A Year of Discovery for the Parsons Family

It has been a year of discovery and re-discovery in the Parsons Family. Family history and genealogy has been at the root of it. My girlfriend Martine, who is a family history buff, was away at the BYU Women's Conference so I decided it was time to start my genealogical work. My patriarchal blessing admonishes me to work on my genealogy so I figured I had better get started. Better late than never! I did a google search for one of my ancestors in Germany during the early 1800's but then it occurred to me that I should search for my father first who I had not seen in 42 years. He left before I was born, visited until I was 6 and I last saw him by accident when I was 12. (a story for another day) So, I put in a search for Kenneth Butte Parsons Santa Monica. It brought up bio information on an actress Karyn Parsons saying she was the daughter of a black mother Louise and white father Kenneth B. Parsons. She was born in Hollywood in 1966 and went to Santa Monica High School. I first sent a letter to her care of a talent agency that I thought represented her but it returned undeliverable. Then, I recalled she had an email address online as she has a website and a foundation she is working to develop. I emailed her and said that I knew it was a long shot that my father was the same as hers but asked her to contact me if he was. The next day I received an email saying "you've found him, we have the same father!" Since that time, many in the family have become acquainted with her and her family and Daris and I have been able to meet our father Ken. This experience has prompted me to search out other family, deceased and living, to learn more about them and to become better acquainted where possible. Next on the list, my stepbrother of 5 years, Michael Betzler, along with deceased uncle Shu Watanabe and deceased great-uncle Kunio Watanabe, a well-known movie director in Japan that directed "Chushingura" (The Loyal 47 Ronin) and many other productions from 1929-1970.