Dorothy Stengel, age 79, of Cambridge died July 19, 2014 at Mayo Clinic-St. Marys Hospital of Rochester.
Dorothy Marie Abers, seventh of eight children, was born April 3, 1935 and grew up in Osakis and Brainerd, MN. She came to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior shortly before meeting and marrying Philip Stengel, a handsome Navy man, in 1957. The newlyweds moved to the Naval Station on Guam for three years where their first child was born and then settled in Coon Rapids, MN where three more children were born. Moving to Cambridge in 1967, they cared for numerous foster children and were active in Stanchfield Baptist Church (where Dorothy was church Secretary for over a decade). She was also a Master Gardener of flowers and vegetables and loved to share the fruits of her labors. She fulfilled a life-long dream of going back to school and, in 1993, earned an AA degree in Business, as well as the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa Hallmark Award for Academic Excellence, given to only 25 out of 50,000 students world-wide. Dorothy then spent 13 productive, happy years as Receptionist at Grace Pointe until she suffered a major stroke in 2011. Her marriage to Phil has been a testimony to many of their tender devotion to their Heavenly Father and each other. Dorothy Marie Stengel entered the Lords presence Saturday, July 19, 2014.
Dorothy is survived by husband, Philip Stengel of Cambridge; four children, Miriam (Larus) Maxwell of Raleigh, North Carolina, Naomi Rivard of Stanchfield, Nathan (Sandy) Stengel of Cambridge, Rebecca (Mike) Murray of Rochester; one sister, Kay Vorwerk of Maplewood; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at Stanchfield Baptist Church with Rev. Dale Cope and Rev. Tim Walker officiating. Visitation 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22nd at Strike Funeral Home Cambridge Chapel and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Janette Benzen will serve as musician and Pam Theline as pianist. Pallbearers will be Luke Furlong, John and Tyler Murray, David and Travis Rivard and Kevin and Ryan Stengel. Interment will be in Stanchfield Baptist Cemetery.