"Tribute to Mrs Pam Rietsch, aka ListLady"

Over several years, folks come to my attention who perform great acts of genealogical kindness; who go far beyond the minimum expected from them; who accept no remuneration for their kindness, except that they wish that those who receive any benefit pass some benefit on to someone else.

One of the first people to come to mind is a person whom I first knew with the nickname "ListLady". The ListLady, Pam Rietsch, goes by many nicknames, including Ginger's Elf, but I rather like the one she had when I first met her [via Fido Net, an early internet communication network]. This was sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Pam was forever helping and/or guiding people in discovering their heritage. This vivacious, enthusiastic person required only one thing in return for her help -- to go out and give someone a hug. Since those early days she has expanded it a bit; now she says, "As always, the cost for this information is for you to go out and give someone a hug right now, whether they feel they need it or not because time is so fleeting, they may not be there next time you have the urge."

Pam started placing the 1895 Atlas project on line early in the development of the World Wide Web. This wonderful online map is presently located at: http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/. This endeavor grew and expanded to become the Mardos Memorial Library of On-Line Books & Maps, which is presently located at: http://www.memoriallibrary.com/. This latter site is filled with heritage material from many places and is an ongoing project that will occupy Pam's time for many years. It is rather a good thing for the genealogical community that she is young enough to have many, many more productive years.

Congratulations, Mrs Rietsch, and Thank You!

e-la-Di-e-das-Di ha-WI nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da.
(May you walk in peace and harmony)

Wado,

Bill

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