willing to sacrifice everything to find her. In desperation when the police can find no proof she even exists, he follows a slim clue which takes him from the U.S. to Great Britain and Wales. After a near-fatal accident, he awakes in a Welsh hospital with no memory of who he is or why he is there and accused of being part of a heinous plot for mass murder. Entrapped in a world of spies and terrorists, he is expendable, collateral damage, simply because he fell in love with a beautiful woman.

Available at select bookstores and online at Amazon, you can purchase “Death and Other Lies” as a hardcover, paperback or eBook.

Carol’s second tome, “Grandma Bears’ Picnic” is a children’s storybook. Lovingly illustrated, the story describes: “When Grandma Bear breaks her leg, will the First Day of Summer Picnic still happen? The children must find a way to pull together to save their beloved family tradition and honor Grandma Bear all at the same time. It’s a tall order, but with their parents guidance, they find a way to save the day and have the best picnic ever!”

You can find Carol’s charming children’s book on Amazon, available in paperback or hardcover formats.

And here is Carol’s biography: Carol Ochadleus is a published, award-winning novelist and short-story author. Her novel, Death & Other Lies, (originally published by Grey Wolfe Publishing, LLC), is the first book of a Trilogy. It was re-released in 2019 by Zimbell House Publishing. The sequel is in progress. One of her favorite short stories, Colors in the Water, won inclusion in an American Anthology, Ni Bona Na Coroin. Years ago, Carol sold one of her children’s short stories to a youth magazine and her first illustrated children’s book, Grandma Bear’s Picnic was published in 2018. Carol is a retired professional fund-raiser and is active in several writer’s groups. She now devotes her time to writing, her gardens and her fourteen grandchildren. She lives in Washington Township, Michigan, with her husband Don, and English Shepherd Gracee.

Grandma Bears’ Picnic: https://tinyurl.com/GrandmaBearsPicnic
Death and Other Lies: https://tinyurl.com/DeathAndOtherLies

Cousins, Obituaries

Goodbye to Two Cousins

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Helene Lucy Smith Prehatny (1932-2025)
William Arthur McAdoo (1925-2025)

I recently learned two more Genetti descendants have passed on, both in their 90’s. It is always sad when our senior cousins are no longer with us. They are a generation closer to our ancestors and a link to the past. Each member of our family tree who lives a long, fruitful life is a library of stories and memories. When they pass on, we often loose this knowledge and ancestral connection. Here at the Genetti Family Genealogy Project we try to preserve the memory of our cousins, their experiences and their stories through our website, blog and family tree.

We say goodbye to Helene Lucy Smith Prehatny. Born in 1932 in Weston, Pennsylvania, Helene left us on June 30, 2025 at the age of 93. She was the granddaughter of Raffaele (Ralph) Genetti (1867-1949) and Lucia (Lucy) Zambotti (1865-1952). Always smiling, Helene lived an active, full life centered around family, community service and church. She attended most Genetti family reunions with her husband John, and was always a cheery presence. A great supporter of this website, Helene contributed many family photographs to our Photo Gallery, as well as a beautiful memorial tribute to her beloved grandparents and parents – “Family Memories by Helene Smith Prehatny.” She leaves behind a large extended family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To read Helene’s obituary, click here.

Also leaving us this past summer is William “Bill” Arthur McAdoo. Bill was born a century ago in Detroit, Michigan. He passed on just two months shy of his 100th birthday. A family man, Bill and his beloved wife Dolly, raised three children. His extended family included grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed many hobbies and was an active member of his community. Bill was the great-grandson of Costantino (August) Genetti (1842-1914) and Rosina Wahl Hummerer Kermmeier (1842-1926). Costantino was born in our ancestral village of Castelfondo, Tyrol and was the first of the Genetti clan to immigrate to the United States, settling in Collinsville, Illinois. Later in life, the couple purchased a farm in Webster, Missouri. Bill is the grandson of Mary Catherine Genetti (1868-1946) and Antonius Mallman (1860-1905). Click here to read Bill’s obituary.

If any family members or friends of Helene Prehatny or Bill McAdoo would like to share photos or leave a tribute to their loved one on their website memorial page, please feel free to write me through the Contact page on our website. I am happy to include your memories.

Cousins, Genetti Family, Obituaries

Goodbye to Another Genetti Cousin

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Danny William Genetti recently passed away on August 15th, 2025 and was a descendant of the large Genetti clan that settled in Missouri/Illinois. He was the son of David Genetti and Nellie Kesterson and the great-grandson of Costantino (also known as August) Genetti (1842-1914) and Rosina Kermeier (1842-1926). His great-grandfather was born in Castelfondo, Tyrol and was the first Genetti to come to America in 1867. Danny has a large extended family including eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, plus many cousins who still make their home in the Missouri/Illinois area.

