Herman August Wilhelm Stenzel was born 19 January 1887 in Brandenburg, Germany, coming to America with his parents in 1889.  Herman was confirmed in 1900 at Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. 

Herman married Amanda "Maudie" Auguste Ernestine Durow on the 10 July 1912 at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Richland Township, Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan by B. Potzger, Lutheran Minister.  Their witnesses were Albert Durow and Emma Durow.  Amanda was born 6 April 1887 in Waldenburg, Macomb Coounty, Michigan.  Her parents were Ferndinand and Anna Kade Durow. Amanda was confirmed on 8 April 1900 at St. Peter's Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church and she chose Hebrew 12, 2 for her bible verse.

Herman and Amanda had seven sons: Leo, Norman, Orlaf, Melvin, Harold, Arnold and Hazen Stenzel.

In 1916, Herman and Amanda owned 50 acres of land on Dice Road in Section six in Richland Township. On Hermans draft registration, dated 5 June 1917, he is living in Richland Township with a mailing address of Merrill, Michigan. He has a wife, three children and his mother dependent on him.  Wilhelmine Rohde Stenzel lives with Herman and his family after the death of her husband, Gustave Stenzel. In 1930, Herman is a poultry farmer and in the 1950's he is working for the Saginaw Furniture Shops in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan. Herman worked there until he retired in 1959.

Herman died on 6 December 1972 at Saginaw Community Hospital, Saginaw, Michigan.  Amanda died on 29 November 1964 at her home, 10900 Swan Creek Rd.   Herman and Amanda are buried in Richland Lutheran Cemetery, Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

"FAMILY DINNER - Herman Stenzel, 10900 Swan Creek Road, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday at a family dinner at home.

The former Amanda Durow was born April 6, 1887, in Saginaw County, Michigan. Her husband was born in Germany on January 19, 1887.  They were married July 10, 1917, in St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Hemlock, Michigan.

Lifelong Saginawians, the Stenzels are members of Zion Lutheran Church, Iva.

The couple have six children: Leo, Norman, Orlaf, Arnold, and Hazen Stenzel, all of Saginaw, and Harold Stenzel of Hemlock.  They also have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild."

Leo H. Stenzel was born on 13 January 1914 in Richland Township, Hemlock, Michigan. He was baptized in 1914 and confirmed in 1928 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan.    He married Selma A. Fritz 10 Augus 1935 at Zion Lutheran Church.  Selma was born 16 November 1913 in Richland Township, Hemlock, Michigan.

Leo and Selma had one son, Gary Stenzel.

Leo had worked at Malleable Iron Central Foundry Division as a pattern maker for 33 years,  retiring to St. Helen, Michigan.

Leo died on 15 May 1988 and Selma died on 22 October 1995 and are buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church records, obituary from Delbert Pretzer}

Norman Gerhardt Stenzel was born 15 Januay 1915 in Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. Norman was in 1915 and confirmed in 1928 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan.  When Norman registered for the draft on 16 October 1940 in Merrill, Michigan, he was working for General Motors Malleable Iron in Saginaw, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church Records, obituary from Delbert Pretzer, WWII draft registration}

Orlaf Melvin Stenzel was born on 11 August 1916. He was baptized in 1916 and confirmed in 1930 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. Orlaf worked for the W.P.A., which was a federal program that people carried out public work projects all across the country, they mostly worked on street and road projects.

Orlaf registered for the draft in Merrill, Saginaw County, Michigan on 16 October 1940 and was working for the neighbors. Orlaf enlisted in the Army on 3 April 1941 in Detroit, Michigan. It states in his military record under, civil occupation, that he was a semi-skilled chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor driver. He was a Private First Class in the U.S. Army during WWII and received a Purple Heart. Orlaf was was discharged from the Army on 5 June 1945.

Orlaf died on 8 July 1976 in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan and is buried in the Richland Lutheran Cemetery, Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church Records, WWII draft registration, find a grave, military records of WWII, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs death files.}

Melvin Orlaf Stenzel was born on 25 July 1917 in Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. He was baptized at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan in 1917. Melvin died of Illio Cholitis on 8 September 1917 at one month and 14 days old in Richland Township. He is buried in the Richland Lutheran Cemetery, Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church Records, Melvin's death record}

Harold K. Stenzel was born 29 January 1920 Merrill, Saginaw County, Michigan.  He was baptized in 1920 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. He married Anna Louise Beck at the Zion Lutheran Church on 23 June 1945 by Otto C. Richert, Lutheran Minister. There witnesses were Robert Campbell and June Chapin. Anna's parents were George and Rhoda Elnora Carlson Beck.

Harold WWII draft registration states he was working at Malleable Iron Works, General Motors in Saginaw, Michigan and he had a Merrill, Michigan mailing address but his dad's farm was in Richland Townhip.  Harold was a Carpenter. 

Harold and Anna had three daughters: Sharon, Carol Jean, and Janice Stenzel.

Harold died on 17 January 2004 and Anna died on 29 March 2007 and are buried in Richland Township Cemetery, Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church Records, marriage record, find a grave, U.S. WWII draft registration,1995 (100 year anniversary) Zion Lutheran Church Pictorial}

Arnold Wilfred Stenzel was born on 25 October 1921.  He was baptized at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan in 1921.  He married Joan Dilts in 1950 at Zion Lutheran Church.  Joan was born 9 February 1921. Her parents Wilfred and Edna Passow Diltz.

Arnold Stenzel's WWII draft registration, dated 16 February 1942, states he is 20 years old living in Merrill and working for the Saginaw Furniture Shop.  He is still living with his parents in Richland Township with a Merrill mailing address. Arnold W. enlisted in the U.S. Army on 10 August 1942 and was discharged on 17 October 1945.

Arnold and Joan had five children: Bonnie, Sally, Robert, Barbara, and Betty Stenzel.

Arnold died on 30 November 1988 and Joan died on 17 September 2011, they are buried in the Garfield Cemetery, Swan Creek Township,  St. Charles, Saginaw County, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church Records, marriage record, find a grave, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Death File.}

Hazen Jarold Stenzel was born on 17 September 1928 in Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan.  Hazen was baptized in 1928 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Iva, Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. He was married to Doris Stevens on 5 June 1964 at the Zion Lutheran Church.

Hazen and Doris had two daughters, Judy and Debra Stenzel.

Hazen attended Hemlock High School in Hemlock, Michigan.   He enlisted in the Army on 2 January 1951 and was discharged on 2 October 1952 from the Korea War. He and his family lived on Graham Rd., St. Charles, Saginaw County, Michigan. 

Hazen died on 18 March 1991 in Saginaw, Michigan and is buried in the Garfield Cemetery, Swan Creek Township, St. Charles, Saginaw County, Michigan.

^{sources: Zion Lutheran Church Records, obituary from Delbert Pretzer, find a grave. WWII draft registration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Death File, U.S.City Directories.}