Genealogy used to obtain family medical history

Tanya Berkebile | Cadillac News Sandy and Gary Lyon of Cadillac look at a death record of GaryΥs ancestor recently at the Wexford Genealogical Association in the Naval Reserve building in Cadillac. The couple began looking into their family history in the mid-1990s and have since collected books full of information.

CADILLAC - By taking a look back in the past, Sandy and Gary Lyon are hoping to pave a better future for their family.

After finding some old photos of unidentified family members, the Lyons had a desire to find out who the subjects in the photos were as well as more information about them.

“We were cleaning out the old hen house and came across the photos that belonged to Gary's grandmother,” Sandy Lyon said. “From then on we became more interested in finding out about our families.”

Besides finding out basic information such as names and family stories, the Lyons also were interested in their heritage in regards to their family medical history.

Through death certificates, they were able to trace a history of heart disease in Gary's mother's side of the family and cancer on Sandy's side of the family.

“We never expected to look into the medical aspect, but as we found more and more information, we thought it would be a good thing to know about,” Sandy Lyon said. “We are gathering as much information as we can so we can pass it down to our children and grandchildren.”

According to Dr. Jonathan Dennis, DO, of Spectrum Health-Reed City Campus, having that type of information can be beneficial for early detection and prevention of certain diseases.

“If you know of diseases that your parents, grandparents or other family members have, make sure your physician is aware of it,” Dennis said. “Particularly with cancer, if you find it early on, it is easier to treat.”

For Gary Lyon, he has found various forms of heart problems on the death certificates of his ancestors - especially on his mother's side.

“I have had heart problems which was surprising because I have walked, rode my bike and was active all my life. Through this, I found it was hereditary,” he said.

Although finding out ailments doesn't bring positive light to Lyon, he has found good news in his search.

“On my dad's side, they usually live a long life,” he said. “My dad lived to be 98 and his aunt was 102 when she died.”

With Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) becoming more prevalent in the news, that got Sandy Lyon thinking about all the young babies who had died in her family.

“That really got me interested in finding out what babies in the family died from,” she said. “You just never know what you'll find and the death record sometimes explains it.”

Those who are interested in learning more about genealogy or wondering where to start can stop by the genealogy room at the Naval Reserve Building on Chestnut Street in Cadillac during office hours.

tberkebile@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)

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How to get started on genealogy

€ Start from the most recent relative and go backwards.

€ When searching for causes of death, some places to look are death certificates, newspaper obituaries, family members, funeral home records, a cemetery (burial permit) or doctor's records

€ Some Web sites to try are www.familysearch.org, www.usgenweb.com and www.cyndilist.com. Through the library, people can use software called AncestryPlus free of charge.

To learn more about genealogy or how to get started, people can stop by the Cadillac Genealogical Association room at the Naval Reserve Building on Chestnut Street in Cadillac. Office hours are:

€ N oon to 3 p.m. Monday

€ 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday

€ 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

€ Make an appointment at another time by calling Sandy Lyon at (231) 779-9767