Hello, I'm Nella

About Me

I am a mother of six and grandmother of three, with over 30 years of genealogical research experience. My passion for family history began long before I ever called it genealogy. Growing up, I moved often and never felt like I had deep roots. My mother was an only child from Germany, and although I knew of my biological father and his large family, I did not grow up with a relationship with him.

My stepfather’s family welcomed me with open arms and taught me that family is more than blood. They showed me what it felt like to belong, and in many ways, they were the first true family I experienced. As I grew older, however, I longed to understand the biological ties I came from — my family in Germany, my paternal side, and the people whose names and stories had shaped my own.

Anyone who has ever tried to get direct answers from a German Oma may understand the challenge. She rarely answered questions plainly, but if I could get her talking, stories of the past and long-ago relatives would begin to unfold. In high school, I realized that if I wanted to know who my family was, I would have to listen carefully, take mental notes, and begin finding the answers myself.

Because my father and I did not have a relationship, research became the only way I knew to discover the people I came from. What began as a lonely girl searching for family became a lifelong passion for connecting the past with the present — the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Family history is rarely black and white. It is full of gray areas, complicated truths, unexpected connections, and stories worth remembering. That is what continues to inspire my work: honoring the lives behind the records and making sure ancestors are not forgotten.