Kay Donnette Wetzel
Arthur William "Art" Smith was born in Hamilton Co., OH. He is the son of Lowell Ellsworth Smith of Palmrya, Macoupin Co., IL, and Marguerite Alice (Pfaff) Smith of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH.
Kay Donnette Wetzel was born in Hazen, Mercer Co., ND. She is the daughter of Harry Donald "Don" Wetzel of Zap, Mercer Co., ND, and Lenore Shirley Abbey of Mercer Co., ND.
Arthur William Smith and Kay Donnette Wetzel were married November 25, 1977, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND.
Arthur William Smith and Kay Donnette (Wetzel) Smith had two children.
Arthur William Smith and Kay Donnette (Wetzel) Smith were divorced about 2000, in Unknown.
Bryce Bryan Koslan then married Kay Donnette (Wetzel) Smith.
Bryce Bryan Koslan was born in Harris Co., TX.
Bryce Bryan Koslan and Kay Donnette (Wetzel) Smith were married December 27, 2003, in Brazoria Co., TX.
Bryce Bryan Koslan and Kay Donnette (Wetzel) (Smith) Koslan had no children.
TIMELINE
The link below goes to some North Dakota newspapers. Please use the Chrome browser for best results:
http://ndarchives.advantage-preservation.com
August 3, 2023
Hi Sander,
I am totally lost on how you are connected to my family. My family is Oran Ralph Abbey (Alan Abbey is Oran's son and my uncle. I had Alan get swabbed, as he was the only living male Abbey from Oran's family). Oran's parents are Charles Washington Abbey and Cora Adelle Armstrong Abbey. Both Charles and Cora were born in Wisconsin, as was Oran Ralph Abbey. I am hoping it is not generations back that my family is connected to yours. In fact, I am hoping, somehow, that you are in the U.S. Hope that you will respond. Kay Wetzel Koslan. My mother, Lenore Abbey Wetzel, was a sister to Alan Abbey and a daughter of Oran Ralph Abbey.
August 4, 2023
Hi Kay,
Thank you for your message and good to hear from you. I'm now posting from my vacation address and doing it a bit from memory. I hooked up with Mary Hilton, Robert Abbey's sister (with whom I had a close match), several years ago. She then referred me to a digital book on the Internet called "The Descendants of John Abbe". This contains all descendants and in-laws, nephews, nieces, etc. of the Abbey family. I have seen that on 111 markers I am 5 steps away from you or from the line of Isaac Phineas Abbey. So we are genealogically related. It has been quite a study and quest for me to see where exactly my ancestor came from. I have many matches including 1 with John Alex Geddes from Canada who is also closely related to the Abbey family.So I have been in contact with Robert Abbey, Michael Raymond Abbey, Larance T Abbey, Brittany Abbey (who again matched closely with Lexy Groenen from Belgium). I have a very close relationship with Lexy through the autosomal DNA test. Since I have also been in contact with other matches such as George Welling, David Cornelius, the direction of the ancestor begins with me to be from the Netherlands, Belgium or England (Scotland). England in particular is difficult as I have another close match with William the Conqueror (from Brittany and originally Viking and married to a Belgian woman). All very difficult and complicated. I even understand that a 0 deviation on 111 markers does not automatically mean that you are related. But related from many generations before that. This must then be apparent from pedigrees that I do not have. I'm still working on it so and hope when I have time to get some professional help for this search.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith and Marguerite Alice (Pfaff) Smith are buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH. Thanks to Find-A-Grave for making this image available.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith and Mary Gertrude (Coffman) Fry were married August 22, 1928, in Huntington, Cabell Co., WV.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith and Mary Gertrude (Coffman) Fry Marriage Record.
Harry Donald "Don" Wetzel (age 26), a bachelor, and Lenore Shirley Abbey (age 19), a maiden, were married August 13, 1949, in the Winter Chapel of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND.
