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Ruth Marie Matilda Stielau, age 85, of Centreville, Mich., passed away early Saturday morning, Jan. 26, 2013, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Victoria Stielau in Sturgis.
She was born Sept. 30, 1927, in Chicago, daughter of the late Ernst and Maria (Piepenburg) Engel.
She attended schools in Chicago and graduated from Jones Commercial High School in Chicago where she majored in accounting, working in that field for several years in Chicago.
On May 22, 1948, she married Ronald Carl Stielau in Chicago. They were married for 62 years when he preceded her in death on Oct. 7, 2010. The couple relocated to Sturgis in 1950, moving to their Burr Oak Township farm in 1958 where they resided for 34 years until moving to Centreville in 1992.
Mrs. Stielau enjoyed embroidery, sewing, reading, crossword puzzles and gardening, both flowers and vegetables. She had several hobbies and interests but her total devotion was always for her family that she so dearly loved.
She is survived by three sons, Glenn (Vivienne) Stielau of Holland, Paul (Victoria) Stielau of Sturgis and Mark (Tari) Stielau of Douglas; one daughter, Nancy (Lawrence) Jackson of Hudson, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Heath Stielau, Lance (Amanda) Stielau and Jennifer (David) Lester, Elizabeth Stielau, Kimberlee Stielau, Adam Stielau, Erick Weed and Brittany Weed; two step-granddaughters, Jamie (Mike) Warren and Kelli Jackson; eight great-grandchildren, Gage, Maddison, Hannah, Jason, Courtney, Allyson, Cody and Zoey, one great-great-grandson,Braedyn; one sister, Ella Adler of Chicago and two nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and one daughter,Linda Stielau.
The family will receive friends from 5–8 p.m. Wednesday at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Rosenberg Chapel, 807 E. Chicago Rd., Sturgis, MI 49091, 269-651-3284. Funeral services celebrating the life of Ruth Stielau will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Pastor Barry Edds of the White Pigeon Church of Christ will officiate. A graveside committal will follow the service at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak.
The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mrs. Stielau’s memory consider Hospice of Sturgis, P.O. Box 126, Sturgis, MI 49091.
The obituary is also at www.hackmamnfamilyfuneralhome.com where personal messages of support may be left for the family.
