The Zeckzer Family
Photo probably taken between 1905-1910
Back row: Marie, Max, Paul, William, Elizabeth, Otto
Front row: Emil, Ferdinand, Wilhelmina, Ewald

Ferdinand Julius Zeckzer: Born Aug 21, 1855, Brandenburg, Germany. Married May 18, 1884 to Wilhelmina Otilla Hinz. Lived at 720 Hill Ave, Muskegon. Was a day watchman for Lyons Machine Co. Died Feb 5, 1929 at 11:30 am in Muskegon, MI. Buried Feb 7, 1929 in Oakwood Cemetery. Cause of death: Myocarditis (The middle layer of heart muscle becomes inflamed and irritated, causing symptoms similar to a heart attack or even heart failure. It is a fairly uncommon disorder). Age at death: 73 years, 5 months, 16 days.

Wilhelmina Otilla Hinz Zeckzer: Born Dec 2, 1859, Dragoslaw, Germany. Nicknamed Minnie. Father was Wm. Hinz. Occupation: housewife. Died June 20, 1939 at 11:55 pm. In Muskegon, MI. Buried June 24, 1939 in Oakwood Cemetery. Cause of death: Arterio Sclerosis (hardening of the arteries), Chronic Myocarditis, Chronic Nephritis (inflammation of the tissues of the kidney), 7 years; suffered from Varicose Veins for 20 years. Age at death: 79 years, 6 months, 18 days. Died at 202 Catherine Ave (Mae’s house?).

Their children (in order of birth): William, Paul, Marie, Max, Elizabeth, Otto, Louis, Emil, Ewald.

Louis Zeckzer: Born 1895. Died 1896.

Emil Andrew Zeckzer: Born Dec 19, 1897. Engineer in hospital. Never married. Died Sep 7, 1946 of cancer. Buried Sep 10, 1946 in Oakwood Cemetery. Age at death: 48 years, 8 months, 18 days.

Marie Wilhelmine (Mae, Mary) Zeckzer: Born July 15, 1888. Married Ray Stone May 18, 1909 (same day as her parents’ wedding anniversary). She was 21 and he was 24. Her name is listed as Mary M on the marriage license. Witnesses were Ethel Stone and Wm. Zeckzer. Julius Reichert, Pastor. Ray was the son of Joe E. Stone and Jennie Rainourd (possibly Rainoard). He was a machinist and she was not employed. No children, but raised her sister Elizabeth’s children after Elizabeth and her husband died. Lived at 202 Catherine Ave, Muskegon. Mae died January 25, 1972 and was buried January 28. Ray was born Oct 2, 1884 and died Dec 3, 1967.

Elizabeth Auguste Zeckzer: Born Feb 19, 1892. Confirmed April 1, 1906 at St. Johns Church in Muskegon. Married Robert Heinrich Luhman June 19, 1913. Had 2 children, Robert (May 8, 1914) and Ewald (Sep 5, 1918). (See Luhmann family tree). Died in 1937 from cancer.

William Frederick Zeckzer: Born Feb 1885. Did 1956. Married Ruth E. Smith (March 25, 1893-Sep 1972, died in Casnovia, MI). Had a daughter, Madeline Grace Zeckzer.

Madeline was born in Muskegon, MI. She married Donald Seelman on November 3, 1944. She was 22 and he was 27. Witnesses were Wm. F. Zeckzer and Ruth E. Zeckzer. Rector William T. Reeves, Jr., St. Paul's. He was the son of John Seelman and Barbara Rittmeyer and was born in Conklin, MI. Donald was a clerk and Madeline was not employed. They had two children, Barbara and Susie Seelman.

Ewald H. (Abe) Zeckzer: Born June 16, 1900, Muskegon, MI. Married Iva T Anderson (1897-1940). They had 2 children, William (Bill) F. Zeckzer and Beverly J. Zeckzer. Married Mabel O. Nielsen on May 1, 1944. They were both 43. Witnesses were Ray E. Stone and Marie M. Stone. H.P. Jorgensen, Pastor, Central Lutheran Church. Mabel was born April 15, 1901. Ewald was a machinist and Mabel was an inspector. Her parents were Charles A. Eklund and Anna B. Anderson. She died Jan 1979. Ewald died April 22, 1993, Muskegon, MI.

