Chapter 15

My Family of Origin Genogram Paper

David W. Coon

Cambridge College, Springfield Massachusetts 4/10/19 

Marriage and Family Therapy: Professor Merriman

Family Treatment of Substance Abuse CCP-606.SP01

Spring 2019 Class from 01/23/2019 to 04/10/2019

Student’s complete family genogram. 

The actual genogram, a brief chronology, and the student's analysis.   

Brief chronology of notable people:

My family - 

My biological parents; Wendy Whittmore and Garry Coon.  

Wendy Whittmore. My mother was born on 9/30/1960. 

My mom met my stepdad when I was about 5 years old. They were together for 20 years before marrying in 2008. They have been happily married ever since. 

Stepdad Paul Hicks. Paul was a baby boomer born in 1953. Paul has one older brother two years older. Paul’s father, George Hicks was a WWII veteran who fought in the famous Battle of the Bulge. Paul said he never talked much about his war experience. Unfortunately George developed alzheimer's disease in his later years, and he passed away in 2001. Paul’s mother Doris is still still alive and well and healthy in her 90s. 

My Dad, Garry Edward Coon, born in 1958. My dad was an electrician by trade for most of his life. He never aspired to buy another house after losing his first one in divorce to my mom. Was a smoker most of his life, until he had a heart attack and had triple bypass surgery. 

Stepmom Phyllis. Married my dad when I was about 6 years old. Currently not in good health. Has COPD for lifelong smoking. 

My Sister. Sarah Coon, now named Sarah Jenks, was born in  1982. She married Aaron Jenks in 2004. She had a crime wave as a teenager and spent some time in prison for it. Since then she has completely turned her life around. Became a born again Christian, and marriage a good man that provides well for her and their three kids. 

Brother-in-law Aaron. They now have three children. Aaron is a great guy. I am happy that my sister married a healthy, honest, Christian man who provides well for my sister and my niece and two nephews. Thankfully, he who is not an addict.

   Charles Jenks was the first of three children, he was born in 2008. 

   His sister Maroin the second born, was born in 2011. 

   Henry David Jenks was born in 2017. He has Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that affect multiple systems of the body. We are hoping for the best for him.

Grandparents Dad's side

George Coon passed away a few years ago. He was a Korean War veteran. Lived in Georgia for the later years of their lives. According to my dad, he wasn’t the greatest father, but not the worst. 

Jean Coon, my dad’s mom.  Passed away one year after George died. 

Grandparents mom's side

Gary Whittmore. My mother’s father. Recovered lifelong drinker and smoker. Still working with his son Scott heavy equipment construction company.

Beverly Bulch. My mother’s mother. She died in 2005. She was also a likelong wine drinker and smoker. 

Aunts and Uncle Mom’s Side 

Scott -  Mom’s youngest brother. I am told I look a lot like him. He is a lifelong alcoholic and smoker. Works construction, owns his own company. Works with his father.

Annie - Scott’s wife. They had three children. I don’t know any one them very well. Annie also become an alcoholic. He currently has cancer.

Gary - older brother. Had a wife and kids and lost it all to drug addiction. Crack most likely. His whereabouts and wellbeing is currently is unknown. 

Aunts and Uncle Dad’s Side

Chuck older brother. Normal kind of guy as far as I know. Has been married for a long time, has one daughter. 

Jerry/Nicole. Has gender identity disorder. Was born Jerry and is now known as Nicole. I only met him/her once at my grandfather's funeral. 

Marianne - older sister. Lives out in Montana. Normal life and marriage as far as I know. Has two daughters.

Student's analysis

My family of origin is not terribly complicated to understand. In many ways my family history is your typical modern day American family. I grew up in upstate New York. The population was your average middle class families, made up of mostly white people all around with a few minorities spread in. Nothing majorly abnormal happened in my family history. I had a good upbringing, my mother did the best she could given the situation. My parents divorced when I was very young, around age three or so. Both parents remarried and carried out stable lives.  

There is history of alcoholism on both sides of my parent’s families.  I believe that my father was an alcoholic when he was a young man, before stabilizing his life in his second marriage.  On my mother’s side, both her brothers and her father were both alcoholics, and heavy cigarette smokers. My mother’s mother died in 2007; she was a smoker and drinker. 

That said, after completing my family genogram, I did notice some repeating patterns. 

Patterns Found In Genogram

• Alcoholism and substance use patterns

• Patterns of Smoker, Drinker and Divorce 

• Pattern of remarriage and stable lives

• Generational Alcoholism on the male side

Next - Chapter 16: Updates