In a single ring ceremony performed by Father Raymond Guillozet in the Winter Chapel of the St. Joseph's Church at Beulah, Saturday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m., Miss Lenore Abbey, daughter of Mrs. Alice Abbey of Beulah, became the bride of Donald Wetzel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wetzel, of Zap Strip Mine. The bride wore a gray tweed suit with white accessories. She wore a corsage of red roses, and carried a rosary which had belonged to her maternal grandmother. She received a rhinestone necklace and bracelet from the groom. Miss Marilyn Abbey was her sister's only attendant. She wore a beige suit with white accessories and wore a corsage of red roses. James Wetzel attended his brother. Mrs. Abbey, mother of the bride wore a blue figured dress and Mrs. Wetzel, mother of the groom, wore navy blue. The both wore corsages of white carnations. After the ceremony a dinner was held at the home of the bride's mother, for the members of the immediate families. A reception was held at the Dreamland Pavilion in the afternoon for about 100 guests. The bridal table decorated with white garden flowers and centered with a three tierd wedding cake topped with a miniature bride and groom. The bride is a 1949 graduate of Beulah High School and is employed part time as a clerk in the Super Valu Store. The groom is a 1946 graduate of Zap High School and is meter man for the Montana Dakota Utilities Office. After a two week's honeymoon in Yellowstone Park, the newlyweds will be at home in Beulah. On July 28th, the bride was given a pre-nuptial shower at the home of Mrs. Bud Pulver. Hostesses were Mrs. Pulver, Mrs. Dale Wetzel and Mrs. Bill Krecklau.
Harry Donald "Don" Wetzel and Lenore Shirley Abbey were married August 13, 1949, in Beulah, Mercer Co., ND. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Lenore Shirley (Abbey) Wetzel and Harry Donald "Don" Wetzel, 1950. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Lenore Shirley (Abbey) Wetzel, Kay Donnette Wetzel, Donna Clara Abbey, and Charles Gale Abbey, April or May, 1951. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Koslan comments: Left to Right: In the reddish brown hair is my mother, Lenore. Then Donna Abbey holding me, and my uncle Gale Abbey. Note that Donna has very dark hair and eyes. If it's true that we are part Irish, then it fits. I am told by someone from Dad's side that they are called the "lack Irish." This is not "African" but just dark hair, skin, eyes. There were quite a few Abbeys, that to me, had a dark complexion, not just in my direct family, such as my mother.
Kay Donnette Wetzel. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel, 1951. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Lenore Shirley (Abbey) Wetzel, 1951. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Lenore Shirley (Abbey) Wetzel and Kay Donnette Wetzel, 1952. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
The December, 1952, Christmas gathering at the Charles George Herman house, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND. The people, from left to right clockwise, are: Colleen Theresa Abbey, Arvid Rudolf Gustafson, Charles George Herman, an empty chair, Alice Frances (Herman) Abbey, an occupied chair with James Gerald Abbey, and Lenore Shirley (Abbey) Wetzel. Other family members present but not in the picture are: Harry Donald "Don" Wetzel, Marilyn Adell (Abbey) Gustafson, Alan Lee Abbey, Kay Donnette Wetzel, and Barry David Wetzel. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Barry David Wetzel and Kay Donnette Wetzel, 1953. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Alice Frances (Herman) Abbey, Kay Donnette Wetzel, Charles George Herman, Lenore (Abbey) Wetzel, and Barry Wetzel, October, 1953. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel in front of her great-grandfather Charles George Herman's house, 1954. His Olympic Blue Metallic 1950 Buick Special Sedanette Fastback is shown in the background. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan. A typical 1950 Buick Special Sedanette Fastback is shown in the next two pictures, and another 1950 Buick in Olympic Blue Metallic is shown on the right. The color choices in 1950 are shown below.
Barry David Wetzel and Kay Donnette Wetzel, 1954. Photos courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Barry David Wetzel, Harry Donald "Don" Wetzel, and Kay Donnette Wetzel, with Northern Pike, 1954. Photos courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Harry Elmer Wetzel and Frances Willard (Werner) Wetzel extended family, North Dakota, 1954. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel, Kim Donald Wetzel, and Barry David Wetzel, 1955. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel and Barry David Wetzel in snow, 1955. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Mike Dolce, Barry Wetzel, Kay Wetzel, and Vanessa Dolce, 1956. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kim Wetzel, Barry Wetzel, and Kay Wetzel, December, 1956. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Wetzel climbing the hall wall, May, 1957. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Siblings Barry David Wetzel, Kim Donald Wetzel, and Kay Donnette Wetzel, in the Wetzel house on Highway 49, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, 1957. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel, 1st Communion, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, 1958. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel, Barry David Wetzel and Kim Donald Wetzel at Barry's 1st Communion, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, 1959. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Cousins: Back Row: Cindy Gustafson, Barry Wetzel, Vanessa Dolce, Kay Wetzel, Douglas Lang. Front Row: Kim Wetzel, Mike Dolce, Dean Lang, David Lang, Gary Dolce, Diane Lang, Jan Gustafson. Photo taken Alice's house, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, 1959. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Picnic at Alice Abbey's backyard, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, July, 1963. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Back row, Left to right: Alice (Herman) Abbey, bent over eating; Donna (Abbey) Stasil; Lenore (Abbey) Wetzel; June (Abbey) Dolce; Jan (Welk) Abbey; Marilyn (Abbey) Gustafson; Don Wetzel; and Stan Stasil.
