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 Marie
Jenny HOETZEL
June
12, 1875 - January 4, 1966
You are here: Photo
Albums • HOETZEL • Marie Jenny
Mary arrived
in the U.S. from Germany at age 6, and lost her mother at age 16. She
became a kindergarten teacher at age 16 or 17 and married Ludwick
"Louis" SONSMITH at age 18 on September 10, 1893
at which time she gave up teaching. She raised four daughters and
instilled into them her wonderful cooking and baking skills. On
holidays and other gatherings Mary would cook large amounts of
excellent food at her Freeland, Michigan farm. Lloyd,
her grandson, remembers her tapioca pudding as being extra
wonderful. During the food preparation time, the grandchildren loved
to play in their barn, especially up in the hay loft.
 She
was a cat lover and had many felines around the house as well as
turkeys in the farm yard. She was a no nonsense diligent worker who
once said to the great-grandson Wayne,
"My hands have never touched cards." She kept her dark
hair for her entire life of 90 years. She passed away at the home of
her daughter Meta (SONSMITH) ROYAL in Bridgeport, Michigan. Her death
occurred in January. Coincidentally, all four of her daughters also
passed away in January of succeeding years. She is buried beside Louis
in Rosedale Memorial Gardens on Gratiot Road in Saginaw, Michigan.
Her grave is very close to the grave of her daughter Edna
(SONSMITH) EASTMAN.
~Written by Wayne
EASTMAN, with help from his great aunt Meta (SONSMITH)
ROYAL, daughter of Marie.
Photo
Gallery
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Marie
and her students |
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Marie
and Louis
- September 10, 1893 |
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Marie, Louis,
and daughters in about 1906
Children left
to right: Edna,
Meta and Elsie |
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unknown
date |
Marie, Louis,
Elsie, and Edna
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holding
granddaughter Pam in 1956 |
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close-up
of the photo at left |
Roselawn
Memorial Gardens - Saginaw, Michigan |
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Birth: |
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12 Jun 1875, Germany |
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Death: |
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4 Jan 1966,
Saginaw, Michigan |
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Burial: |
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Saginaw, Michigan
- Roselawn Memorial Gardens |
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Father: |
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Carl
HOETZEL |
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Mother: |
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Selma
(unknown last name) |
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Siblings: |
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unknown |
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Marriage: |
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Ludwick
Fred SONSMITH - 10 Sep 1893, Blumfield, Michigan |
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Children: |
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Elsie Anna Louise SONSMITH
Edna
Selma Pauline SONSMITH
Meta SONSMITH
Marion E. SONSMITH |
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Saginaw
News - Tuesday,
January
4, 1966, pg. B8
Sonsmith,
Mrs. Marie Jennie
3319
Dixie Court
Widow of Louis
Sonsmith passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs.
Claude Royal, 3319 Dixie Court, Tuesday morning. Age 90 years. Marie
Jennie Hoetzel was born June 12, 1875, in Germany, coming to the
United States with her parents in childhood, directly to Saginaw. The
deceased was a member of the Freeland Methodist Church. On Sept. 10,
1893, she was married here to Mr. Sonsmith.
He predeceased her May 7, 1953. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs.
Elsie Foy, Burt; Mrs. George
(Edna) Eastman, St. Helen, Mich.; Mrs. Claude (Meta) Royal,
Bridgeport; Mrs. Joseph (Marion) Brasseur, Saginaw; 12 grandchildren;
38 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren. Funeral
announcement will be made later. Freinds may call at the Case Chapel
409 Adams St. after 3 p.m. Wednesday. |
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