Lauretta Stenglein

Mass of Christian Burial for Lauretta Clara Stenglein, 87, of Baker, MT, formerly of Billings, MT, will be 9:00 a. m. Monday, February 26, 2007 at St. John?s Catholic Church in Baker, MT with the Rev. Father Thomas Tobin celebrating. Rite of Committal will be at 3:30 p. m. in the family lot in the Holy Cross Cemetery at Billings, MT. Visitation will be 3:00 p. m. to 9:00 p. m. Sunday, February 25, 2007, in the Chapel of Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker, MT with a Vigil Service and Rosary at 7:00 p. m. Lauretta passed away Wednesday, February 21, 2007, at Fallon Medical Complex in Baker, MT with her family at her side. Lauretta Clara Stenglein was born on August 23, 1919, a daughter of Richard Andrew and Marie Kathryn (Iten) Heuring in Elk River, MN. Lauretta grew up and attended grade school in Elk River, and graduated from St. Francis High School in Little Falls, MN. After high school, she started working as a waitress at the Elk Caf? in Elk River, MN. It was there she met Joseph E. Stenglein, and the two were married on June 13, 1942 in Elk River. To this union, Douglas, Mary, Thomas, Paula, Daniel, Joseph and Timothy were born. At the time of their marriage, Joseph was serving in the United States Army. For the next three years, the couple moved around to several Army bases in the southern United States. After Joseph?s discharge, they returned to their home town of Elk River. Lauretta and Joseph purchased the Elk Caf? and operated it until 1960, when they took their family, and headed west to Virginia City, MT. For the next several years, they moved to various places in Montana including Baker. Eventually they settled in Billings, where they made their home until Joseph?s death on October 14, 1992. Lauretta then moved to Baker to be close to her daughter Mary and family. With in two weeks, Lauretta?s heart was saddened when her daughter Mary unexpectedly passed away. Lauretta lived in Baker until 2004 when she moved to Bismarck, ND to be near her daughter Paula and family where she lived for a year before returning to Baker. Lauretta enjoyed knitting, cooking, crafting and making Rosaries and doing crossword puzzles. Her real enjoyment in life was for her family. Lauretta was a faithful member of the Catholic Church and a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. Lauretta is survived by her children, Douglas (Alice) Stenglein, Billings, MT; Thomas (Arleen) Stenglein, Tampa, FL; Paula (Dennis) Duffield, Bismarck, ND; Daniel (Diana) Stenglein, Tampa, FL; Joseph (Rose) Stenglein, Billings, MT and Timothy (Michele) Stenglein, Opheim, MT; a son-in-law, Gerald Madler, Baker, MT; a brother-in-law, Walter Johnson, Elk River, MN; 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Her parents, Richard and Marie Heuring, her loving husband, Joseph, her daughter Mary Madler, brothers, Albert Heuring, Werner Heuring, sisters, Irene Johnson, Marcy Robinson, Louise Hill and great-grandson, Henry Jordan Lytle preceded her in death. A memorial has been established for St. John?s Catholic Church in Baker, MT.


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Burial Date: February 26, 2007
Funeral Home Baker, MT

Funeral Mass: Monday; St. John’s Catholic Church, Baker, MT