William Lee Rosenstengel

William Lee Rosenstengel passed away Monday April 17th, 2023 at the age of 98 from natural causes.  He was born on February 9, 1925 in Doe Run, Missouri to Lydia and Everett Rosenstengel and they pre-deceased him.  William is survived by his wife, Mary Rosenstengel, in Palm Coast, Fl, his sons, Curtis (Meghan), Clark (Amy), and Craig, his daughter Cynthia. Granddaughter Alexandria and Jessica (Michael Morefield), and twin great grandchildren.  William was preceded in death by his first wife Constance Rosenstengel and his brother Roy Rosenstengel. 

After high school, William enlisted to serve in WWII with the Air Corps on July 12, 1943 and was honorably discharged on March 16, 1946.  This is where William fell in love with flying and received his pilot's license.  Eventually he made his way to Detroit, Michigan where he met Constance Raether, with whom he married on November 15, 1958.  He was a private pilot who worked for Mrs. Matilda Rausch Dodge Wilson, a philanthropist, in Oakland, Michigan.   Upon Mrs. Wilson’s death he moved his family to Fremont, Michigan in 1968 to become a pilot for Gerber Products.  He always said that flying was never a job and enjoyed anything that had to do with airplanes. William retired in 1985. 

After his retirement, he started roller skating again.  When he was a teenager, he enjoyed roller skating and had been quite good.  He liked to travel around to the local roller rinks in Grand Rapids and Muskegon.  It was in Muskegon that he met his second wife Mary, and they enjoyed roller skating dancing in pairs.

According to his wishes, cremation has taken place, and there will be a time of visiting with the family from 1-3 PM on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Kroeze-Wolffis Funeral Home in Fremont.  There will be no funeral service.  In lieu of flowers, the family recommends a memorial contribution in William’s name to the 92for22.org for our Military Veterans in West Michigan.  You can sign the online guest book at www.kroeze-wolffis.com.  Arrangements are by Kroeze-Wolffis Funeral Home, Inc. of Fremont.

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