Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - Wilma Bennett


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features Wilma Bennett and six of her descendants down to the fifth generation.


First Generation
1. Wilma Bennett,1 born ____ (parents not determined). Wilma married Dean E. Reed (born ____, parents not determined).

Child of Wilma Bennett and Dean E. Reed:

+2i. Lurella Mae ‘Lu’ Reed, born 22 January 1928 in Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan; died 26 November 2021 in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Married (1) Arnold Gene Gazlay Married (2) Johm R. Mills Married (3) Leo Harvey Sheetz.

Second Generation
2. Lurella Mae ‘Lu’ Reed2 (Wilma1), born 22 January 1928 in Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan;1, 2 died 26 November 2021 in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan.1 Lu married, first, 12 June 1949 in Reed City, Osceola County, Michigan, Arnold Gene Gazlay2 (born 25 May 1924 in Marquette, Marquette County, Michigan, the son of Arnol Lee Gazlay and Julie M. ‘Lulu’ Johnson;3, 4, 5 Arnold died 30 June 1974 in Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan3, 4, 6). Lu married, second, 1975, Johm R. Mills7 (born 28 August 1920 in Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan, the son of Ralph J. Mills and Angela Lavandusky;7 Johm died 15 March 1991 in New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida7). Lu married, third, Leo Harvey Sheetz (born 6 January 1924 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana, the son of Luther Sheetz and Ethel Conrad;8 Leo died 13 October 2015 in Michigan8). Lu is buried in Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan.1 Arnold is buried in Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan.3 Johm is buried in Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan.7

Gene was the head of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources from October 1972 until his death. He led environmental protection programs to preserve the State’s natural resources. Gene earned a degree in zoology in 1948 from Michigan State University. He served as a bomber pilot in the US Army-Air Force during World War II, based in Italy.6


Children of Lurella Mae ‘Lu’ Reed and Arnold Gene Gazlay:

+3i. Maurine Kay Gazlay, born 25 January 1951. Married Frank Pittman Slaughter.
+4ii. Raymond Scott Gazlay, born 30 July 1952. Married (1) Michelle May Auge Married (2) Catherine Jane Paquette.
 5iii. Mark Kent Gazlay, born 27 November 1955;9, 10 died 22 February 1961.9, 10 Mark is buried in Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan.9

  1. Find a Grave (website). Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan Lurella M. “Lu” Reed Gazlay-Mills-Sheets, born: 22 January 1928 in Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan; died: 26 November 2021 in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan (from record, which includes a copy of her obituary, and provides the names and links for her parents, two siblings, one half-sibling, and three husbands).
  2. Michigan Marriages, 1822-1995; Arnold Gene Gazlay, age 25, born in Marquette, Mich., son of Arnol Gazlay and Lulu Johnson; Lurella Mae Reed, age 28, born in Berrien Springs, Mich., daughter of Dean E. Reed and Wilma Bennett; married 12 June 1949 in Reed City, Mich.
  3. Find a Grave (website). Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan Arnold Gene Gazlay, born: 25 May 1924 in Marquette, Marquette County, Michigan; died: 30 June 1974 (from record, which includes the names and links for his parents, wife, and one child).
  4. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Arnold Gazlay, no. 384-12-6264, died June 1974, born 25 May 1924.
  5. U.S. Federal Census, 1940, Michigan, Ontonagon County, Rockland, Enumeration District 66-14, Sheet No. 6B and 7A; family of Arnol Lee Gazlay (38, Michigan, hydro plant operator, power co.); wife Lulu Gazlay (39, Michigan); son Arnold Gene Gazlay (15, Michigan); son Leland Geo. Gazlay (13, Michigan); Colleen Millicent Gazlay (9, Michigan).
  6. Obituary, Ironwood Daily Globe, Ironwood, Michigan; 1 July 1974, A. Gene Gazlay, died 30 June 1974 in Lansing, Michigan. The article gives the names of his widow and two children, and provides a biographical sketch highlighting his work as head of the Department of Natural Resources.
  7. Find a Grave (website). Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan John R. Mills, born: 28 August 1920 in Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan; died: 15 March 1991 in New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida (from record, which provides the names and links for his parents and two wives).
  8. Find a Grave (website). Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Greenwood, Johnson County, Indiana Leo Harvey Sheetz, born: 6 January 1924 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana; died: 13 October 2015 in Michigan (from record, which provides the names and links for her two wives).
  9. Find a Grave (website). Deepdale Memorial Park, Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan Mark Kent Gazlay, born: 27 November 1955; died: 22 February 1961 (from record, which provides the name and link for his father).
  10. Gazlay Family Tree, by David Paul Gazlay. First edition published June 1984. Second edition published August 2001. This extensive Gazlay family tree provides birth and death years (but not exact dates) for Gazlay descendants, and names (only) of spouses. No sources are cited, but the compiler is known to have collected information from numerous documents and Gazlay descendants. Names, dates, and relationships should be compared to other source citations.
Third Generation
3. Maurine Kay Gazlay3 (Lurella ‘Lu’,2 Wilma1), born 25 January 1951.1 Maurine married, 1984 in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, Frank Pittman Slaughter2 (born 31 January 1952, parents not determined1).

4. Raymond Scott Gazlay3 (Lurella ‘Lu’,2 Wilma1), born 30 July 1952.1 Raymond married, first, Michelle May Auge (born September 1965, parents not determined1). Their marriage ended in divorce.3 Raymond married, second, Catherine Jane Paquette3 (born 25 September 1948, parents not determined1).

Child of Raymond Scott Gazlay and Michelle May Auge:

+6i. Mark Kent Gazlay, born 1987. Married (1) Jerri Harden Married (2) Kelly Marie Maki.

  1. This is publicly viewable information found in various public information repositories, people finding websites, and/or social media.
  2. Marriage Records, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, Michigan Dibean Marriage Index, available at US GenWeb Archives; Maurine K. Gazlay and Frank P. Slaughter, Grand Traverse, married in 1984.
  3. Gazlay Family Tree, by David Paul Gazlay. First edition published June 1984. Second edition published August 2001. This extensive Gazlay family tree provides birth and death years (but not exact dates) for Gazlay descendants, and names (only) of spouses. No sources are cited, but the compiler is known to have collected information from numerous documents and Gazlay descendants. Names, dates, and relationships should be compared to other source citations.
Fourth and Fifth Generations
6. Mark Kent Gazlay4 (Raymond,3 Lurella ‘Lu’,2 Wilma1), born 1987.1 Mark married, first, Jerri Harden (born ____, parents not determined). Mark married, second, Kelly Marie Maki3 (born November 1982, parents not determined2, 3).

Child of Mark Kent Gazlay and Jerri Harden:

 7i. Mark Kent Gazlay, Jr., born xxxx.

  1. Gazlay Family Tree, by David Paul Gazlay. First edition published June 1984. Second edition published August 2001. This extensive Gazlay family tree provides birth and death years (but not exact dates) for Gazlay descendants, and names (only) of spouses. No sources are cited, but the compiler is known to have collected information from numerous documents and Gazlay descendants. Names, dates, and relationships should be compared to other source citations.
  2. Michigan Voters in the State of Michigan, U.S.A..
  3. This is publicly viewable information found in various public information repositories, people finding websites, and/or social media.