Registrar General Introduction

Pat McFall, Registrar General

August 19, 2019

Hello, come join me on a short journey of my life culminating in the present moment, as I have the honor and pleasure of serving the VanBuren Administration as Registrar General. I am Patsy (Pat) Miller McFall. Of course, I started out as Patsy Miller, born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma. I am the first member of my family to become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. As I write this blog, I can think of many experiences that have affected me in different ways. What life experiences afforded me the opportunity to serve our beloved Society in this capacity?

My first curiosity was aroused about DAR when a lady from a nearby city came to my elementary classroom. She talked to us about the Constitution and the Revolutionary War. She spoke of her ancestor, who had aided in that war. She said she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. I was very impressed. Fast forward to many years later, as regent of Samuel King Chapter in Edmond, Oklahoma I coordinated a community wide event in my small hometown. The occasion was to celebrate a monument placed by that lady and other members of her chapter in 1931. It was pulled into place by a team of oxen. Yes, I had become a member of DAR, as was the lady who came to my classroom and impressed me so.

I had come to DAR as an adult due to the interest I had in genealogy and family history. As I accessed records and worked on my family genealogy, I began to realize the treasure trove of books and records that belonged to the DAR. I traveled to Washington D.C. to research in the DAR Library. I was hooked. I fell in love with an organization that promoted genealogy and family history along with Historical Preservation, Education and Patriotism. What a dynamic combination, for which all elements struck a deep feeling of pride in me. When I first joined, I could not be very active because of my work schedule. As soon as I retired from a career in public education, I became active. I would say, other than being a Wife and Mother, it is the most pleasurable thing in my life. The possibility of service to community and others has no bounds.

I am thrilled and energized to serve as Registrar General. I stand on the shoulders of many amazing Registrars General and one of my goals is to continue the progress they have made in this office. Another of my personal goals is to keep the information flow between my office and the Chapter Registrars as informative and helpful as possible. This is an area where great strides have been made in the last several years. With all considerations of the Application process, in most cases, the Chapter Registrar is still the first person to evaluate the potential of each prospective member. They should be cognizant of the great help that is now available to them. This is my job and my passion.

I am very excited about the future of our Society, as this Executive Board works with our President General VanBuren. DAR is going to become even more relevant as we approach our nation’s 250^th anniversary. The history of our country and the ancestors who had a part in building our nation will be highlighted. DAR’s service to communities is expanding yearly, illuminated by positive communication, which helps us keep in touch with both members and prospective members. More and more women are becoming interested in genealogy and family history. We are building an infrastructure to facilitate that interest. Chapters are offering a variety of days and times for meetings, keeping in mind our working members.

Back to the dear lady who first piqued my interest in the Daughters of the American Revolution. I am thankful for her, and all the women who have served with such a farsighted vision of our Society. We will continue to grow with the same tenets and motto of the past, moving forward with strategies to inspire the future. If our founders only knew…. but maybe they do.

Read the other Executive Introduction blog posts

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