Row 2, left to right: Barry Wetzel (lower left corner); and Mike Dolce, rust shirt, back seen and standing.
Row 3, left to right: front to back: Stephanie Stasil, sitting in high chair; Gary Dolce, almost hidden behind Stephanie Stasil; Cindy Gustafson; and Mark Gustafson, with bib.
Front row, left to right: Diane Lang, facing forward, Pink shorts; Kay Wetzel, facing back with orange drink, blue shirt; and Jan Gustafson, lower right corner, barely in the picture.
Kay Koslan comments: It looked my brother Barry Wetzel and my cousin Mike Dolce were up to no good because they had a long white cord. But then I recognized it was a type of child harness attached to Mark Gustafson at the front end so he wouldn't run off into the street! The only thing Barry and Mike were doing were holding onto that cord. I think it was attached to my Grandma Alice's clothes line, as they often did that to protect the kids from running off. This was especially important because there were 33 grandchildren. There were probably at least 20 in this gathering.
First cousins born in 1961; July, 1963, North Dakota. From left to right: Lenore (Abbey) Wetzel with Marsha Wetzel; Colleen (Abbey) Flemmer with Marie Flemmer; Marilyn (Abbey) Gustafson with Mark Gustafson; June (Abbey) Dolce with Tammy Dolce; and Donna (Abbey) Stasil with Stephanie Stasil. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
The Pink Frosting House. Alice Abbey in back, 206 East Main Street, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, Summer, 1966.
The Abbey children cousins; Front row, Left to Right: Jan Gustafson, Larry Flemmer, Denise Lang?, Tammy Dolce, Sandy Flemmer, Stephanie Stasil, Mark Gustafson, Beth Wetzel, Gina Abbey, and Paul Flemmer. Back row, Left to Right: Vanessa Dolce, Mike Dolce, Gary Dolce, Kim Wetzel, Barry Wetzel, Cindy Gustafson (holding Scott Stasil), Kay Wetzel, Marsha Wetzel, and Marie Flemmer.
Kay Donnette Wetzel, Junior Class picture, Beulah High School, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND, 1968.
Kay Donnette Wetzel was in the 1969 graduation class of Beulah High School, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND.
Kay Donnette Wetzel was in the North Dakota State University Marching Band in 1970. Photos courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel was in the Kappa Delta Sorority at North Dakota State University in 1972. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Kay Donnette Wetzel was in the Guidon Military Service Sorority at North Dakota State University in 1972. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
Arthur William "Art" Smith and Kay Donnette Wetzel were married November 25, 1977, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Beulah, Mercer Co., ND.
Kay Donnette Wetzel married Arthur William Smith at 2 p.m. Nov. 25 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Beulah, with the Rev. Harold Roth officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Wetzel, Beulah, and the bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio. The bride was attended by her sisters, Marsha and Beth, both of Beulah. Serving the bridegroom were Walter Anderson White, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Barry Wetzel, Beulah. Mrs. Smith is a home economics graduate of North Dakota State University. She is employed by Woodland Hills Apartments, Ann Arbor. Smith graduated from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in philosophy and is manager of Maize and Blue Management in Ann Arbor. The couple is at home in Ann Arbor.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith was born October 9, 1905, in the Village of Palmyra, Macoupin Co., IL, and died February 5, 1986, in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, at age 80. Buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH.
Mary Gertrude Coffman was born July 16, 1902, in Neutral Strip, Cabell Co., WV, and died February, 1989, in Huntington, Cabell Co., WV, at age 86. Her last marriage, was to Unknown Thompson. In 1936, Mrs. Mary Smith was a clerk for Jennings Ice Cream & Pastry Shop, and was a householder at 1938 10th av in Huntington. In 1943, Mrs. Mary G. Smith was a saleswoman for Jennings Pastry Shop, and was a householder at 812-1/2 10th, in Huntington. In 1947, Mrs. Mary Smith was a Baker for Jennings Pastry Shop, and was a householder at 816 14th, in Huntington.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith, of 3227 Colerain Avenue, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, deserted his wife, Mary Gertrude (Coffman) (Fry) Smith, in 1932.
