This year's annual meeting was held, as usual, at the site of the historic Lybarger Lutheran Church in Madley, PA on July 19th. Highlights included the financial report, awarding the Distinguished Service Award (pg. 3), and the agreement that the casement windows and front door of the church needed major repair work. Tom Bullington agreed to have this done by year's end. Lee said a new writer has been recruited for the newsletter (pg. 2). A total of 27 attended from Pennsylvania, Ohio, N. Carolina. Virginia, and Indiana.

Following the annual meeting on Saturday the annual Lybarger picnic was held on Sunday July 20th in the Lybarger Grove. The 2004 annual LMA meeting and reunion will be held at Bedford and Madley, PA. on July 17-18.

The financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003 is as follows:

Income:

Dues $1,120.00

Church fund donations 460.00

Lybarger publications 809.00

Genealogy research 78.00

Interest on savings account 100.54

Total $2,567.54

Expenses:

Electricity for church 80.00

Porto potties for reunion 130.00

Newsletter printing, postage 1,333.84

Shipping LMA publications 68.02

Total $1,611.86

Net gain for the fiscal year: $955.68

Amount in savings account, June 30,2003: $8,472.12

Amount in checking account : 19.40

Total financial assets as of June 30, 2003: $8,491.52

SPECIAL APPEAL FOR CHURCH REPAIRS

The LMA trustees authorized that the foundation and the front door of the church be repaired the cost of which will come to almost $1,000. The church will need to be painted in 2004 for an estimated cost of $2,700. Although there are sufficient funds to cover these and other expenses it is necessary to maintain a backup balance for emergencies. Please send in your $10 dues, which have never increased since the LMA began in 1984. Contributions you designate for the upkeep of the historic Lybarger Lutheran Church will also be welcome. Please use the form on page 7.

NEBRASKA REUNION

The following report was sent in by Brent Sell, son of Marjo Lybarger Sell. The Lybarger reunion was held Sunday, September 28, 2003, at the Arcadia, Nebraska Community building with 27 attending. Present were:

Helen Davidson. Cozad, NE; Ray & Katherine Ban, Ravenna, NE; Cecil and Marg Lybarger, Alda, NE; Peg Lybarger, Grand Island, NE; Jim & Judy Williams, Gothenberg, NE; Bob & Toni Williams, Loomis, NE; Lynn Lybarger Gilson. Michael.Lybarger, Bob Lee, Friend of Lynn and Mike, Jon & Sara Meier, all from Omaha, NE; Bob, Tina, Tara, Tiffany, & Tamara Lybarger, Ehn Creek, NE; Fred Cox, Jerry & Cathy Lybarger, Dean Lybarger, and Brent Sell, all of Arcadia, NE; and Marlin and MarJo (Lybarger) Sell of Ansley, NE.

The oldest male attending was Ray Barr at age 87. The oldest female was Helen Davidson at 85. The youngest was Tamara Lybarger, age 10. Those from Omaha traveled the farthest while the closest ones attending live right here in Arcadia.

We were seated at the potluck dinner at the tables corresponding with the month of our birth. A quiz was given later in the afternoon about birthdays. Also, a pumpkin pinnate was hung, but as there was only one child we adults took our own swings at it with much laughter and fun. A good time was had by an. Our next reunion will be Sept. 25,2005.

NEW WRITER FOR LYBARGER LINKAGES

A second writer has been added to the Lybarger Linkages staff. She is Jennifer Lynn Wilke of BeIlingham, WA. Born on Oct. 31, 1949, she is the daughter of Richard and Peg (Lybarger) Wilke. Her interest in Lybarger history has lead her to undertake the writing of a novel based on the Civil War correspondence of her great grandfather, Edwin L. Lybarger. In this issue of the Lybarger Linkages she is responsible for the article on Mary Ann Lybarger, Lonnie P. Lybarger. Andrew Lybarger, and Bill Lybarger.

A year ago Kathleen Romstedt became the first contributing writer of articles. She wrote the piece in this issue entitled "What's in a Name"

The editor is also pleased to announce that Cornelia L. Neuswanger wrote an article on Eric M. Lybarger {next column over). She writes human interest stories for her hometown newspaper in Wray, CO. She is the daughter of Donald F. and Marjorie (Hartshorne ) Lybarger and the elder sister of the editor of "Lybarger Linkages". She and her retired husband, Hank, live in Wray, are the parents of three children, and they have three grandchildren.

