Montgomery County, Indiana USGenWeb Project

Karen Bazzani Zach

Karen Zach

County USGenWeb Coordinator

Karen Bazzani Zach is the information part (along with my fabulous co-partner, Jeff Scism, the computer guru) of the Montgomery County IN GenWeb. Of course, occasionally I do something computer oriented and Jeff adds a lot of information, too. We make a great pair! I happened to be born right here in good 'ol Montgomery County and have lived in the area all of my 54 (too too soon to be 55) years. Been married 36 years to the same wonderful guy, Jim Zach. We're the parents of two wonderful children, Jay who is a computer specialist (he shudders at his momma's non-computer abilities) who has four sons and a wonderful wife, Kat. They live a couple of hours away, and that's one sad part of my life, that I don't see them as much as I'd like. Our daughter, Suzie is married to Steve Baldwin and lives right here in Montgomery County with her three adorable ones (two sons and our only granddaughter).

I'm a graduate of Waveland High School, Indiana State, Indiana University and have 50+ hours over my master's degree. This is my 15th year at Turkey Run High School. I LOVE teaching English and do so not only at TR but for St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Ivy Tech. I spent most of my younger years raising the kids and doing many things with them, such as coaching softball; CAR things; Scouts, etc. After graduating from ISU though I was Children's Librarian at the Crawfordsville District Public Library for a few years before going on to teach (and was librarian at the High School, as well) at TR.

Writing has been my favorite thing next to genealogy and family. Of course, they all go hand-in-hand. I've written for The Weekly; Montgomery Medicine Men about our early county doctors and my big writing accomplishment is writing for the Arcadia Publishing Company's Making of America Series (Crawfordsville; Athens of Indiana). I've written lots of other things, as well, but those are the biggies. My lifetime writing goal is to get my Italian grandparents ' love story written and published. Wish me luck!

Currently, my exciting hobby is doing scrapbooking, but of course, that goes along with "genealogy," as well.

A few of my accomplishments include: County historian; Speaker at the Children & Young People Division of the Indiana Library Association; Speaker for the American Prospect Research Association; Indiana Materials Committee, AIME; Library Radio Show; Krout-Wallace Award for Literature; Hubert Hawkins Award from the Indiana Historical Society; Regent, Dorothy Q Chapter DAR; State Secretary, Indiana Genealogical Society; Co-Editor of Montgomery County Family Histories and a whole bunch more stuff! I'm a busy gal, and LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT