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It is with a very heavy heart that we must say good bye to our good friend Jeri Shangle. Jeri was very active in The USGenWeb Census Project as a Census Assignment State Coordinator and File Manager. On Christmas day, 2003, Jeri passed away in Florida.

Memorial For Our Friend

Jeri had been troubled with many medical problems for several years, but I doubt that many people knew about them. Jeri never complained or felt sorry for herself and rarely talked about the trials that she faced daily. She was an optimist and her happy spirit was a blessing to all who knew her.

We will always remember her wonderful laugh and sense of humor. She was a very good friend and we will miss her very much. We are indebted to Jeri for her continued dedication to this transcription project. Thank you Jeri. We know that you are happy and at peace now.

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In Memory of Roy "Wayne" Duncan, First Corporate President of the USGenWeb Census Project®, who passed away on September 1, 2006. Wayne, as he preferred to be known, fought medical problems most of his adult life but never allowed them to control his life or get him down.

Shortly before retiring from the Navy after 20 years, with a Bachelor's Degree in Technology Management, he became involved with genealogy research. In a short autobiography he wrote "Genealogy research has provided me a way to find new friends as well. The USGenWeb Census Project all volunteer staff, particularly the current Board of Directors (humbly, I am the past-president of this group now!), have helped me channel my computer skills into a very productive project. The Project continues to grow and provide free online census data for genealogical researchers."

In December, 2004, Wayne achieved his dream and was awarded a Masters of Elementary Education with part of his studies being done from a hospital bed following heart surgery and 37 days in a coma.

His never give up attitude, charm, wit, strength, and friendship will long be remembered and missed by all who knew him.

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With deep sorrow we mourn the loss of our dear friend, Lana Magiera, who passed away on December 2nd, 2008.

Lana joined the USGenWeb Census Project® in 1999 as a volunteer transcriber. She became a Census Assignment State Coordinator in 2001 and was later elected to the Board of Directors where she held the office of Vice-President. Through the years she continued to be an active transcriber and has proofread countless transcriptions for others.

Her capacity for caring knew no boundaries and touched the lives of everyone around her. Thank you, Lana, for being a part of our lives if only for awhile. We will be forever grateful for the countless hours, commitment and dedication that you gave to us. You will always be in our hearts.

Once again we are deeply saddened by the passing of a dear friend, Sandra K. (Onbey) Land, who passed way on April 5, 2010.

Sandy was a long standing member of the USGenWeb Census Project® having joined in 1998 as a volunteer transcriber. It wasn't long until she became a State Assignment Coordinator and, later, was elected to the Board of Directors.

With a sweet and gentle nature she was always willing to lend a helping hand wherever it was needed.

Wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Her dedication, commitment and caring can best be summed up in the words of State Coordinator, Brian Milligan, who writes; "Sandy was the Oklahoma and Native American Coordinator when I first volunteered to transcribe the 1900 Cherokee Nation Census, an assignment that was to take me about 4 years to complete. I would not have been able to get through it without Sandy's unwavering assistance and never ending support. As a rookie I had many, many questions and Sandy was always there to answer them promptly and accurately. Working with Sandy was always a pleasure and I knew I could always count on her for answers, guidance and encouragement. Sandy will be very sorely missed by all of us."

In the past our memorials have included only Staff, Coordinators or former Coordinators of the USGenWeb Census Project®. Although never being any of these it is fitting and proper that Ross E. Jones, a good friend and our most prolific transcriber, be included herein.

Ross had been in declining health for a number of years and yet, through it all, he worked unceasingly into the wee hours of the morning transcribing "his" names. He was very proud of his work, and he had every right to be. Since his first assignment, dated May 10, 1998, Ross had personally transcribed nearly 1,250,000 individual names which are a great benefit to researchers everywhere. His final transcription was placed online March 2, 2013, after which he quietly went into hospice care. Ross left us on March 12, 2013, just two days past his fifteenth year with our Project.

He was also a dear, sweet man whose middle of the night "voice" was a constant source of motivation, inspiration and encouragement. In all respects Ross E. Jones was one in a million and his loss will be felt greatly for many, many years to come.

On December 18, 2014, Susan Kay Soden passed away quietly at her home in Iowa surrounded by her loving family after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Sue was one of our early Project Coordinators and, although she retired from our Project several years ago, still remained very dear to all of us who had the privilege of working with her. Her caring and dedication seemed to know no bounds. Not even a heart attack in 1998 kept her down for very long. As Project Coordinator Sue constantly sought new ways to improve the Census Project in order to better serve researchers everywhere. Although no longer among us, Sue will always be with us in our hearts.

On June 6, 2016, our Census Project lost another valuable and highly respected member when Norman H. Corkran, III, was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Norm had been with us for 12 years,both as a transcriber and a State Coordinator. He had personally transcribed well over 1,000,000 names which will be tremendous asset to reasearchers everywhere who will benefit from his efforts. His first transcription was placed online October 29, 2004, and his final one on October 3, 2015. He will always be in the hearts of those of us who worked with him through the years.