Disney Family History & Genealogy

Animator, producer & director, screenwriter gone business owner and founder of the Walt Disney Corporation, Walter Elias "Walt" Disney will forever have a place in our hearts. Entertainment Magnate, Motion Picture Pioneer, Film Producer, Animator, Theme Park Mogul, Voice Actor. Most remembered for creating 'Mickey Mouse,' 'Donald Duck,' and a host of other cartoon characters. He was awarded a total of 32 Oscars, more than any other person, for his achievements in films. His father was always seeking success in many occupations, but always finding failure, and the Disney family was always poor. Walt found that he could escape his father's harsh discipline by drawing, and, in 1917, when he was 16 years old, he lied about his age to join the American Red Cross Ambulance Corps. When he was mustered out at the end of World War I, he set up shop as a commercial artist in Kansas City, Missouri. There he was introduced to the profession of animation, in which he excelled. Moving to Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1923 to be with his more successful brother, Roy, he began drawing commercially, making a modest living by drawing for the "Alice" series of cartoons, about a live-action girl who travels to the world of animated cartoon animals. In 1927, his first really successful commercial cartoon, featuring 'Oswald the Rabbit,' became a success with Universal Pictures, but he lost the rights to the character when he was sued by his distributor. From then on, he insisted on owning the distribution rights to his creations. In 1928, Walt Disney created 'Mickey Mouse.' His third 'Mickey Mouse' film, "Steamboat Willie," was the first animated cartoon motion picture to use synchronized sound and became an overnight success. He was the voice of the character for the first ten years of the cartoon. In 1934, Disney pioneered the first full length cartoon movie, "Snow White," and again, critics were overcome by the sheer popular response of the public to the movie. From 1940 until his death, he was an FBI informant, reporting to Hoover and his crew on anyone in Hollywood he suspected of being a leftist. In 1950, he produced his first live-action film, "Treasure Island," and in 1955, he opened his first theme park, "Disneyland" in Anaheim, California. Prior to his death, he began work on his latest theme park in Orlando, Florida, "Walt Disney World." His brother, Roy, the business genius behind the scenes, continued to run the company, for decades after Walt's death. Shortly after his death, the Disney Company executive board was shown a short film that he made 99Asset just before his death, where he addressed each board member by name, telling him what he expected of him, and ending the film by saying "I'll be seeing you." Walt Disney was one of few Americans to be honored with a United States postage stamp issued less than two years after his death (the United States Postal Service prefers to issue stamps at least ten years after a person has died; an exception being made for United States presidents), when a 6 cent stamp was issued in September, 1968, in his honor.

MEREDITH ALVAH (BOYINGTON) FISHER, DISNEY was the wife of Raymond Arnold Disney, an elder brother to Walt Disney. She was the Mother of Charles Elias Disney and Daniel H. Disney. She had previously been married to Charles W. Fisher. The family resided in Southern California for many, many years. Meredith was the co-founder of LodeStar Pictures, an independent feature film financing enterprise with offices in Hollywood and Burbank, CA. Meredith also taught in the second grade in a grammar school for several years. She also worked for The Kansas City Times newspaper. She first met Raymond when her very close friend Edna Francis, who also worked for The Kansas City Times in Kansas City, Missouri, introduced Meredith to Raymond Arnold Disney at a church dance. Later, Edna married Roy Oliver Disney, a younger brother to Raymond. Later, it was brothers Walter Elias Disney and Roy O. Disney who first established the Disney Bros. Animation Studios in Hollywood that later became and is now known as The Walt Disney Company. Meredith's husband Raymond owned his own insurance company in Los Angeles for many years and he handled all of the insurance needs for brothers Walt and Roy when they first established their Animation Studio and as their enterprises continued to grow and to flourish! Meredith was also an accomplished musician who played the piano and violin and she was a lyricist and music composer. She was actively involved with raising funds for the construction of the new Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and The Walt Disney Concert Hall, both located in downtown Los Angeles. She was always committed to privately helping others and she literally gave numerous people automobiles and she paid off the mortgages for numerous families she had learned were in such dire need of assistance, people who were really hurting, and people she usually never personally would ever know! In her own words, she said: "God knows the names of the people I might have assisted and I always believed my good fortunes were always intended to help others!" Meredith was an all-out advocate for children and she believed in what her Catholic Faith taught regarding abortion, and that every life was precious from conception to natural death. And she would qualify this belief with an all-out: "Period!" Meredith passed away on February 2, 1998 as the result of an auto accident that also seriously injured both of her sons. Her Roman Catholic Mass of Christian Burial was held on February 14, 1998 in her home parish of Our Lady of Malibu in Malibu, California. His Eminence Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, was the main Celebrant for her Mass. She was then entombed in the Holy Redeemer Chapel in the Risen Christ Mausoleum in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum in Culver City, California. Close family and friends served as Pallbearers including Roy E. Disney, Ron W. Miller, Robert and Richard Sherman, Elmer Bernstein, Peter O'Malley, Charlton Heston, David Nelson, Michael Jackson, Merv Griffin, the Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller and the Rev. Father Edward M. Foster. Her funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Callanan Family Mortuary in Hollywood, California.

Charles Elias Disney is the son of Raymond Arnold Disney (an older brother to Walt Disney) and Meredith A. Disney. His brother is Daniel H. Disney.

Roy Oliver Disney was born on June 24, 1893 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois United States, and died at age 78 years old on December 20, 1971 in Burbank, Los Angeles County, CA. Roy Disney was buried at Forest Lawn 6300 Forest Lawn Dr, in Los Angeles. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Roy Oliver Disney.

