News from the Violette Family Association

Violette Family Association RSS feed now available

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:40:00 GMT

For those who use RSS to keep up with news items, the Violette Family Association web site at www.VioletteFamily.org now has an RSS feed available. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an easy way to learn about news items without having to go to all the separate web sites to check. You can use a

Happy New Year!

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:40:00 GMT

Best wishes for a very Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

A Violette five generation event

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Luc Violette holding great-great-granddaughter Kimberly Dubay, with mother Tiffany Dubay. Second row: Lynn Dubay, grandmother, Juliette Ayotte, great-grandmother

Hamlin ME -

Juliette Ayotte, VFA #1135, sent us the photo in this story and is proud to share the five generation gathering in her part of the Violette clan. Her father, Luc Violette celebrated his 80th birthday on the same date and the family gathered at Juliette's in Hamlin ME for the party.

Juliette's daughter, Lyn Dubay, was there as was the baby's mother - Lynn's daughter Tiffany.

Ron Violette, line umpire

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Ron Violette, VFA #351, will be Line Umpire at the USOpen this year

If you are watching the US Tennis Open in late August-early September 2009 look for Ron Violette of Concord NC. He will not only be there, he will be a Line Umpire! Ron has been interested in tennis for many years, having started officiating in junior tournaments in Memphis TN in 1980. He officiated at the USOpen from 1983 to 1994 and then got out of officiating totally in 1994. He returned to officiating several years ago, after he retired, and worked the Open last year again.

Ron got into tennis officiating when he saw an ad for tennis officials about 1980. Since he had officiated basketball, baseball, and volleyball he thought he would try tennis. He attended a training session, and was put to work at the US National Indoor Tournament.

NEW! Support the Association with online payments

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Look for this button at our web site so you can securely make donations to the Association.

At last! Now it is easier than ever to help support the Violette Family Association with your donations. We have added a PayPal account and a button at the web site for donations. Processing payments with PayPal is secure. When you click the Donate button you are taken by secure web link to PayPal's server where you enter your payment information, including your credit card info. The Violette Family Association does not have access to any credit card or other personal info you enter while at the secure site, nor do we store any payment information on our server. The funds are handled securely by PayPal and our account with them is linked to the Association's bank account.

More Violette cousins on Facebook

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

The Facebook screen is busy, but you soon learn to focus.

Facebook is a "social network" on the Internet, which means it is a web site where people get together to share info about themselves and their interests. It has grown to be worldwide. According to Facebook's statistics, there are more than 250 million active users. More than 120 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day. More than two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college and the fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older.

I don't know how many Violettes are on Facebook, but I have over 440 "friends", the vast majority of which are "cousins".

News of members: births, deaths

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Some short notes to keep you up to date on our members:

Recent deaths

Irene Violette Charette VFA #696, died in Norwalk CT on June 9, 2009. Click here for copy of obituary

Recent births

Want a family tree chart?

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

An Ancestor Chart shows who came before you.

Want a diagram of YOUR family tree? Want to know who your great-... grandparents are? Or, want to know the family structure from your great-grandparents? It is all possible thanks to the extensive research started by Rita Violette (VFA#1) and greatly extended by Rod Violette (VFA#12), our current Genealogist. Our genealogical database extends from Francois Violette's grandparents (Louis - born around 1690, and Marie Doux - born Jun 22, 1692) to many of our current generation. And, the records for some families in Rod's work extend back yet another 100 years or so into the 1590s.

62 new members in Jun-Jul 2009

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Our membership grows as we added another 62 members in June-July 2009. Many of these came from requesting info from existing Association members. As member info update responses are processed we have been generating Descendant Charts (see separate story) and checking on those that are shown in our genealogical database who are not members. Contacts with family who are Association members helps us to add their siblings, children, grandchildren, and so on.

As a reminder, you only have to be a descendent of Francois Violet to be eligible for membership. And the excellent genealogy work done by Rita Violette Lippe and Rod Violette provide us with the information to check out those relationships.

A Violette who learned in 1958 she was adopted now knows who her birth parents were

rviolette@att.net (Rod Violette VFA#12) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Jean Kelliher, a Violette adopted at birth succeeds in 50-year search to find her birth parents

Genealogy usually involves hours and hours of boring research, looking through old census records and trying to decipher illegible copies of old marriage and birth certificates followed tedious entry into a data base.

Every once in awhile something comes along that makes it all worthwhile. Such was the case when I got a call from Jean Kelliher from Las Vegas NV VFA#1403. She was adopted and had been looking for her birth mother for over fifty years. She was finally able to get her birth mother's name and age and that she was from Eagle Lake ME. With that information we were able to construct her mother's family of 13 siblings and a whole flock of cousins. I will let her tell the rest of the story in her own words.

Rod

Kendric Robbins, White House Fellow

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Kendric and Heidi Robbins.

Kendric Robbins of Albion ME, a major in the Army, has had a 15-year military career, but another rare opportunity awaits him. Robbins, 38, is among a group of just 15 men and women throughout the country who have been selected as the 2009-10 class of White House fellows.

Kendric is married to Heidi Fortin Robbins, VFA#1709, born in Waterville ME, whose mother is Betty Coonan, VFA#1214, from South China ME.

So, what has Connie Lantagne been up to these days?

rviolette@att.net (Rod Violette VFA#12) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Connie Lantagne VFA#1912, bicycle commuter

Hi everyone,

I am that woman with the road warrior bike in the green tee shirt Some of you know Harrison Hill and Ralph's Thriftway Hill; yes I can finally get up them without crying with pain I've decided that I have no excuse to drive my car to work while the weather is nice. There are some diehards around here that put on rain gear and ride all year long, "but not I ", said the wimp

Hope you are all having a great summer.

