Chris Van Dyk
ProGen Member Overview
Genealogy has been a passion of mine for decades. I first became interested in learning more about my family when my mother, an only child, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I realized that I had a small window to capture all the history I could before her memories faded.
When I retired from Corporate America in 2018, I dedicated my time to honing my skills through formal genealogical education.
Like most genealogists, I love a puzzle. I realized many of the skills I honed during my professional career provided valuable insight into genealogical questions. From finding the owners of abandoned safe deposit boxes, skip tracing delinquent payors, working with law enforcement on fraud and embezzlement cases, and leading a large internal communications department, I've realized everything starts with a question, requires analysis and correlation, and must be clearly documented.
I live in Colorado, but my husband and I spend a fair amount of time in Lawrence, Kansas where my son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren live. No matter where I am, I cherish spending time with family and friends, cooking, baking, playing games, taking day trips, and entertaining our most recent Border Collie rescue dog, Ryker.
Education
Certificate from NGS Advanced Skills in Genealogy
Pro-Gen 67
CDG NGSQ Discussion Group
National Genealogical Society Family History Conferences (virtual)
Legacy Family Tree Webinars
Experience
Extensive experience in creating family histories for friends and family over 30-plus years.
Testimonials from others:
Most extended families have someone – a sibling, an aunt, a cousin – who is the self-appointed “genealogist.” This person reaches out to family members and encourages everyone to provide DNA via Ancestory.com or 23andMe. After a few months, those who agree to participate are sent a tree-like diagram that lists what is already known: names, dates, and photos of three generations (grandparents, parents, and children). This kind of genealogy is more like astrology: everyone has his/her own interpretation of what it all means.
That was my family’s experience until I asked Chris to assist me in resolving many unanswered questions I had about my maternal ancestors. Chris demonstrated to me what a trained genealogist can uncover and discover using proven genealogical research methods. Chris tenaciously gathered all the available documentation going back to my mother’s European roots: birth certificates, immigration records, marriage licenses, decades of census records, and death certificates. The result is a family history that is objective, not speculative; factual, not fabricated; documented, not anecdotal. The culmination of Chris’ research is a narrative that breathes new life into my family’s story.
David W, Denver, CO
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Chris worked on my family tree for my sister, father, and me. The information she found was absolutely incredible. All the articles, pictures, and documents she was able to uncover and the connections she made helped put my whole families story into focus. She was able to find information about my ancestors that no one in my immediate family was aware of. The way she presented the story of our family to us was so interesting and helped make it come to life for me. I cannot imagine the hours she must have spent finding everything and I am so very thankful to have this knowledge about where I come from and some of the stories of my ancestors. Thank you Chris! I am very grateful to you!
Heather W, CO
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A year ago I started searching for my grandfather's family. I was extremely fortunate to encounter Chris. I was searching for my grandfather's brother Michael who I believed emigrated to America. I didnt know where as both my parents died young. All I had was a photo sent to my parents with a name on the back Mary Alice Korber.
I enquired on a Colorado genealogical site and received a helpful reply from Chris.
Miraculously she found not only my grandfather's brother Michael but his three sisters Mary, Margaret and Bee.
Thanks to Christie's research I was able to contact living relatives and discover more.
One of my relatives had written a brief history of the family from Co.Mayo Ireland. I can thank Chris from the bottom of my heart for this epiphany.
I learned that my grand Aunts and uncles were sponsored by my Great Grandmother's brother who live in St Joseph Missouri.
Up to this I never knew any of my great grandmother's siblings. Chris then discovered that the Keanes emigrated to Kansas in the company of a cousin from Cheshire in England . So now I had the name of a brother of my Great Grandmother and more revelations followed.
Thanks to her enthusiasm, diligence and perseverance a whole new world has been revealed. I remain eternally grateful for her help.
Michael K, Galway, Ireland.