* * * THANK YOU to everyone who is helping to update the family tree!!  To EDIT the tree, send your updates to me at vadneydewane@yahoo.com & I'll post them  asap.  (Sorry for the confusion - the EDIT tab is for the webmaster!)  Can't wait to  add your family!

* * * Dewane Family Reunion 2009 and 2011 a Success!!  * * * THANKS to all who traveled in from far and near!  About 350 relatives joined in to  make the weekends a tremendous event for the whole family.

DON'T MISS THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
 - Family Mass Video available on You Tube: 
 - Do you have reunion photos to share?  Add them to the Snapfish account through this  webpage.  Email me for help on how to do so.
 - Popular request has been to gather again in a couple years, we'll keep you posted!   Let us know if you have interest in helping plan and definitely spread the word to  any cousins who missed this one.

There are so many people who pitched in to make the weekend fun and enjoyable for  all.  I pray I don't miss anyone, but if I do, please know EVERYTHING was appreciated  big and small!!  Here is a short list of thank yous...
 VONNIE VERKUILEN - our Reunion Committee Chair and on-the-ground coordinator catch- all, organized Sat's mass with her sister, SISTER PAT TOUHEY, Sat's dinner with the  help of DONNA & the MARIBEL LADIES, Sun's brats (she cooked them all morning long!!)  & bouya, and functioned as Reunion Treasurer.
 PAT DEWANE JR. - Committee Member whose vision for family and fun was at the heart of  the reunion weekend - his motto seems to have always been "If you can do it, why not  do it big?".  Thanks Dad!  You have given me a great appreciation for family and the  importance of gathering them together - I know you like to go unthanked, but too  bad.  You were a big part of this reunion, wheeling and dealing behind the scenes,  organizing Friday night at Kathy's Pub, and Saturday lunch at the reunion. SHEILA KNUTH & MAUREEN SINKLER - Reunion Committee Members who handled a lot of  details for the reunion, including making sure we had a beautiful place to gather  with festive Irish decorations to set the mood!  Sheila buzzed around all weekend  taking pictures, thank you for capturing it all on film.  Thank you for being willing  to help coordinate this reunion!
 BISHOP FRANK DEWANE, MSGR. JOHN DEWANE, ABBOTT TOM DE WANE, FR. DAN DEWANE & SR. PAT  TOUHEY - Thank you for concelebrating and helping plan a tremendous family mass in  our family's home parish of St. James in Cooperstown.  It was a moving celebration to  be a part of and we are grateful for your faithful service to the Church and for your  participation in providing such a unique and truly special opportunity for the family. LEROY VERKUILEN - Coordinated the Cemetery Tour at St. James, with amazing work put  into carefully and beautifully marking the Dewane relative grave sites and putting  togther the map handout - a beautiful tribute to our family who have gone before us. DENNIS & JEAN DEWANE & FAMILY - Opened the old Dennis Dewane & Margaret Scanlan  homestead for the whole family to tour and enjoy, complete with morning mimosa's and  bloody mary's, hayrides through the property, and allowing the family to see the old  family bible and portraits from up in the attic.  Priceless, truly!  Words can't say  enough how much we all appreciated that once in a lifetime opportunity. PATRICK DEWANE - Presented his one-man show, "The Mushroom Picker" about his  grandfather.  Incredible show and performance, captivating quite a crowd!  Thank you  for sharing your story and talents so generously with the family. MEG DEWANE BOREN - Presented her work and mission Circle of Empowerment in  Nicaragua.  I think it's safe to say we as a family are honored by the work and  selfless commitment you show to the people you serve and strive to empower.  Thank  you for showing us what it is you do and giving us insight into how we may help you  in the future!
 GLEN & SHIRLEY DEWANE - Thank you for a wonderful facility to use for our reunion.   Glen is largely responsible for the presence of the Community Center in Maribel and  he and his wife spent a lot of time preparing the building, moving tables, cleaning  up and doing everything else that goes into using a facility such as that. JIM EHRHART - Provided and coordinated the fireworks show for all of us to enjoy  Saturday night.  A great love of his, and of many of our children, my daughter  included.  She couldn't stop jumping up and down shouting, "I can't BELIEVE it!!"   Who gets fireworks at a family reunion?  You're the best, Jim! MIKE RICE - Printed out and brought the entire 16 foot plus family tree!  And he put  together an absolutely fantastic video of the family mass for all to enjoy, edited  with old family photos, beautiful shots of St. James, the group shot of us outside  St. James, and additional celtic music at the end.
 EARLENE RONK & CREW - Organized the silent auction and did a phenomenal job of it!!   What a bunch of pros!
 PATSY PETERSEN & the impromptu dads who helped coordinate activities for the kids to  enjoy throughout the weekend.  From what I saw the kids were having a great time, all  your efforts paid off and are much appreciated!

** ORDER COPIES OF RARE OLD DEWANE FAMILY PHOTOS & TINTYPES! Thanks to our generous and proactive cousin, Earlene Wochos Ronk, the old  Dewane Family photos and tintypes from our Irish immigrant and earliest  American relatives have been posted to an online photo album at Snapfish.com  from which you may directly order prints and enlargements.  Prices are very  reasonable - $0.12 for a 4x6 up to $0.79 for an 8x10.  (When ordering, make  sure to preview your prints so that they won't be automatically cropped if the  size ordered is different from the size scanned in...)  A link to Snapfish.com  is provided further down the page.  Below is the Snapfish room title and  password.  Contact me for more info if you need assistance or have questions!

Snapfish Room Title: Dewane Family Album 
 This room can be used to share photos and videos with family and friends, who  can add their own albums to the room, as well.

address: http://dewanefamilyalbum.snapfish.com  (Direct link further down the  page...)
  
 password: email me for the password

COOPERSTOWN NATIVE, COUSIN FRANK DEWANE ORDAINED BISHOP!
 The entire family extends congratulations to Frank Dewane, son of Ben and  Eleanor, who was ordained a Catholic Bishop on July 25th, 2006 in Venice, FL.   To view slide shows and articles about the ordination, click on the Diocese of  Venice link further down the page.

MEG DEWANE BOREN'S MISSION IN NICARAGUA: CIRCLE OF EMPOWERMENT Click on the link down the page to go directly to Circle of Empowerment's web  site.  There you can learn about the work Meg has been doing with the people  of Nicaragua.  If you're interested in donating to her cause, you may do so  directly from her web site.  Thank you to our Dewane cousins who are helping sponsor  some of the students attending her school!

CALL FOR PICTURES - OLD & NEW!!  
 * Rare photos of our ancestors
 * Group or family portraits
 * Shots of old family homes, businesses or churches
 * Unidentified subjects - let's see if anyone can recognize them * Pictures of YOU and your family!  (It's a big family, after all, and it'd be  great to be able to put a face with a name.)

If you have pictures you would be willing to share with the family through  this web page, please contact me so we can arrange to have them added.

RECORDED FAMILY MEMORIES
 Several family members have expressed interest in the written family memories  our relatives have recorded through the years.  We have copies of memories  from Dr. Francis Dewane and Florence Dewane Wochos so far, while others exist,  we believe.  Eventually, I'd love to figure out how to link them to this page,  but until then, if you're interested in reading them, let me know and I can  email them to you.  Also, if you or someone you know has recorded family  memories, please let us know!  We would love to share in them with you!

KNOW OF OTHER FAMILY RESEARCH THAT'S OUT THERE?
 If you or someone you know has also worked on family history research and  genealogy and would like to post your findings, get in touch so we can combine  our work.  Plus, it's always fun to network with others who work on family history as  a hobby.