The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to present Brenda R. Leyndyke as the winner of the 2025 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship.
Brenda Leyndyke is a genealogist, historian, and author of Fort Custer in the World Wars, a pictorial history of the military training site. Her passion for genealogy began over fifteen years ago when assisting her father with his autobiography, leading to the discovery of deep Michigan roots dating back to pre-statehood and colonial America. Brenda served as a past president and current director of the Michigan Genealogical Council and a board member of the Fort Custer Historical Society. She has held numerous roles with the Calhoun County Genealogical Society and is a charter member of the Michigan Germanic Genealogical Society. An experienced researcher and writer, Brenda updated Research in Michigan guide for the National Genealogical Society. For over fifteen years, she has chronicled her genealogical journey at Journey to the Past, an award-winning blog recognized twice by Family Tree Magazine as one of the 40 Best Genealogy Blogs.
Welcome, Brenda, to the class of 2025!