About the Originators of this Website

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I was born in Weert (Limburg) in 1946, as one of a twin. I joined a family of one sister and two brothers.  Following gymnasium beta (high school) in 1965, I studied biology at university in Nijmegen (1971).  During an internship at the university of Nijmegen I met my wife, Alie. We married in Nijmegen in 1972 and have two sons, Erik and Sjoerd.  I further pursued a PhD degree.  After my PhD in 1976 in Nijmegen, I worked 32 years at the Laboratory of Pathology and Toxixology of The National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM) in Bilthoven.  Since 2006, I’ve retired, and involved myself in volunteer work. The origins of my genealogical research begin in 1987, when I started getting into this hobby.  It eventually resulted in a family book written in 1994 and now is available to you here online.  

John Dormans was born to Paul and Virginia Dormans in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 13, 1957.  He was the third of four children, always curious about science and physiology.  As a child, John was a fierce competitor, leading his high school basketball and track teams to victory time and time again.  Although John was offered dozens of basketball scholarships, he chose instead to pursue medicine at Indiana University.  After graduating in 1983, he went on to his residency and fellowship before settling in Philadelphia at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He married in 1981 and had four children.  He quickly rose in the ranks at CHOP and completed 26 years there before moving to Houston where he served as the Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Texas Children's. John finally returned to Indiana, where it all began, to round off his great career at Riley Hospital for Children.  Over the course of his prolific career, he has published over 345 articles, authored more than 145 chapters and written/edited 11 books. He has participated as an invited lecturer in nearly 60 countries.  John is a keen antiquer and preserver of natural beauty.  He splits his time between the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Philadelphia, where he enjoys cuddles with his grandchildren.  While on a business trip in Brussels, John spent a few days exploring Maastricht with his son, Nicholas.  Knowing he'd be returning for the same trip the following year, he approached his four children about the idea of a trip to explore their Opa's heritage and his hopes of planning a reunion with their American and Dutch relatives.  Throughout this process, Jan and John connected and discussed ways to share Jan's research.  As a result, dormansfamilyhistory.com was created.

Laura Dormans Murdoch was born to John and Nanette Dormans in 1989.  She grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia before attending the University of St. Andrews in Scotland to pursue a Masters of English Literature.  Always a wanderer, Laura has lived in Hong Kong, Romania, Zambia, and the UK. Recently retired from the U.S. Navy after nearly 5 years in service, Laura returned to the Philadelphia area with her spouse, John Murdoch, and has since welcomed two daughters, Elizabeth and Marguerite.  As the planner of the family, she was approached by her father about the prospect of building this website.  With her keen interest in genealogy, she quickly accepted and continues to build and edit this website, sharing Jan's extensive research with all.