Each year the Nebraska State Genealogy Society offers an award to one genealogist or family historian for exceptional and outstanding service to his or her local genealogical society and/or the genealogy community as a whole. Nominations are sought from all the genealogical societies and organizations in the state, however, you do not have to represent an organization to nomate someone for this award - individuals are welcome to submit nominations as well. The NSGS board will select a winner from the nominations received, and the Genealogist of the Year is recognized at the Annual Conference each spring.
2024 Genealogist of the Year
Terri Mabon
Terri Mabon is a varsity cheerleader for preserving family history. She encourages everyone to save, share and distribute their family's heritage in various ways. She makes books on Ancestry.com of her ancestors and made a book listing her Great Great Grandfather's descendants which those descendants have purchased. She has also made DVD slide shows for presentations at family reunions, enticing the younger generation with old photos and documents.
An active member of the Prairie Pioneer Genealogical Society, Terri has served on the Program committee, the volunteer genealogy assistance group at the GI library, and volunteers at Stuhr Museum and contributes her hours toward the PPGS meeting room rental. She created the private PPGS Facebook Group and encourages activity from the membership. The Nebraska Ancestree and the Adams County Historical Society newsletter have been the grateful recipients of her written articles.
In her 17 years as a hobby genealogist, she has visited courthouses, libraries, and cemeteries and has connected with distant relatives across the nation. She participated in the History Harvest Event at the Lewis & Clark Center near Nebraska City a few years ago where she displayed items from her husband Dave's Great Grandmother's trunk. These items were photographed and displayed online by UNL history students. Dave & Terri were interviewed by NET and Dr William Thomas, the head of the history department at UNL, the recorded interview still being used by Dr Thomas as a teaching tool. It is available on the History Harvest You Tube channel. The trunk was on display at the Plainsman Museum in Aurora for a time, and the York News-Times also interviewed Dave & Terri giving family history as a hobby some good publicity. More media presence came when Terri assisted with the burial service of Lyle Reab, killed in WWII and identified by DNA in 2021. Reab is a relative of Dave Mabon who passed away in 2022. Dave and Terri donated his Great Grandfather's service items to the Civil War/GAR Museum in Nebraska City.
Terri truly loves family history and is always willing to share what she knows, hoping to draw others into the world of our ancestors!
Past Genealogist of the Year award winners:
2008 Denny Norvell, Auburn
2009 Kenneth Freeman Moseman
2010 Mary Landkamer, Broken Bow
2011 Ruby Coleman, North Platte
2012 Sue Doak, McCook (SWNGS)
2013 Judi Cook, Lincoln (LLCGS)
2014 Sandra Slater, Holdrege
2015 Phyllis Ericson, Lincoln (LLCGS)
2016 Rosalie McKnight, Broken Bow
2017 Ruth Briney, Lincoln (LLCGS)
2018 R. J. "Chris" Christensen, Curtis (SWNGS)
2019 Clarabelle "Clair" Mares (Eastern Nebraska Genealogical Society)
2020 Teresa Sullivan, Lincoln (LLCGS)
2021 Shannon Justice, Omaha (GOGS)
2022 Cindy Cochran (LLCGS)
2023 Vicki Wilkinson (PPGS)
2024 Terri Mabon (PPGS)