Herbert's parents were Elias Charles Disney (1859 - 1941) and Flora Call (1868 - 1938). He was one of the brothers of Walt Disney - the cartoonist and amusement park creator. He married Louise J (Rose) Rast (1891 - 1953) on 14 Aug 1913 in Jackson, Kansas City, Missouri and had daughter Dorothy Louise Disney (1915 - 2007). You can read an obituary written by Charles Elias Disney at Herbert Arthur Disney: Obituary He and his wife lived in Oregon for a while and his parents joined them there. When Walt and Roy bought their parents a house near their studio in Los Angeles, Herbert moved to California.

Ruth Flora (Disney) Beecher was born on December 6, 1903 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois United States to Flora (Call) DIsney and Elias Charles Disney, and had siblings Walter Elias Disney, Roy Oliver Disney, Herbert Arthur Disney, and Raymond Arnold Disney. She married Theodore Beecher, and they were married until Ruth's death on April 7, 1995 in Portland, Multnomah County, OR. She had a child Theodore Warren Beecher. Ruth Beecher was buried in Portland. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ruth Flora (Disney) Beecher.

Elias Charles Disney was born on February 6, 1859 in Bluevale, Huron County, ON Canada. He was married to Flora (Call) DIsney on January 1, 1888 in Florida United States, and they were together until Flora's death on November 26, 1938. He had children Herbert Arthur Disney, Raymond Arnold Disney, Roy Oliver Disney, Walter Elias Disney, and Ruth Flora (Disney) Beecher. Elias Disney died at age 82 years old on September 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States, and was buried at Forest Lawn 1712 S Glendale Ave, in Glendale. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Elias Charles Disney.

Raymond Arnold Disney was born on December 30, 1890 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois United States to Flora (Call) DIsney and Elias Charles Disney, and had siblings Walter Elias Disney, Roy Oliver Disney, Ruth Flora (Disney) Beecher, and Herbert Arthur Disney. He was in a relationship with Meredith Alvah (Boyington) Fisher Disney, and had children Charles Elias Disney and Daniel Harwood Disney. Raymond Disney died at age 98 years old on May 24, 1989 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, CA, and was buried at Forest Lawn 1712 S Glendale Ave, in Glendale. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Raymond Arnold Disney.

Sharon Mae (Disney) Brown was born on December 31, 1936 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States to Walter Elias Disney and Lillian Marie (Bounds) Disney, and had a sister Diane Marie (Disney) Miller. She married Robert Brown on May 10, 1959 at Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA, and they were married until Robert's death on September 14, 1967. They had a child Victoria Diane Brown. She also married William Lund in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County and they later divorced on September 14, 1967 in Los Angeles. They had children Brad Lund and Michelle Lund. Sharon Brown died at age 56 years old on February 16, 1993 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Sharon Mae (Disney ) Brown.

Diane Marie (Disney) Miller of Napa, Napa County, California United States was born on December 18, 1933 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County to Walter Elias Disney and Lillian Marie (Bounds) Disney. She had a sister Sharon Mae (Disney ) Brown. She married Ronald William Miller on May 9, 1954, and they were married until Diane's death on November 19, 2013 in Napa, Napa County, CA. Diane Miller had children Christopher Miller, Joanna (Miler) Runeare, Tamara (Miller) Scheer, Jennifer Miller-Goff, Walter Elias Disney Miller, Ronald Miller, and Patrick D Miller.

Flora (Call) DIsney was born on April 22, 1868 in Steuben, Huron County, Ohio United States. She was married to Elias Charles Disney on January 1, 1888 in FL, and they were together until Flora's death on November 26, 1938. She had children Herbert Arthur Disney, Raymond Arnold Disney, Roy Oliver Disney, Walter Elias Disney, and Ruth Flora (Disney) Beecher. Flora DIsney was buried at Forest Lawn 1712 S Glendale Ave, in Glendale. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Flora (Call) DIsney.

Daniel Harwood Disney was born in 1956 in United States to Raymond Arnold Disney and Meredith Alvah (Boyington) Fisher Disney, and has a brother Charles Elias Disney. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Daniel Harwood Disney.

W Disney died on November 26, 1918, and was buried at Valenciennes (st. Roch) Communal Cemetery I. E. 3. in France. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember W Disney.

Lillian Marie (Bounds) Disney was born on February 15, 1899 in Spalding, Nez Perce County, Idaho United States, and died at age 98 years old on December 16, 1997 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lillian Marie (Bounds) Disney.

Edna (Francis) Disney was born on January 16, 1890 in Reece, Greenwood County, Kansas United States. She was in a relationship with Roy Oliver Disney beginning April 11, 1925, and they were together until Roy's death on December 20, 1971 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. She had a child Roy Edward Disney. Disney died at age 94 years old on December 18, 1984 in CA, and was buried at Forest Lawn 6300 Forest Lawn Dr, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Edna (Francis) Disney.

Louise Rose (Rast) Disney was born on September 15, 1891 in Missouri United States, and died at age 61 years old on April 21, 1953 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Louise Rose (Rast) Disney.

(Adopted by Charles Elias Disney (in) 1999)

Charles Disney was born to Charles Elias Disney and Mary Elizabeth (O'Brien) Disney. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Charles Roy .

Roy Edward Disney was born on January 10, 1930 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States, and died at age 79 years old on December 16, 2009 in Newport Beach, Orange County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Roy Edward Disney.

Ruth Bennett (Ferris) Disney was born on October 10, 1911, and died at age 80 years old on October 7, 1992. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ruth Bennett (Ferris) Disney.