Dear Editor;

I am a descendant of the Lybarger clan from the original reunions at Madley, PA. My father was Grant Lybarger Jr. and my Uncle Jack Lybarger from Johnstown, PA is his brother (see pg. 3)

My first husband and I cleared the grove for many years for the Lybarger reunion. He has been deceased since 1985 and I have been happily married to my husband for almost 16 years. I regret not being able to attend the reunions because of our work, but I do enjoy getting the Lybarger Linkages.

My husband is known as "Polish Bill" in Johnstown, PA. We have 2 polka radio programs on 2 local AM stations. He has been in radio for 25 years and I have been his partner for the last 17 years.

We promote polka music, DJ’ing for dances, and non-polka bus trips. We have been the major organizer for the "Friendly City Polkafest" here in Johnstown for the past 6 years. All of this is in addition to our full time jobs. I am a pharmacy technician and he is a produce manager. If you are in our area tune us in on WLYE 850AM. Johnstown or WVSC. 990AM Somerset.

Thanks,

Deb Marano

"Clipped Wings: United's Struggling Employees. "That was the headline in a July 19,2003 story in the Denver Post. The full-page article told the story of Eric Lybarger, 33, of Littleton, CO, who had been featured in Lybarger Linkages in the Spring 2001 issue. At that time he had been a United Airlines Boeing 737 first officer since January 2000.

Eric, 33, loved his work. He had landed his job after years of training, study, sacrifice and many hours of flying for small regional carriers. He felt that "when I got hired at United, that was as high as I imagined I could go."

The blow came last December (2002) when United's parent company, UAL Corp., filed for bankruptcy-. Since then some 8,140 employees have been furloughed; Eric and at least 2,000 of his fellow junior officers are among them. If they go to a competing airline and get a similar job, they lose the seniority they've built up with United. Eric thinks he might get his job back in six or seven years--if he's lucky.

For now Eric has found a new career as a financial consultant with AXA Advisors, the second largest financial service company in the world. He works with individuals, helping them simplify their finances and save money 

Meanwhile, Eric's wife Robin, who has taken time off to be a full-time mother to their son, Kavi 18 months, has gone back to work part-time in media relations and marketing. The good news is that Kavi's little sister, Lily, will join the family in January.

Lybarger’s across the country join in wishing their United "cousin." well. Like to give him a boost? Just call AXA Advisors at 301-521-1466. Incidentally, Eric is the son of Glenn L. and Barbara (Dodds) Lybarger and the grandson of George W. Lybarger (1916-1978).

The South Bend (Indiana) Tribune reported in April 2003 on the egg tree in the children's section of the Plymouth, Indiana Public Library displaying hundreds of hand-decorated bisque Easter eggs. It was a special tribute to Mary Anne Owens Lybarger (1934-1993), from her two daughters, Lori Lybarger of Silver Lake and Shaunn Lybarger Moon of Plymouth. Mary Anne began making ceramic ornaments as a child in Rochester, Indiana.

Lori and Shaunn grew up helping their artist mother with the eight-step process to make the delicate, hand-painted Easter and Christmas ornaments, and the whole family helped to sell the popular ornaments at festivals and fairs in the Rochester area from Labor Day to Christmas every year. Mary Anne's husband Gerald Jack Lybarger (1933-1954) was a descendant of Nicholas, Sr. and his son Nicholas, Jr. Her parents were Harold Dale Owens and Erma Bernice Gage. Mary Anne died of lung cancer in 1993, at age 59.

This year's Distinguished Service Award went to Jack R. Lybarger of Johnstown, PA. Born on March 13, 1933, he Is the eighth of nine children of Grant W. and Gladys (Stewart) Lybarger. He marred Nancy Spinos on March 24, 1960 and they raised a family of five children from whom have come four grandchildren

Jack received the award because of his long term commitment to the Madley, PA. Lybarger reunions which he has not missed since 1955 and which he has been instrumental in organizing. He has also served faithfully as a board member of the Lybarger Memorial Assoc. since it was organized in 1984.

Jack has been involved in his church, community and nation. He has been a board member, president of Fellowship, Sunday School teacher, and choir member of his local Church of the Brethren congregation. After the Johnstown Flood in 1977 he was active in the clean up and rebuilding of the city and outlying districts. This resulted in his becoming the Western Penna. District Disaster Coordinator for the Church of the Brethren. He and Nancy have volunteered in rehabilitating other flood disaster areas as far away as Burnsville, N. C .and Jackson, Miss. where they set up a child care facility.

