Sherlene Hall Bartholomew is a wife, mother, and grandmother, grateful to see her family tree expand in both directions, thanks to the support of my ever-indulgent husband, Dan. Our son and daughter claim their childhood was shattered by my dragging them through all those cemeteries and old, haunted places, searching for ancestors. I know, though, that they secretly can’t wait to do it with their own upstarts.I’m glad for this chance to tell Meridian readers about my joys in “The Search.” A BA in English and Pol. Sci. and an MA in American Studies (withextra courses in Am./British genealogy and family history research) via BYU’s David M. Kennedy Center (1998), honed my research skills and informed my appreciation for the historic events and environment that shaped the lives of our ancestors. I hope writing about them will honor their legacy and give readers ideas for finding their own. Reader responses are welcome at dr***@co*****.net .