Mrs. June (Wodtke) Belanger

Learning more about June (Wodtke) Belanger while in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, area:


Obituary from the Resthaven Gardens of Memory:

BELANGER, MRS. JUNE THELMA
Died Friday, Oct. 29, 1976, at her residence, 1933 Potwin Drive, Baton Rouge. She was 56, a native of Flint, Mich. Body at Hollabaugh-Spindle's Woodale Memorial Chapel with visiting from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Religious services at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel. Burial in Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Survived by her husband, Kenneth Belanger Sr., Baton Rouge; father, Fred Wodtke, Florida; two daughters.....both of Pensacola, Fla.; one son..., Baton Rouge; a daughter-in-law...one sister, Mrs. Theodore Long, Port Herron (sic), Mich; one brother, Frederick Wodtke, Flint, Mich.; three grandchildren. Pallbearers: Johnny Huff, Warren Huff, Cecil Jarreau, David Wilson, John Heinrich, and Mitch Harris.

June was the daughter of Fred & Isabelle (Johnston) Wodtke and the granddaughter of John & Anna (Cameron) Johnston (step-granddaughter of Donald Cameron). She was the great-granddaughter of Duncan & Ellen (Cameron) Cameron.

June's mother, Isabelle, died when she was an infant, in Flint, Genesee Co., Michigan. Is that why my grandmother (Isabelle's half sister) and my great-aunt Blanche (Isabelle's sister) did not talk to me about the Wodtke family while growing up?

Lillas (Cameron) McLaughlin

The obituary of Lillas (Cameron) McLaughlin, daugher of Duncan & Ellen (Cameron) Cameron:

Flint Journal
Tuesday, January 17, 1939

MCLAUGHLIN--Lillas McLaughlin, 117 W. Dewey St., age 64, died Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1939, at Hurley Hospital. Funeral services will be held 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 19, 1939, from the Rose Chapel, Algoe-Gundry Mortuary, Rev. Jenson officiating. Burial in Grace Lawn cemetery. Body is at Algoe-Gundry Mortuary. Surviving are: 5 daughters, Mrs. Edward Dean of St. Paul, Minn.; Mrs. Alex McDonald and Mrs. Walter Brandt, both of Flint, Mrs. Lawrence Hagen and Miss Isabelle McLaughlin, both of Superior, Wis.; 12 grandchildren, 2 sisters, Mrs. Bridget Totten of Superior, Wis., and Mrs. Anna Cameron of Flint; 1 brother, Edward Cameron of Trout Creek, Mich.

Lillas Cameron was born in Defiance, Ohio in December of 1874, to Duncan and Ellen Cameron. Why the family was in Ohio, I do not know, but they were living there for the 1870 census, too.

In 1851 Lillas's parents were in Kent County, Ontario, Canada. Duncan was living with Ellen and her parents (Ewen & Bridget (Higgins) Cameron). They were married in St. Clair County, Michigan on May 13, 1852. The couple lived in Roscommon Co., Michigan in 1880, with their children, including Lillas.

Lillas Cameron McLaughlin also lived in Arenac County, Michigan, and Houghton County, Michigan (her husband Laughlin died in Houghton Co. in 1908). Lillas lived in Superior, Douglas, Wisconsin, with her sister, Bridget (Cameron) Totten in 1930. She was living in Flint, Genesee Co., Michigan, when she died in 1939.

The children of Laughlin & Lillas (Cameron) McLaughlin were Jessie (McLaughlin) Dean, Adelia (McLaughlin) McDonnell; Lawrence McLaughlin; Rachel (McLaughlin) Brandt; Inez (McLaughlin) Hagen and Isabelle (McLaughlin) Buxton.

When first researching over 20 years ago, I found the Cameron information that had been submitted by Isabelle Buxton, who was an LDS Church member and corresponded with her. After years of searching, Isabelle found late in life that her father's name wasn't really Laughlin McLaughlin -- it was Isaac Codling! Apparently Isaac took his boss's surname and moved from Canada to Michigan under mysterious circumstances. Isaac Codling's parents were Matthew & Rachel (Stonehouse) Codling (these parents were named on the death record of James Codling here).