At the national level Jack served two years in the .Army in Korea. He is retired from Bethlehem Steel where he was an inspector for 40 years. His hobbies include photography, hiking, gardening and travel.

RESEARCHING VIRAL INFECTIONS

Lonnie P. Lybarger, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in genetics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, participated in significant research on how the herpes virus might hide from the immune system to establish lifelong infections. He was lead author of the study's report, published in the journal "Immunity" in January 2003. The team used a mouse virus closely related to the human herpes virus to discover how a virus can block the immune system's response. Lonnie earned his doctorate in Immunology at Louisiana State University and is married to Andrea Perrine. He is the son of Sharon Leigh Craig and Larry Lee Lybarger, a descendant of Ludwick, Sr. and his son Daniel. Reported by Ascribe Newswire, Jan. 14,2003.)

It seems that the popularity of given names comes in waves. The Social Security administration has tracked the names given to newborns since the beginning of the last century with some interesting findings. fu 2002 for boys the names Jacob, Michael and Joshua topped the list, while for girls Emily, :Madison and Hannah won out. From 1900-1909, baby boys were called John, William or James and girls were called Mary, Hellen, or Margaret more frequently than by any others.

What is it that influences parents' choices when naming their children? Where do trends in names come from? Stanley Liberson, a Harvard sociologist offers several interesting insights based on his research. First, he says, parents are more conventional with boys' name than with those they choose for girls. Beyond that he believes that some names come and go in accordance with how they sound and with what is happening in the culture at large.

Indeed, the most popular boy's name through most of the last century was Michael. Parents tend to be more aware of tradition with boy's names and there may also be some archaic vestige of the belief that boys are more likely to go into business and therefore need more business-like names. A girl's name such as Heather or Crystal is often chosen more for the way the name sounds or the image virtue that it evokes. For girls, Old Testament names like Sarah, Leah, Abigail, Rachel, Deborah and Hannah held strong though out the last century.

Names that spring from the wider culture are influenced by movies, soap operas, cultural icons and events. For example, the name Trinity jumped in popularity after the release of the film "The Matrix" and names like Huner and Ashley followed the introduction of characters with those names on daytime television soaps.

Sound is important in name popularity. In the 1950s names ending in [y or ie] like Mary, Kathy, Julie, Debbie and Susie were big hits. In the 1970's Jennifer, Jessica and Jenna followed a similar pattern with the initial J.

Pamela R. Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz, the authors of "Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana", suggest that fashion breeds name-type trends. Place names and surnames-as-first names are examples of these trends. Consider Ireland, London, Montana and Dakota or Madison, Morgan, McKenzie and Taylor.

Given names among Lybargers also have patterns. The editor looked at Lybarger genealogy records for possible trends. He focused on the first and second generations of the given names, Nicholas, Ludwig (Ludwick), and John. These names were carried into the third generation but that the names of Nicholas and Ludwig were never used again until the 9th and 10th generation when only Nicholas was used by one family. How to account for dropping the use of Nicholas and Ludwig? One possibility is that the name of Ludwig, at least, may have sounded too foreign to remain popular as a given name.

A survey of the first three generations of Lybargers in America ( early 1700s -mid 1800s) reveals some similarities with popular names of the last century. For Lybarger boys the most popular names were John, George, Henry and Jacob, followed by Andrew, Lewis, Joseph, and Daniel. The US Social Security administration lists John, George and Henry in the top 10 names for boys from 1900-1909.

For Lybarger girls the names Mary and Elizabeth are the big winners with 11 each in the first three generations. They are followed at a distance by Katherine (or Catherine) and Rachel. Again the perennial popularity of these names is reflected in the Social Security list for 1900-1909 with Mary and Elizabeth in the top 10.

How do Lybarger given names from the first three generations stack up against those from the year 2002'? Do George and Jacob compete well with Justin and Tyler? Can Mary and Elizabeth stand up to Destiny and Chloe? Apparently, they can. Names found on both genealogical lists and the report for 2002 on name popularity from the Social Security Administration include Jacob, Joseph, Andrew, Nicholas, Daniel, William and Samuel for boys and Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth and Katherine. Mary is no longer in the top 50.

Samuel Lybarger Jr. died in East St. Louis, MO on May 12, 2003. Nothing else is known about Sam. If anyone has further information please send it to the "Lybarger Linkages" editor.