William married Elizabeth. Lived in Benicia, CA. One son and two daughters: William Scott, Kameron Joan, Kerry Marie.
Beverly was born Jan 24, 1923, Muskegon, MI. Married George A. Abbott July 7, 1949. She died Sep 30, 1999, N Muskegon, MI. He was born in 1913 and died May 1999, Muskegon, MI.

Maxwell Nater Zeckzer: Born May 22? 1890. Married Clara E Hall on March 31, 1915 in Muskegon, MI by the Rev. A.F. Schulz. He was 25 and she was 22. Witnesses were Sylvia Hall and Ewald Zeckzer. Clara was born to Henry Hall and Elma Nichols. Max was a machinist according to marriage certificate and inspector according to death certificate. Clara was not employed. Max died September 12, 1931 of Cardiac Hypertrophy. They had 2 children, Richard Arthur (Feb 28, 1924 in MI - Sep 24, 2002 in Lake Elsinore, CA) and Maxwell Henry (Sep 3, 1916-Dec 23, 1975. PHM 3 US Navey WWII).

Richard married Bernice. They had 2 children, Richard William and Carol.

Richard William married Gloria Ingraham and had 2 (possibly 3) children, Richard Charles and Sheryl Kay. Also a son, Michael?

Richard Charles married Susan Scarpa and had 2 children, Kevin Anthony and Michael.
Sheryl Kay married Sean Hayes and had 3 children, Brandon, Ryan, and Kyle.

Maxwell married Ardis Rose. They had 6 children, Shirl, Candice, Gawyn, Ian, and Leigh and RoAne (twins).

RoAne married Thomas Paul Young and they had 2 children, Tiffany Marie and Todd Thomas.
Ian M. married Amy Marie and they had two 2 children, Rian Edward and Erin Marie.

Otto Henry Zeckzer: Born Oct 7, 1894. Lived in at 9362 Brickyard Road, Holton, MI. Married Laurencia Josephine Algaard June 4, 1917 in Chicago. She was born March 27, 1895 in Chicago, IL. She was the daughter of Laurence Andreas Algaard (April 20, 1868, Bergen, Norway - 1936, Chicago, IL) and Anna Maria Becklenberg (Sep 24, 1872, IL - Aug 2, 1932, Chicago, IL). Otto worked as a farmer. They lived on a farm in Holton, MI. Laurencia was a reader in the Christian Science Church in Fremont, MI. Otto died of a Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm, Ateriosclerotic Heart Disease and Generalized Arteriosclerosis on November 9, 1970 in Fremont, MI. Laurencia died subsequent to Carcinoma of the Ovary and secondary Anemia Feb. 8, 1963 in Holton, MI. They had 2 children, Lawrence Algaard Zeckzer and Jewel LaVern Zeckzer. Otto was also married to Ida Anna Zeckzer (she was Paul's widow). They were married January 16, 1965. She was 70 and he was 70. Ida was born in Schmaleinken, Germany to Edward Schweissinger and Amalie Garmeister. Witnesses were Lawrence Zeckzer and Patsy Bonnett. Rev. Samuel N Oliver, Congregational Minister.

Jewel married Samuel James Stitt II May 25, 1938 in Muskegon, MI. They had 10 children, James Patrick, Ronald Allen, Terry Lee, Bert Joseph, Karon Louise, Nancy LaVern, Samuel James III, Leah Rachel, Michael William and Esther Marie.
Lawrence was born March 5, 1918 in Chicago, IL. He married Mazana (Mazie) A. Kelly on Nov 6, 1948. Witnesses were Earl Kenneth Kelly and Jewel LaVerne (mis-spelling on marriage license?) Stitt. She was born Feb 17, 1920 in Kokomo, IN to Lloyd Irl Kelly and Ella Cook. They lived in Holten, MI. He was an engineer and she was a waitress. Mazie had been previously married. She died May 29, 1996, Muskegon, MI, of a Myocardial Infarction subsequent to Cancer of the Nasal Sinuses. Lawrence died May 29, 2002 of lung cancer. They had two children, Dawn and Larry Zeckzer.