We send our sympathies to Danny’s family for the loss of their father, brother, and grandfather.

Please click here to read Danny’s memorial page.

Cousins, Family News, Genetti Family, Obituaries

The Passing of Margaret J. Young Lychock

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Sadly we bring you the news that another Genetti cousin has passed on. Margaret Joyce Young Lychock left this earth on January 19, 2024 after a long illness. She was the daughter of Rita Carmella Genetti (1915-1998) and Arthur Davis Young (1913-1947); and the granddaughter of Leon Genetti (1887-1962) and Angeline Marchetti (1893-1963).

Margaret grew up in Hazleton, Pennsylvania with her twin brother Arthur, but lived most of her adult life in Las Vegas, Nevada. She leaves behind a large family of three children, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial page has been published for Margaret on our family website. You can find it here: https://genettifamily.com/margaret-joyce-young-lychock/

We extend our sympathies to the Lychock family and know that their mother and grandmother will be deeply missed.

If you would like to leave a memory, photo or tribute to Margaret, please send a message through our website contact page or private message me, and your memorial will be added to Margaret’s page.

Cousins, Obituaries, Pennsylvania

Goodbye to a Genetti Descendant

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We are sad to bring you the news that another Genetti cousin has passed away. Karen Zamko Walsh died on July 6th at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Cedar Crest, Pennsylvania at the age of 63. She was the daughter of John (Jack) Zamko (1933-2008) and Emma Bott (1925-2005). Karen was the granddaughter of Verecondo Bott (1884-1955) and Addolorata Erminia Genetti (1889-1971) of Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

You can read Karen’s tribute page here: https://genettifamily.com/karen-zamko-walsh/

We send our condolences to Karen’s family in this time of loss.

Cousins, Genetti Family, Obituaries

The Passing of a Descendant

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Sadly another Genetti descendant has passed on. Louise Marie Forneris Fernandez, age 86, died on January 26th in Collinsville, Illinois. She was the daughter of Rosina Amelia Genetti and Giovanni Forneris. A descendant of the Illinois Genetti branch and a second generation American, Louise was the granddaughter of Vigilio Genetti (born in Castelfondo, Austria) and his second wife, Margaretha Mueller Kittstein (born in Alsace, France).

I found Louise’s obituary to be a little piece of family history, full of personal details and obviously radiating the love she had for her large family. You can read our memorial to Louise Fernandez on our website with her full obituary, just click here.

Over the years, I have completed extensive research into the Illinois Genetti family as they have an unusual history spanning several generations. I also correspond with many descendants of the four Genetti brothers who originally came to Illinois. Louise was no exception to this complicated family ancestry and she also had a confusing immediate family history.

After her grandfather’s first wife died, Vigilio Genetti married a young widow (Louise’s grandmother) who had two sons by her first marriage. The couple soon had a second family. Vigilio had three sons and a daughter with his first wife, Domenica Maria Dolzadelli. His four children were adults by the time he married Margaretha. Being older, Vigilio and his second wife immediately began a family and had twin girls in 1916 (Louise’s mother Rosina was one of the twins) and a son in 1918. It was a true blended family of siblings and half-siblings.

When Rosina married Giovanni “John” Forneris and they had their only child, Louise, she would grow up with four half-uncles, a half-aunt, an aunt who was a twin to her mother (Margarita Maria) and her Uncle Vernon Charles (her mother’s younger brother). There were many half-cousins and three full cousins in this extended family.

As this blended family wasn’t already confusing enough, it takes another twist through the Fernandez family. In 1942, Louise’s Uncle Vernon marries Geraldine Fernandez. Sometime in the 1950’s, Louise marries Geraldine’s brother, Angel Fernandez. This means that Louise’s four children and the three children of Vernon and Geraldine are double cousins, being related through both their maternal and paternal sides. The seven cousins are first cousins through Angel Fernandez and Geraldine Fernandez Genetti and first cousins, once removed through Louise Forneris Fernandez and her Uncle Vernon Genetti.

Yes, this was a real head-scratcher and took several hours to sort out, as well as another few hours updating our family tree to reflect the intermarriage between the Genetti/Forneris/Fernandez families! It can be quite complicated as you don’t want to enter descendants twice. You can browse our newly updated tree for the Illinois Genetti family at http://genettifamily.tribalpages.com. (You need to create a free account in order to login and access the tree.) After logging in, it’s easy to find Louise Forneris Fernandez by entering her name in the search box at the top of the home page. You can then trace her ancestry as well as her husband’s connection to the Genetti family by following the line of ancestors back in time. (Currently our Genetti Family Tree has 2067 ancestor/descendant listings).

