Doris Mae Stengel

Doris Mae (Lueth) Stengel was born May 19, 1936, in Harvey, North Dakota, died November 8, 2024, in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Doris grew up in Hurdsfield, North Dakota, the daughter of John Henry & Elsie Lueth, the younger sister of Vernon and Lorna. She graduated from Fessenden (ND) High School in 1954, then continued her education at Concordia College-Moorhead where she met her husband, Arnold Stengel, when both worked on the school newspaper. They were married June 15, 1956 and after short stays in several small Minnesota communities, they settled in Brainerd, MN in 1963, where they raised their three children and continued to live until 2023. Doris eventually resumed her studies graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1970 with a B.S. in Secondary Education. She was a regular substitute teacher at Brainerd High School for several decades. The Stengel’s belonged to Bethlehem Lutheran Church where Doris sang in the choir, taught bible studies, served on numerous committees, and especially enjoyed her time with the ladies of Sarah’s Circle. She bowled, religiously, in a women’s league every Monday afternoon for 50 years, most years serving as League Secretary. Following in her childrens’ footsteps, she started a career as an actress at BCC Theatre as Flower Lady #8 in ‘My Fair Lady’, eventually playing many lead roles in plays and musicals, probably most celebrated as ‘Golda’ in ‘Fiddler On The Roof’. After her children all left the nest, Doris reconnected with her love of poetry fostered in her elementary years in North Dakota. Reigniting that passion, she launched into a prolific 40-year career, becoming a highly regarded poet, with published poems in numerous anthologies as well as four collections of her own works. She belonged to the Heartland Poets, The League of Minnesota Poets, and the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, serving as president of each of these organizations. In 2016, she was named Poet Laureate of the League of Minnesota Poets. She loved poetry: writing, reading, performing, teaching, and advocating for it. It became, perhaps, the fullest outward expression of the inner Doris.

Doris, first and foremost, loved her family. She and her beloved older siblings lost their mother too young. Doris dedicated herself to shepherding their adored father through his remaining years. She was a devoted wife and partner to Arnold, and together, they gave their very best selves to their children, Randy, Shawn & Wendy. The Stengel’s 5 lived and loved together at church, through every possible school experience, playing and watching sports, taking piano lessons, performing and watching performances, spending time with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, traveling across the United States in a Plymouth station wagon, and even making it to the homelands of Norway and Germany. Doris & ‘Casey’ welcomed all new family members, first foreign student ‘children’ Carlos from Bolivia and Beatrice from Ghana, then daughter-in-law, Karen, and son-in-law, Phil. They eventually became grandparents, doting on Matthew, Phillip, Delaney, Kyle and Livia Mae. Matthew brought Heidi into the family and their children, Ada Mae and Case, received the last graces of Great Grandma ‘DoDo’ & Great Grandpa ‘Casey’, while Livia’s love, Russell, managed to sneak in at the last second to at least brush shoulders with the earthly Grandma Doris.

Doris lived her final two years at Sunrise Minnetonka where she peacefully passed away late in the evening of November 8, surrounded by loving, grateful family.

She is survived by her children, grand-children and great-grandchildren as well as her dear sister-in-law Eva. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, her parents, her siblings and their spouses.

Funeral service for Doris will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 11AM at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The visitation will be held on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 4-7PM at Halvorson Taylor Life Events Center, and one hour prior to the service, Saturday at the Church. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memoriam for Doris to League of Minnesota Poets and Bethlehem Lutheran Church

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