Today's DAR
I’m very humbled and excited to be serving as your Historian General with the Wright Administration. With historic preservation as one of the three essential pillars of DAR it is important for members be curious and find areas of interest or passion. What better place to start then by visiting the Historian General webpages. Contained within these pages are a multitude of resources, ideas, pertinent forms, applications, guidelines, and much more to pique your curiosity. The staff within the Office of the Historian General are knowledgeable, talented, courteous and responsive to all questions and queries.
Meet Your Executive Officers - Historian General Suzanne Heske
Growing up in the Philadelphia area as a child, I spent many weekends with my family visiting battlefields, military forts, homesteads, and historic landmarks. These experiences inspired and nurtured my fascination with the past, the yearning to know more about those who came before me, and their traditions, culture, and heritage. Little did I appreciate 42 years ago when I joined DAR that history helps us understand how different our lived experience is from that of our ancestors, yet how similar we are in our goals and values.
My DAR story began as a Junior with the Valley Forge Chapter, Pennsylvania. In order to participate in State Conferences or Continental Congress as a college student I was required to seek permission from my professors. Having to explain why I needed time off or permission to take an exam at an alternate time was difficult to articulate in those early years. Even more challenging was trying to explain to my college buddies why giving back to the community through service or outwardly demonstrating patriotism was so important. But I did not surrender to those frequent jabs. Instead, I focused on becoming a well-informed and fluent ambassador for historic preservation, education, and patriotism, always mentoring.
Serving as a Page for 18 years provided me with a foundation of knowledge, experience, and leadership skills to guide me through my many years of service as well as my professional career in the Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology industry. Yes, many blessings have been bestowed upon me as a DAR member including recognition as the 1997 Outstanding Junior Runner-up and serving as New Mexico State Regent at the same time my mother, Marie, was serving as Pennsylvania State Regent. These are such cherished memories. Further service includes the National Chairman of the American Indians Committee and serving as Vice President General.
Outside of DAR, I enjoy many activities including gardening, sewing, anything crafty, and pitching horseshoes. Go off and do great things and Rejoice in our DAR Ties of Service and Friendship!