IRENE LEOTA LYBARGER DUBOIS 1916-2003

Word has been received that Irene Lybarger DuBois died on June 9, 2003 in Marshalltown, IA. Born on Feb. 19, 1916 to Neil and Mabel (Johnston) Lybarger, Irene married Milan E. DuBois in 1946 who died in 1998. She is survived by 2 sons, Dennis and Milan, and 5 grandchildren She was member of 1he First Presbyterian Church.

Apart from being a homemaker, she was, for 33 years, in charge of the Boy Scout shop in the local department store. She had been a Den Mother and trained many mothers in scouting who followed her.

Editor's note: Readers wi1l be interested to know that Irene was the one who unwittingly sparked the revival of the LMA (Lybarger Memorial Association). The first issue of "Lybarger Linkages", January, 1985, reported it this way: "In June, 1983 Lee Lybarger (then in Trenton, N.J. now in Delaware, OH) received a letter from Irene DuBois telling about a family reunion to be held at the site of the historic Lybarger Lutheran Church in Madley, PA. He called some Lybargers in Bedford County, PA who urged him to attend. He called his brother in Ohio who also agreed to come. "

From that meeting it was decided to form a national organization using the same name that had been used when the LMA existed in the 1920's. So it is that the association was formed and the rest is history. But had it not been for Irene's 1983 letter we might not be where we are today.

George B. Lybarger died on April 16th in Lima, OH. Born on Dec. 30, 1954 in Spencerville, OH, he was the son of Roger and Grace Marie (Alspaugh) Lybarger and the grandson of Ora S. Lybarger. On April 20, 1974, he married Sandra Lee Parsons.

George was the custodian at Spencerville Elementary school and worked at Fruehauf Corporation. He was a life member of Bethlehem Christian Union Church where he served in a variety of capacities. He was a member of the American Legion Post 911 and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He attended Spencervlille schools. Hunting was his hobby.

He is survived by his wife, his son, Roger, a daughter Melissa, and two half brothers, William Dorsten and Eugene Wilkerson. According to newspaper accounts, his daughter Melissa and Scott M. Jones were married just 8 days after the death of her father. That must have been a poignant time for her and her family.

It is with sadness that we report the death of Kathleen Smith on July 22, 2003. Born in Mt. Vernon, Oh on Oct. 7, 1918, she was the daughter of Donald J, and Irma (Cotton) Lybarger. She married Joseph C. Smith (1918-1992) in 1941 and they had two sons, Joseph Michael and Daniel Lee who survive.

She was a member of the Faith Baptist Church and the Workers for Christ Sunday School class of the Mulberry St. United Methodist Church. She was the former owner and operator of Kathleen's Beauty Shop.

She is also survived by two sisters, :Marjorie Shaffer, and Marthella Massaro and a brother Gene Lybarger, and by two granddaughters, Carissa and Anna Smith

Harold E. Lybarger died on April 19 at his home in Westerville, OH. After serving in the Navy during World War II he married his wife Dorothy in 1951. He is survived by his sons Jim and Gary. and by his daughter Kathy Baker, and by four grandchildren. Harold made the ultimate gift to humankind by donating his body to science. His father was James Hugh Lybarger.

Martha Jean Zinn Lybarger died on August 27, 2003 in Lima. OH. Born on Dec. 2, 1932 in Van Wert County, OH, she was the daughter of Edwin and Margaret (Wallace ) Zinn. In her adult life she worked as a bookkeeper for a contractor and was a former director of the Camp Fire Girls. As well as a member of Pleasant Chapel (United Methodist). She had a keen interest in working on her family genealogy.

On July 25, 1959 she married Robert O. Lybarger. He survives her as do their four children and their families. Robert is the source of some of the LMA news items.

It is with sadness that we report the death of Evan Paul Zlock on May 8, 2003 of Newtown, P A. He was the husband of Nina F. Lybarger who, with 6 children and grandchildren, survive him. Born on Jan. 27, 1924 he was a graduate of Susquehanna University and was inducted into their sports hall of fame in 1969 and into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. We was a Navy veteran of World War II, a member of the Lutheran Church, and the Newtown Rotary Club. .He worked for the Radio Corp. of America for 30 years. In 1980 he and his wife opened the Newton Coin and Stamp shop. Source; "Morning Call" Allentown, PA May 11, 2003

On July 16 a story and photo appeared in the "Bedford {PA) Gazette" about Chris Bullington, 18, of Manns Choice, PA who was selected to play "Taps" at an American Legion state meeting.

