Offutt Lineage

My mother's stepfather was Everett Reign Offutt. Though he was not "blood kin," this was the only man she knew as a father.

Like his third wife, Wilma Shunk Kelly, Everett was also previously married. His daughter from that first marriage is Doris Offutt Keith, my mother's stepsister. There was a second wife for about one year, though she was not well-liked by Do, or by anyone else, really! Everett's third marriage to Wilma produced two more children, Michael Allan and Paul Everett, my mother's half-brothers.

Everett was a large man who loved to tease. That's my main memory of "Pop." He was a retired railroader, and would spend much time in his favorite chair, watching TV with the sound low, so he could hear his scanner. He loved knowing what was going on. He was also a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Do lived with her mother growing up, so Mom never spent that much time with her step-sister. Do is married to Richard Keith, and they have three boys: Jeffery, Gregory and Timothy.

Mike works for his younger brother in Paul's construction business. He is an avid motorcyclist, and has ridden with his wife, Beth, to the huge motorcycle rally in Sturgis, SD on their Harley-Davidsons. I'm not sure Mike would even acknowledge that there are other motorcycles...

The relationship between my mother and Paul has always been a difficult one. They do not speak, and have no desire to. Paul owns a construction business in Danville, IL. When Wilma was living, she and my mother did his accounting and payroll. Out of respect for their mother, Paul and Sharon worked together. When Wilma died, any cooperation between the two dissolved.

At a sci-fi convention in Champaign, IL in 2000, I had an opportunity to speak to the author Andrew J. Offutt. His thumbnail biography mentioned that he was from Kentucky, and since Pop had family there, I thought there might be a chance that the famous author might be family (of sorts). It turns out that he was not, but I enjoyed a wonderful conversation with this very charming gentleman. It was the best part of the convention for me, just talking to him.

Visit the Offutt message board at Ancestry/RootsWeb
for others looking into their Offutt heritage, or try the mailing list.

There is a site dedicated to others who are researching their Offutt lineage; the site owner/administrator is a really nice man.

And don't forget to try a Google search; who knows what will turn up!