Lillas Cameron married Laughlin McLaughlin (AKA Isaac Codling) on 13 Apr 1895. His parents were listed as Donald & Rachel (Stonehouse) McLaughlin and that he was born in Forest, Canada.

On his death record (12 January 1908), Laughlin McLaughlin's parents were listed as Laughlin & Rachel (Stonehouse) McLaughlin. His DOB was 14 Jan 1856.

Anna Cameron's Daughter, Belle Johnston Wodtke

Great-Aunt Belle whom I never knew:

This record is an example of the records available to through the Flint Genealogical Society upon request. Since this record was requested, the actual death records are available online at Archives of Michigan (1897 - 1920) for the State of Michigan, including a death record for Isabelle (Belle Johnston) Wodtke.

Fred & Belle (Johnston) Wodtke had an infant daughter, June (born in May 1920), when Belle died. My aunt (June Wodtke's cousin), who was quite a bit younger than June, remembers an occasional visit with her. However, information that I have about this family is sketchy, except for what I have pieced together the census, obituaries, etc.

Flint Journal [ 3 June 1920]
WODTKE--Mrs. Belle Wodtke died last night at her home, 919 Wood-st, after a six months' illness of a complication of diseases. Mrs. Wodtke was born at Houghton Lake, [Roscommon Co.] Mich., July 20, 1890, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B.R. Cameron. She had lived in this city for the last six years, coming here from Sterling, Mich. She was united in marriage to Fred J. Wodtke, July 19, 1919. Mrs. Wodtke was a member of the German Lutheran Church. She leaves her husband, parents and two brothers and five sisters. [Note: She was the step-daughter of Donald R. Cameron and the daughter of John H. & Anna (Cameron) Johnston]

1930 MI (Genesee Co.)
WODTKE, FRED, 32, MI MI MI, married at age 24
" Myrtle, wife, 27, married at age 19
" June, daughter, age 9
" Shirley, daughter, age 5
KAGAN, Omer, married, lodger
" , Rose, married, lodger

I believe (but do not know) that June's husband was the Kenneth Belanger, Sr., whose obituary was in the Pensacola News Journal on 24 September 2004.

Kenneth Richard Belanger, Sr., 86, of Pensacola, died Tuesday September 21, 2004, in a local nursing home.

Ken was born Nov. 22, 1917 in International Falls, MN and has resided most of his life in the Pensacola area. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was a retired Steel Pattern Maker.
His beloved wife, June Wodtke Belanger, preceded Kenneth in death. Kenneth will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife June at Resthaven Cemetery, Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

June BELANGER
Birth Date: 25 May 1920
Death Date: Oct 1976
Social Security Number: 379-12-3462
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Michigan
Death Benefit Localities
Zip Code: 70816
Localities: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Wish I knew more about this family.

The McCrea Family At Higgins Lake

Isabelle Cameron was born on January 19, 1857, in Michigan, the daughter of Duncan & Ellen (Cameron) Cameron. She died 21 Dec 1899, and was buried in the Higgins Township Cemetery in Roscommon County, Michigan. Her husband, James McCrea, then married Margaret (Moffett) Dildine in 1905.

Adelia, Jessie and Ellen, all daughters of James & Isabelle (Cameron) McCrea, were some of my favorite people. Delia and Jessie never married and spent summers at their cottage on Higgins Lake in Roscommon County after they retired. My sisters and I were invited to the cottage and spent many hours in the what is thought to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

Here's a news article about the McCrea family:

From the Roscommon News (newspaper) MARCH 18, 1887

An unknown miscreant rapped at the residence of James McCrea at an early hour Monday morning and demanded admittance. Mrs. McCrea was alone with the children her husband being at his lumber camp and refused to let him in, when he attempted to break in the door. Mrs. McCrea made her escape to the residence of J.O. Dildine and he got up in time to see him vanishing downtown. He left a club and a pair of mittens in the McCrea residence. If identified he will receive a warm reception.