To all of Louise’s family we extend our sincerest sympathies.

If you would like to drop by Louise’s memorial page and leave a memory or a condolence to the family, please click here.

Find our tribute page for Louise Marie Forneris Fernandez on the Genetti Memorial page by clicking here.

Cousins, Obituaries, Pennsylvania

The Passing of an Elder

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Sadly we bring you the news that another elder has passed on. Albert Dominick Zambotti was the youngest child of Ottilia Genetti and Pietro Zambotti. Born in 1928, Albert left us on November 8th, just a week shy of his 94th birthday.

Born in Weston, Pennsylvania, Albert was a first generation American and the fourth child of Tillie and Peter Zambotti. His parents had immigrated from Castelfondo, Austria (now Italy) early in the 1900’s. The couple married in 1911.

We extend our sympathies to the relatives of Albert Zambotti.

To read Albert’s memorial, please click here.

Ancestors, Cousins, Family Stories, Trentini

Was Barbara Libener Inama a Native American?

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Barbara and Emanuele Inama

I am always working on various genealogy projects. Most involve DNA analysis and helping others solve family mysteries, such as unknown cousins finding their birth families. Yes, if you have completed DNA testing, I’m sure you will find a surprise cousin or two (maybe even an unknown half-sibling!) popping up in your results. Of course, due to protecting the privacy of those I work with as a search angel, I can not write about these projects.

But recently I researched a fascinating case involving misattributed ethnicity that I can share with you. Over the years I have received strange queries from cousins asking about their ancestor Barbara Libener Inama (1875-1936). Barbara is a direct descendant of the Marchetti family from Nuremberg, Pennsylvania (originally from Castelfondo). She is also indirectly related to the Genetti family through marriage. I am personally related to Barbara Libener through my grandmother, Angeline Marchetti, who was her first cousin. (That makes me a first cousin, twice removed to Barbara.)

Barbara and her husband, Emanuele Inama, moved from Pennsylvania back to his ancestral town of Sanzeno in the Val di Non sometime around 1898. There they raised their large family and lived out the rest of their lives. However, all of Barbara’s family remained in Pennsylvania, along with several of her sons. At some point, probably after Barbara’s death, a story began circulating in Italy that Barbara Libener was a full blooded Native American of the Sioux tribe. This tall tale was published decades ago in a regional Trentini magazine and it became part of the Italian family’s lore, although there was no proof supporting the fabrication. However, as far as I am aware, no American descendant of the Marchetti/Libener families had ever heard the story.

Descendants of Barbara and Emanuele, all living in Italy, kept the fantastic story alive by passing the magazine article along to American cousins researching their family genealogy. Twice I received questioning messages from cousins asking about the article of “The Indian Wife.” I simply shrugged it off and explained genealogical record and DNA evidence proved this story could not be true.

But a few months ago the story once again resurfaced through a distant cousin living in France. I have worked with this cousin during the past two years on his complicated and mysterious genealogy. We have confirmed he (we will call him D.R.) is a direct descendant of Barbara and Emanuele, they being his great-grandparents. Upon visiting Trentino this past summer to trace his roots, D.R. too was given this incredulous magazine article. He and his wife, Patricia, also questioned the authenticity of the story, as D.R. has absolutely no Native American ethnicity in his DNA results. For those not familiar with DNA testing, you inherit 50% of your DNA from each parent; 25% of your DNA from each grandparent; and 12.5% of your DNA from each great-grandparent. If the story were true, our French cousin should show at least 10% of his ethnicity to be Native American. Instead his ethnicity from two different testing sites showed 0% Indigenous American.

After learning the story of the “Indian Wife” was still very much alive, I decided it was time to uncover the truth using genealogical research and scientific evidence. As a family genealogist and someone who works with genetic genealogy, I see it as my duty to document family truths, even if it debunks ancestral stories. (And very often it does!)

The result was a paper I recently published on our family website, entitled: “The Myths and Facts about Barbara Libener Inama (1875-1936).” The paper details all of my research into Barbara Libener, including DNA evidence from several of her descendants. Through Patricia, our French cousin’s wife, it has also been forwarded to family in Italy. So far – I have not heard a response to my research. I guess we will wait and see …

To read “The Myths and Facts about Barbara Libener Inama,” click here.

