Family: Robert Fletcher Benkelman / Lorraine Bessie "Smitty" Smith (F611)

• Father | Male Robert Fletcher Benkelman

  
  

  Born	1 Oct 1926	Sandusky, Sanilac County, Michigan
  Died	22 Sep 2006	Saginaw County, Michigan
  Buried	26 Sep 2006	Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan
  Married	30 Sep 1950  [1, 2]	Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan  [1, 2]
  Father	Harold "Sime" Leroy Benkelman | F33 Group Sheet
  Mother	Isabel Lizzie Fletcher | F33 Group Sheet

  
  

  Mother | Female Lorraine Bessie "Smitty" Smith

  
  

  Born	12 Feb 1931	Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
  Died	15 Jun 2012	Caseville, Huron County, Michigan
  Buried	22 Jun 2012	Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan
  Father	Clarence William Smith | F9714 Group Sheet
  Mother	Cora Susan Page | F9714 Group Sheet

  
  

  Child 1 | Female Carole Jean Benkelman

  
  

  Born	26 Oct 1951	Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan
  Died	19 Jan 2023	Saint Johns, Clinton County, Michigan
  Buried		Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan
  Spouse	Gary D. Tetreau | F3176
  Married	6 Nov 1971	Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan
  Spouse	Living | F3177
  Married

  
  

  Child 2 | Female Living

  
  

  Born
  Died
  Buried
  Spouse	Living | F2251
  Married

  
  

  Child 3 | Female Living

  
  

  Born
  Died
  Buried
  Spouse	Living | F2250
  Married

  
  

• Photos		Benkelman, Robert F. wedding to Lorraine Smith Miss Lorraine Smith of Kalamazoo became the bride of Robert F. Benkelman Saturday evening, September 30, 1950, at eight o'clock in a ceremony at the First Congregational Church at Kalamazoo. The couple will live in Lansing. The bride, a graduate of State High School in Kalamazoo, attended Michigan State College. Her husband, who was graduated from Cass City High School, received a B.A. degree in speech, dramatics and radio from MSC. l to r: Clarence and Cora Smith, Lorraine Smith and Robert Benkelman, Isabel and Harold "Sime" Benkelman
  		Striffler Home (George and Cora), 6593 Houghton St, Cass City, Michigan The Cass City Home of George and Cora Striffler. George was a prominent merchant in the early years of the village. The home was later owned by the family of Robert and Lorraine Benkelman. In a 1915 article from HISTORY OF MICHIGAN, it was noted that "Mr. Striffler has recently completed in Cass City a handsome and thoroughly modern house of twelve rooms, the same being the family home and one of the most attractive in the village, even as it is one of the most hospitable,a center of much of the social activity of the community. An appreciable part of the timber utilized in the erection of this building was taken from land owned by Mr. Striffler and is of growth that has been made since the disastrous forest fires which swept this section in 1871. Mr. Striffler himself found satisfaction in assisting in the sawing of the logs into the lumber and shingles for his fine new residence." In 1964, Robert Fletcher Benkelman and his wife Lorraine purchased the home, and lived in it with their family through 1970.

  
  

• Notes

  Married: Cass City Chronicle October 6, 1950 Page 6 Miss Smith and Robert Benkelman Wedding Saturday Miss Lorraine Smith of Kalamazoo became the bride of Robert F. Benkelman Saturday evening at eight o'clock in a ceremony at the First Congregational Church at Kalamazoo. Dr. William A. Keith, church pastor, conducted the rites. Mrs. Benkelman, who wore a Sophie original of ice blue satin, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence W. Smith of Cambridge Drive, Kalamazoo. The groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold L. Benkelman of Cass City. Among 200 guests who attended the ceremony were 35 relatives and friends of the groom from Cass City. The maid of honor was Miss Carmen Magnuson of Lapeer. Miss Carole Ann Smith, the bride's sister, and Miss Marjorie Stern were bridesmaids. James McCoy of Port Austin served as best man. The ushers were Charles Auten, Kenneth Price and Dale Kettlewell, all of Cass City. Satin rickrack braid trimmed the mandarin collar and hipline of the bride's gown. The dress was cut with an off-the-shoulder neckline, short sleeves, a sheer yoke and a long train. An ice-blue half hat secured the three quarter length bridal veil. She carried a shower bouquet of white carnations and ivy. The attendants' pink and white bouquets were similar to the bride's. The maid of honor wore a pink gown with a lace bodice, a bouffant marquisette satin stole. The skirt and a bridesmaids' dresses were pastel blue. The candlelit church was decorated with white chrysanthemums. gladioli and palms. Miss Shirley Janssen, of Rockford, Ill., a Michigan State College student, was voca1 soloist and Mrs. Lincoln Dupon played the organ selections. Following the reception in the parlors of the church, the couple left for a short trip. Mrs. Benkelman wore a black ensemble trimmed in black velvet, black velvet accessories and a gold-colored topper. The couple will live in Lansing. The bride, a graduate of State High School in Kalamazoo, attended Michigan State College. Her husband, who was graduated from Cass City High School, received a B.A. degree in speech, dramatics and radio from MSC. (Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Fall 2007) Bob and Smitty purchased the former home of George Albert Striffler in Cass City when their daughters were young. His mother was a Benkelman and father a Striffler. And he left an attic full of "rubbish" mainly old clothing and photos, letters, and news clippings. Bob and Smitty scanned and shared many of the photos and letters with interested family members, and with BonnieMargaret Jacobs when she was reseaching her 1981 book about the Benkelman family. She jokingly referred to them as the "keepers of the gold lined laundry basket."

  
  

• Sources

  [S595] Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast, (Family Publication, published sporadically to record family milestones in connection with the annual Striffler-Benkelman Family Reunions, with Vol. 1, Number 1, published Sept. 7, 1936. Issues on file at the Rawson Memorial Library in Cass City, Michigan include Vol. 5 (1941), Vol. 7 (1944) and Volumes 8 (1945) through Vol. 28 (1968). Issues published from 1961 through 1964 were not assigned volume numbers, and 1963 appears to be missing. Xeroxes of the existing issues were also made by Melinda McLemore Strong in 2007. According to a article published by the Cass City Chronicle on August 6, 1981, commemorating the Fiftieth and Final Striffler-Benkelman Reunion, the final issue of the STRIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST appears to have been Volume 28, published in 1968.), Volume 14, September 3, 1951. (Reliability: 3). [S653] Cass City Chronicle, P.O. Box 115, Cass City, Michigan 48726, Published continously since 1899, archived from 1899 through 2005 at http://newspapers.rawson.lib.mi.us/chronicle/, October 6, 1950 (Reliability: 3).