Larry married Terryl and they adopted Amanda.
Dawn married Carl Gardinour and they had two children, Michelle and Nikki.

Paul John Zeckzer: Born June 24, 1886 in Muskegon, MI. Married Ida Anna Schweissinger on July 22, 1914 in Muskegon, MI. She was 20 and he was 28. She was born March 22, 1894 in Schmallengkin Germany (currently Poland). Her parents were Edward Schwiessinger and Amalia Garmeister. She was a Christian Scientist. He died of Parkinson’s Disease Feb 1, 1962 Muskegon, MI. She died April 24, 1967 in Fremont, MI. Their children: Alvin Alfred, Patsy Ann, Joyce Lorraine, Wallace Clayton, Eugene Gordon, and Paul Edward Ferdinand.

Alvin was born in 1930 and died December 29, 1930 of Endocarditis at age 11 months, 15 days.
Wallace was born July 19, 1923 in Muskegon. He died October 11, 1944 in Germany –WWII Army, Technician Fourth Grade, Killed In Action.
Patsy was born Dec 19, 1932 in Muskegon and married Francis R. (Barney) Bonnett in Muskegon, MI. He was born Feb 13, 1923 in Muskegon, MI. He died Aug 11, 1972 in Everett, WA. They had 2 children, Barry (born July 9, 1955, died in Lake Charles, LA approximately 1988?) and Brent Paul (Feb 15, 1962). She later married Bob Hoos.
Joyce was born Nov 30, 1924 in Muskegon, MI. She married Bradley Carlisle Cowan November 24, 1949. Lived in Los Angeles, CA. He was born Jan 20, 1928 in Santa Monica, CA. He died Feb 19, 1995 in Culver City, CA. Their children: Blair Millington (March 6, 1954, Hollywood, CA-March 8, 1954), Carla Jean Johnstone (April 7, 1955), Robert Blair (Sep 14, 1956-Santa Monica, CA), and Wendy Marie (Sep 24, 1963).

Robert Blair married Michelle Jones (April 5, 1955-Canada). Their child: Kelly Jean Cowan (June 27, 1986).

Eugene was born April 7, 1921 in Muskegon and died Sep 25, 1996 in Muskegon. He married Jeanette Leone Greene on January 31, 1948. Witnesses were Robert L. Greene and Mrs. Richard Barnes. J.M. Hogevboom (sp?), Minister of the Central Reformed Church, Muskegon. Jeanette was born in Muskegon to L.Z. Elsworth Greene and Marie Caroline Wulff. Eugene was a Sgt. For US Army Air Corps, WW II. Their children: Darrell Paul and Carolynne.

Darrell was born Oct 31, 1949 in Muskegon and married Sally Buckus. Served in US Army, Vietnam. He died Nov 22, 1996 in Muskegon. Their child: Daric J (served in the Marines). Darrell's second marriage was to Deb (maiden name unknown); they did not have any children. His third marriage was to Kelly (maiden name unknown) and they had 2 children, Darrell Paul Jr. and Gordon Eugene.
Carolynne was born May 21, 1951 and married David Dykhuis. Their children: Benjamin and Jason.

Paul Edward Ferdinand was born May 13, 1916 in Muskegon and died Feb 1989 (Ferndale, MI). He married Lucille Toegel, born Dec 4, 1915. Their children: Alvin Richard, Ronald James, and Clayton Gordon. They were married 23 years, then divorced. Paul married Joan in Nov 1966. She had 4 children of her own.

Alvin married Cathy Barclay and had a daughter, Susan and a son, Scott.
- Scott married Deborah Eifert. They have a daughter, Bethany; a son, Caleb; and a son Nathan, born October 2003.
- Susan married Jim Wright and they have a son, Alexander.
Ronald married Alice Richmond LeRoy and had 2 daughters, Joy Lucille and Tracy Elizabeth.
- Tracy married Michael Benson. She later married Michael Sheesy.
- Joy married David Folkertsma and had 2 children, Hunter and Taylor.
Clayton married Ann and had a daughter, Patricia.
- Patricia married Frank Ford and they have a daughter Jennifer.