I would very much like to hear opinions from other cousins regarding this piece of family lore. After reading my paper, feel free to leave a comment to this post or ask questions about my research. I am happy to discuss or explain my findings.

Cousins, Family News, Genetti Family, Obituaries

Sad News

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With much sadness I bring you the news that William (Bill) Edward Fox Genetti of Hazleton passed away this morning, May 8th, 2021. A great presence in the Pennsylvania family, Bill was a family man, business owner, genealogist and friend to many. Carrying on the family business from his father, Gus Genetti Sr., Bill was a prominent member of the Hazleton community. Over the years, he brought together many cousins and extended family by hosting reunions at his Genetti establishment.

We offer our thoughts and love to Bill’s wife Pat, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as his brother Gus and his family during this difficult time.

A memorial for Bill will be posted on our Tributes and Obituaries Page at a later date.

Ancestors, Cousins, Family History, Family Stories, Genetti Family, Obituaries, Pennsylvania

Anatomy of a Photograph, Part 5

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Albert Lawrence Genetti (1906-1990)

Time to look at the very person associated with our photo myth, Albert Lawrence Genetti. Albert is not pictured in our group wedding photograph. But for some unknown reason the date of his birth became part of the legend attached to this eventful day. Although we now know Albert was born in 1906, two and a half years prior to the date of the 1909 photo, public records show an interesting story also revolves around his birth.

Albert came into the world on October 21, 1906, the sixth child in a family of seven (note: Albert’s oldest sibling, Alessandro, passed away in 1910). According to Census records, his parents, Angelo Raffaele Genetti (Ralph) and Lucia Zambotti Genetti (Lucy), moved sometime around 1901 to Weston, Pennsylvania from North Union, Schuylkill County, where they had lived next door to Ralph’s older sister Angela Genetti Recla. The young couple established a large beer hall/boarding house in Weston, becoming prosperous entrepreneurs and growing their large family. Our double wedding was photographed on the front porch of Ralph and Lucy’s establishment.

Raffaele and Lucia Genetti with their family, about 1914, probably photographed in Weston, PA. Front: Raffaele (1867-1949), Anna (1909-1974), Lucia (1865-1952). Standing: Albert (1906-1990), Leona (1903-1979), Silvio (1899-1982), Mary (1901-1992), Elizabeth (1904-1964).

To refute the original date of 1906 associated with our boarding house photo, I went in search of Albert’s birth certificate. This proved to be a difficult research task indeed. Due to numerous errors most likely made by the county clerk, not only was Albert’s surname misspelled as “Jenetti”, but his first name was also incorrect – plus the incorrect name was spelled wrong!

Albert Lawrence Genetti Certificate of Birth – Pennsylvania

Ralph and Lucy’s infant son is registered as: Rafile Jenetti. And if this wasn’t bad enough, the names of both of his parents were also misspelled as: Rafile Jenetti and Lucia Zambody. Never have I found a birth record with so many errors, making it extremely difficult to research!

Albert’s date of birth is also a conundrum. The day and time are recorded as October 22, 1906 – 7 p.m. However, all other public documents for Albert Genetti (Social Security Death Index, WW II Draft Registration, U.S. Public Record Index and the U.S. Find A Grave Index) state his birth as October 21, 1906. Was Albert’s certificate of birth also wrong about his date of birth? Or did he and his family decide to celebrate his birthday on the 21st rather than the 22nd? I guess we will never know the answer to this puzzling question, but I’m betting the county clerk was not the most competent person for this job!

Amended birth record

In a backwards kind of way, I stumble upon the original birth record by first finding a revised correction of the document that had been notarized and filed on May 10, 1977. In that year Albert finally had the name on his birth certificate corrected to read Albert Lawrence Genetti. However his date of birth remained as October 22, 1906.

Albert and Vivian Genetti with sons Ralph and Lawrence.

Albert married Vivian Ellen Kummerer on January 20, 1940. They had two sons: Ralph and Lawrence. He had a long and successful career with Jeddo-Highland Coal Company, and became a well respected member of his community, belonging to numerous organizations. Albert passed away on December 15, 1990. You can read the obituary of Albert L. Genetti by clicking here.

Our thanks go to Ralph and Lawrence Genetti for sharing this fascinating photograph. It has added much to our family history!

In our next blog post, I will look into the lives of our two wedding couples from 1909.

Update: August 26, 2020

Thanks to comments from our readers, we have added an eighth child to this family: Raffaele Genetti Jr. (abt 1897? – abt 1897?).

Click here to read more about this additional child here.