Being a family genealogist is not always easy. And this is one of those times. I invariably knew the day would arrive when I had to create a memorial page for William “Bill” Genetti. It was a task I hoped would never come.
You see Bill was my family history mentor. When I first began my journey into genealogy back in 2010, Bill was happy to help by sharing his extensive family research files. Over the years, he had gathered information on all of the descendants of the Pennsylvania Genetti family. His files gave me a great jump-start into compiling our extended family tree.
Bill also introduced me to the original Genetti Family Tree – an amazing collection of ancestors presented as a beautiful fine art print. It was another incredible family history gift for a budding genealogist!
In 2014 he cheered me on when I accepted the responsibility of renovating and maintaining our family website. And in the Spring of 2016, Bill asked if I would help him organize a family reunion for that October. I was honored to assist Bill in bringing together cousins from all branches of our family. It was a wonderful reunion that I will always remember.
Throughout the years, Bill and I shared information via email correspondence and the occasional phone call, sometimes surprising each other with an unexpected family secret that we had uncovered through genetic genealogy or research. Yes, Bill was my genealogy buddy! I will very much miss his insight and generosity, as well as his passion for family history and the honor he brought to our ancestors. Bill will be greatly missed by our family and his Hazleton community. But I know his memory will live on through his many descendants and a lifetime of charitable works.
To my genealogy buddy, I bid you a fond farewell and God speed!
A memorial page has been created for Bill Genetti in the Tributes and Obituaries section of our family website. Please feel free to share your memories in the comments section of that page.
Memorial to William E. “Bill” Genetti: https://genettifamily.com/william-edward-bill-genetti/
The Genetti Family Genealogy Project 