Hilda Jane Stickley

Notes:

After Jane's death, her husband, Dorus, published a book of memoirs of stories her father-in-law, John A. Benkelman, often repeated. Her preface says that she started her writing about her father-in-law John in 1945, "to shorten the long, restless lonely hours we spent together after your 90th year."

Bonnie Benkelman McLemore, the daugher of Dorus's first cousin, Ben Benkelman Jr., had many fond memories of Jane. It was Jane who inspired her to attend Western Michigan State University and major in Occupational Therapy.


Obituary
Cass City Chronicle
Thursday, April 14, 1960

Mrs. Benkelman Buried Saturday

Mrs. Hilda Jane Benkelman, 67, wife of Dorus Benkelman died Thursday, April 7, in Pleasant Home Hospital, where she had been a patient since Monday.

The former Hilda Jane Stickley, she was born May 21, 1892, at Brantford, Ontario. She was married November 2, 1943, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norman FISHER in Royal Oak. Mrs. Benkelman had served as an Army nurse during World War I and later taught and trained crippled children at a school in Royal Oak.

Surviving are her husband; a brother, Ernest STICKLEY of Detroit, and two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth POTTER of Sarasota, Fla., and Mrs. Harriet SMITH of Marysville, Wash.

Services were held Saturday at the Douglas Funeral Home with the Rev. S.R. Wurtz officiating.
Burial was in Elkland Cemetery.

Hilda married Dorus William Benkelman on 2 Nov 1943 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Dorus (son of John Adam Benkelman and Augusta Catherine Freidrika Krehl) was born on 6 Dec 1892 in Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 14 Feb 1973 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Cass City Chronicle, Friday, November 12, 1943, Page 4

Miss Stickley and D. W. Benkelman Wed in Royal Oak

Miss Hilda Jane Stickley and Dorus W. Benkelman were married Tuesday, Nov. 2, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Fisher, 2108 Roseland Avenue, Royal Oak . The ceremony was performed by the Rev. L. H. Pertner of Ferndale. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher and Mrs. Jean Doerr Rouse were the only attendants

Mrs. Benkelman is a graduate of the Presbyterian Hospital, School of Nursing, Chicago, Ill, and has had post graduate work in orthopedic nurshing and physiotherapy at the Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. She had been actively engaged in orthopedic work in Oakland County for the past fifteen years. Mrs. Benkelman has been visiting occasionaly in Cass City for the past seven years. He has made many friends and is looking forward to making more in the future.

Mr. Benkelman is the assistant cashier of the Pinney State Bank, a position he has held here for 22 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Benkleman, together with John A. Benkelman, father of Dorus, will move to their residence on South Seegar Street in the near future.

Mrs. Benkelman is spending the week at her summer home near Prescott, Michigan, and will be joined their by her husband and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kettlewell fo the week end.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, November 2020)

Dianne Herring, a descendant of Hilda Jane Stickley's brother Ernest Claud, shows Jane's parents as Thomas and Mary (Hill) Stickley, both born in England and residents of Prescott, Michigan. She suspects that the family Jane was visiting in Cass City were related to the Norman Fisher family and to Jean Doerr Rouse, the attendants at her wedding to Dorus. Bonnie Benkelman McLemore recognized the last name Doerr as common in Cass City.