Kyrsten Sinema
official U.S. Congress photo of Kyrsten Sinema c. 2013
Birth Name: Kyrsten Lea Sinema
Place of Birth: Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 12, 1976
Ethnicity: Dutch, Frisian, German, Danish, English, Scottish, Irish
Kyrsten Sinema is an American politician. She has been a U.S. Senator from Arizona, since January 3, 2019. She was previously a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona, from January 3, 2013 to January 3, 2019. She has been a member of the Green Party, then a Democrat, then an independent.
Kyrsten is the daughter of Marilyn and Dan Sinema. Her surname is Dutch/Frisian. She was raised LDS (Mormon), though is non-practicing.
She is the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Senate.
Kyrsten’s paternal grandfather is Gerald Alan Sinema (the son of Jacob D. Sinema and Irene Florence Visser). Gerald was born in Idaho. Jacob was born in Iowa, the son of Dutch parents, Lieuwe Jacobs Sinnema, from Beetgum, Menaldumadeel, Friesland, and Dirkje Jans van Klompenburg, from Amsterdam, Noord Holland. Irene was born in Illinois, the daughter of Dutch parents, Jan/John Gysberts Visser, from Nod Holand Nederland, Purmerend, Purmerend, and Gerbreg/Gertrude Willems Matthijs/Matthys, from Dokkum, Dongeradeel, Friesland.
Kyrsten’s paternal grandmother was Laurene Margaret Nielsen (the daughter of Ralph Betts Nielsen and Margaret Sue Bender). Laurene was born in California. Ralph was born in Utah, the son of Peter Nielsen/Nielson, Jr., whose parents were Danish, and of Laura Betts, whose parents were English. Kyrsten’s great-grandmother Margaret was born in North Dakota, to German parents from Odessa Oblast, Ukraine, Andrew Bender and Julia Friedt.
Kyrsten’s maternal grandfather was Clyde Everett Wiley (the son of Edward Seymour Wiley and Fannie Hestor/Hester Alley). Clyde was born in West Virginia or Kentucky. Edward was the son of Moses Wiley and Sarah Ann Riggs. Fannie was the daughter of Bud/Oliver D. Alley/Allie and Fanny/Frances Catherine Fredrick/Frederick.
Kyrsten’s maternal grandmother is Dorothy J. McClure (the daughter of Charles Preston McClure and Edith Avis Speer). Dorothy was born in Oklahoma. Charles was the son of William Jefferson McClure and California Warren. Edith was the daughter of Henry Martin Speer and Laura Helen Gay.
Sources: Genealogy of Kyrsten Sinema – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Kyrsten’s father – http://dansinema.tripod.com
Genealogy of Kyrsten’s paternal grandmother, Laurene Margaret (Nielsen) Sinema – https://www.findagrave.com
Kyrsten’s paternal great-grandfather, Ralph Betts Nielsen, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
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