Chris also granted his grandfather's wish to play "Taps" at his funeral in 2000. That took a lot of inner strength This was one of over 150 times that he has played this somber tune for patriotic events and funerals. He has won multiple high school chorus and band awards for his musical talent. He began West Virginia Wesleyan College this Fall entering the bio-medicine program.

Chris is the son of Thomas A. and Linda Kay (Smith) Bullington and the grandson of Laura L (Poorbaugh). Chris' father helps to arrange for the annual Lybarger reunions at Madley, PA.

Another Lybarger has graduated from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland OH. He is Kyle F. Lybarger, 38, who earned his Masters Degree in Business Administration this past June with a concentration is banking and finance. His grandfather, Donald F. Lybarger earned his law degree from CWRU. His cousin, Nancy L. Rhoades earned her masters in library science from CWRU. His uncle, Lee H. Lybarger, earned his masters in social work there and his aunt, Connie Diller Lybarger earned her masters in nursing at CWRU.

Kyle is the son of Leonard F. and the late Sallie (Christman) Lybarger. He is married to Jenniifer Stuck. They reside in Lakewood, OH and are the parents of two children, Colin James and Margot Elise.

You may not realize it but we Lybarger relations are players and promoters of a wide variety of music. Previous issues have talked about Don and Vicki Lybarger's country music band, which is about to hit the big time. This issue reports Chris Bulltington's musical talents on the trumpet. And there is the report in this issue of the polka music that Deb Lybarger Marano and her husband promote and play on the radio.

This issue also reports Lowell Lybarger's expertise in playing the tabla drums used in the classical music of India and Pakistan. His brother, Loren, is taking lessons in classical guitar, and their mother, Connie Diller Lybarger plays viola professionally for churches, weddings, and receptions. Now, if that doesn't cover a wide range of music what does? If any of you are serious performers or promoters of a musical instrument please send the information to the editor.

The following poem was submitted by George and Sharon Lybarger of South Bend, IN on behalf of their granddaughter, Karlee Jeske age 15. Karlee's poem will be published in the 2003 Great Lakes Regional High School poetry anthology, "Edges". She is a sophomore at St. Joseph High School in South Bend. Her twin sister is Kelley. They are the children of Mark E. Jeske and Christopher K (stepfather) and Susan Ann (Lybarger) Stoler. Here is the poem:

She's not only my sister

But my twin.

She's not only my twin

But my best friend.

We've had so many memories together

Not only the best ones

Not only the bad ones

But also a11 those in between

When I'm too shy to talk

She's there to talk

When I’m sick

She's there to care for me

When I'm in a bad situation

She's there to give me advice

When I'm too scared to be alone

She's there right next to me

When I need help

She's there to help me

Without her,

Who would I share an my

Laughs and tears, funny jokes and sad stories?

Without her,

Who would I share all those

Good long talks about boys with?

Without her,

Who would be as good a friend to me as she is?

Without her,

Who would I argue with about all the little things

And laugh about them later with?

Rocio Josephine Lybarger-Yanes was born on April 18, 2003 in Berkeley, CA. She is the daughter of Kathryn Lybarger and the granddaughter of Lee and Connie (Diller) Lybarger of Delaware, OH. Kathryn Lybarger is a gardener for the University of California.

Lybarger brothers, Loren and Lowell, were awarded Ph.D. degrees within 12 months of each other. On Dec. 13, 2002 Loren earned his doctorate in the sociology of religion at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. His specialty is modem Islam. His dissertation, based on field interviews, studied the impact of the 1987 uprising on Muslims and Christians in Palestine. He is teaching in the religion department of California State University in Chico,. CA.

On Nov. 20, 2003 Lowell will be awarded a Ph.D. in the field of ethno-musicology from the University of Toronto, Ontario. This involved a Fulbright research fellowship in Pakistan and India. His area of expertise is the role of tabla drumming in the classical music tradition of these two countries. He will reside in Columbus, OH area pending a job assignment over- seas in 2004.

Loren and Lowell are the sons of Lee H. and Connie (Diller) Lybarger of Delaware, OH and are the brothers of Kathryn Lybarger of Berkeley, CA.

In a brief space the generations of living beings are changed and like runners pass on the torches of life.

Lucretious, 1st Century, B.C.