Marguerite Alice Pfaff was born October 6, 1912, in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, and died January 31, 2005, at a nursing home, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, at age 92. Buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH.
Lowell E. Smith, 33, 3123 Spring Grove Avenue, salesman, and Marguerite S. Pfaff, 26, Race Road, Manager, took out a Marriage License about June 19, 1939, in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith and Marguerite Alice Pfaff were married June 28, 1939, in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH.
Miss Kay Donnnette Wetzel and Arthur William Smith, Ann Arbor, Mich., were united in marriage at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Beulah, with Father Harold Roth performing the mass, on Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. Don Wetzel, Beulah, and Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio. Organist was Dick Grosz, Dickinson, Diana Grosz, Dickinson, was the soloist. The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a straight-length dress of silk. Maid of honor was Marsha Wetzel, sister of the bride. Bridesmaid was Beth Wetzel. Best man was Walter Anderson White, of Ann Arbor, Mich. Groomsman was Barry Wetzel, Beulah.
This article from the Sunday, October 19, 1986, edition of the Bismarck Tribune newspaper contained a story about the long commute Kay Donnette (Wetzel) had as she pursued another college degree.
Lowell Ellsworth Smith died February 5, 1986, in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, at age 80. Buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH..
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, Friday, February 7, 1986
SMITH
Lowell E., loving husband of Marguerite A. Smith (nee Pfaff), dear father of Arthur W. Smith of Grand Rapids, MI., brother of Clarence Smith of CA., grandfather of Sarah and Joshua Smith. Wednesday, February 5, 1986. Age 80 years. Funeral from the Gump-Holt Funeral Home, 3440 Glenmore Avenue, Chevoit, Saturday, February 8 at 10:30 A.M. Friends may call from 9 A.M. until time of service. Member of Western Hills Lodge #762 F&AM and Scottish Rite.
Kay Donnette (Wetzel) (Smith) Koslan began her Dow Chemical Company career in 1990, and retired in 2016.
Wetzel family picnic in the park, summer, 2001. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.
American Society of Chemical Engineers biography of Kay Donnette (Wetzel) (Smith) Koslan.
Ms. Kay Koslan
Kay's Chemical Engineering career began at the Dow Chemical Company in 1990 in process engineering/production spearheading a new soil devolatilization technology. She then focused in the Environmental group, namely in VOC/NOX Netting RCRA Subpart CC implementation and other RCRA regulations, as well as negotiations with EPA and the TECQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality). From environmental work she moved to process engineering in the designing/upgrading of facilities in Texas and Tarragona, Spain. The remainder of her Dow career was spent in the Process Safety group. The work included the EPA Risk Management Plan (RMP) dispersion modeling for all facilities and chemicals at Dow North America for the first EPA RMP submittal. She also led the development/rewriting of a 17-chapter Dow relief device manual. Kay developed the Dow's first Portable Buildings Best Practice after the Texas City BP explosion and Process Safety Standards for Portable Buildings and Tents. Through the best practice she initiated the chemical industry involvement and participation in the writing of the the required OSHA API RP 753: Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Portable Buildings, and the API RP 756: Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Tents. She brought the design and best practice of blast-resistant high strength portable buildings at Dow. She was the Dow PHAST Subject Matter Expert globally for assisting others in developing dispersion models for designing plants through hazard analysis and LOPA. This included implementing a global PHAST training program for Dow. She was also responsible for the implementation of the Dow Global Process Safety Training program in 17 languages, as well as leading an effort to ensure process engineers and process automation engineers were trained in process safety. Kay graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman with a Chemical Engineering degree. Kay retired from the Dow Chemical in 2016 to enjoy her family and hobbies of RV travels and genealogy.
The roll top (barrel tool top) desk, previously owned by Kay Koslan's grandparents, Harry Elmer Wetzel and Frances Willard (Werner) Wetzel, ca. 1880 - 1890. Now refinished and located in Kay Koslan's home in Texas. Photo courtesy of Kay Koslan.