Category Archives: Keifer Directs

Crazy Blessed – The Christy Hunter Story

The Grand Entrance

I made my crazy blessed grand appearance on January 13, 1966 at 4:34pm at Charles E. Still hospital in Jefferson City, Mo.

When my mom got the call that I was born, they asked her if she and my dad still wanted to adopt me. She said absolutely, but they had to hear it from my dad too. At the time he was working survey in the middle of Kansas. This was before cell phones. Due to this, I didn’t get to come home until January 20th.

I like to semi-celebrate the week between the 13th through the 20th as my week. My favorite day and number are Friday the 13th,   but Thursday, January 20th, 1966, was the beginning of my wonderful life.

A Blessed Childhood

Mom and Dad didn’t have a lot of information to share. For as long as I can remember I was adopted. My parents, Richard and Jean Byrd were the best! I couldn’t have asked for better parents. They chose to name me Christy Lynn Byrd. As of November 1966, I was no longer Baby Girl Drennan.

My dad worked for the Corps of Engineers and my mom was a stay-at-home mom. From the day I came home, until I was four, we lived in Stockton, MO. At that time, we moved to Warsaw, MO.  My family was truly loving and amazing. To say the least, I may have been a little spoiled. I had two sets of wonderful grandparents and many extended family members. To this day, I tell people I am the chosen one. Chosen to be given life and chosen to be adopted.

Growing up in Warsaw, we literally lived on Truman Lake. When I was 7, my parents adopted my brother Tim. He was 4. My Granny & Papa Byrd and my Grandpa Cleo and Irene lived 30 minutes from us, so did my Aunt Flavis and Uncle Joe. Both sides of my family spent holidays together and special events. We spent every weekend visiting them whether it was Saturday or Sunday. So much of my time was spent visiting with my family.

A Quest For Ethnicity Leads To!!!

Several years ago, I took the Ancestry DNA test. I don’t know why it didn’t register with me, what that meant. I was interested in knowing  what my ethnicity background was. When I received my results, it not only told me my ethnicity, but it also had a list of DNA matches.

WHAT?!?!

I was so shocked. A couple of matches did contact me. When I told them my story, it was several years before I heard from them again. I did contact a young woman. More on her later.

In April of 2020, I received a phone call from a first cousin. His name is Kevin Gordon. He is from my father’s side of the family. We hit it off immediately. In June of 2020, my husband and I met him and his wife Lori. They have welcomed me with love and open arms. Together, we have worked together trying to put my puzzle together.

In July of 2022, it was verified, that Wayne Steinmetz is my father. Through my DNA matches, I have a half-brother, John Leonard. The young woman I mentioned earlier is his daughter, Justina. Debbie Abel is his sister, my half-sister. Also, I have 6 younger half-brothers. They are Travis, Eric, Greg, Keith, Kevin and James Steinmetz. Who would have thought spitting in a tube, would lead me to 8 siblings?

One day I randomly chose a couple of names from my DNA matches to contact. Diana McGinnis and Connie Dexter Spicer. I was so surprised to hear back from both let alone at all. Not only that, but we’re related through the Steinmetz/Knife line.

Crazy Blessed!

Christy Hunter (Steinmetz)

 

Side note 1– My mom said I was the best special-order gift her & my dad received from Sears & Roebuck! This was our inside joke.

Side note 2- Diana & I both get our hair done by the same girl.

Side note 3- This led me to Connie & hopefully many more family members.

Knife Family Tree
Christy Steinmetz Hunter family tree Thru-Lines to our common Knife family

Spotlight: Terri Marshall and Her Arnold Family

SPOTLIGHT:  Theresa Arnold Marshall

My Family Line Arnold-Nordyke-Stubblefield

I know little about Terri’s birth father so she provided this information about her Arnold Family.

“‘Hey Connie, I tried to organize these notes the best I could.  I’m literally working 50-60 hour weeks so I don’t have much spare time.  Luckily I’m also able to work from home, so at least I get to see my family sometimes for dinner!

I did want to get this to you though.  The more I read, the more intrigued I got.  Of course, there’s no way to prove if the “Nordyke – Peter the Great” connection is true.  However, there is enough information out there to assume that Peter married a dutch widow and they bore a son.

Terri Marshall Family Tree
Arnold side Family tree
Marriage license of Stephen H Nordyke and Rebecca Perkins
Marriage license of Stephen H Nordyke and Rebecca Perkins
Another Nordyke Connection
Another Nordyke Connection
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 1
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 1
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 1
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 1
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 2
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 2
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 3
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 3
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 4
Stories and lineage of Nordyke family Part 4
Nordyke family connection
Frank Henry Nordyke connection to Foote family

Peter’s mother refused to recognize the marriage and made Peter move back to Russia.  The widow stayed behind to raise her son.  We don’t know the name of the son.  We only know the name of his son (Peter the Great’s grandson) who is Stephen Henry Nordyke.  The story we had in the Arnold family was a child that was named “Micajah” was found floating in a dyke in Holland by the dyke keeper.  The dyke keeper raised him as his own.

Who knows the real story??  Maybe no one.'”

The Stubblefield Family

“‘On my grandmother’s family line (Lorraine Eva Stubblefield) you will find that her older brother was married to Goldie Presley, the cousin of Elvis Presley.

I thought that was interesting too.  I didn’t think they had any children, but I might be wrong.  It looks like they had two?'”

Stubblefield Family Line info part 1
Stubblefield Family Line info part 1
Stubblefield Family Line part 2
Stubblefield Family Line part 2

“Anyway, I hope I have given you some insight in to my father’s side of the family.  Love you!”

(Editors note: Terri Marshall is the daughter of Patricia Rutherford, who is the daughter of Richard Rutherford Sr. Terri has sent us a good bit of information on her father, John Arnold Sr’s family. Here is her story, notes and evidence.)

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