Retirement Announcement Thomas MacEntee Says Goodbye to the Grind (But Not to the Genealogy Fun)

Retirement Announcement Thomas MacEntee: And after almost 50 years of tracing my roots, teaching others to trace theirs, and trying to figure out if I look better in a blazer or a cardigan (spoiler: it’s neither … it’s a Hawaiian shirt, of course!) it’s time to officially retire at the end of 2025.

I know what you’re thinking: “Thomas, how could you leave us when there are still so many family secrets to uncover and so many genealogy apps we’re too scared to download?” Trust me, this wasn’t an easy decision, but after delivering over 1,200 lectures and webinars, organizing a group of genealogy bloggers, and discovering just how many subscription services I can cancel in one afternoon, I’m ready for my next chapter starting in 2026.

Retirement Announcement Thomas MacEntee: 2025 – My Final Year of Webinars

The coming year – 2025 – will be my last year of presenting webinars to genealogical societies and libraries. The reason:? I don’t want to be on a schedule once I retire. There are many times when I have to be awake and online as early as 6:00 am in order to teach. After 2025, I will likely produce a book or two each year and perhaps speak at special events.

There is still time to book a webinar for your group via this link: https://genealogybargains.com/genealogy-webinar-request/. So far I am scheduled to deliver 80 webinars in 2025.

Retirement Announcement Thomas MacEntee: More On My Retirement

They say retirement is when you stop living at work and start working at living. For me, that might mean finally organizing my own family tree (yes, genealogists procrastinate too), binge-watching Who Do You Think You Are? again, or creating an online soap opera called Census of the Damned.
But don’t worry, I’m not entirely disappearing. You’ll still see me out there cheering for new genealogists, advocating for innovation in research, and celebrating the breakthroughs of others. After all, I believe in abundance. Knowledge is meant to be shared, not hoarded. And honestly, who else is going to remind you to always give proper attribution?

As I step away from the professional stage, I do so with an open hand, palm up, ready to receive the next adventure coming my way. I leave behind a career filled with laughter, learning, and—if I’m being honest—a few too many PowerPoint presentations.

Thank you to everyone who joined me on this wild journey through tech and history. Remember: Celebrate the success of others, believe in possibilities, and keep those family stories alive for future generations.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some genealogy to attend to.

Thomas MacEntee
Retiring Genealogy Guy, Advocate for Ancestor Awesomeness

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