My recent visit to the Geneva History Museum was not my first attempt to find the final resting place of my 3rd-great-grandmother Helena Tolf.

I’ve mailed death certificate requests to Kane County on several occasions over the years, each time hoping a different clerk would get the request and find this elusive record. All attempts failed.

The Kane County Courthouse is directly across the street from the Geneva History Museum. My husband suggested we stop in. Maybe being there in person would inspire someone to take another look.

So across the street we went. I was reminded of the world in which we live as soon as I entered the building. Metal detectors and armed police officers were everywhere.

I dutifully placed my handbag in a basket on the conveyer belt and walked through the metal detector. BEEP!!

The police officer asked if I had keys. Oh of course, I did. So I set them in another basket on the conveyer belt and walked through the metal detector again. BEEP!!

Perhaps a belt? Oh yes, I was wearing a belt. Which I promptly removed. As I started to set it in yet another basket on the conveyer belt, the lovely woman assisting me asked why I was at the courthouse.

“For a death certificate,” I told her.

“Oh”, she said. “You won’t find that here. Those records are at the Kane County Government Center.”

I gathered my belongings and sheepishly walked toward the exit.

Who said there isn’t comedy in genealogy?