The article above is one of the many reasons I love to browse through the old newspapers.

Marion Schantz Of Charlevoix - Car Accident Victim

Marian L. Cameron (Mrs. Paul Schantz) was the daughter of Donald & Anna (Cameron) Cameron. She was born in Sterling, Arenac Co., Michigan on June 9, 1898, and died in Charlevoix, Michigan, as a result of a car accident in 1957.

Paul Schantz was boarding with the Donald Cameron family in Flint, Genesee Co., Michigan, prior to his August 1920 marriage to Marian.

1920 MI Census - Genesee Co., Flint, Warren Avenue

Cameron, Donald, head, m/w, 69, M 1878 NA 1896, a laborer in the auto factory
, Anna, wife, F/W, 51?, M 1874 NA, 1896
, Marion, daughter, F/W, 21, S, Bench Worker, Spark Plug Fac.
, Beatrice, Daughter, F/W, 19, S, Egg handler, Dairy
, Flora A., Daughter, F/W, 13, S
, Donald, Jr., Son, M/W, 8, S

Also living with Anna and Donald Cameron in Flint in the 1920 Census were:
Schantz, Paul, Boarder, M/W, 31, S, Machinist, AutoFactory
Zimmerman, Wesley, Boarder, M/W, 25, S, " "
" , Clyde, Boarder, M/W, 20, S, Machinist, Auto Factory
White, Lillian, Boarder, F/W, 28, S, Floor, Spark Plug Factory
" , Thelma, Boarder, F/W, 21, S, Machinist, Spark Plug "
Marius, A., Lodger, M/w, 25, S, Waiter, Restaurant

Paul and Marian Schantz were still living in Genesee County, Michigan, in 1930:

1930 MI Genesee Co., Mt. Morris
SCHANTS, Paul L., head, age 34, married at age 25
" , Marian L., wife, age 32, married at age 22
" , Lois A., daughter, age 8
" , Isabell N., daughter, age 6
" , Audra J., daughter, age 4
" , Shirley J., daughter, age 1 4/12

The first article, dated 18 February 1957, noted that Mrs. Paul Schantz, age 58, died as a result of injuries from an automobile accident the previous day. [Traverse City Record Eagle]

The second article, Thursday, 21 February 1957, in the Traverse City Record Eagle detailed the funeral services for Mrs. Paul Schantz in Charlevoix.

Also involved in the fatal car accident were Paul Schantz, the driver of the car in which his wife, Marian Schantz died, as well as Mrs. Bertha Jensen, a passenger in the Schantz car. The other car's passengers included Mr. & Mrs. Charles Robinson, Gordon Robinson and Mrs. Mary Hunt.

Marian Schantz was buried in Brookside Cemetery per the obituary above; however FindAGrave.com has a picture of Marian Schantz's gravestone at Norwood Lakeside Cemetery in Charlevoix County (Paul Schantz's gravestone is at Norwood Lakeside Cemetery as well).

My Three Sons

Beatrice (Cameron) Powers with her 3 sons: Bill, Ralph, Dick. The street sign is W. 12th Street in Flint, Michigan. The youngest son, Richard (Dick) Powers, was my Dad (1929 - 1974).

Beatrice (Cameron) Powers Obituary

Beatrice (Cameron) Powers loved to get in the car (a General Motors car, of course) and travel. Maybe it was fitting that she died of a heart attack, in my mother's driveway, with the car running and veering into the drainage ditch. My Dad (Beatrice's son, Richard N. Powers) had died the previous June (1974) and Grandma never seemed to recover from the blow. Looking back, everyone thought she may have known that her time was near and that she was saying goodbye to her grandkids in Swartz Creek.

My Grandmother's obituary in the Flint [MI] Journal:

Beatrice (Cameron) Powers was the daughter of Donald & Anna (Cameron) Cameron. She was born in Sterling, Arenac County, Michigan, and died in Genesee County, Michigan.