Joyce Risher, of Bremerton (left), laughs with her newfound sister, Beverly Meier, of Sacramento, California, whom she is meeting for the first time. The long-lost sisters had no idea they shared the same parents until an Ancestry.com DNA test revealed the fact six months ago. (Larry Steagall / Kitsap Sun)

Joyce Risher, of Bremerton (left), laughs with her newfound sister, Beverly Meier, of Sacramento, California, whom she is meeting for the first time. The long-lost sisters had no idea they shared the same parents until an Ancestry.com DNA test revealed the fact six months ago. (Larry Steagall / Kitsap Sun)

Long-lost sisters meet after DNA test reveals relation

One was adopted after birth. Her seven siblings had no idea she was born.

  • By Wire Service
  • Monday, June 25, 2018 7:44pm
  • Northwest

Associated Press

BREMERTON — Two long-lost sisters had no idea they share the same parents until an Ancestry.com DNA test revealed the fact six months ago.

The Kitsap Sun reports 78-year-old Beverly Meier flew into Seattle from Sacramento, California, last week to meet her sister, 83-year-old Joyce Risher, in person for the first time.

Risher’s granddaughter, Melissa Berry, discovered the two women had the same parents last summer after researching her family genealogy.

Meier submitted her DNA to Ancestry.com about a year ago, only wanting to know about where her ancestors came from.

Meier was adopted after birth. Her seven siblings had no idea she was born.

The families confirmed the relation after messaging back and forth on Facebook.

The family held a reunion Saturday in Silverdale so more relatives could meet Meier.

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