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Usher Family Genealogy

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William Michael Usher Sr.
June 25, 1969

  William was born on 25 June 1969. at 5:34pm, at the Lockwood - MacDonald Hospital in Petoskey, MI.  He was the third child born to Howard Cooke Usher, Jr. and Sandra Lea Nelson.  His brother, Richard, was born on 14 September 1962 and his sister, Julia, on 4 September 1965.  His father was a Captain in the United States Air Force assigned to the Bayshore Radar Bomb Site in Bayshore, MI at the time.  Shortly after William was born, on 31 July 1969, his father was transferred to Plattsburgh AFB, Plattsburgh, NY.  While waiting for base housing, Richard, Julia, William and their mother stayed at their grandparent's (Howard and Clara Usher) summer cottage at Short Beach, CT.  Then the family moved into base housing, first at 217B New Jersey Street and then at 184C U.S. Oval.  William attended Bailey Avenue Elementary School in Plattsburgh from 1974 to 1976. 

William's parents were divorced in September 1974.  His mother remarried and Richard, Julia and William lived with their mother and her new husband, Michael F. Schmidt, and remained at Plattsburgh.  The family was transferred to Barksdale AFB, Shreveport, LA in 1976.  They lived first in Parkland Villa Apartments while their new home was being built.  Then in 1977, the family moved to 611 Pine Cone Drive, in Tall Timbers, Haughton, LA.  In 1978-1980 William attended 5th and 6th grade at Princeton Junior High School, Haughton, LA.

In the fall of 1980, the family was transferred to Offutt AFB, Omaha, NE.  They lived at 2811 Century Road, Bellevue, NE. William attended Bellevue Elementary School, 1980-1981, and then Mission Junior High School,1981-1984, in Bellevue, NE.  In 1984 the family was again assigned to Barksdale AFB.  William and the family lived on base at 107 Avenue C West.  He graduated from Bossier High School, Bossier City, LA on 19 May 1987.  

Starting in September 1987, William attended Louisiana Tech University at Ruston, LA.  He lived first in Jenkins-McFarland Dormitory, then in the summer of 1992, he lived with Joey Dagg on James Street in Ruston.  In the fall of 1992 he lived with Matt Villareal on Florida Street in Ruston.  In September 1992, William began working at the Woodchuck in Ruston.  In November 1992, he started dating Misty Lea Thibodeaux, his future wife.  They met while both were students at Louisiana Tech University.  In the summer of 1993, William lived with Gray Schuler and David Granger on Homer Street in Ruston.  On 26 August 1993 he graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in studio sculpture.

 In May 1994, William was laid off from work at the Woodchuck and then lived with his sister, Julia, in Shreveport for a time.  He began work full time again at the Woodchuck in August 1994 and moved back to Homer Street in Ruston.  In the summer of 1995, he lived with Joe McFadden in a rent free house on Mayfield Street in Ruston.
    In July 1996, William and Misty became engaged.  They were married on 22 February 1997 at Comite Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, LA.  They lived first in Misty's rental home on Fifth Street in Arcadia, LA.  In September 1997, they moved to a home that they bought at 2366 Corley Street, in Arcadia.

On 14 March 1998, their son Matthew Nelson Usher was born.

 On 12 April 1999, William left the Woodchuck and began working for Hart Associates in Ruston.  By December, 1999 Bill's former employer The Woodchuck, was unable to continue business.  In January 2000, he and Misty decided to try to fulfill Bill's long time dream of running his own woodworking business so he and his sister, Julie formed a company and registered it with the State as House of Usher, L.L.C..  Arrangements were made to buy the equipment formerly owned by The Woodchuck and a business plan was written. In December 2001, he and Julie decided to quit their business and sell all the assets of House of Usher.

In February 2005, Bill and Misty discovered that they were pregnant.  A few weeks later, they were shocked with the big news that they would be having TWINS!  The twins were delivered by c-section on August 3, 2005.  Their names are Audrey Marie Usher and William Michael Usher Jr..