Love, Connie VFA#1912

Lt Col Deanna Violette assumes command

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Lt Col Deanna Violette at command ceremony

Deanna Violette is the first woman in Air Force history to take command of a squadron of tactical air controllers.

Violette's squadron sends airmen to war with Army units, where they serve as a link between soldiers on the ground and aircraft overhead.

In the past year, members of the squadron have been awarded 10 Bronze Stars and 32 Army Commendation medals. More than a dozen of the squadron's airmen went to Afghanistan last month with Fort Carson's 4th Brigade Combat Team.

A note from Don Hudenburg VFA#322

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:40:00 GMT

I am still gainfully keeping working ;under contract by the Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security. During the weekend of May 30, 2009, I attended the 50th Graduation Reunion of my class at Georgetown University. It was very good to see some people I have not seen in 50 years. Three weeks before that Annette and I drove up to Red Bank, NJ to see two classmates of Georgetown and their wives who could not attend the reunion weekend here in Washington, DC. Lots of fond memories.

51 new members added in May 2009

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Our membership grows as we added another 51 members in May 2009. Most of these came from requesting info from existing Association members. As member info update responses are processed we have been generating Descendant Charts (see separate story) and checking on those that are shown in our genealogical database who are not members. Contacts with family who are Association members helps us to add their siblings, children, grandchildren, and so on.

Brooklyn Nicole Gagnon is born

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Brooklyn Nicole Gagnon VFA#2525, born May 19, 2009

Juliette Ayotte (VFA#1135), from Hamlin ME, reports to us that she now has a new grandbaby - Brooklyn Nicole Gagnon (VFA#2525) was born on May 19, 2009. Brooklyn's parents are Clermont and Kelly Gagnon (VFA#2439).

Where did Francois Violet settle - Part 2

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Mon, 25 May 2009 19:40:00 GMT

The Val Violette House, on Violette Street in Van Buren ME, is on the site where Francois built and a portion of his original house is said to be within the current structure.

In Part 1 of this story Francois Violet left the Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, area prior to 1770 and ended up in the St John, New Brunswick area. Unable to get title to lands in the Kennebecasis River area, a Loyalist stronghold, he and others sought lands further north and about 200 miles upstream along the St John River in the Madawaska region. Many others had already sought their future there, with more to follow.

We are not sure exactly when Francois left the Kennebecasis with his family of twelve children, but their son Alexandre was born in Kennebecasis September 29, 1789 and baptized June 23, 1791 in St Basile in the Madawaska region.

Jeffrey Violette sworn in by Dad

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Jeffrey Violette (father) administering military oath to Jeffrey Violette (son), new US Air Force recruit.

Sierra Vista, AZ -

Retired US Army officer Jeffrey Violette (VFA #2088) had the privilege of administering the military oath to his son, Jeffrey Violette II (VFA #2368) when he joined the US Air Force today. Retired officers can perform that duty if requested, and the son was only too proud to request it of his dad.

Violette Family Association Privacy Policy

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:40:00 GMT

The Violette Family Association safeguards any personal information you provide whether as a member or when you use a contact form at the web site. We have a formal Privacy Policy that is available via a link on every page of our web site. But just what type of information do we request from our members and how do we use it?

Remember that the Association gathers two types of information: Member data and Genealogical data. Member data is used to identify you as a member and to be able to communicate with you. Genealogical data is gathered about individuals whether members or not and is used to trace family relationships and lineage.

131 more new members Feb-Apr 09

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:40:00 GMT

The excitement continues - we added another 131 new members in the period from February 2009 through April 2009. A lot of these continue to come from actively searching Violettes on Facebook (see story about VFA on Facebook). But an increasing number come from requesting info from existing Association members. As member info update responses are processed we have been generating Descendant Charts (see separate story) and checking on those that are shown in our genealogical database who are not members. Contacts with family who are Association members helps us to add their siblings, children, grandchildren, and so on.

The range of VFA#s added in this period is from 2321 through 2450. The full list, in alphabetical order by last name, is shown below.

If you know an email address for someone with No in the Email on file? column, please send it to us so we can reach them more often and in a less costly manner.
If the City and State are blank, please send us their address if you have it.

Where the Age is shown as Child, it indicates a person under the age of 18. We do not send newsletters either in print or by email to a child but we do send them birthday greetings and similar communications. If they have an email address of their own the greeting goes to it; otherwise it goes to a parent email address.

Looking for member info updates

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Those of you who have email addresses and whose Violette Family Association (VFA) number is lower than around 1400 will have received emails asking for updates to your member info. Those with higher VFA numbers will soon be receiving this request. If you recently received the same request from us we ask your pardon; the current request is automated to send requests to a range of VFA numbers, whereas the earlier request was individualized.

We really want to increase the number of members who receive newsletters and other Association communications by email! Please help us by providing an email address to contact you!

79 new members added in Dec 08-Jan 09

David@Violette.com (David A. Violette VFA# 621) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:40:00 GMT

The excitement continues - we added another 79 new members in the period from December 2008 through January 2009. A lot of these came from actively searching Violettes on Facebook (see story about VFA on Facebook). Thank you, cousins, for all your help in identifying relatives eligible for membership in the Association.

The range of VFA#s added in this period is from 2242 through 2320. The full list, in alphabetical order by last name, is shown below.

If you know an email address for someone with No in the Email on file? column, please send it to us so we can reach them more often and in a less costly manner.
If the City and State are blank, please send us their address if you have it.