By Mary Torres, Special to MyRGV.com
The Tip-O’-Texas Genealogical Society of Harlingen lost its first president and life-long supporter Dorothy Rainbolt McBride on June 8, at the age of 97. Dorothy McBride was born on December 17, 1923, in Houston. She married the love of her life, William “Bill” McBride on November 18, 1944, and had been married for over 66 years at the time of his death. They resided in Harlingen since 1947 with the exception of three years when they lived in Ozona and Brownsville.
Dorothy was devoted to her family and enjoyed spending quality time with them. On February 8, 1962, she and a group of visionaries who recognized the need to provide family research resources and assistance to the local community, founded the Tip-O’-Texas Genealogical Society at the Harlingen Public Library, then located on Tyler Street.
Dorothy served as the society’s first president and over the course of several years she and many dedicated individuals, serving as officers and committee chairs, led the society in its growth and in maintaining the high quality of its programs and services and in the move to the library’s present location at 410 ’76 Drive. She and her late husband were instrumental in obtaining books and other resource materials for the library.
Her personal genealogy interests took her into innumerable libraries, dusty courthouse archives, and many overgrown cemeteries as she researched her family tree and the origins of the Rainbolt name. Her research led her to coauthor a Rainbolt family history which received an award as The Outstanding Texas Family History of 1988. Dorothy was also involved in the Daughters of the American Revolution and Chapters BY and FE of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, serving as president of each chapter. She was also a member of the First United Methodist Church in Harlingen.
The members of the Tip-O’-Texas Genealogical Society wish to extend their deepest condolences to her family. Dorothy was a beautiful and remarkable lady and will be missed.
The Harlingen Story Walk Program ribbon-cutting ceremony originally scheduled for July 24 has been rescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Lake Harlingen. The Harlingen Public Library, the South Texas Literacy Coalition, the City of Harlingen, local children’s author David Norec, and a host of local sponsors invite you to this outdoor reading experience and a free community book distribution.
Don’t miss this amazing community event just in time for back to school. Other upcoming events at the library include the Frontera Quilt Guild meeting on August 9th and the RGV Master Naturalist meeting on August 10th. Questions? Email the library at [email protected].
The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society (RGVHGS) is hosting the 41st Annual State Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Conference, “1821-2021, 200 Years of Discoveries: From Revolution to New Frontiers,” on Oct. 14-16, at the Hilton Garden Inn, South Padre Island. This annual event, held during National Hispanic Heritage month is the largest conference of its kind in The U.S. and draws participants from across the country and Mexico.
The conference will highlight the Hispanic heritage of South Texas and Northern Mexico with tours to areas of local historic interest and concurrent lectures on the second two days. Some of the speakers include Arturo Cuellar Gonzalez, FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Susana Guerra Privett, U.S., Census Bureau Dallas, Benecio Samuel Sanchez Garcia, Mexico, and Dr. Mary Jo Galindo.
There will be an exhibit hall, free receptions, and a banquet. Early bird registration is $125 with optional activities such as tours and the banquet available for an additional cost. After July 31 registration will be $150. Sponsorship opportunities are still available in a number of gift-giving opportunities and your support will be highlighted in the society’s promotional materials and conference book. To learn more about the conference and for registration forms visit www.rgvhgs.org and follow the RGV Hispanic Genealogical Society’s Facebook page.
